I'm a Christian. I love Jesus. I know he loves me, more than I could possibly comprehend.
I cuss.
I am not the typical Christian chic. At least I hope to God I'm not. I'm learning to walk away from religious bullshit that's been promoted in much of the church, one day at a time.
Why would I spend time on this topic? Because it's part of my own recovery from spiritual abuse, from living as a Pharisee drunk on my self-righteousness, disguised as a "Christian".
The way I interpret the admonition in Ephesians 4:29, results in making it very appropriate for me to cuss, albeit not in all situations. As I said, I'm learning to walk away from bullshit I've learned (and dished out to others) from parts of the church, which primarily promote and reward performance-oriented/based spirituality - whitewashed tombs as Jesus called it in his day (Matthew 23:27-28).
Many of the people whom I'm delighted to associate with, cuss very colorfully. Christian or not. When I'm encouraging them, or being encouraged by them, I will hear or say a cuss word or two, in an attempt to make an emphatic point that shouldn't be glossed over. Sometimes the weight of truth cannot be highlighted without a cuss word, in my perspective. Living the abundant life in Christ doesn't depend on following rules for living - that's bullshit. I'm not capable to live the abundant life in Christ apart from anything that doesn't depend fully on what Jesus Christ has done, not me. He doesn't need me to supplement the gospel and what He has to offer, with my performance of following certain rules or clinging to certain trivial doctrines. Thank God. That removes a lot of extra weight off of me, making the abundant life actually possible (Matthew 11:28-30). If I were capable of doing that, who needs the cross? Who needs the Holy Spirit and his fruit when I got my own genetically modified version of his fruits? Knock offs come in spiritual form too, not just in handbags.
When I cuss, it often edifies (builds up) those I'm in the presence of. At least that's my hope. It may offend some. And while that's not my intention, it's less of an ordeal to me, because usually the offense is the result of holding the belief that promotes the following of certain rules or behaviors as the source of life. -Bullshit.
Unwholesome means not whole, right? "Unwholesome talk" isn't being extolled here. Whatever the exact Greek word translates into, I'm sure it doesn't paint it as something beneficial. If I believe my behaviors make me whole, by not cussing (among other prohibitions), than the practice of cussing would need to be avoided at all costs, to be OK with God and His peeps, including myself. This practice would fit with that view of spirituality and relating to God based on my works. But I'm trying to walk away from that idol (my behaviors/performances) being my source of life.
The truth is, for me, cussing will at times be used to build me and others up in our most holy faith. It frees me from the delusion of putting confidence in the flesh, (in my behaviors and what I can produce) rather than what God does - which is a completely new life, a transformed heart that marches to the beat of a different drum.
This is where I'm at now. It may change, it may not. God has me, and this is evidence of that fact, rather than a dead faith that rests in my works (self-righteousness), not the work of Jesus Christ alone. When I believe the lie that my behaviors and works are the foundation of my relationship with God, I'm believing in a different gospel that's really no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6-7) . If that was the gospel - I'd be in a lot of trouble, and it would mean Jesus died for nothing.
