Have you noticed that some followers of Christ worship code words? Words like "personal relationship with Christ (I challenge anybody to find those exact words in the Bible- they aren't there- though you would have thought they were the 11th commandment)", "blood of Christ", "born again", "sold out", "spirit filled", etc. You can think of some too. When they do not hear these code words they immediately shut down and cast you as a heretic or guilty of not preaching the word as if not quoting the Bible three hundred times in a 40 minute sermon means you are not faithful to the scripture.
Then there are others whose code centers around "inclusive language", "the Hebrew scriptures" (last time I checked that was the Old Testament), "wholeness", "peace with justice" (I didn't know there was any kind of peace without justice).
Our use of code words runs the risk of turning into idolatry where we become overly concerned with language and hearing the right words we forget what all of this points us to: The God of all creation who took on flesh in Jesus Christ, died for us, was raised on the third day, ascended into heaven, sits at God's right hand, and is coming to make a new heaven and earth. Let's remember to see the forest amongst the trees shall we?
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