The Importance of Accuracy in Our Words – False Dichotomies and the Fullness of God
Accuracy in our words matters to God. Learn to spot false dichotomies, false absolutes, and false limitations – and speak the fullness of truth in love.
(Acts 17:11: Please learn to do your own Bible studies like this one – here.)
Be a Word nerd (like God)! Going passionately for all the fullness of God with our words.
This teaching will help in all areas of life – including how to accurately read your Bible, marriage, friendships, politics, law, school, parent-child relationships. This teaching will require: Repentance – real change – continually.
This is about the words and language of dangerous false dichotomies, false absolutes, and inaccurate limitations – versus the fullness of truth, freedom, and true un-limitation – yet with proper justice and truth filled limits, boundaries and expectations. This is especially for Christian leaders – for they set the example for their followers… but we are all individually responsible directly before Jesus for this area – therefore, all of us need to be super sharp.
Theological Foundation
God IS His Word (John 1:1). He speaks what He is (John 12:49, John 16:13). His Word stands forever (Matthew 24:35). God backs up His Word (Romans 15:19). The fullness / the sum of His Word is truth (Psalm 119:160). God speaks accurately in His Word (Psalms 12:6).
We are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). We must choose to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 Corinthians 11:1). Therefore, we must speak accurately (John 14:12). We must judge all words and actions accurately, not superficially (John 7:24). We are to judge the world and angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).
The Bible commands us to take responsibility for our thoughts – and control them (2 Corinthians 10:5). This life is a battle between lies and truth.
The enemy lies and we are to know the truth – and resist and command the enemy in the name of Jesus to leave – just like Jesus did (Matthew 4:1-11).
God speaks in – not out of character. Here are over 40 character-traits of God – which we need to get to know – so we can distinguish what is from the heart of God for us and what is not: The Names, Personality, and Character of God.
Here is the opposite – the character traits of all demons: The Names, Personality, and Character of the Enemy.
Paul says – we are not unaware of the plans of the demons (2 Corinthians 2:11). Are you aware of them? The influence of demons is seen in the list just above.
Perfection now?
While we are not perfect in the flesh (Romans 7:18) – we are to strive for it (Philippians 3:12-14) – because we ARE perfect in the spirit before God (Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 10:17-18, Hebrews 12:23-24, 1 John 4:18).
One day we WILL receive a perfect sinless eternal “superman” body (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). And part of that perfection we strive for now is to speak accurately, truthfully, reflecting what is actually true (Matthew 12:36-37). A lot of repentance and self-discipline is required to achieve higher levels in this.
James writes about the tongue – our words and the extreme consequences of our use of it:
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider that a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be! Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
James 3:1-12
As part of this journey of discipleship I have found this self discipline – as well as the ability to rightly analyze what even great Christian leaders are saying – to be so very important – so very key.
What we say and do must be what He said and did
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise person who built their house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:27-28
Mark 3:20-22, 31-35 – Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is influenced by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” … Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
7 Huge Things We Need to Avoid
- False / Inaccurate dichotomies
- The language of either / or – when it is not accurate. False dichotomies where two good things are put against each other when it should be “both are true but with a priority”.
- Yes: Either God or the devil. Either good or evil. Lies or truth.
- Illustrated well by Peter saying no to footwashing by Jesus (John 13:1-17), then getting rebuked by Jesus. Then Peter commands Jesus to: “Wash my hands and head as well”, then getting rebuked by Jesus again, as Jesus clearly repeats – “the feet are enough”. It’s immature naïve and childish – all – or nothing thinking. We need to grow up and be sharper – in love, brokenness, and humility.
- False / Inaccurate absolutes
- Always / Never – when that is not accurate. That is a false judgment.
- It can just be a yes – and a no – which does not reflect reality.
- Only this is true – no – usually there are multiple simultaneous truths in play.
- John 7:24 – Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.
- False limitations on us or others compared to what God says
- You cannot do this or that – which God says we can through faith. We can heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:7-8, Matthew 28:18-20). We can strike people with blindness (Acts 13:11) – and even death (Acts 5:1-11) – by the Spirit!
- Language of false percentages of what is prioritized
- This over that – when it is that over this – like: rather spend time at the feet of and hanging out with Jesus – than doing stuff for Him (Luke 10:42).
- The sin of omission (deletion / non-doing) by word and / or action of what Jesus clearly commanded and practiced as a disciple
- When we pretty much never talk about and never do something – God has clearly commanded His disciples to do. We talk about it and then practice it much, much less than Jesus talked about it.
- False / Inaccurate expectations
- Expecting more or less than God expects and sending ourselves in a downward spiral of self-criticism and even God-criticism for expecting more of us than we can do (Romans 12:6).
- False identity
- Not agreeing with everything we are and have been given by the Spirit – through salvation – obtained through faith. But on the contrary agreeing with lies that destroy, limit, curse, and degrade us. All the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ. We have so many things in Christ.
The measurement in all of this is the Word of God. Did God do it in Christ or anywhere else in the Bible? Should we then say no to it? Nope!
This is about unlimiting ourselves from false boundaries in our thinking, in our hearts, and in our words and this does lead to action. It is also about setting up healthy and good and righteous boundaries against injustice, inaccuracies, and evil according to Matthew 18:15-20 – and the many related Scriptures – please see this Bible study on correcting others in love.
Jesus our absolute King, Master, and Judge said:
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Matthew 12:36-37
Examples
Either: 1. Renewal of the mind by the washing of the Word, or 2. Understanding our identity, or 3. Deliverance from demons, or 4. Repentance from sin and lies to the perfect love-heart of God and truth and to holiness and purity, or 5. Inner healing from trauma, or 6.
Restoring intimate real loving unhindered friendship with Abba Daddy. 7. Learning to do self-deliverance. 8. The fullness of all of discipleship. What about all 8 – with a priority on number 6? This will lead to freedom.
Either: Love God, or others, or yourself? Or all 3 and in that prioritized order? YES to that!
Do not judge at all – like never? Or be careful with judging. You will receive the same judgment. But judge accurately and with justice.
Discipleship is this and this and this – but ignoring that discipleship is probably so much more than that – when you look at how Jesus did it and that Jesus said disciples must obey everything, He commanded His first disciples – including Mark 3:13-15, Matthew 10 and Luke 10 – for instance.
The Reality of the Power of Free Will and Our Decisions
Realize that faith works like this – that we are dealing with self-fulfilling prophecies a lot of the time. An example: I have followed and therefore learned from someone how to heal the sick.
Therefore, I have practiced it – and it worked – and therefore, I believe I have that ability and gift for I like it – I feel at home in it. Then I start doing it – and it works. But I haven’t done the same with deliverance – I don’t understand it. It’s scary.
I heard bad stories about it. So, I do not practice it. I don’t believe I am called to do it. Then I do not do it. And I am confirmed – it doesn’t happen. So, I don’t have “the gift”. Baloney!
You just stepped into a self-fulfilling prophecy and limited yourself from doing an important part of what Jesus commanded all normal disciples to do.
Why is this so important?
The only power the enemy has is lies. Lies limit us. We end up, based on lies, picking and choosing what we are like, what we like and can do based on limiting lies compared to the unlimiting Jesus did with His disciples – if we are not very careful.
The Fullnesses
What do we compare against? What is our standard for language and true judgment?
- The fullness of the Word of God (Psalm 119:160, Colossians 1:24-29).
- The fullness of Christ (Colossians 1:19). It says: For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. This proves we can always look to and look at Him in the 4 Stories of His Life in the Bible and detect the perfect will and response of God on a certain point. And today (Ephesians 4:11-13) the 5-fold ministry gifts of Jesus all represent His fullness at all times – serving & educating all saints in all the things Jesus commanded His followers.
- The fullness of all the consequences of the responsibility on us that: Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37) and nothing is impossible to the one who believes. (Mark 9:23).
- The fullness of all the names of God (967 Names and Titles of God).
- The fullness of all the character descriptions of God (here are some).
- The fullness of all of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and all the gifts of the Spirit and all the gifts of the Father (Romans 12:6-8).
- The fullness of the Trinity – the very meaning of life – being best friends every millisecond forever past, present, future with both the Father, Daddyo, Jesus, our Bro’, and the Holy Spirit, our Helper, Guide, and Whose power lives in us and with Whom we can have sweet fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14).
- The fullness of all labels and names of believers (a list).
- The fullness of all that “we are in Christ” as believers (one list).
- The fullness of daring humbly and brokenly yet boldly and freely and with wisdom to talk with others – including leaders – about going for supplying what is lacking of the fullness of Christ (Romans 15:29, 1 Thessalonians 3:10).
- The fullness of: Intercession, deliverance, practicing Matthew 18:15-20, unity in the bond of peace, home to home multiplication of disciples, open hospitable homes, and leaders, etc.
- The fullness of comparing all our words, decisions, experiences, and actions against both the perfect deeds of words of Jesus and the entire Bible under His Words (not our tradition, experience, human leaders, fears) – and say, believe and set time aside to train and then to do the same (Matthew 5:19).
- Yes – the fullness of all fullnesses of truth within God, Heaven, angels – all areas of discipleship, all areas of this world.
Jesus Is All In on Being Accurate in What We Say
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:33-37
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.
1 Peter 4:11
That should be how we think, speak, and act.
The Word is God and God is the Word. Jesus is the Living Word and The Bible is the Written Word. We need to speak it.
I believed; therefore, I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak.
2 Corinthians 4:13
Words come from our heart and beliefs. Words lead to action – and reflect our action and faith. For God there is no difference between Him and His Words. His Words eternally reflect Who He is and what He does. Therefore, creation reflects Him and is a proof that He exists (Romans 1:20).
Our words, actions, and lifestyle come from what we receive and believe. That is why Romans 10:17 says: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
We get faith from what God says – and what the Word says – and what others say that bring us faith and from our experiences of the power of God and from the cross.
The passionate goal: the full measure of the fullness of Christ, the Father, the Spirit, and the Word
So, our goal should be that our Words and Actions reflect God – and the fullness of Who He is.
The fullness of the reflection of the prioritization of time and focus that Jesus had between teaching, discipling His leaders, hanging with friends, and doing miracles – should be reflected in our words and actions and calendar prioritization. He is our perfect Master, and we are His disciples!
Let’s, therefore, speak very accurately – and with fullness of all the commands and lovingly obedient actions of Jesus and Scripture.
Prayer
Pray along the lines of Ephesians 3:14-21
To read positive life changing and selfish life breaking teaching – see All Bible Studies of Peter Skov of Action Christianity. Let God lead you to what to engage with first.
And here is my YouTube course on the very minimum foundations of normal discipleship.
