In Defense of Strong Language Part I

[vernecarty]

In an attempt to clarify in my own mind, the permissible bounds of speech when it comes to contending for spiritual things, I have asked myself the following three questions.

1.Is strong language used in the Word of God?

2.What are the circumstances in which we see such strong language expressed?

3.Do we see similar circumstances today, under which use of similar language could possibly be warranted?

For even a cursory reader of the Bible, the answer to the first question is indisputably in the affirmative. God is the author of language. I would argue that the terms we commonly use to describe the physical reality take on orders of magnitude more significance when used to describe spiritual realities in Scripture.
There are portions of Scripture, for example in the book of Ezekiel, that I would not, nor would many others, feel comfortable reading aloud in public.
The same is true  in the New Testament. Whether you consider the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, or the apostles who completed the Scriptures, strong language abounds.
For the sake of modesty, I will not quote any Old Testament examples. There are many familiar examples in the New Testament, including the following from Matthew chapter 23:

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Is this strong language or no?

Here are some expresssions the apostle Paul used:


O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you? Galatians 3:1

I would they were even cut off which trouble you. Gal. 5:12

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. Philippians 3:2

And Peter:


But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 2 Peter
2:12
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:22

And Jude:

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.  Jude 8

And John:

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers Rev. 22:15

Probably the most astonishing thing said in terms of strong language in the NT are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ to the apostle Peter:

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan!  Matthew 16:23

Some could even argue that such language as the above could be described as "abusive" could they not?

Can a common theme be identified in the contexts of these kinds of remarks?


Verne

[vernecarty]

I would rather be shot, stabbed, strangled and tortured to death, than to be responsible for leading someone astray in spiritual matters. My Bible tells me it is far better for someone to actually murder me, than for me to be allowed to live with the consequence of offending one of Christ’s little ones. The context suggests to me a warning to those in a position of some kind of authority, and who have the ability to affect the faith of a child of God for good or for ill by their example and conduct. It is my own opinion, that the severest condemnation that we find in the Scripture is not directed toward the godless pagan, it is directed toward the religious hypocrite, who while making a show of holiness, is guilty of secretly leading a sinful and wicked life. It is directed toward those who, while making loud proclamation of their own righteousness, are secretly living lives of unspeakable defilement and degradation.
It is directed toward those who creep into houses, leading captive silly women, having eyes full of adultery, and who cannot cease from sin. It is for those who mouth holy sounding pieties, promising others liberty, but are themselves the slaves of corruption...

I had intended to post this as a three part essay and use the final post to pose the question of whether the language some of us has used with regard to the man Geftakys, and those who defend him, has been too harsh.

I will not be posting the third installment.

I instead, am going to stop and ask myself the simple question.

Am I living the life of a religious hypocrite??

It is pointless for any of you to even try to answer that for me for the simple truth is you do not know.
I know, and God does.

If I am, everything I said above applies to me.

I have said enough on this...
Verne

[outdeep]

1.Is strong language used in the Word of God?  Yes

2.What are the circumstances in which we see such strong language expressed?  When folks are angry at evil and sin.

3.Do we see similar circumstances today, under which use of similar language could possibly be warranted?  Yes.

We also know that at times "A gentle answer turns away wrath,  But a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1) and

"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." (1 Timothy 2:24-26)

When to use one and when to use the other?  This is the matter of discernment and disagreement.  If you are arguing for a one-size-fits-all formula, I don't think you will get a consensus.

No one doubts that there are times for strong language and we have all used it at times.  Some use it more often than others.  Some use it more effectively than others.

I don't think the problem is that folks are confused as to whether or not strong language is Biblical.  We've all read through the Bible and to say that there is strong language in its pages is pretty much stating the obvious.

I think where folks have a different perspective is that they see you as one who more readily reaches for a sledge hammer when they feel a regular carpenter's hammer would do the trick.  You may feel that your the sledge is closer to the Biblical model in the particular circumstance, but I doubt if you will get everyone to agree with you.

[vernecarty]

I think where folks have a different perspective is that they see you as one who more readily reaches for a sledge hammer when they feel a regular carpenter's hammer would do the trick.  You may feel that your the sledge is closer to the Biblical model in the particular circumstance, but I doubt if you will get everyone to agree with you.

Point well taken Dave. Don't tell anybody but I only carry a sledge hammer in public. When it comes to men like George Geftakys somebody has to.
I tend to carry a feather in private.
Verne
p.s. btw, that does not mean that I am a "girlie-man", as some would have you believe...

[outdeep]

If it is any consolation, I tend to have weakness the other way - I am often less confrontational than I should be (using a stick when I should be using a carpenter's hammer).  This has caused me problems when I don't deal with things as directly as I should have.