The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
June 25, 2006
In
This Issue:
The
Bible's Influence on Our Language
by
Steve Klein
The
Gospel of Christ: God's Power to Save
by
Larry Fain
The Bible's Influence on Our Language
The Bible has influenced the English language in untold ways. Although we may not realize it, many of the common phrases we use to express ourselves are rooted in Scripture. Here are some well known sayings that actually come from the Bible:
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The skin of my teeth. Job said, "My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth." (Job 19:20)
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A drop in the bucket. "Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales. . ." (Isaiah 40:15)
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The root of the matter (or problem). "But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?" (Job 19:28)
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Living off "the fat of the land." "And take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.' (Genesis 45:18).
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At their wits' end. "They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end." (Psalms 107:27)
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All things to all men. The apostle Paul said, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made All things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22)
The Bible's influence on mankind has been so pervasive that most people commonly quote phrases from it without realizing it! If the speech of people of the world has been slightly influenced by the Bible, the speech of God's children should be greatly influenced by it. Christians, who are to be constantly studying God's word and striving to live by it, will naturally demonstrate it in speech.
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We will speak "the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15)
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We will speak as the oracles of God, sharing God's word with others. "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God." (1 Peter 4:11)
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We will speak with grace, answering spiritual questions with wisdom and solid Bible knowledge. "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." (Colossians 4:6)
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We will utter "sound speech" which promotes spiritual health. ". . .sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." (Titus 2:8)
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We will not engage in filthy talk or dirty jokes. ". . . neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." (Ephesians 5:4)
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We will not lie. "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds." (Colossians 3:9)
Some time ago, I met a young preacher who impressed me in this way: His every day speech sounded like the Bible. He used very few of the popular "in" phrases that you hear from most young people, very few of the catchy religious sayings that you hear from many denominational preachers, and very few colloquialisms common in his region of the country. In every day conversation, he sounded like he was reading the Bible. Isn't that how every Christian should aspire to sound?
--Steve Klein
Romans 1:16-17 says this: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ' The just shall live by faith.' "
This passage of scripture has long been recognized as the great theme of the beloved Book of Romans. It is a great theme of a great book. How much attention do we give it as a guide to life? Every tenet and every encouragement offered by the inspired apostle is founded on this truth concerning the gospel of Christ. The gospel of Christ is dynamic. It is explosive. It is revolutionary. It can effect more changes on the heart of an individual than an atomic bomb on a crowded city. "... if anyone {is} in Christ, {he is} a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In the great mountain message, our Lord declared, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) Where can any man go to discover the righteousness of God? He must go to the gospel of Christ. There are many people today having a great deal of trouble in dealing with what to do with the Old Testament and God's covenant with the Jews. May I suggest that you engross yourself in the Book of Hebrews to find those answers? The first has been put away to establish the second (See Hebrews 8).
In questions dealing with instrumental music in worship, as well as others, many go to the Old Testament to find justification. There is no justification there. We are justified by faith in Christ Jesus. "But what does it say? 'The word is near you, {even} in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Romans 10:8-10).
Faith in Jesus as the Son of God will motivate a person to find and do the righteousness of God found in the gospel of Christ. There is no need to go looking in any other source. The answers are to be found in the good news of Jesus. John said, "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." (2 John 9). The doctrine of Christ is the gospel of Christ. Do you believe it? Have you obeyed it? Are you continuing in it? The Bible teaches beyond question that we must obey the gospel and then maintain purity in our lives and in our service to God. Halfway faith and partial obedience will never do. We urge you to obey the gospel. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:16)
--Larry Fain