Michelle recently pointed out that I say “literally” a lot. I thought she was exaggerating. But since she alerted me of that repetitive portion of my otherwise verbose vocabulary, I’ve noticed that I do indeed literally use the word literally all the time. I will catch myself making a point, and throwing in the this adverb to emphasis it. However, I’m sure I could get away with using it less. And if I stopped for a second and thought about it, I’m sure there are plenty of other words in our English language that I could use in the place of this overused one.
I was thinking about why it is that I apparently feel the necessity to make such a strong statement with such a powerful, albeit overused, word. Perhaps it is my subconscious way of trying to combat our postmodern world that says there are no absolutes. The other day, I listened to an interview by a radio host with a well-known leader of the emergent church. (This is not a criticism of the emergent/emerging church. I consider myself to be emerging.) It was a little alarming as I listened to this pastor literally avoid answering the question of a literal hell. I do realize that this is a debatable subject. And of course, our culture is aghast by our assertion that Jesus Christ is literally the ONLY way to the Father. But the scriptures are clear on this point, as well as, in my opinion, an eternal damnation to a literal hell for eternity reserved for those who reject the redemption that comes only through Jesus the Christ.
I hate dogma for dogma’s sake. It grieves me when non-essential doctrines cause division in the church. I don’t want to draw a line in the sand over something that my Lord did not etch in stone.
That being said, there are some truths that need to be upheld without compromise. This does not give me an excuse to be a jackass and try to prove to everyone that I am right. Love must prevail. But just because our culture and certain leaders of the church hate literal truths does not mean that they are not, indeed, literal truths.
Above all else, as I continue to assert, love wins.
Lord help.
