We use them every moment of everyday verbally, written, thoughts, and even find them in our dreams. We call them words, which are mere designated symbols for objects, colors, sounds, our thoughts, and ideas in our minds. We compose words from symbols we label alphabet letters. Each symbol has a written image and a phonetic sound. My early graduate studies thirty-five years ago were in the discipline of cross-cultural communication. Understanding how people around the world use words to communicate was the focal point of my studies. I heard for the first time about the philosophy of language, which has captivated my interest ever since. The meanings people assign to words affect everything we do. Today, politicians and marketing, especially, often manipulate them to mislead and influence people’s lives. Our major concern as Christians, we must seek to understand how false teachers and prophets through Satan use words to propagate false doctrine.
I first began comprehending the importance of word definitions with the study of Liberation Theology prominent in Latin America and Africa. A casual study of the writings of their theologians, readers would come away saying, “Oh! They believe the same thing other Christians do. What’s the problem?” However, upon further study, we begin realizing that although they utilize the same vocabulary, they have given different definitions to their words. One simple example is the word salvation, which conservative Christians define as the act of receiving forgiveness from one’s sins and new life through what Christ did by His death and resurrection. Liberation theology at that time defined salvation as the exodus and escape from wealthy and oppressive landowners. The means to accomplish this was through war.
We are receiving more and more information both in our secular and religious world from those who use the same vocabulary but have changed the meaning of words. Another component of language deception particularly in marketing and politics today is ‘weasel words’. These words often have double meaning or private definitions by a person or group. They give the appearance of truth but modify statements and weaken any real meaning. Let me give a few examples from marketing and politics before we look how these words have crept into Christianity.
“Our product helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use.” The weasel words are ‘helps control’. It does not say stops or controls dandruff, rather only helps; ‘symptoms’, which symptoms, flakes, itching, redness, dryness; and ‘regular use’, once a day, twice a day, once a wee? “Our dish soap leaves dishes virtually spotless; virtually spotless but not spotless? What does virtually mean? “Our mouthwash fights bad breath;” fights but does not stop. Without getting into politics let me, give a few watchwords and ask yourself what the word or phrase actually means. “This situation profoundly changes everything; I’m not aware [of/that/etc.]; whatever it takes; as far as I know; we will make every effort; engaged in aggressive talks; we strongly condemn; I don’t recall.”
The danger to Christians is these various techniques of deception have crept into the church world. The words Jesus and Christian can become weasel words. “I believe in Jesus.” However, who is Jesus or what does that mean? Note these examples: Jesus is not God, he just shows the way; only a prophet; Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man; a product of sexual relations between God the Father and Mary; an avatar, a way-shower to the cosmic Christ; just a good man. Last week I drove by a business named ‘Jesus Tire Repair.’
The majority of people in America would say, “I’m a Christian.” However, not everyone who makes this declaration is a true believer. Paul encountered this. I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one (1Co 5:11). A person leading a sinful life called himself a brother or believer. Paul labeled him a so-called brother. Jesus warned about false prophets claiming to be from the LORD, You will know them by their fruits (Mat 7:15). Warnings against deceptive words are found throughout the Bible. Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail (Jer 7:8). And in their greed they will exploit you with false words (2 Pet 2:3). Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter (Mat 7:21). I’m a Christian; then bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Mat 3:8).
In light of true scriptural definitions consider the following theological weasel words the so-called believes use—prosperity, biblical love versus the world’s definition, marriage, born this way, and biblical authority. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1Jn 4:1).
Sustaining Word for the Week: Let no one deceive you with persuasive arguments through deceptive weasel theology and vocabulary with redefined words.