My friend and I were discussing our faith, cussing, and sex tonight at dinner.
Michelle thinks that saying “damn” is a sin but saying it’s substitute “dang” “darn” “shoot” is okay. I have come to believe that it’s not the word but the heart behind saying it. Really if you say “damn” with the same meaning you saw “dang” then it’s the same thing. It’s better to say nothing and to ask God to restrain your tongue. It’s about your heart and you submitting everything to God. Not just your outward motions or words but your heart and desire. (Don’t worry, I’m not going around cussing all the time. But if a “damn” slips out I’m not going to think I’ve committed the unpardonable sin.)
That lead to another point in our discussion. She asked:
“Well if sin really does start in your heart then let’s say you lust in your heart. Why don’t you just go and have sex with someone. It’s the same thing, isn’t?”
I thought about that, and finally said, “No. I’m not going to go out and have sex even if I lust in my heart. But I am also not going to judge someone who does struggle with sexual sin or think more highly of myself because I don’t particpate in the physical act.
That’s when it hit me. Sin is in all of our hearts. None of us can claim any goodness or merit on our own. Even if we can make our actions or behavior “good,” our hearts are still corrupt and evil.
That’s where grace comes in, I guess. We are all the same in our sin and we can all come to the foot of the cross the same. Thank you, Jesus, for this grace.
