By:
Obed Pineda
If you were at your daughter’s school for an art show and her instructor referred to her artistic skills as egregious, what would your reaction be? Truthfully, there is a very high probability that you would take offense to the statement and demand an explanation. However, what if her art teacher expressed it with awe and admiration for her art? Undoubtedly, our reaction would very likely be one of quizzical confusion. The reason for either one of these natural responses to the adjective egregious is because of the negative connotation commonly associated with it. Egregious is typically understood to be a derogatory term used to describe something as noticeably terrible or offensive. Thus, it makes sense to react strongly against the statement when it is understood to mean that your daughter’s artistic ability is being referred to as “clearly missing.” Yet, if the art teacher utilizes the word with a tone of enchantment, meant as a compliment, it manifests that instructors profound knowledge of the words etymological origins. According to lexicographers, the word egregious originates from the Latin word egregius which translates to “distinguished, or eminent” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). Originally, it was a compliment meant to refer to someone or someone’s skill as remarkable and outstanding. In old English, this was term was not used lightly since it was held as one of the highest honors a person could receive. Similar to its antipodal connotation today, it was used when an artists art clearly surpassed all others. Unfortunately, this once honorable adjective transitioned into an insult when people began to use it ironically to belittle a person. History reveals that more and more it became a longstanding mockery used to illuminate a person’s glaring mistakes. Verily, the deviation of egregious’ from being a term of encouragement to a term of discouragement in our society today further proves the Holy Spirit’s warning that “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2nd Timothy 3:13, emphasis added). It is an undeniable reality that egregious has not been the only word or symbol that has been devalued by humanity. Human history is filled with a plethora of examples of symbols taken hostage and perverted by their adversaries. There is no question the importance symbols have in human society when used appropriately. For this reason, when an adversary fears the power of inspiration a symbol may provide his enemy, he seeks to either destroy it or deface it. Regrettably, one such symbol that has been succumbed to desecration is one the Father holds dearly. After sparing Noah and his family from the destruction of the flood, the Lord made a covenant with them explaining “‘Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ And God said: ‘This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth” (Genesis 9:11-13, emphasis added). It is marvelous to read how the Lord tenderly calls the magnificent phenomenon that is the rainbow as His. An emblem created by Him from the chaos that was the cataclysmic flood to remind mankind of His divine promise. It is understood that the rainbow is the product of light reflecting, refracting, and dispersing through the water droplets in the skies. Thus, the appearance of a rainbow frequently happens after a mighty storm, and it also signals the conclusion of said storm. Because this is so, this splendid natural beauty was once viewed by many as the hope of a better tomorrow. Sadly, like egregious, subtly the significance of God’s covenant with the earth began to lose its true purpose. For some, the rainbow has become an invitation to greed for it is said that a leprechaun’s pot of gold can be found at its end. For others, it has been taken and diverted to signify tolerance of ungodliness, claiming that the beauty created by the array of different colors as one represents this erred propaganda. Yet, it is valuable to understand that this is not new. The apostle Paul was weary of being ensnared by this problematic practice explaining that “Christ, did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect” (1st Corinthians 1:17, emphasis added). Like the word egregious and the significance of the rainbow, baptism, too, has been targeted by God’s enemies. It’s precious value and essential requirement for salvation has been attacked persistently for many ages. Like at Corinth in the times of the apostle, there are preachers and evangelists today who have lost sight of what the significance of baptism is. Tragically, it has transitioned from being “an antitype which now saves us..(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1st Peter 3:21, emphasis added) to a measuring stick used to determine an evangelist’s success rate. For others, baptism has been reduced to a mere formality meant to represent a person’s desire to establish membership at a certain congregation. There is no question that the common link one discovers in mankind’s choice to denigrate and delude the power found in these symbols is “that they are enemies of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18b-19, emphasis added). Once more, remember that when a symbol has the power to inspire a person to do great things, it becomes a threat to that person’s adversary. Irrefutably, for this reason, Satan and his offspring seek to contaminate and divert the true essence of symbols such as the rainbow, baptism, the elements of God’s worship, and others equal to these, valuable to God. The world tragically takes these sacred emblems hostage, given to us by Him, and distort them to their convenience, striving to erase their celestial meaning. However, those who do so must be forewarned that “if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2nd Corinthians 4:3-4 emphasis added). Therefore, let us beware not to be led astray by the enemy’s tactics and let us always uphold the entire counsel of God for “indeed, let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
