"Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, 'I don't know the man!' Immediately a rooster crowed." -Matthew 26:74
One of the most common arguments I hear is this: "Curse words aren't really sinful. They're just man-made language. Words only have the meaning that society gives them."
So I think it's a conversation worth having.
Sure, languages evolve. Cultures change. Words gain and lose meanings over time. But rather than beginning with modern culture, let's begin where Christians always should, with Scripture.
Interestingly, the Bible records only one moment in Peter's life where his speech took such a dramatic turn that the Gospel writers made sure to mention it. And based on what we know of him, it happened on the darkest night of his life.
Peter's Speech Changed for a Reason
After Jesus was arrested, Peter followed from a distance into the courtyard of the high priest. Three separate times, people recognized him as one of Jesus' followers.
The first two times, Peter simply denied knowing Jesus. But the third time, something changed. Matthew writes (by the way, two of the gospels record this): "Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, 'I don't know the man!'" (Matthew 26:74)
Mark records the same event: "He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, 'I don't know this man you're talking about.'" (Mark 14:71)
Whether Peter was invoking a curse upon himself, essentially saying, "May God curse me if I'm lying" or whether he adopted the rough, profane speech common among those around him, one fact is unmistakable: Peter intentionally changed the way he spoke in order to distance himself from Jesus.
His Speech Had Already Identified Him
Just moments before, those in the courtyard had said something remarkable: "Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away." (Matthew 26:73)
Peter had already been recognized, not because of his face, but because of the way he sounded. So when his denial intensified, his speech changed as well. His words became another way of saying: "I'm not one of His followers."
That should give everyone who professes Jesus a pause.
The Real Question Isn't About Vocabulary
This passage is often reduced to a debate over whether Christians should say certain words. But the Gospel is identifying something much deeper than this. Peter's failure wasn't merely that he uttered harsh words. His failure was that he deliberately used his speech to hide his identity as a disciple.
He wanted to sound like everyone else. He wanted no one to suspect that he belonged to Jesus.
That raises a challenging question for every one of us: Does the way I speak make it easier or harder for people to recognize that I belong to Christ?
The Bible Consistently Connects Speech to the Heart
Throughout the New Testament, our words are treated as windows into our spiritual condition. Jesus said: "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Matthew 12:34)
Paul instructed believers: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up..." (Ephesians 4:29)
Again, he wrote: "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5:4)
To the Colossians he said: "Let your conversation be always full of grace..." (Colossians 4:6)
James offered perhaps the strongest warning: "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." (James 1:26)
Sure, the New Testament doesn’t particularly give believers a dictionary of forbidden words. Instead, it asks a better question: What kind of heart is producing your words?
More Than a List of Bad Words
Some people insist that modern profanity isn't inherently sinful because those exact words aren't listed in the Bible. But to me at least, I feel like that's entirely missing the point.
Scripture is less concerned with maintaining a list of prohibited vocabulary than with forming people whose speech reflects the character of Christ.
Words matter because they reveal the heart, influence others, and communicate who we belong to. Our speech should consistently display truth, purity, grace, encouragement, humility, and self-control. That standard is far higher than simply avoiding a handful of offensive words.
Peter's Failure Is Our Warning
The saddest part of Peter's denial wasn't that he cursed. It was why he cursed... He was trying to convince everyone around him that he had nothing to do with Jesus. His speech became part of his denial.
How often are we tempted to do the same? Maybe we soften our convictions at work in order to fit in. Maybe we laugh at jokes we know dishonor God’s character, because it’s acceptable among our friend group. Maybe we adopt language that blends in with the crowd because we don't want to appear different than the rest. Maybe we speak one way at church and another way with old friends.
The details may differ, but the temptation and result is the same.
Peter changed his speech because he wanted people to believe he wasn't with Christ. Followers of Jesus should desire the opposite.
Our Words Should Point to Our King
None of us speaks perfectly. Peter certainly didn't.
The beautiful part of Peter's story is that his failure wasn't the end. After the resurrection, Jesus restored him, forgave him, and entrusted him with shepherding the church.
That same grace is available to us. But Peter's denial still serves as a warning.
As followers of Jesus, our goal shouldn't be to discover the minimum standard of acceptable language. Our goal should be that every part of our lives, including the words that leave our mouths, reflects the One we claim to follow.
Just remember, if our speech can be used to deny Christ, it can also be used to glorify Him. Maybe it’s time for a little self-reflection?
~Devin
Devin Osborne
The Early Church
