September 6 - LD 36, Day 4: Profanity

Leviticus 19:12: “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

Any one who is not completely sheltered from the world knows how common this sin is today. The prevalence of this sin is in fact one of the signs which tell us that Christ is coming quickly. Rev. 17, that chapter that tells about the great beast, the Antichrist, particularly in its religious aspect, speaks of that beast being "full of names of blasphemy." That tells us of the direct attacks upon the name of God that are prevalent in the kingdom of Antichrist. The prevalence of such blasphemy in our day indicates the nearness of Christ’s coming in judgment.

Still more, this sin is not limited to any age group or class of men. Profanity is heard in the corporate board rooms, as much as among the drunkards. What was once referred to as "the language of sailors" has now become just as much the language of women. That is the development of sin.

Men think that there is no consequence to this sin. They take God's names on their lips without any thought whatsoever. If not using God’s proper names as fillers or in expressions of anger, they use God’s attributes in profanity. The latter has even affected Christians. How quickly we can use expressions like, "mercy," or "goodness," or "holy," or "gracious," without even realizing that we are taking the very attributes of God upon our lips and making them common. That is what profanity is. It is to make common. It is to take that which reveals God and His glory, and to drag it down to the level of nothingness. It is to take the name which is so full of glory and majesty that it ought never to be spoken but with fear and reverence, and to make it something "light" and "frivolous."

We must understand that swearing is not merely, as it is sometimes described, "the effort of a feeble mind to express itself forcefully." Oh no. Cursing and swearing is the effort of the carnal mind to drag God from His throne! That is why God will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.