Words Have Meaning

The Weight of a Word

Imagine a group of friends having a diner conversation that strays into the subject of God and religion. It becomes tense at times as people clearly have very different opinions of God and His nature.

Frustrated at some of the words used to describe God’s character, one of them suddenly declares, but “God is love.”

But what did this person mean? Were they speaking of divine affection, covenantal faithfulness, or a permissive tolerance that shrinks holiness to sentiment?

The word “love” hung in the air, familiar yet unexamined. No one questioned it. No one defined it. And so, it passed—uncontested, unclarified, and potentially untrue.

This is how theology drifts. Not always by heresy, but by the slow erosion of meaning.

Why This Page Exists

Words Have Meaning is a theological anchor point for Pressing Words. It exists to examine the language we use in doctrine, discipleship, and cultural engagement. Whether biblical, extrabiblical, or inherited from tradition, words shape belief. They carry freight—sometimes ancient, sometimes distorted—and they deserve scrutiny.

This page is a living index of theological terms and phrases. Each linked article explores a specific word: its origin, its biblical usage (or absence), its doctrinal implications, and its cultural drift. The goal is not pedantry, but precision. Not elitism, but clarity. Because in a world of slogans and soundbites, the Church must speak with conviction—and conviction begins with meaning.

The Theology of Language

1. The Word and the Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

— John 1:1, ESV

Scripture begins not with a concept, but with a Logos. The Word is not merely a tool of communication—it is the person of Christ, the eternal Son, the divine self-expression. Language, then, is not incidental to theology. It is central. God reveals Himself through words, not just events. He speaks creation into being (Genesis 1:3), gives law through speech (Exodus 20:1), and sends prophets to proclaim, not perform.

Even the incarnation is framed linguistically: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). To speak rightly about God is to reflect His nature. To distort language is to distort truth.

2. Biblical vs. Extrabiblical Language

Some of the most essential theological terms—Trinity, incarnation, hypostatic union—do not appear in Scripture. Yet they are not unbiblical. They are extrabiblical: words crafted to summarize biblical truths. The danger is not in using such terms, but in failing to define them.

Consider “Trinity.” The word is absent from the Bible, but the concept is everywhere: the Father sends the Son (John 3:16), the Son promises the Spirit (John 14:26), and the baptismal formula invokes all three (Matthew 28:19). To reject the term because it’s not in the text is to mistake vocabulary for theology.

But the reverse danger also looms. Words like “age of accountability” or “once saved, always saved” may carry pastoral intent, but lack biblical clarity. They must be tested—not by tradition, but by text.

3. Semantic Drift and Cultural Reframing

Language is not static. Words shift. Meanings evolve. And sometimes, they erode.

Take “love.” In Scripture, love is covenantal (Deuteronomy 7:9), sacrificial (John 15:13), and holy (1 John 4:8). But in modern usage, love often means affirmation without judgment. The semantic drift is subtle but deadly. When “God is love” becomes “God affirms me,” holiness is lost.

Or consider “justice.” Biblically, justice is rooted in God’s character (Isaiah 30:18), expressed in righteousness (Micah 6:8), and fulfilled in Christ’s atonement (Romans 3:26). But in cultural discourse, justice may mean equity of outcome, social reparation, or political activism. These may overlap with biblical concerns, but they must be distinguished.

Semantic drift is not always malicious. Sometimes it’s generational. But if the Church does not define its terms, the culture will.

4. The Danger of Undefined Doctrine

Paul warns Timothy to “follow the pattern of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13). He does not merely say “sound doctrine,” but “sound words.” The pattern matters. The vocabulary matters.

In 2 Peter 3:16, Peter notes that some twist Paul’s words “to their own destruction.” Misinterpretation is not just academic—it is spiritual. When words are vague, doctrine becomes malleable. When terms are undefined, error becomes plausible.

Theological clarity is not elitism. It is pastoral care. To define “apostasy” is to protect the flock. To clarify “election” is to comfort the anxious. To explain “holiness” is to call the Church to sanctification.

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5. Literary Echoes: The Lotus Eaters and Linguistic Fog

In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus encounters the Lotus Eaters—those who consume a flower that erases memory and numbs desire. His men forget their mission. They lose their longing for home.

Language can be a lotus. When words lose meaning, the Church forgets its mission. When “grace” becomes license, when “faith” becomes feeling, when “truth” becomes preference—we drift. We forget our telos. We lose our longing for the Kingdom.

The antidote is not nostalgia, but precision. Not linguistic purism, but theological stewardship.

6. Cluster Index: Words Worth Defining

This pillar page links to individual articles that explore key theological terms. Each post includes:

• Definition and origin
• Biblical usage (ESV)
• Historical development
• Theological implications
• Cultural distortions
• Pastoral application

Featured Clusters:

• Trinity — Why the word matters even if it’s not in the Bible
• Apostate — What falling away really means
• Age of Accountability — Is it biblical or inferred?
• Election — Comfort or controversy?
• Holiness — More than moralism
• Justification — Legal, relational, and cosmic
• Gospel — What makes good news good?
• Deconstruction — A modern term with ancient echoes
• Orthodoxy — Who defines it and why it matters
• Heretic — From councils to clickbait

Stewardship of Speech

Imagine that same diner table. The conversation has ended, the plates are cleared, and the word “love” still lingers—familiar, unexamined, and quietly formative.

No one defined it. No one challenged it. And so, it shaped belief in silence.

Jesus said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36). That includes casual conversations, heartfelt declarations, and theological shorthand.

Words are not neutral. They are seeds. They grow into beliefs, behaviors, and legacies. To steward language is to steward truth. To define our terms is to defend the faith.

Words Have Meaning is not just a page. It is a posture. A commitment to clarity. A refusal to drift. A call to speak with conviction in a world of confusion.

Because the Word became flesh. And the Church must become articulate.