Issue 982 – Words – February 14, 2023
Happy Valentine’s day to all.
With our 46th wedding anniversary coming up in a few days, Kathy and I spontaneously decided to go on a short cruise yesterday. It sounds romantic, doesn’t it?
It’s true in many ways, but the image you get isn’t what it was like.
We were doing some exploring in the Bellingham, Washington area and travelled over to Anacortes. We then drove across Deception Pass, down through Oak Harbour and into Clinton. It’s beautiful country, well worth seeing.
From Clinton, we caught our cruise ship. A Washington State Ferry took us across Possession Sound to Mukilteo. Our total elapsed “cruise” time was about 20 minutes.
Language is a beautiful thing; without it, communication would be complicated. Yet the very nature of the words we use can complicate things.
Words can have different meanings and be construed in various ways. The creative use of wordplay makes puns fun and the highest form of humour.
Creative word use is the realm of many marketers. We have all seen used car ads for “one owner,” “lady driven,” “needs some TLC,” and the like. Realtors are masters of creative spin. I’m sure you can think of your own examples.
Words even create confusion in the world of faith and religion. Ask most people if they believe in God, and they will say yes. Ask them to clarify, and most will come up with something that only vaguely resembles the God of the Bible, if at all.
Many self-proclaimed Christians have never come into a saving relationship with Jesus. They might have some Christian heritage or assume they are Christian because of where they live. They might even attend church.
The same holds with believing in Jesus. Is he the Jesus of Christian orthodoxy or the unitarian heresy? Was he only a man? Perhaps the vision from a hallucinogenic mushroom or a robot left by the gods? All these ideas and more are out there.
We need to define terms when talking with others. We can’t assume we speak the same language even if we use the same words.
These differences in word meaning are one of the reasons that creeds and confessions exist. We need to be able to articulate what it is that we genuinely believe.
The earliest Christian creed appears in Paul’s first epistle to the church in Corinth.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 1 Corinthians 15:1-7
While Paul’s list of first importance isn’t complete, it is a great start.
Can you articulate what you believe? What words would you use to describe what it means to be a Christian or what God you believe in?
How will you differentiate between truth and error if you don’t have the words?
May you come to recognize the truth and keep it. May you learn to recognize error and combat it lovingly.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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