Blessing Over Cursing, Part 1

When we think of cursing, we often think of cussing, or swearing. But from the Bible’s perspective, cursing is far more than throwing out a crude cuss word to show frustration. In the Bible, cursing is the equivalent of pronouncing a curse over someone—to show you loath them, to doom them to something evil, and to pronounce them as evil or detestable. There’s nothing beautiful or godly about cursing someone!

A blessing, quite the opposite of a curse, speaks well of someone and declares good over their life. In Scripture, it means to declare or ask for God’s favor and protection over someone.

While we may expect cursing from unsaved people in the world, even Christians allow cursing to escape their mouths. While talking about the power of our tongues, the Apostle James corrects the local church for their hypocritical speech: “People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” (James 3:8-10, NLT).

The church of that day had a communication that mixed blessing with cursing. Though they reserved their blessings for God, they willingly spewed their cursing toward their brothers and sisters in Christ—those who were made in God’s image. It was insulting to God, hurtful to the church, and a terrible testimony to unbelievers.

Unfortunately, it’s not much different today. We still battle the temptation to honor God on Sundays with our mouths, yet turn around and dishonor the Body of Christ with the same mouth. It seems almost hopeless—because who can “tame the tongue”?

Though “no man can tame the tongue,” there is Someone who can tame it if we’ll let Him. There is nothing that God can’t tame. Like everything else in our lives, we should surrender the words of our mouths to Him. That first comes by surrendering our hearts to Him, because “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Whatever is coming out of our mouths is an indication of what is in our hearts. If we don’t want cursing to come out of our mouths, then we need to fill our hearts with blessings—starting with the Word of God. We can begin to practice speaking the Word of God over ourselves and others because our lips are submitted to Him. Soon our lifestyle and the words of our mouth will reflect the Word in our hearts. When we do this, we are choosing life over death—for us and those around us.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (Deuteronomy 30:19, NLT).

A God of Blessing

While the world is full of curse words and declarations of hateful things toward people, God is a God of blessing. He is only good and only good comes out of His mouth. He will never ask us to do or be something that He has not first done or been Himself. He set the first example of blessing in the beginning—starting with Adam and Eve. Then He expanded His blessing to Abraham, the children of Israel, and finally, to us (Genesis 1:28; Genesis 5:2; Genesis 9:1; Genesis 12:2,3; Genesis 22:17).

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13-14, NKJV).

And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves] (Genesis 12:3, AMPC).

What was the curse of the Law? It was the penalty for not keeping God’s commands. In many Old Testament passages such as Deuteronomy 28, it says God would bless those who obeyed Him, but put a curse on anyone who did not honor or obey Him. The accurate Hebrew translation, however, is rendered “to allow or permit.” God did not place a curse on anyone, but allowed it on those who refused to serve Him. This was His justice because He could not bless sin. Thankfully, that curse that came into the world due to Adam and Eve’s sin has been canceled for those who place their trust in Jesus. We have been redeemed, or bought back, from that curse of sin. We can now enjoy the Blessing of Abraham!

God’s blessing is a gift, motivated by His love. God never wanted sin or the curse that came with it to enter the world. Because of man’s choice, God permitted it to stay. But just because it’s here, doesn’t mean we have to experience the effects of it. Jesus bought our Redemption to free us from it. He willingly bore the curse we deserved—an act also inspired by His love for us.

To be continued…