Among recent recommendations for maintaining classroom discipline has been the suggestion that children should be permitted to swear a limited number of times in class to "let off steam". The man who prominently promoted "make poverty history" seemed scarcely able to formulate a sentence without swearing. A leading government adviser's speech leaked to the press was full of vulgarities and a prominent radio interviewer's speech, leaked similarly, was peppered with swear words. Even the snatches of conversation heard while passing others in public places indicate that such language is far from uncommon.

Speech is a faculty which distinguishes human beings from every inferior creature of God and it is a wonderful thing in itself. The thought which exists in the mind of one person can be expressed in an utterance which can be heard and understood by another and translated into a thought in his mind. Jesus Christ is described as "the Word" and in Him the thought of God has been given utterance. Speech patterned on the speech of God, reflecting likeness to Christ - the Word made flesh, the visible Word - is an essential element of godliness. The significance of speech is brought powerfully before us in the words of our Lord: "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Matt 12:36,37). Words must be used wisely because God will take account even of those which, though not coarse, are empty, meaningless or misleading.

Speech is significant in that it is indicative of the character of the speaker, and influences the thought and character and conduct of others. This aspect is brought out in Ephesians 4:25,29: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. . . . Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers".

Like everything else in human experience here, purity is at best relative - in principle and in endeavour. There must first be purity of heart, the fruit of regeneration. There must also be purity in the sense of conformity to the standards of speech required in the Word of God. This includes not only the absence from our speech of what is evil and offensive but the presence of what is good and beneficial. "The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom. . . . The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable" (Prov 10:31,32).

The fact that purity of speech, like any other aspect of conformity to the will of God, is in its fullest sense a fruit of regeneration does not mean that no attempt need be made to enforce standards of speech in society, in literature, in the news media, in the home, in the workplace, in the classroom and playground. It does not follow that, because an unregenerate man cannot keep any of the commandments of God, there is no obligation upon him to do so, or upon the State to enforce outward conformity to the moral law, or upon the Church to inform the State of its duty to God and men in this respect. Pure speech is dependent on the Spirit and Word of God, but human beings should not be permitted, without restraint, to pour impurities, falsehoods or blasphemies into the ears of their fellows, to the further defilement of young and old. The Christian has a duty to use all the means available in his particular sphere of life to promote the maintenance of standards of wholesome speech. In home, at work and as a citizen he should use his influence to secure the prohibition of impure language, including swearing, blasphemy, lying and uncleanness and, on the other hand, to promote language which is not only inoffensive but also contributes to the well-being of the hearer.

The Christian's influence on others within his own sphere will depend very much on the standards exemplified in his own speech. Christian speech should not be thoughtless, pointless or without regard to its effect on the hearer. The Christian must seek to avoid speech that is sinful in that it gives expression to evil in the heart, or takes a form that is condemned in the Bible, or has a bad effect on other people. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth" (Eph 4:29). Sinful actions ought not to be the subject of unnecessary or flippant speech.

The Christian must cultivate a way of speaking which is beneficial to the hearer - "that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Eph 4:29). Pure speech is part of the character required by the law and produced and promoted by the gospel. While making every effort to promote righteousness of speech and conduct in society, let us not isolate our effort from the awareness and the message that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Campaigns on behalf of morality, by the Church or the Christian, cannot be isolated from the proclamation of the whole counsel of God. The absence of pure speech is a symptom of the depravity of fallen man. Pure speech can only exist as part of a gracious regeneration of sinners by God the Holy Spirit. "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7).

HMC