Foul language

Ephesians 5:4 (NLT)

Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Starting in Ephesians 4:25 through 5:18, Paul writes of many commands and exhortations for Christian conduct.  I have prepared a table that summarizes these exhortations.  I have omitted what the Bible says are the reasons for these exhortations so you can discover these while studying these verses during your quiet time. 

Ephesians Verse(s)	Negatively Stated	Positively Stated
4:25	Lay aside falsehood	Speak truth with your neighbor
4:26-27	Do not let the sun go down on your anger	Be angry, yet do not sin
4:28	Steal no more	Labor with your own hands
4:29	Do not use bad language	Say only good and helpful things to others
4:30	Do not grieve the Holy Spirit	--
4:31-32	Stop being bitter, bad-tempered, angry.  No quarreling or harsh words	Be kind, tender-hearted, forgiving
5:1-2	--	Be imitators of God, walk in love
5:3	No sexual sin, impurity, or greed	--
5:4-5	No dirty stories, foul talk, coarse jokes	Remind each other of God’s goodness and be thankful
5:6	Do not be fooled by those who excuse their sins	--
5:7-9	Do not associate with evil people	Your behavior should show the light that is in you
5:10-12	Take no part in worthless pleasures of evil and darkness	Learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  Expose and rebuke those partaking in darkness
5:15-16	Do not be fools	Be careful how you act, be wise, make the most of the time you have
5:17	Do not act thoughtlessly	Understand what the will of the Lord is
5:18	Do not get drunk	Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:4 clearly states that for the Christian, you are not to tell obscene stories, talk foolishly (foul language), or tell coarse jokes (dirty or questionable jokes), basically using any kind of language you know that you would be ashamed to say to the Lord Himself.  You likely have been in situations where you are not telling the dirty stories/jokes, but someone else is.  What should you say or do?  In my experience, I don’t make a scene, but I do use facial and body language to express my discomfort.  If the person/people do not take the hint and keep talking foul-mouthed, I find a way to excuse myself.  In a couple of instances, I have had to be bold and express the fact that while I love humor, I cannot listen to foul language.  One time I had to tell a man riding with me in a golf cart while playing golf that his foul language was bothering me.  Foul language is fool’s language. 

In contrast to filthy talk or questionable stories, you are to be thankful to God.  A Christian who has a thankful heart and mind is not interested in telling obscene stories and jokes and using foul language because he/she cannot.  Jesus said that “every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36).  That truth alone should keep you from using foul language.  Additionally, Jesus said that whatever is in your heart, that is what comes out of the mouth (Matthew 15:18).  So a heart filled with thanksgiving to the Lord is not a heart that can speak evil things.

You likely have engaged in this sort of unacceptable conversation in the past, but by confessing it, the Lord will forgive you and you must forgive yourself.  Who can you be working with today to help them see the foolishness of their foul language?  What exhortations in the list above do you know that you are guilty of either doing or not doing?  Pray about these and change your ways through the help of the Holy Spirit in you.