I am convinced that the definitions of words govern our
understanding and behavior. I have come
to see that displayed as I read the history of the Christian church and as I
compare what I have observed and experienced in my own life across the last
forty-five years. I see a stark
difference between how our ancestors understood and responded to the Bible and
what is understood and lived by Christians today. Though the verbal expressions of Christian
faith and practice use the same words, the resulting behaviors and relationships
are remarkably different.
Not only has the accepted definitions of important doctrinal
words shifted, Christians today use what can be called “church words” with
little or no understanding of what the words actually mean. I have found very few of the believers in my
own church can define the very words they use all the time.
Here is a partial list of the words of which I speak:
1.
Grace
2.
Love
3.
Faith
4.
Worship
5.
Hope
6.
Joy
7.
Peace
My goal is to work my way through these and see where that
may lead.
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