If we live under grace and not under law, then is it OK to swear? A case can be made for not using phrases that convey disrespect for God by combining the term with other clearly understood swear words; it should go without saying that those things should be out of bounds if we love and are loyal to the One who loved us and gave His life for us.

But what about all the other words that are commonly understood to be unacceptable in polite company? Words in the news media are shown with the first letter and a blank following. We all know the words, but when they aren’t spelled out, we are expected to believe the decorum line has not been crossed.

Further, the impact of swear words has a relatively short shelf life. What was once unacceptable for Christians to say, succeeding generations of Christians have accepted and even embraced, though in some corners these words are still frowned upon. I resist mentioning any of these for fear of offending anyone—that is the nature of this issue. Some Christians will respond, “Don’t be legalistic and don’t be judgmental.” Interestingly, such comments are themselves legalistic, judgmental, and self-defeating—akin to the self-negating phrase, “Be tolerant of everything except intolerance.”

Other Christians quote Scripture, fearing the constant slide to worldlines and immorality. We must be quick to respond that swearing is legally OK—no one will lose his or her salvation over this issue—but that doesn’t mean there should be no limits. After all, the apostle Paul, who wrote more about grace than any other author in the NT, said this (and he repeats himself):

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor. 6:12)

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. (1 Cor. 10:23)

So the question is whether swearing is profitable. Do I control it or does it control me? Have you noticed most swearing has to do with two subjects: spiritual things (God, hell, damnation, etc.) and bodily functions (sex, bodily waste, etc.)? Does using words like this edify God, ourselves, or others?

A person who swears shows poverty of language and linguistic immaturity. Some call it adult language, off-color or even “colorful” language, but it is anything but that. Some wink, “Excuse my French.” But swearing is uninteresting and unimaginative—and very repetitive. Nothing to wink about. The apostle Paul, who wrote more about grace than any other NT author, said this:

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (Eph. 5:3–4)

I can imagine someone objecting that there is another purpose for swearing: for emphasis or to add force to one’s statements. But do not these things come better from being people of our word, people of integrity? When we let our yes be yes, and our no be no, people learn that we mean what we say and we say what we mean. Our words take on a solidness and power that need no unimaginative or crude comments to convey their force.