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Is Swearing Sinning? - The Gospel.com Blog
The English languages collection of four letter words are extraordinarily popular. They’re peppered throughout our media and can be overheard just about anywhere you have someone upset or angry. But is it alright for Christians to cuss or swear? I’ve heard passionate appeals from Christians on either side of the issue (and heard from others who think we’re wasting our time making it an issue). What about you though? Do you think that swearing is sinning? Here’s a perspective on cussing/swearing from GotQuestions.org: Question: “Is it a sin to cuss / swear / curse?” Answer: It is definitely a sin to swear (curse, cuss, etc.). The Bible makes this abundantly clear. Ephesians 4:29 tells us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” First Peter 3:10 declares, “For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.” James 3:9-12 summarizes the issue: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” James makes it clear that the lives of Christians—the “brothers”—should not be characterized by evil speech. By making the analogy of both salt water and fresh water coming from the same spring (which is uncharacteristic of springs), he makes the point that it is uncharacteristic for a believer to have both praise and cursing come from his/her mouth. Nor is it characteristic for us to praise God on one hand and curse our brothers on the other. This, too, is uncharacteristic of a true believer. Jesus explained that what comes out of our mouths is that which fills our hearts. Sooner or later, the evil in the heart comes out through the mouth in curses and swearing. But when our hearts are filled with the goodness of God, praise for Him and love for others will pour forth. Our speech will always indicate what is in our hearts. “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Why is it a sin to cuss / swear / curse? Sin is a condition of the heart, the mind, and “the inner man” (Romans 7:22), which is manifested in our thoughts, actions and words. When we swear and curse, we are giving evidence of the polluting sin in our hearts that must be confessed and repented of. Thankfully, our great God is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When this happens, we receive a new nature from God (2 Corinthians 5:17), our hearts are transformed, and our speech reflects the new nature God has created within us. Read the article at Question: “Is it a sin to cuss / swear / curse?”. Share your thoughts!

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/17/is-swearing-sinning/

How do you steer clear of burnout?
Burnout—if you’ve not experienced it, chances are you’ve skirted its edges once or twice. It’s a phenomenon alarmingly common in ministry professions. So how to cope with burnout when you feel it crouching at your door?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/13/how-do-you-steer-clear-of-burnout/

How Much Should Christians Care About Sports? - The Gospel.com Blog
With the World Series behind us, basketball getting underway and the NFL approaching midseason, it’s a good time to be a sports fans. It seems like every week there’s a “big game,” and for every “big game” there are millions upon millions of people that watch, cheer and dissect every play and statistic. Americans might not know whether their city has a symphony orchestra, but they know their city’s sports teams. Sports are clearly an inextricable part of our culture, yet, as Christians how invested should we be in the outcomes of those sporting events? How much should Christians care about sports?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/09/how-much-should-christians-care-about-sports/

Has Social Networking Had a Positive Impact on Your Faith? - The Gospel.com Blog
The day one of my parents’ peers requested to be my friend on facebook I knew that social networking was here to stay. There’s something about connecting with each other that just makes sense, even for people who five years ago would barely take a second glance at a computer. For those that do participate in social networks, I’d like to ask you: has social networking had a positive impact on your faith?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/06/has-social-networking-had-a-positive-impact...

When Do You Pray? - The Gospel.com Blog
Whether it’s in the morning, during lunch or in the evening, most people try to block out some time every day for prayer. What about you, when do you pray?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/06/when-do-you-pray/

Do you expect the Second Coming in your lifetime?
Few topics within the Christian faith have inspired as much speculation and literature as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ—the promised day in which he will return, as was promised thousands of year ago. Do you think it will happen within your lifetime?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/05/do-you-expect-the-second-coming-in-your-lif...

Do You Take a Regular Sabbath? - The Gospel.com Blog
On the seventh day of the Creation story, God took a sabbath and rested from His work. Later, keeping a sabbath was included in the ten commandments. Rest is clearly an important activity, but I’d argue that in the Western world we don’t do a great job of emphasizing how important it really is. What about you though? Do you take a regular sabbath?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/04/do-you-take-a-regular-sabbath/

Can you be an “ex-Christian”?
When you hear somebody describe themselves as an “ex-Christian” or “former Christian,” what’s your reaction?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/29/can-you-be-an-ex-christian/

Why should we trust the Bible?
The Bible makes some very specific claims about truth and the meaning of life—so it’s clearly important to ask whether or not we can trust what the Bible says about these things. How would you answer that question?

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/16/why-should-we-trust-the-bible/

What’s your favorite devotional?
Do you have a favorite devotional? It might be a classic of Christian literature or a fresh-from-the-printer modern work, but many Christians have a favorite devotional that they turn to each day to complement their prayer and Bible reading.

http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/16/whats-your-favorite-devotional/