Speaking to be understood

Speaking To Be Understood                 R.D.Ice

        "It's time for a Christian revolution!  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!"  Psalm 107:1-3; Matt. 8:11

        "So I become all things to all men, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible." Paul - 1 Cor. 9:22

1         1 billion people worldwide use the Internet.  (soon to be 3 billion people)

2         The Internet is changing the world.

3         God Himself is using the Internet to change lives.

4         On the Internet we must speak to be understood.

        "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?  for ye shall speak into the air."  1 Cor. 14:9 KJV

        "And it's the same for you.  If you talk to people in a language they don't understand, how will they know what you mean?  You might as well be talking to an empty room."  1 Cor. 14:9 NLT (New Living Translation)

        Christians  have developed a special way of saying things - a secret language - which doesn't always have the same meaning to others.  Here are just a few of our secret words: "born again, salvation, saved, sinner, new birth, Savior, justification, Holy Spirit, testimony, evangelical, assurance, redeemed, redemption, saved, mission, outreach, repentance, witness, confess, found the Lord, have a burden"

        These are 'insider terms' which exclude the typical un- churched person. We must learn to get inside their heads!  And, does the church always understand these words?  Yet, of course, words must be used to describe Christianity.

    Sinner: one who is far away from God's saving presence. Romans 3:23  Failure to love God is sin.  1 John 4:7-8

    Savior: God acted in Christ Jesus to give Himself for us, a Savior to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to Him alone and are eager to do good.  Titus 2:14

    Salvation: chosen for eternal life.  Acts 13:47-48

    Repentance: turn away from sin and turn to God.

2 Cor. 7:9-10

    Confess: to stand with, give allegiance to.  Romans 10:9

    Baptism: a burial in water into Christ Jesus.  Acts 8:36-38

    Born-again:  born from above - spiritually changed.  "Jesus replied, 'the truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.'" John 3:3-7

    New birth: a changed relationship with God.  "For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.  God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins."  Col. 1:13-14 NLT

    Saved: put into a safe relationship with God.  Acts 26:18

    Justification:  put right with God.  There is one God, who will put both Jew and Gentile right with Himself on the basis of their faith in Christ.  Romans 3:30; 4:6-8

    Holy Spirit:  God-the-Holy-Spirit is active in our world today.  He proves the people of the world are wrong about sin and what is right and about God's judgment.  John 16:7-15  He renews us.  Titus 3:5

    Testimony: In a court of law, witnesses testify about what they believe to be true.  The Apostle Paul said: "'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak..."  2 Cor. 4:13  In this same spirit of faith we also speak our testimony because we believe in Jesus Christ.

    Evangelical: "Evangel" means gospel.  "Evangelical" then centers around Christ: who He is and what He has done in His becoming flesh & blood, living and being tempted, dying as God's Lamb to purge sin, and rising to life in power and triumph over death, hell and the grave.

    Sanctification:  To be dedicated to God; to be accepted by God as holy.  Romans 4:5-8  "But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.  King David spoke of this, describing the happiness of an undeserving sinner who is declared to be righteous: 'Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.  Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord.'"  NLT  Compare Phil. 3:9-11.

    Assurance: confidence in our relationship to God.  Col. 2:2-3  "I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself.  In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  NLT

We sing: "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!  Oh, what a foretaste of Glory divine."

    Grace:  God's incredible kindness.  This is unmerited favor, something we do not deserve.  But God out of His great love for us chose us in Christ even before the world began!  Paul writes: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Chris died for us."  Romans 5:8

    Outreach: We as Christians reaching out to everyone with the gospel of Christ - crucified, risen, coming again.  We have been given the mission of making friends to God.

    Found the Lord: We rejoice in the fact that God has reached out to us and we are now aware of Who He Is and What He Has Done.  Note the parables Jesus used in Luke 15.  They demonstrate God's seeking for us.  We rejoice when we have found Him!  We sing: "Trust and obey, for there's no other way."

    Have a burden:  Paul spoke of his care/concern for all the churches (2 Cor. 11:28).  In the imagery of "Pilgrim's Progress," he "had a burden" which he carried everywhere with him.  We may have a burden when we feel some responsibility falls on us.  Perhaps we think God has spoken to us or brought certain things to our mind.  Surely the Providence of God will cause us to choose to promote His Cause and purpose.

    It sometimes helps to write down and paraphrase what we intend to say, then read it out loud, and think how it may sound to others.