Can we talk about [Christians] cussing (especially my young friends)? I don’t think it’s my imagination that there is a trend among young people who proclaim Christ to think nothing of cursing. I did it when I was young, but I didn’t justify it as an acceptable behavior as a Christian; I knew I was not living a life that glorified the Lord.

It’s not a gray issue if we take God’s Word at, well the Word. We know that words are powerful:

“..on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak..” Matt. 12:36

We know that the Bible specifically addresses our speech:

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Eph. 4:29

We know that culture generally agrees on what are considered profane words so the argument that a word is just a word, doesn’t hold water.

We know that if we belong to Christ, we were created to glorify Him and that includes a command to “find out what pleases the Lord” and to seek to be holy as He is.

And I’m not even talking about “slipping up” and using a curse word every now and then. I’m talking about what seems to be a general disregard for allowing the Bible to inform our speech, and even justification of the potty mouth.

I believe there are amazing young people around us with tremendous power to influence others and bear fruit in keeping with a life devoted to Christ. Let’s consider that whatever we do, “in word or deed” we are to do all in the name of Christ, giving glory to the One whose death on the cross made it possible for us to live as new creatures.

Deep breath, hallelujah, Amen.

I get the spirit of the article, An Open Letter to the Christian Bad Girl (met with comments like, “Now that’s f****** awesome).  And I even understand the marketing drive behind writing the kind of content that people love to share.  And I’m sure the author is lovely. But because it’s being shared, I felt the need (compulsion, really) to address the glaring problem with the article.

If you don’t want to read all of it, here’s a snippet of the highlights:

“I see you. I know you. I am one of you. I’m also a Jesus-loving “bad girl.” I’ve done things many Christians would cringe at the thought of….

Maybe you’ve even been hesitant to get involved in a church, or really get to know people there. I know I have.

It’s interesting because the people I’ve met who truly know Jesus are usually very loving and accepting, yet there were times I was still reluctant to connect with them….

You wonder what they would say if they knew your past, especially the dark parts. You wonder how wide their eyes would be if they knew how much your mouth resembled that of a sailor, or how much wine you drink… on week nights. (My note: drinking wine is not a sin. Drunkenness is. Clarified.) Or how you think inappropriate jokes are hilarious. You try to imagine their response if you were vulnerable enough to share the thoughts that go through your mind. You wonder if they would question if you really love Jesus….

Here is the thing I’ve come to learn: Jesus loves us bad girls. He loves the heck out of us. And He doesn’t want us to hide either…

I think if Jesus were here right now he would give us a giant hug and say how happy He is to have us. He’d say we always have a place at the table with him, and that’s exactly where He wants us. No lecture, no shaming, just love. So, so much love.

So come as you are, rebel heart and all.”

The heart of this article is sincere: an invitation that no matter what you’ve done, Jesus will welcome you with open arms and so will people who have the spirit of Christ.

I can attest to the truth of that because I was a bad girl too. The story of redemption in my life is so amazing that I will always stand in awe of the incredible change Jesus can make in a person.

But that’s the sad part I find missing in this piece. And it’s the WHOLE part. We CAN come as we are to Jesus. But we can never stay as we are, and I didn’t get that vibe from the article. There’s a blurry line where you don’t see the saving grace that transforms. It’s more of a “I’m kinda still a bad girl but Jesus doesn’t care” attitude.

If we tell our bad girl stories and leave out the redemptive work of the cross, the transforming power of His grace and love, what a cruelty to both our Savior and those hearing! If coming to Jesus doesn’t profoundly change me, I haven’t met Him. It doesn’t mean we never sin again, it means we don’t want to, and we grieve over our sinfulness, and we repent, and we seek to do what is pleasing to Him. A grace that doesn’t effect change is cheap grace, if grace at all.

When Jesus met bad girls, He welcomed them. And He required change…“Go and sin no more.”

Being a bad girl Christian shouldn’t be painted as some kind of club where I feel better about my sin because I read an article like this. That appeals to my flesh, but it’s not biblical. We were all bad girls once. Some have more tangible garbage in their past than others, but we all hold the title. But coming to Jesus makes us good girls–because of the merit of His perfection, and nothing else.

And we answer that grace by living a life of gratitude that seeks obedience. A changed life.

“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.  For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not become partners with them;  for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),  and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:3-10

“I don’t really get into ‘theology’ or ‘doctrine.’ I mean, I love Jesus. That’s really all that matters.”

Have you heard this? Have you said it? The opposition to theology has caused a great number of problems in the Church. Maybe it’s that our terms have not been defined or understood. But theology informs all our decisions and thus, our whole direction in life. Theology matters because theology tells us how to live.

Theology is the study of the nature of God and truth. It’s not just a cursory glance, but a delving in that shapes our life choices.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:3-5

“Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live…You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, for their deceit is falsehood.” Psalm 119:116-118

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge….because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6

We must make the Word of God, from where our theology is formed, absolute priority in our homes. We must read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, and let it encompass our lives. Too often the Bible is something from which we enjoy cherry-picking pretty verses that make us feel happy at just the time we’re discouraged. And it can do just that.

But if we view His Word only as a book from which to draw out a few verses now and then to satisfy us in a particular problem, we have largely overlooked its meaning and power in our lives. It is, in its entirety, for our “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16) to equip us for all of life.

We learn how to respond, think and act like Christians by studying Christ and the character of God throughout His Word, by understanding His holiness which leads us to pursue holiness. We learn about salvation and God’s plan for mankind and how His ways are not our ways. And if we are willing to look and study long enough, we might find we have to let die some strong elements of wrong theology we were taught since childhood.

Theology protects us from the danger of following our feelings.

Essentially, true followers of Christ will seek to know more and more about the nature, thoughts and wisdom of the One whom they serve. They want to know truth. True Christians will seek theology, not just what seems or feels right to them.

We ought to be poring over His Word ourselves, and passing that thirst onto our children, making it one of our top priorities. Whatever effort you are placing on math or English or science, I would encourage you to double that effort teaching God’s Word.

Take every problem, question and concern to His Word. It speaks to every area of life and it is the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path. Love theology. Don’t be afraid it.

“We avoid saying things that might make people feel uncomfortable”, the pastor said.  Which is why Sandy loves one of the fastest-growing churches in her area.  She visits both campuses, depending on which weekend she stays with her boyfriend.  (True story, told by “Sandy”, casually, unabashedly, to another Christian.)

There is a new gospel taking the church by storm.  But, it’s not new at all.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires…”  2 Timothy 4:3

Beware, dear sister…we all have “itching ears.”  We want to feel comfortable, even at the risk of walking in darkness.  I read this comment last week:  “I use this as a ‘gauge’ for which blogs I read:  If they edify me and encourage me, I read them.  If not, I stay away.”

And we certainly need encouraged!  I LOVE edification and encouragement.  But that can’t be the end or we stop short of the gospel, we disobey God by living and teaching a lie, and we rob each other of the fellowship that is in Christ–the fellowship that can only come from repentance, a loathing of our sin, a celebration of redemption that makes us a new creature who now delights in the hardest words to fall on human ears:

“If any man would come after Me let him deny himself…”

Deny himself of what? His own lusts, passions and desires. More simply, he should concern himself no longer with what *he* wants.  Now, it’s “all about HIM.”

Jesus most certainly did not make people feel comfortable.  “Lord, this is a hard saying.” And they walked away.  And He let them go without changing the message.  “Go and sin no more…in fact, it’s so important that I’d rather you cut the hand off that causes you to sin.  If you continue in sin, you can have no part with Me.”

We almost romanticize sin when we should be proverbially renting our garments over it.  “Oh be careful little ears what you hear (and little eyes, what you read).”  Measure the message by the Messenger who brought it first.

“The nature of true repentance is clearly and unmistakably laid down in holy Scripture. It begins with knowledge of sin. It goes on to work sorrow for sin. It leads to confession of sin before God. It shows itself before man by a thorough breaking off from sin. It results in producing a habit of deep hatred for all sin. Above all, it is inseparably connected with lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance like this is the characteristic of all true Christians.”

~ J.C. Ryle