Lessons from Mr Wilson 2

Harold Wilson came fairly close to bringing the Vietnam war to a close. Negotiating with the Americans, and, through the Russians, the North Vietnamese, he produced a document, the wording of which he passed to either side for agreement. The Americans had demanded an ‘assured stoppage’ of Northern infiltration into South Vietnam. Wilson interpreted this phrase to mean such activities ‘will stop’. In British English, the phrase means exactly that- an assurance that something will cease. In American English, it means the cessation has already taken place. 

It all unravelled and came to nothing because the words employed had different meanings to the different parties. Consequently, the war continued, many more lives were lost, the Americans ended up looking weaker and Wilson once more lost his world-stage spotlight. Oh for the meaning of words!

Beware of those religious groups which use words like grace and salvation and even the name of Jesus Christ. They often have rather different meanings than that used by the Biblical writers. The Roman Catholic is taught that Mary will offer them grace whilst in the fires of purgatory. Some grace. JWs offer free salvation, but it comes with a hefty price tag of human labour and toil. Mormons ‘believe in Jesus’, so long as Jesus is the brother of Satan and not the only begotten Son of God. The prosperity preachers tell you God will provide for your needs, if your needs are expensive cars and huge mansions, and you pop them a few coins in the meantime.

Don’t be a goat on the day of judgement because you had the wrong meaning of a word, or a poor understanding of a plain truth:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8