Talking As Christ Would

"O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves." - Psalms 88:1-7

It never ceases to surprise me when I go to a Christian school and hear Christians profess Christ one moment, and the next talk of impure things. Christians do not usually talk of unrighteousness seriously, but with humor. They seem to think if it amuses others, than it is perfectly acceptable. Believers assume that they can, with the same tongue, praise God and curse man. These people have seriously and unfortunately convinced themselves that crude, unruly humor is acceptable for the Christian to utter.

I do not find this premise within the word of God, the very book these people claim they stand by. There is no place in the Bible I find a verse saying "thou shalt not glorify sinful things unless it makes a brother laugh." This kind of verse in the Bible is absurd, wouldn't you agree? Are we taking the Bible seriously, or only the parts we think are reasonable? Are Christians pursuing the easy commands but not pursuing the commands which demand more time and devotion? More importantly, are you?

Ephesians 5:3-4 says, "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." I believe Christians have forgotten who they are. I believe crude jokes and our immoral humor is, at least partly, a result of wrong self-perception. In other words, we have forgotten we are "saints." We are the image bearers of Christ himself. How dare we glorify immorallity, whether it be out of humor or seriousness? As Paul says, this kind of talk is "out of place." As a "healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit," neither "can a diseased tree bear good fruit" (Matthew 7:18). Christians should, by the power of God, produce only that which is inside of them: the image of Christ and his kingdom.

It is interesting that in Ephesians 5, Paul names "Thanksgiving" as the alternative to "crude jokes, covetousness, and sexual immorality." How would thanksgiving rid the Christian of these sins? Thanksgiving is the act and proclamation of giving thanks to God for that which he has given, produced, and done. Is not sex a gift? Is not humor a gift? Are not possessions a gift? Why than are we intermixing these gifts (that Paul refers to in Ephesians 5) with sin and then going on to mock them, and enjoy the perverse and immoral humor that comes out of them? Do you now see how thanksgiving is an alternative to mocking the gifts God has granted and twisting them for your own amusement? Where genuine thanksgiving to God lies is where sin removes itself.

I do not want you to deceive yourselves or others. I pray that you will refrain from indecent talk as well as action. As James says, learn to "bridle the tongue." Peace with you this day in the name of Jesus Christ, and may he dwell within you more ultimately day by day.