Words Mean Things
By Ed Crumley
When our mothers said, “If you do that again, I’ll . . .”, did we believe her? I guess it depended on whether or not she followed up on the threat to do whatever it was she said she would do. Some of us knew her words were true, while others knew they might be true after a time of repeated threats but not when they were first uttered.
How many times in elementary school, while on the playground, did you hear or say: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? In spite of that brave admonition, wounds caused by sticks or stones eventually healed, but negative words about us, even though untrue, cut into our spirits and stayed with us, didn’t they?
Remember when people said: “His word is his bond”? Didn’t it mean that if he said he would do such and such, it amounted to a verbal contract that you knew would be fulfilled?
Here’s an easy question: Do our elected representatives always tell the truth in the words they speak? I’ll let you answer that one on an individual basis. Maybe it depends on their world views. Is it a Christian world view, or is it secular? Do they believe that the end justifies the means, so that saying anything to get something done is okay if, in their eyes, the end result is good? Is it okay when politicians change the title of a political issue they are pushing in order to make it more positive-sounding and palatable to a skeptical public?
Today people say: “There’s your ‘truth’ and there’s my ‘truth’, and both are equally valid.” The great Christian thinker, Francis Schaeffer, used to say that kind of truth came with a small “t”, but there was such a thing as “True Truth” with capital “Ts” which could be found in the Word of God.
Most have heard the Biblical quote about the truth setting them free, but don’t know that there is a condition. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, then you are really my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). The Apostle Paul said, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (II Tim. 4:3-4). This seems to be the rule today rather than the exception.
Paul defines this truth in the previous chapter as “All Scripture” when he writes: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be mature, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”. (II Tim. 3:16-17).
God wants all of His human creation to know the truth that not only brings forgiveness of sin and eternal life, but also allows them to have an abundant life while still here on Earth.
