Sunday, February 17, 2019

WE ARE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS!

By Bishop Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD

(Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are from the New International Version)

I. LESSON PURPOSE.

A. THE EARLY CHURCH’S BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS COMING SOON. In the Bible, Jesus and His early followers taught that His Second coming was going to be real soon.

· Some felt there was no need to get married since He was coming back soon.

· Some felt no need to work since He was coming back soon.

· The church was not really organized structurally because everyone felt He was coming soon.

· The first books of the New Testament were not written until forty years after Christ ascended to Heaven, because no one felt a need to write anything down since He would return soon.

· Even when they finally started writing, they were yet expressing a hope that Christ would come in their lifetime.

Philippians 3:10-11 ¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; ¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

1 John 3:2-3 King James Version (KJV)

²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

³And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Revelation 22:7 "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."

Revelation 22:12-13 ¹²"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

B. MANY PEOPLE ARE LOSING HOPE OF THEIR BEING A SECOND COMING. If these people were alive today, they would be flabbergasted to know that it has been around 2,000 years and He yet has not come back yet! Therefore, some Christians have begun to downplay the Second Coming and, frankly speaking, some do not even believe in it anymore. They feel it was more symbolic of a statement; rather than an actual event to be ready for.

· Did we misunderstand Him?

· Is He actually coming back?

· Were we misled?

· Were we deceived?

· Did we deceive ourselves?

Let us go further and answer these questions….

C. HOW DO WE KNOW WE ARE IN THE LAST DAYS? The Characteristics of the last days are found in the Scriptures.

1. GOD IS GOING TO MOVE IN GREAT WAYS.

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

2. TIMES ARE GOING TO BE VERY STRESSFUL. Be reminded that the following is talking about church people!!!!!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 ¹But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ²People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- ⁵having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

3. PEOPLE WILL INCREASIGLY MOCK OUR BELIEFS.

2 Peter 3:3-5 ³Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." ⁵But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 ¹The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ²Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

2 Timothy 4:3 ³For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

II. INTRODUCTION.

A. THE FATHER SON AND HOLY GHOST CAN BE COMPARED TO WATER. Water has many phases. Each phase has a purpose. But, it’s all water.

1. REMEMBER THE VISIBLE WORLD, EXPLAINS THE INVISIBLE WORLD. What you see helps to explain about God and Who He is.

Psalm 19:1 ¹The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Romans 1:19-20 ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

2. WATER, ICE AND CLOUDS ARE ALL WATER.

a. WATER. Is water in its liquid form.

b. ICE. Is water in its solid form.

c. CLOUDS.[1] Is water in vapor form.

3. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SON TO THE FATHER.

a. THE FATHER AND SON ARE EQUAL.

Matthew 22:44 ⁴⁴"'The LORD said to my LORD: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."'

John 10:30 ³⁰I and the Father are one."

John 17:1-5 ¹After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ²For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

John 8:58 ⁵⁸"Very truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "Before Abraham was born, I am!"

b. BUT, THE SON CHOSE TO EMPTY HIMSELF OF ALL HIS DIVINE PRIVILEGES. He was sent to Earth by the Father.

i. THIS IS THE KENOSIS.[2] (In Christian theology) the renunciation of the divine nature, at least in part, by Christ in the Incarnation.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION (CEV)[3]

⁵and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought:

⁶Christ was truly God.
But he did not try to remain
    equal with God.
⁷Instead he gave up everything
    and became a slave,
when he became
    like one of us.

⁸Christ was humble.
He obeyed God
and even died
    on a cross.
⁹Then God gave Christ
    the highest place
and honored his name
    above all others.

¹⁰So at the name of Jesus
    everyone will bow down,
those in heaven, on earth,
    and under the earth.
¹¹And to the glory
    of God the Father
everyone will openly agree,
    “Jesus Christ is Lord!”

ii. THE CLOSEST EXAMPLE TO THIS IS THE 1988 MOVIE COMING TO AMERICA.[4]

· ZAMUNDA. In the fictional wealthy African nation of Zamunda, crown prince Akeem Joffer grows weary of his pampered lifestyle. On his 21st birthday he wishes to see something different. When his parents, King Jaffe and Queen Aeoleon, present him with an arranged bride-to-be, Akeem takes action.

· COMING TO AMERICA. Seeking an independent woman who loves him for himself and not his social status, Akeem and his best friend & personal aide, Semmi, travel to the New York City borough of Queens and rent run-down apartment in the neighborhood of Long Island City under the guise of being poor foreign students.

· THE PRINCE HUMBLE’S HIMSELF. Beginning their search for Akeem's bride, they end up invited by some locals to a rally that is raising money for the inner city. During the rally, Akeem encounters Lisa McDowell, who possesses all the qualities he is looking for, and upon his insistence he and Semmi get entry-level jobs working at the local fast food restaurant called McDowell's owned by Lisa's father. Just like the prince humbled himself; Jesus humbled Himself.

B. THE TIME IS COMING WHERE THE SON WILL EVEN SUBMIT HIMSELF FULLY TO THE FATHER’S AUTHORITY.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 ²⁴Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. ²⁸When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

C. MANY QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED WHERE RHETORICAL (HE KNEW THE ANSWER); BUT SOME HE GENUINELY WANTED TO KNOW.[5]

· Could you not watch for me one brief hour? (Matt 26:40)

· My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me? (Matt 27:46)

· Have you anything here to eat? (Luke 24:41)

· Do you also want to leave me? (John 6:67)

· What are you looking for? (John 1:38)

· Who has touched my clothes? (Mark 5:30)

· Why this commotion and weeping? (Mark 5:39)

· Why are you trying to kill me? (John 7:19)

· Woman where are they, has no one condemned you? (John 8:10)

· [To the Blind man] Do you see anything? (Mark 8:23)

· What is your name? (Luke 8:30)

· Who touched me? (Luke 8:45

· How many loaves do you have? (Matt 15:34)

· Who are you looking for? (John 18:4)

· What do you want me to do for you? (Matt 20:32)

· Why are you sleeping? (Luke 22:46)

D. THUS THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THE SON BY CHOICE, DOES NOT KNOW. Including the time of His return!!!!!

III. MAIN POINTS.

A. JESUS DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHEN HE IS COMING BACK.

Mark 13:32-33 ³²"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

Matthew 24:36-39 ³⁶"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³⁷As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

B. ONLY GOD THE FATHER ALONE HAS THE TIMELINE ON WHEN EVERYTHING WILL OCCUR.[6]

Acts 1:7 New Living Translation
He replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.

Acts 1:7 Contemporary English Version
Jesus said to them, "You don't need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls.

Acts 1:7 Good News Translation
Jesus said to them, "The times and occasions are set by my Father's own authority, and it is not for you to know when they will be.

Acts 1:7 NET Bible
He told them, "You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

C. THE FATHER IS THE ONE THAT SENT JESUS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

John 3:16 ¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 6:44 ⁴⁴"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Galatians 4:4 ⁴But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

IV. CONCLUSION.

A. WE DO KNOW THIS MUCH! Jesus is coming back when we least expect it. That is something we know for a fact.

Matthew 24:42-44 ⁴²"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your LORD will come. ⁴³But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Luke 12:40 ⁴⁰You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

[1] https://www.bing.com/search?q=is+a+cloud+water&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=e4ab00b1823040d7baee776cc3ef005b&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=HCTS. (Accessed, February 16, 2019).

[2] https://www.bing.com/search?q=kenosis&FORM=AWRE. (Accessed, February 16, 2019).

[3] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A5-11&version=CEV. (Accessed, February 16, 2019).

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_to_America. (Accessed, February 16, 2019).

[5] http://blog.adw.org/2012/02/100-questions-jesus-asked-and-you-ought-to-answer/. (Accessed, February 16, 2019).

[6] https://www.biblehub.com/acts/1-7.htm. (Accessed, February 16, 2019).

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

TO CUSS OR NOT TO CUSS, THAT IS THE QUESTION

By Bishop Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD

(unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are from the New International Version)

GREETING

Psalm 134:1-2.

1 Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.

2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Life Center Black History Celebration. Every Tuesday night in February. Black History Program is Sunday, February 24, 2019.

2. St Louis Clergy Coalition Meeting. Candidates forum will be Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 11:00 AM at Mt Zion Baptist Church. Breakfast will be served.

3. Department of Evangelism presidents. Go to the IDOE Facebook page and register right away for an important conference call.

4. Lecture at Eden Theological Seminary. Tuesday, February 19, 2019 from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

5. Teaching at Pentecostal Temple in Memphis. Saturday, February 23, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Memphis.

LESSON NOTES

I. LET’S START OFF WITH SOME DEFINITIONS. All of the following terms are related.

A. Cuss.[1] Another term for curse.

B. Curse.[2] This word has two different meanings. Apparently our focus (in this lesson) will be more on number two:

1. An utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone.

2. An offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance.

C. Oath.[3] a profane or offensive expression used to express anger or other strong emotions.

D. Swear.[4] use offensive language, especially as an expression of anger.

E. Expletive.[5] an oath or swear word.

F. Vulgar.[6] Lacking sophistication or good taste; unrefined. Or making explicit and offensive reference to sex or bodily functions; coarse and rude.

G. Profanity.[7] blasphemous or obscene language.

H. Obscenity.[8] an extremely offensive word or expression.

II. WHAT MAKES A CUSS WORD A CUSS WORD. A society pretty much comes to terms with and decides what is considered a cuss word and what is not. What is considered a cuss word in one society; may be a meaningless word in another. Of course this would lead a person to feel that it makes no difference (therefore) regarding the words they say. However, the Bible admonishes us to walk in love and not do anything that would cause another person to stumble.

Romans 14:20-21 ²⁰Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. ²¹It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

Ephesians 5:2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

A. TODAY’S SPECIFIC CUSS WORDS ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE. No they are not. However, the Bible give us the following admonition:

1 Corinthians 10:23 ²³"I have the right to do anything," you say-but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"-but not everything is constructive.

III. WHY DO PEOPLE CUSS?

A. To relieve stress or feel better

B. To get their point across

C. To express anger or frustration

D. To be obscene

E. To communicate

F. To get things off their chest

What are some other reasons that you can think of?

IV. IS THE BIBLE FULL OF CUSS WORDS. The Bible was not written in English. It was written in Hebrew, Greek and some instances of Aramaic. The King James Bible (produced in the 1600’s) has been well beloved. However, the usage of many of the words of this translation have changed over time. Some of the words can be considered vulgar or cussing; if not used in the context of what the Kings James Version is referring to. Here are some examples:

A. Ass. In the King James version, this is referring to a donkey. If it is used in that instance it is okay. However, if the word is used to refer to a person’s body part; then it becomes a cuss word.

John 12:14-15 ¹⁴And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, ¹⁵Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

B. Bastard. The King James uses this to refer to a child born out of wedlock. At one time such a child would be considered, "illegitimate." While such a term may not be considered a cuss word; it is considered vulgar.

Hebrews 12:8 ⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

C. Damn. In the King James this means to "condemn." Being used in that sense it is okay. However, to use it as an expletive – it then becomes a cuss word.

Mark 16:16 ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

D. Hell. This is considered to be the place of the eternally condemned. When you use it in that sense it is okay. To use it as an expletive – it then becomes a cuss word.

Isaiah 5:14 ¹⁴Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

E. Piss. In the King James this means to urinate. While the term is not considered a cuss word, it is considered vulgar.

1 Kings 21:21 ²¹Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

F. Booty.[9] In the King James this simply means the spoils of war. But, used another way it is a vulgar term.

Numbers 31:32 ³²And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,

V. WORDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFFENSIVELY IN BIBLE TIMES.

A. PAUL USES A TERM THAT BASICALLY MEANS RUBBISH OR GARBAGE. But, it really is referring to fecal matter.

Philippians 3:8. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

B. JESUS MENTIONS TWO WORDS THAT WERE CONSIDERED ‘CUSS WORDS’ IN HIS DAY. ‘Raca’ was one such word, that basically meant worthless and also ‘fool’ which was basically an empty headed person.

Matthew 5:22. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

VI. MEN OF GOD THAT HAD SOME MOUTH PROBLEMS.

A. ISAIAH (EVEN AFTER BEING IN MINISTRY AWHILE) APPARENTLY HAD SOME ISSUES WITH HIS MOUTH.

Isaiah 6:5 „Woe to me!“ I cried. „I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.“

Isaiah 6:7 With it he touched my mouth and said, „See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.“

B. DID PETER CUSS? Peter was actually calling curses down and swearing by oaths that he did not know Jesus.

Matthew 26:74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, „I don‘t know the man!“ Immediately a rooster crowed.

C. YEARS AGO, MANY HOLINESS PREACHERS WOULD SAY THINGS ACROSS THE PULPIT THAT WOULD NOW BE CONSIDERED QUITE VULGAR.

1. YES JOHN CALLED THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS SNAKES (Luke 3:7). But, he also did not win many of them over either. The Bible does not just show you what to do. It shows you also what not to do. John was not perfect. Yes, he was the forerunner (John 1:23). He was a great man (Matthew 11:11). But, John also later had doubts about Jesus (Matthew 11:3). So he was not perfect. You really cannot win someone over by insulting them. Even God has a more palatable approach to reaching people that have gone astray.

Isaiah 1:18 ¹⁸Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Jeremiah 31:3 ³The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

1 Timothy 4:16 ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Timothy 5:1-2 ¹Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, ²older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

VII. WE MUST CONSTANTLY PRAY FOR GOD TO KEEP US. I have witnessed a few situations where saints (reputed for being godly) began to cuss like crazy, under the following circumstances:

A. A loved one being mistreated and abused

B. A person suffering from dementia

C. A person suffering from a terminal illness and being physically abused.

Can you think of other types of cases?

VIII. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT PROVOKE PEOPLE TO CUSS.

A. Times of stress are coming in the last days. Do not allow it to cause you to lose your witness.

2 Timothy 3:1 Amplified Bible (AMP).[10]

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear].

B. Judgment for causing one of God’s people to stumble. A lot of the stressful times of the last days will be cause by people in power. Because of greed, many people will struggle just to take care of their families. Those that are causing this will come under the judgment of God.

James 5:1-4 ¹Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ²Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. ⁴Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the LORD Almighty.

Matthew 18:6 ⁶"If anyone causes one of these little ones-those who believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

C. Try not to speak to other people in a way that will cause their anger to rise. If you can neutralize a situation; then use your influence to do so.

Proverbs 15:1 ¹A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Romans 12:18 ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

D. A home should be a safe haven. Work your hardest to ensure that it is not an atmosphere of war.

Proverbs 25:24 ²⁴Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

E. Do not provoke other people. You should cause peace and not confusion.

Galatians 5:26 ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Proverbs 26:17 ¹⁷Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

IX. TEN BIBLE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD NOT CUSS.

A. Proverbs 4:24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips

B. Proverbs 6:12 A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

C. Matthew 12:36-37 ³⁶But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

D. Matthew 15:10-11 ¹⁰Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. ¹¹What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them."

E. Ephesians 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

F. Colossians 3:8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

G. 2 Timothy 2:16 Christian Standard Bible[11]
Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,

H. Titus 2:6-8 ⁶Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

I. James 1:26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

J. James 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

X. ARE SUBSTITUTE WORDS OK? It is best to avoid these as they could lead to the real thing.

A. IS IT OK TO FLIP SOMEONE OFF OR TO USE EMOJIS; SINCE YOU ARE NOT USING VERBAL LANGUAGE? While you are not saying the actual word; you will want to avoid this as well, as it also could lead to the real thing.

XI. TO CUSS OR NOT TO CUSS; WHAT IS THE ANSWER? Epheisans 4:29 when read from 7 (seven) different translations pretty much gives an answer to our question. While words have different meanings at different times in history; this verse is telling us NOT to cuss.[12]

A. New Living Translation
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

B. Christian Standard Bible
No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

C. Contemporary English Version
Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.

D. International Standard Version
Let no filthy talk be heard from your mouths, but only what is good for building up people and meeting the need of the moment. This way you will administer grace to those who hear you.

E. NET Bible
You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

F. Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Let not any hateful words come out of your mouth, but whatever is good and useful for improvement that you may give grace to those who hear,

G. GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't say anything that would hurt [another person]. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you.

H. Darby Bible Translation
Let no corrupt word go out of your mouth, but if [there be] any good one for needful edification, that it may give grace to those that hear [it].