It Just Slipped Out … Of What?

Bryan Matthew Dockens

When excusing themselves for uttering profanities or curses, the kind of words which should never escape our mouths (Ephesians 4:29), many will say, “I’m sorry; it just slipped out”. But what did those corrupt words slip out of, exactly? Jesus explained, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things” (Matthew 12:34-35). That is to say, bad words don’t “slip out” of good hearts; they come from bad hearts. Therefore, “Purify your hearts!” (James 4:8).