According to what we’ve learned from the Bible, if you curse at someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell (Matthew 5:22). It’s also mentioned that you should fight any temptation of lust or otherwise, you’ll risk being thrown into hell (Matthew 5:30).
Jesus has also mentioned hell over sixty times. He wanted us to heed His warnings and avoid going there by any means. If Jesus talked about hell so often, why do we feel so weird when others say it out of anger or just in passing? Is hell really a curse word? Let’s find out:
What Does the Bible Say About Cursing?
Cursing is when someone takes the Lord’s name in vain or makes others feel bad by using a derogatory term. These two ways of cursing are violations of the first and second commandments, and that is to love the Lord your God and to love your brother as yourself.
Cursing can also represent a way of complaining intensely about something, which shows only impatience and pride. We should watch out for what words are coming out of our mouths because our words can defile us (Matthew 15:11).
The Bible teaches us to avoid saying any corrupt words; it’s much better to offer words of grace than any others (Ephesians 4:29). We should learn how to stop using anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk (Colossians 3:8), as this foul language won’t edify anyone.
It doesn’t help anyone, not even you. The only thing that curse words can do is to fan the flame of anger when we should try instead to promote grace and peace. And we should always try to have peaceful and graceful conversations only.
Is “Hell” Considered a Curse Word?
The word itself isn’t a curse word. It’s a place where many people end up but none of them are happy to be there. Let’s remind ourselves that Jesus said that the highway to hell is wide and broad (Matthew 7:13). It’s not too hard to get on that highway either.
All you have to do is to do whatever you want whenever you want and refuse to believe in the Lord God. So instead of doing that, try going through the narrow gate, which is Jesus, and be guided to Heaven. The path is free, all you have to do is to have some faith.
God won’t allow someone into heaven who doesn’t reverence Him. And after all, why would someone who doesn’t want to reverence God prefer spending eternity in heaven anyway?
When someone refuses to believe in Him, their arrogance will book them a ticket straight to hell. Their pride will keep them from turning back around. If they chose to live this life without God, they will continue that way throughout eternity.
Nowadays, some churches don’t speak of hell, as they try to avoid offending their patrons. But if Jesus mentioned hell, we shouldn’t be afraid to speak of it too. We need to warn people of the outcomes, in order for them to have another chance to turn to God.
Why it’s so important to examine the intentions behind what we say
When we ask ourselves if “hell” is a curse word, we need to first examine the intentions behind the words we use. We need to pay attention to what we say, but we also need to be careful of what we are thinking.
Our thoughts will be represented through what we say, so we must remember to stop them before they go too far. The “hell” word isn’t a curse word, but the way we use it might change that.
The dictionary explains that a curse word is “a profane or obscene word, particularly when used in anger or for emphasis”. So, as we’ve said before, we could talk about hell for the purpose of making others understand what hell is and make them accept God’s forgiveness and mercy, but we shouldn’t use it as a word to express our hate and anger.
Be careful of what you say. Your tongue can hurt others and can start fires of pain and sorrow. Is that the effect you’d like to have on people? Oftentimes, we hear both blessings and curses coming out of the same mouth.
But can a body of water be fresh and salty at the same time? We need to think before we open our mouths, and try letting out only words that encourage, edify, build trust, and help instead of letting our anger tear others down.
You can tame your tongue if you tame your heart first. And the only way to do that is to run your thoughts and feelings through the filter of God’s Word, which is the Bible. We learn what God calls good or bad and seek to line our thoughts according to that.
This way, next time we speak, we’ll be helping, not hurting. We can’t control our speech or our reasons for ourselves. We need to welcome the Spirit of God’s assistance and guidance.
Don’t Mention Hell Flippantly
Hell is a real place full of darkness, isolation, and despair. Using this word flippantly is similar to watching tormented people and having a laugh at it. However, if you talk about it to remind everyone what a terrible place it is, then it’s all right.
Most of the time, people don’t believe that hell is real or think it’s not that bad. But it is extremely bad, and if you get there it might be too late to change your mind and choose another direction. So don’t wait until it’s too late.
Believe in the Lord Jesus with all your heart while you still have some time, and you will gain the love and grace of God. And when you will sin, God’s mercy will be there to help you repent fast. So yes, the narrow path will always be the best path.
Cursing Ruins Your Witness of Jesus and Dishonors God
It is written in James 3:10 that using the same mouth to bless and to curse is dishonorable to the Lord. When you follow Christ, you are representing the Lord, not only with your actions but also with your words and your feelings.
If you’re praising God one moment and the next one you start cursing, God’s name will be weak in your mouth. This also comes as a mindset of honoring God through your words. Using God or Jesus Christ in a derogatory way is equal to the worst curse words you could possibly think of.
Cursing doesn’t help anyone
How many of you ever felt encouraged and uplifted after cursing or being cursed too? Even if it might be about someone who’s funnier with their language choices or it’s about a humorous story that requires such profane comments, those who are listening will oftentimes think that there’s a place and a time for this type of language.
That’s why some people prefer not to use these words in the church or around children. Those who don’t care about the environment they’re in will be seen as uncouth and shameful. This is because this kind of talk will never motivate anyone towards positivity.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the church of Ephesus to suppress corrupt talk from their mouths, and exchange it for “what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearer” (Eph. 4:29).
While using foul language might come as a relief to you in case, you’re full of tension or you have to face too many difficulties at once, at the same time it could be the last thing someone would wanna hear or explain to their child!
Cursing is an open gateway into more sinning
You might think that if you have a “potty mouth” it won’t affect anyone, but that’s not true. In God’s eyes, if you can excuse your language choices, you would be able to excuse other behaviors that are far worse than cursing.
Cursing is seen as similar to a smoking habit that can lead you to other dangerous drugs, or it might trick you into believing that gossip is just as fine, or judging people regularly.
King Solomon described this phenomenon in the book of “Proverbs”, telling the readers that “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21). By this, he meant that those who find pleasure in cursing every day will soon eat the fruits they prefer, and those fruits will be bitter and cause them spiritual damage.
