Lexicon

Lexicon- lex·i·con/ˈleksəˌkän,ˈleksəkən/.noun. the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge.

Clarity is more important than agreement.

The first step toward proactive conversation is to know how we define terms. In our world, definitions are changing all the time. So, here are some of my definitions so you can understand phrases.

Biblical Man, Male, Manhood

definition- Someone born with XY chromosomes. Also known as "male."

  • Incapable of having children.
  • In marriage, Biblically called to be the positional head of a household.
  • To serve by leading.
  • Protector.
  • Gentle Monster. This means someone strong but harnesses and disciplines their power to serve others.  

Biblical Female, Woman, Womanhood

definition- Someone born with XX chromosomes. Also known as "female."

  • Able to have children.
  • In marriage, she is Biblically called to follow her husband’s Christ-centered positional leadership. (Notice I said Christ-centered. She is not obligated to follow anything that would cause her to violate God's Word.)
  • Care-giver. Nurturer.

Conservative Christianity

definition- During the past one hundred or so years since the fundamentalist-modernist controversy, the word “conservative” has regularly been applied to Christians who believe that the Bible is valid in all that it affirms, including such historical realities as the virgin birth of Christ and the literal resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This label contrasts with “theological liberal,” which describes someone who challenges the truthfulness of the Bible, including many of its historical claims. Be sure to note: This has nothing to do with political terms relating to particular parties.

  • "Conservative" does not denote an alignment with a political party.  
  • It is in complete solidarity with the authority and teaching of Jesus as outlined in Scripture.
  • It is not primarily a religion or institution. It is primarily a living, ongoing relationship and submission to the authority and Person of Jesus Christ.

Gender

definition- Synonymous with sex. XX or XY.  

  • Not a construct but a synonym of sex. Therefore, unchangeable.
  • There are only two: male and female.
  • Though the term is simple to define, it is not simple to understand due to the loud voices of media personalities distorting the complex realities of life.
  • The most liberal view sees sex as unchangeable but gender as a moveable spectrum, depending on how you feel.

Marriage

definition- An institution of mutual submission created by God between one man and one woman theoretically for life.

  • It is a covenant between one male and one female dating back to Genesis 2.
  • Local governments do not create marriages. They ratify and verify their existence. The form we fill out at the courthouse ratifies the union before the local government. The covenant we make before God binds the couple before God.

Point-of-View

definition- How we relate to observing the truth.

  • A point-of-view has value. It is the representation of our experiences. However, they cannot be taken to the level of truth because our point-of-view changes with each new experience.

Progressive Christianity

definition- Defining the progressive church belief system is like nailing jello to a wall. It changes depending on the conversation. This is because it is so new. However, Alisa Childers has done excellent work on the topic. I highly recommend her entire website. For a quick idea, she says these are five signs you might be sliding toward progressivism:

  1. You have a low view of the Bible. You do not see the Bible as the Divinely inspired Word of God without falsehood and error.
  2. You emphasize feelings over facts. You tend to view personal experiences and opinions over objective truth.
  3. The essential Christian doctrines are open for re-interpretation. i.e., the Ressurection of Jesus, LGBTQ stances, literal Heaven and Hell.
  4. You have no problem with redefining historical terms. i.e., sin, re-interpreting the Bible, love, hell.
  5. In your view, the heart of the Gospel message should shift from sin and redemption to social justice.  
  • This is one of the most significant issues facing the Christian church today, and slipping into a "progressive" mindset can be easy.

Sexual Brokenness

definition- Sexual brokenness is anything outside the union of one man and woman in a marriage relationship.  

  • LGBTQIA+, pornography, lust, premarital sex, pedophilia, etc.

Transexual/Transgender

definition- Transexuality is an extremely rare condition where someone is born with a chromosomal abnormality. Also known as "intersex." Transgenderism is a condition where someone feels they are something different on the inside from what they present on the outside.

  • Transexual- The medical condition is not a state of mind.
  • Transgenderism- A feeling or state of mind and not a medical condition.
  • God's Word says that He created male and female. Nothing in the text says someone can feel differently than they are. Therefore, to feel something is not sinful. It is what we do that can become sinful.

Truth

definition- Objective, observable truths found in the laws of nature and reality.

  • Truth statements do not change or move. We change and/or move to suit them.
  • Truth statements can be confirmed by their "provable" characteristics.