On words

How about we never say things that we don't mean, or that we can't define. As in, as Christians, let's not say things that are obviously meaningless. If you say something, and someone says, what do you mean, and you can't answer him, game over.

For example, I ask guys sometimes what it means to live with Christ as the center of their lives. Those raised in the church will probably try to pawn of some bogus answer on me, something like "do everything for God's glory." So then I say, what does it mean to do something for God's glory. And then they start to sweat, because of course they don't know what the heck that means, and there is a good chance that the youth pastor who told them that probably doesn't have the greatest idea what it means either.

Platitudes, Jane told me, are the bane of literature. Well, for Christians, platitudes are more dangerous. They allow the uncircumcised heart to fit in well with the circumcised heart. They disguise unmortified sin, and obscure the hardened heart.

Therefore, I propose that you make no pronouncements on spiritual things without knowing what the heck you are saying. If you say grow in faith, then be able to define what that means, both to yourself and others. If you say live for Christ, then freaking be able to work that out in practice, or don't say it.

Words have to mean something, unless you want to be like those babblers Paul warns about in II Timothy...

Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

Define your words, that we may know the thing behind them, that which God communicates in them, and therefore not be like those arguing and quarreling about this and that, or worse, wandering from the truth, tossed about by the waves of every false teaching and foolish opinion.