The Importance of Language

Its amazing how context and the use of words can change from place to place. Coming into this world of the Navy, there is a language that is a complete mystery. Abbreviations like you wouldn't believe, different ideas about principles and words, and even new words for the everyday (a wall is a bulkhead, a hallway is a passageway, the floor is a deck).

We have classes everyday with two other groups of people: there are the LDO's which are Limited Duty Officers, and CWO's or Chief Warrant Officers. Both of them are prior enlisted service and know just about everything that there is to know about the Navy. Some of the time they are a great resource to ask questions and get information about something, but when we get into class they just debate all of the information that is being given with words and abbreviations that we, as staff officers, don't really understand yet.

We also get new definitions about things that we thought we understood. As officers we are taught that we have responsibility, accountability, authority. The Navy says that we can pass on both responsibility and authority but accountability can never be passed on to someone else. My roommate and I were thinking a lot about how as Eagle Scouts we learn that responsibility can't be passed on. This is a change of definition.

While the Navy is doing its thing, this is a great reminder of how we talk about and present the Gospel. The difference here is that there is no change of definition, the Gospel IS the definition. This is the truth, the Gospel is always consistent, no matter what we say or how we think of it the Gospel will never change. So, what does this mean for us? It means that the Gospel is something to be pursued and sought after. That truth is life changing, but this side of heaven we will never understand the truth in its entirety. "They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience" 1Tim 3:9

As far as how we present the Gospel to other people, we need to make sure that we don't do what those LDO's and CWO's did to us. We have to speak in a way that the Gospel is accessible to whoever it is that we are talking to. Like Paul said, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." 1 Corinth 9:22. This is the attitude we should have, the Gospel is too precious to be lost on irresponsible presentation.

I pray that we can continue to present the Gospel to one another in a clear and life changing way. I hope that our lives can be living presentations of the Gospel all of the time. I hope that others would see the truth and the change in our lives to the Glory of God. Lets keep talking about words like Grace, Holiness, Righteousness, Love, Glory so that we can continue to understand them better and better, and so that they might become a part of our everyday vocabulary.

How different would our lives look?

Praise God.