PRÉCIS ON BLESSINGS AND CURSINGS: THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

SCRIPTURE. “Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way [for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].” – JAMES 3:10, AMP

KEY TERM: “CURSING.” ‘Katara’ [κατάρα]: “An imprecation, execration; to invoke evil upon; a devoting or dooming to utter destruction; hence condemnation, doom, punishment; the act of imprecating, or invoking evil on anyone; a prayer that a curse or calamity may fall on anyone; the expression of utter detestation.”

QUOTATION. “In thinking of America, I sometimes find myself admiring her bright blue sky—her grand old woods—her fertile fields—her beautiful rivers— her mighty lakes, and star-crowned mountains. But my rapture is soon checked, my joy is soon turned to mourning. When I remember that ‘all is cursed with the infernal spirit of slaveholding, robbery and wrong,’— when I remember that with the waters of her noblest rivers, the tears of my brethren are borne to the ocean, disregarded and forgotten, and that her most fertile fields drink daily of the warm blood of my outraged sisters, I am filled with unutterable loathing, and led to reproach myself that any thing could fall from my lips in praise of such a land.” – FREDERICK DOUGLASS, “Letter to William Lloyd Garrison,” Belfast, Ireland, Jan. 27, 1846; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing’ – The meaning here may be, either that out of the mouth of man two such opposite things proceed, not referring to the same individual, but to different persons; or, out of the mouth of the same individual. Both of these are true; and both are equally incongruous and wrong. No organ should be devoted to uses so unlike, and the mouth should be employed in giving utterance only to that which is just, benevolent, and good. It is true, however, that the mouth is devoted to these opposite employments; and that while one part of the race employ it for ‘purposes of praise,’ the other employ it in ‘uttering maledictions.’ It is also true of many individuals that at one time they praise their Maker, and then, with the same organ, calumniate, and slander, and revile their fellow-men. ‘After an act of solemn devotion in the House of God, the professed worshipper goes forth with the feelings of malice in his heart, and the language of slander, detraction, or even blasphemy on his lips.’

‘My brethren, these things ought not so to be’ – They are as incongruous as it would be for the same fountain to send forth both salt water and fresh; or for the same tree to bear different kinds of fruit.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK. Well now, there is cursing, and then there is ‘Cursing,’beloved. And yes, they are both wrong, but the latter is abominable, in a class by itself. That is the occasion where the Christian (or anyone) decides the fate of another individual by imprecating him or her to utter destruction, death, and by extension, Perdition (Hellfire). That, dear friends, is Cursing taken to its extremity and simultaneously to its Biblical Root meaning – and warning!

In Sum: Cursing is that which defies and desecrates Christ, Canon, and Compassion. And God hates it, especially as it manifests in TWO FORMS. The following is taken from Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language (1828).

• SLANDER. “A false tale or report maliciously uttered, and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing him to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of living; defamation.”

• BLASPHEMY. “An indignity offered to God by words or writing; reproachful, contemptuous or irreverent words uttered impiously against Jehovah. Blasphemy is an injury offered to God, by denying that which is due and belonging to Him, or attributing to Him that which is not agreeable to His Nature.”

CODA. To be clear, the use of profanity and foul language is wrong, and should be generally excluded from Christian conversation. But that is not the primary meaning in the text. No, it rather reduces to this: ‘LYING about both God and man.’

Thus do I finish with this: God loves Truth and Truth-telling. God hates Deception and Deceiving. He has said as much, beloved, and we know this. Or we should!

“These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.” – PROVERBS 6:16-19, AMPC

These are the Abominations of Man to Almighty God. “Brethren, these things ought not to be.” Worse, defined in this careful doctrinal manner, the American Church is rife with such talk! Filled with the Abominations of Proverbs Six, beloved, from sea to shining sea is our Church infected with all manner of Calumny and Blasphemy.

Whether by Silence in the face of its presence, or active Participation in it.

JUDGMENT. God’s Fiery Reckoning is coming first to His House, to His pastors and shepherds, and to His people (1 Peter 4:17). Where He finds no Contrition, there shall be the thunderous sound of Lampstands being crashed to the floors of sanctuaries all across the land by the same Right Hand that whipped the money lenders two thousand years ago. Neither shall you hear of them anymore, beloved, not ever.

Better to Repent and Recant now and begin to ‘Speak Truth and Blessings’ while it is still Day. Night is racing toward us beloved, when no man can anymore work. Selah.