Many heresies in the church begin with a misuse of terms. Sometimes words or phrases are employed that are not precise or well thought out. Other times they are used in jest or levity. But it can be dangerous when Christians begin to utilize phrases that originate with the world, false religions, or heretical teachers. At first, it might not seem like a big deal. Often, to use a term does not mean that you actually believe in that term, but that you are using it like a placeholder, or because it is so common that it just seems easier to do so. But Christians ought to be careful with their speech. Eph. 4:29 says – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” We are called to be witnesses for Christ and for the truth, and to blur the lines can have very unfortunate consequences. Just because you “know better,” doesn’t mean that everyone you speak to does. 1Cor. 8:11 – “And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?” I sat down this morning to make a list of several problematic phrases that I commonly hear and the list quickly extended beyond the scope I could address in a single article. But I will mention some of them here so that you have an idea of what I mean.
After a weather disaster, such as a hurricane or a tornado, I often hear people describe the event as: “Mother Nature’s fury.” Of course, if you read your Bible cover to cover you will never find the earth or creation referred to as “Mother Nature.” It is actually a term that is used to describe the world without God in the picture at all. It’s literally a personification of what is “natural,” at the expense of the person and work of God. Historically, some people have even gone so far in their thinking and descriptions to deify “Mother Nature,” Pantheistically worshipping her.
That title has been around for a while, but a similar one that I have heard with increasing frequency is a reference to: “The Universe.” This too has become a personified term, as I hear people say things like: “I think the universe is trying to tell me something.” Basically, in a world that has rejected a personal God, who has spoken to us by His Word, people still want a term that they can employ to describe their erroneous concepts of purpose, meaning, or fate. And so they throw around terms like this to add gravity to their experiences, but that have no real binding demands upon them. Since the concept of “the universe,” as they use it, is imaginary, they are free to ignore what they believe it is telling them, or to interpret those “signs” in a different light, and ultimately just do whatever they want. But where “the universe” is a vague and childish notion, God has clearly detailed in His Word what the purpose of life is all about, what we ought to do, and the consequences that are involved for ignoring them. Although these might not strike you as being dangerous phrases, I can tell you that I have met many young people who are wrestling with the claims of the Scriptures, who view these worldly, simplistic, and erroneous notions as being very real alternatives to the God of the Bible.
Thus far we have noted some phrases that the unbelieving and nonreligious world has come up with. But perhaps what is more troubling to me is when I hear Christians use terms and ideas that are really borrowed from false religions. Namely, I often encounter Christians (both young and old) who say things that would be more akin to Buddhism or Hinduism than biblical Christianity. The concepts of “Karma” and “Reincarnation” have grown in popularity of late. They are the underlying subjects of many movies, the beliefs of many celebrities, and their concepts are subtly spread through social media. And the church is being impacted by such notions whether they realize it or not. I have heard countless Christians in all seriousness say something like: “If you do good, then good will come to you.” On the surface this might seem like the biblical concept of “sowing and reaping,” but it is far from it. Biblically speaking, “to reap” is to get the direct result of what you have “sown,” from the precise thing you have sown. For example, if I rob a bank, I will get arrested and go to jail. That is basically the biblical concept. But “Karma” says, if I rob a bank, somewhere down the line, maybe years later, someone (completely disconnected to my offense) will rob me, or for some other disconnected reason, I will suffer in like manner. The underlying thought of “Karma” is that by some unseen cosmic force, your acts of morality are weighed and balanced out in this life (or your next one). It might take years, but if you do good to someone, someone else (completely unconnected) will do good to you in a similar way later in life. “Christians” who adopt this mindset make God out to be this “cosmic force” that is working behind the scenes to balance everything out. But this is not the Bible’s teaching. Clearly, God allows many Christians to suffer hardship and even martyrdom who never harmed others in like manners. A Christian is not promised any such “balancing” in this life. And lest we think the “balance” occurs in heaven, let us remember that really our treasure in heaven is not based in our actions, nor is it based on what we are “due” because of others’ actions to us, but rather upon what Christ has secured for us. As such we actually receive far more than a “balance” of our actions, but a reward that is far surpassing because of who Jesus is. All things considered, it is really the suspicious absence of Christ, and the merit solely derived by faith in Him, that makes such “Karma” based phrases so dangerous.
Okay, as I mentioned there are too many ways we can observe like misused words and terminology. Obviously, Christians should be cautious of adopting phraseology without thinking carefully about it. Even in jest, or off-handedly, we could inadvertently be helping to propagate blasphemous and heretical ideas if we aren’t judicious with our words. As 1Pet. 4:11a says – “Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God…” (NASB) May this be our great aim in all that we say.
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