Guest Writer: Caleb Colley – Profane and Vain Babblings, Part 5

Gutter Talk

I will refrain from specifying most of the words we all know fall into the category of “gutter talk.” These words are embarrassing, inappropriate, and unchristian. Consider the following passages, and ask yourself whether God is pleased with those who choose “gutter” words: “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:3-5). What constitutes “foolish talking” and “coarse jesting”? The kinds of words we commonly categorize as “gutter talk.”

I am astonished at how often Christian young people use words that Christians never should use. I realize that each generation of teens develops its own gutter vocabulary. My generation has the dubious distinction of adding “That sucks” to the high school/college lexicon. If we use phrases such as this, how will the lost world perceive the distinctive nature of Christianity? Will they notice that we’re different? A “special people”? A “holy nation”? “Sojourners and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:9-11). Will they understand that we are not conformed to this world (Romans 12:1-2)?

Some teenager may say “People at school will like me less if I don’t use at least a little gutter talk.” Perhaps this objection is true, but it is an invalid excuse in God’s eyes. In fact, Jesus promised His disciples that people would hate them: “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you…. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you….. But all these things they will do to you because they do not know Him who sent me” (John 5:19,20-21). If we feel excluded from certain circles of people who use gutter talk, we would do well to remember John’s observation: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them” (1 John 4:5).