Bad habits are easy to form, hard to break. But with courage they can be broken: “But now really put them all away from you, wrath, anger, injuriousness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of your mouth. Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality which through accurate knowledge is being renewed according to the image of the one who created it.” (Col. 3:8-10, NW) The Scriptures are not halfhearted on this matter, but positive and definite. Loose use of your tongue can cancel out all the good that you do, for, “if any man seems to himself to be a formal worshiper and yet does not bridle his tongue, but goes on deceiving his own heart, this man’s form of worship is futile.”—Jas. 1:26, NW.

Dirty language is unseemly, unbecoming and inexcusable on the part of a Christian. It can be the symptom of a dirty mind. It can lead to filthy actions. But he will realize that right speech used in the right way can lead in the right direction. What kind of heart will you have? What words will mirror it? What kind of speech will you continue to use? For a Christian there can be only one answer to those questions. Will that right answer be yours?

Attaining Victory in Christian Warfare

If carnal warfare were outlawed tomorrow, the Christian would go on fighting. Why? How?

NO LONGER can war be considered “a medium of practical settlement of international differences. The enormous destruction to both sides of closely matched opponents makes it impossible for the winner to translate it into anything but his own disaster.” “Science has clearly outmoded it as a feasible arbiter.” So declared General of the Army Douglas MacArthur.

Even if scientific realism forces the abolition of war, still the Christian soldier must go on fighting before final victory is attained and realized. His warfare cannot be abolished in this world or by it. His is a continual, lifelong conflict, a daily battle, with no furloughs, no truces, no armistices. While Christians “pursue peace with all people,” they are, nevertheless, the greatest warriors the world has ever known. Their fight is in the interest of that which is good, true, noble, pure and godly. Theirs is a battle for righteousness. And they are encouraged by the apostle Paul to “contend for victory in the right contest of the faith.”—Heb. 12:14; 1 Tim. 6:12, NW.

Who are these fighters whom Paul calls upon to fight? They are men and women of all walks of life who have given themselves over to God in full dedication. These recognize the King’s authority and commands. Paul was not addressing the world in general, nor was he addressing Christians in name only who have never dedicated themselves to God to take up the fight of faith. Paul’s appeal was directly to those of faith, wholly devoted to Jehovah. It is to these that the instructions come respecting the fight that is now on.—2 Tim. 2:19, NW.

Against whom do Christians fight? Their battle is not against their fellow creatures nor with carnal weapons. They are commanded to love one another and do good to their enemies, to keep themselves “restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed, as perhaps God may give them [the evildoers] repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth.” Christians are commanded to return good for evil, gentleness for rudeness, kindness for discourtesy; that the wicked world may discern that there are such things as the spirit of God, the spirit of love, generosity, kindness, and that not all are actuated by the malevolent spirit of selfishness that controls its degraded systems.—2 Tim. 2:24-26; Matt. 5:44, NW.