Weak Vocabulary Destroys Nations

Why the dictionary might be the second most important book for shaping culture

This article was originally published by New Saint Andrews College here:

Words are more than accentuated inflections of breath or the simple markings of ink and lead upon a blank canvas. They are, in essence, the incarnational edifices of thought, giving flesh to ideas and breathing life into them. Words are the very means by which worlds and cultures are conceived and fashioned.

Consider the divine act of creation: when God spoke, the cosmos sprang into being. Words brought forth life, order, and light. Eden itself was called into existence through the power of God's utterance. Not a single word or thought was without purpose; each one carried intelligence and beauty, each one a reflection of the Creator’s glory.

Words also ushered in the pinnacle of God’s creation: a bearer of His image, endowed with the mandate to shape culture through the power of speech. It was through words that man named the world, thereby cultivating and developing culture. Under the tutelage of the Creator, man learned the profound link between a creature's essence and its name. Words enabled him to exercise dominion over the earth, to be fruitful, and multiply. Words gave rise to song and poetry, setting the template for love and companionship. They enabled him to express delight and wonder and, most importantly, to commune with his Maker.

The Deadly Cost of Tongue-Tied Tranquility

When the serpent sought to spread deceit and defy God, it did so by twisting and redefining words. By corrupting the meaning of words, the serpent aimed to rewrite history (“Did God really say…?”), plunging the world into a state of rebellion, darkness, and despair. Lies, by their very nature, are a perversion of words that distort history and taint what is true, beautiful, and good.

Conversely, man's silence became the accomplice of evil. In the absence of truth, lies took dominion. A tongue frozen in silence rendered man powerless, with a compromised palate that welcomed the taste of the forbidden, leaving behind a bitterness that would not fade. No longer would the sweetness of goodness and pleasure flow from untainted bliss; instead, they were marred by the weight of guilt that blinds, silences, and enslaves. Death became the inevitable fruit of muted tongues and deceived minds as the belief in falsehood poisoned the bloodstream of generations.

The Redeemer’s Rhetoric

Words lie at the heart of our existence and, profoundly, at the center of our redemption. The ultimate Word (λόγος) became flesh and made His dwelling among us, revealing a glory brimming with grace and truth. This grace was communicated through holy words, meticulously preserved across the ages—from Adam to the latest of his descendants. These words heralded the defeat of the dragon and the restoration of humanity, promising that man would once again reign as lords over the earth. Divine words that hold the power of eternal life for all who believe. The same Word that spoke the cosmos into being is also the Word that breathes life into the dead and sets the sinner free.

The vast expanse of the cosmos is under the dominion of Christ the King. His λόγος [logos] governs every aspect of creation, extending far beyond the hearts of the regenerate. This Word is a mighty and unyielding weapon in the war of truth. Those who know, love, proclaim, and live by it share in a victory that is secured forever. This Word will not fail; it will bring every nation to its knees, whether in worship or in judgment.

Given that there are no neutral words, we must recognize that there are no neutral ideas. Every idea is shaped by presuppositions that either honor God or defy Him. Each use of a word becomes an act of worship, rendered either toward God or toward idols.

The Battle for the Dictionary

Every culture war is, at its core, a battle over words—words that have the power to build or to destroy. In this colossal conflict, there is no neutral ground. The struggle over the dictionary is, in truth, the battle of the ages. It is the front line where truth clashes with falsehood, and where Christianity confronts rival religions and philosophies. Words cannot be separated from ideas and thought. The term λόγος [logos] speaks to the profound relationship between ideas and expression. To utter a word is to give voice to an idea. Given that there are no neutral words, we must recognize that there are no neutral ideas. Every idea is shaped by presuppositions that either honor God or defy Him. Each use of a word becomes an act of worship, rendered either toward God or toward idols.

In our contemporary age, we witness bold attempts to redefine words: gender is used to redefine sex, homosexuality redefines sodomy, abortion reframes infanticide, social welfare masks theft, equality disguises envy, and humanism redefines the imago Dei.

Twisted Tongues & Sinister Semantics

We must recognize that no word is inherently evil; it is the use of a term that determines its moral character. A "bad word" is one employed inappropriately or out of place (Ephesians 5:4), wielded to corrupt truth, beauty, and goodness. A term becomes foolish or corrupting when it is used to erode or undermine virtue. Yet, there is a place for words that offend, especially when expressions of blatant evil are normalized and celebrated. Words that mock idols have their place; they serve to reveal the gravity of wickedness and the certainty of judgment. In a world that loves lies and idolizes appeasement, truth will always be perceived as offensive. A word of offense can be a potent tool to expose folly. We ought not to comfort idolaters in our discourse; rather, we should wield words that pierce the heart of their idolatry.

The enemies of God are not creators of words but perverters of them. They aim not to build or multiply, but to steal, kill, and destroy. They lack a cosmological vision or any aspiration toward eternal glory. Theirs is a hellish endeavor to incinerate worlds and the words that sustain them. Devils redefine words through perversion, sowing doubt and mistrust in the words God has called good, using them to mean something contrary to His intent. Their misuse of words is a deliberate effort to disrupt, distort, and demolish all that is true, beautiful, and good. Their vocabulary distorts logic and reason, casting shadows of confusion. The tongues of dragons are adept at calling evil good and good evil, often cloaking deception in a veneer of sweetness that beguiles the untrained ear.

The Call to Craft and Command

Christians, in embracing the calling bestowed upon them by God, must become adept wielders of words. They are called to intentionally craft words that elevate truth, beauty, and goodness across every sphere of life. Simultaneously, they must not shy away from employing combative words that righteously provoke shame and disdain in places where blasphemy and idolatry thrive. A vocabulary that mocks persistent folly is not merely permissible but necessary. The ultimate blueprint for Christians in wielding words is God Himself, who uses diverse expressions and tones to fulfill His purposes and display His glory through the power of His Word.

Christians should be pioneers and connoisseurs of poetry, prose, satire, sarcasm, comedy, and drama. They ought to be the composers of stirring battle cries, soothing laments, and jubilant songs of celebration. They should author iconic screenplays and theatrical productions that shape hearts and minds. They should write works of fiction that immerse readers in a world of adventure and wonder. When Christians fail to employ these forms of expression, they abdicate their divine calling to shape culture and instead cede that role to those who scorn God. The silence of Christians damns the world to ruin.

Christians must be vigilant not to surrender words to the world. If Christ is sovereign over every inch of the cosmos, then every word belongs to Him alone. While devils may attempt to wrest this glory from the grasp of the only true Lord of lords, they can never truly undermine His divine authority. Too often, Christians fear words and hastily abandon them at the mere hint of redefinition. In doing so, they permit the world to dominate the dictionary, thereby allowing it to propagate its godless ideologies. By conceding control of language to God’s enemies, Christians weaken their ability to be the salt and light of the world, confining their influence to the echo chambers of their own making.

Devils revel in promoting illiteracy and a constrained lexicon. Languages that lack terms for concepts such as dignity, stewardship, logic, ethics, morality, justice, and truth will, in time, find these virtues absent in their cultural fabric.

Eloquent Architects & the Codifying of Language

Cultures that possess a restricted vocabulary are inevitably vulnerable to the perils of deception. Devils revel in promoting illiteracy and a constrained lexicon. Languages that lack terms for concepts such as dignity, stewardship, logic, ethics, morality, justice, and truth will, in time, find these virtues absent in their cultural fabric. It is thus strategic for Christians to disciple nations by imparting in them a rich and robust vocabulary. The codification of language—a hallmark of Christian cultural influence—has historically proven to be a formidable tool. Wherever the Bible has deeply influenced a society, that society has experienced a profound surge in freedom and flourishing. This is because the words of the Bible are infused with ultimate truth, beauty, and goodness. Christians who use the Bible as the foundational framework for codifying language are uniquely equipped to cultivate cultures that are vibrant, just, and prosperous.

Christians must also cultivate an eloquence that makes good and truthful words both clear and aesthetically compelling. Eloquence is not just a means to gain social status but a forge capable of crafting works that are both excellent and majestic in their presentation. It is an art form that should enhance truth and wisdom, imbuing them with persuasive power and showcasing their inherent beauty. When used effectively, eloquence can inspire the creation of grand artistic and architectural masterpieces, which are crucial for nurturing and preserving the highest virtues and enriching cultures.

Verbal Gravity and the Echoes of Impact

The words we choose in our interactions with peers, spouses, children, acquaintances, and strangers carry profound significance. Even seemingly insignificant words can cast a long shadow, leaving multigenerational impressions. The manner in which we employ and deliver these words is equally crucial. Words devoid of joy and hope fail to realize their full potential.

The impact of the words we read and confess are similarly profound. Our beliefs about truth and falsehood shape our convictions and actions. The creeds that articulate what Christians believe are not empty repetitions but foundational instruments through which cultures are forged. We should declare these creeds with enthusiasm and conviction as they anchor the beliefs, values, and practices of God’s people.

An excellent education enables students to wisely and competently wield words with skill and purpose in creating culture. This is why disciplines such as theology, music, critical thinking, rhetoric, literature, and classical languages hold such significance. No language is truly "dead" if it serves to build and sustain culture. The goal is not merely to produce students who can recite memorized words, but to cultivate their ability to use words effectively in advancing truth, beauty, and goodness in every sphere of life.