The Implications of Definitions

The English language is filled with nuances which impact our perspective.  So many words we commonly use have a range of meaning, and learning the definitions of words enriches our understanding.  It is very possible we limit the meaning of a word to one facet and miss the implications.  Take as an example the word "commit."  The vast majority of times the word is used is in a negative sense, for instance to "commit" murder or adultery.  There are positive uses of the word as well, like in Psalm 37:5:  "Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  The implication of the word is to roll away, give, or entrust.

To illustrate the wide range of meanings of this word "commit," here is the definition from the Webster's Dictionary 1828 edition (punctuation and spacing edited by me to save space):

COMMIT, verb transitive literally, to send to or upon; to throw, put or lay upon. Hence,

1. To give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust; with to; "COMMIT thy way to the Lord." Psalms 37:5; "The things thou hast heard of me, commit to faithful men." 2 Timothy 2:2.

2. To put into any place for preservation; to deposit; as, to commit a passage in a book to memory; to commit the body to the grave.

3. To put or sent to, for confinement; as, to commit an offender to prison. Hence for the sake of brevity, commit is used for imprison. The sheriff has committed the offender; "These two were committed, at least restrained of their liberty."

4. To do; to effect or perpetrate; as, to commit murder, treason, felony, or trespass; "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14. 

5. To join or put together, for a contest; to match; followed by with; a latinism; "How does Philopolis commit the opponent with the respondent?"

6. To place in a state of hostility or incongruity. Committing short and long words. But this seems to be the same signification as the foregoing.

7. To expose or endanger by a preliminary step or decision which cannot be recalled; as, to commit the peace of a country by espousing the cause of a belligerent; "You might have satisfied every duty of political friendship without committing the honour of your sovereign."

8. To engage; to pledge; or to pledge by implication; "The general--addressed letters to Gen. Gates and to Gen. Heath, cautioning them against any sudden assent to the proposal, which might possibly be considered as committing the faith of the United States." And with the reciprocal pronoun, to commit ones self, is to do some act, or make some declaration, which may bind the person in honour, good faith, or consistency, to pursue a certain course of conduct, or to adhere to the tenor of that declaration.

9. To refer or entrust to a committee, or select number of persons, for their consideration and report; a term of legislation; as, the petition or the bill is committed. "Is it the pleasure of the house to commit the bill?"

People are commonly encouraged to "commit" their lives to Jesus as LORD and Saviour.  Making the decision to follow Jesus is undoubtedly a commitment, but this word does not necessarily convey faith or trust.  I remember a friend who used the term "commitment" in relation to a pledge he made to his local church to give so much money over the next four years.  In his mind he made this pledge and therefore he was covered - for lack of a better word.  It is scriptural we would commit our lives to Jesus as He did into the hands of the Father, to entrust ourselves entirely to His covenant and will.  But I do find it interesting Jesus never asked the disciples to commit before following Him.  He was not interested in them pledging their loyalty before they were permitted to be His disciples.  In most cases recorded in scripture He simply said, "Follow Me."  Their faith was not conveyed by words alone but through obedience.  Our pledges mean nothing if they are only words or promising to give money or assent:  faith in Jesus and spiritual rebirth through the Gospel is needed for salvation.

So friends, crack open those dictionaries!  Language is a complex challenge to navigate, and our much improved access to information does not necessarily mean we understand the nuances of our mother tongue!  Words are powerful because of the meaning behind them when properly understood.  This is why I steer away from recent translations tailored for modern speakers, for stripping away language reduces meaning and significance.  Reducing language to today's common vernacular tends to dilute rather than distill.  God saw fit to give us His words written down which have been faithfully translated - not only so we could analyse and repeat them in our language - but so we could know Him and walk in light of His revelation and truth.