There is a line that it may be tempting to cross.  Perhaps you have been studying in a certain area of theology.  Perhaps it is personal experience that is pushing you in a certain direction.  Perhaps you are tired of a certain over-emphasis in your church circles.

So you preach (or write, or converse about, or blog about) something.  You try to expand the horizons, the categories, the awareness of your listeners.  You paint a glorious picture of oft-neglected theological vistas.  In the process you help people to see more clearly, to understand more fully, to respond more holistically.  But that is where danger lurks.

In shifting the emphasis, even if only for one message, you will be tempted to cross a line.  The line is crossed when instead of helping people see more and to see it clearly, you move from addition to contrast.  It is crossed when your study or experience or emphasis takes you to a point where you decide not just to add to the listeners’ understanding, but you decide to contrast your focus with some aspect of orthodoxy.

So actually the Cross wasn’t about that, it was about this.  So really God isn’t that, but this.  So now we see that Christianity is not about that at all, but only this.  Careful.  Extremely careful!

There are things in all church traditions that may be labeled orthodoxy, but are actually biblically errant.  I am not saying we can never contrast or critique.  I believe we must.  What I am saying is that a throw away comment about an emphasis within orthodox theology can come back to bite.

I was just reading a book.  I was enjoying it.  In fact, I read a page that took my breath away it was so well-written.  Then there was a throw away comment of unnecessary contrast.  How easy to do that unawares in writing, in preaching, in conversation.  Evangelical theology needs critique on various levels, but throw away contrast comments are not going to achieve anything other than vilifying their source.  You.

What we say matters.  Be careful!