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Christian slang can hamper communication.(just one case)
Gospel Holds Deeper Meaning
According to Webster.com, slang is defined as language peculiar to a specific group. One of the largest groups on earth, The Christian Church, often uses language fitting this description. The use of slang is detrimental to one of the basic precepts of the church. In Mark 16:15 Jesus says “go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” There are many things which can hamper the communication of this message to people who are unfamiliar with it. The use of slang is just another complication. With a little effort, this particular complication can be avoided. A quick look into the use of slang in the church reveals a long list of words and phrases which are rarely understood outside of the church. The word gospel is one such word. The depth and richness of its meaning is often misunderstood even within the church, and it is spread throughout the Bible. The importance of understanding what this word means cannot be overstated. Three key points will provide a survey of the meaning of this word as used in most Christian Churches. First, God created man to be like himself; second, man failed to live in the image of God and had to be punished; finally, God sent Jesus to receive the punishment and overcome death in order to save man.
Genesis 1:1 says “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This means the entire universe. Like a great artist, God crafted every detail of existence. A painter puts his soul into his creation. He invests time and energy to make everything just as he sees it in his minds eye. In God’s case this resulted in a perfect world filled with breathtaking beauty. His care and love are evident in the majestic mountains and the expanse of the blue sea. He created life on this earth. The poetry of genetics was written by his hand. He did all of this for his last and most perfect creation, man. In Genesis 1:27 it says “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This is an awesome thing to think about. Man was made by a perfect God in God’s own image. Man was given a perfect world with out any flaw. Water was of perfect composition with no pollution whatever. The air, the soil, and the human body, mind, and spirit were all perfect.
God had barely finished creating the universe when man’s rebellion scared it, like a vandal spraying gang symbols on a canvas of Monet. Christians call it sin and it may be another word that is used only by the Christian community. It to would then require an in depth discussion, but that is beyond the scope of this essay. A simple definition will suffice here. Sin separates man from God. Sin is anything that causes man to be less like God. The most important thing to understand is that no human can live without sin. No man, except for Jesus, managed to obey all the rules; and therefore, all are guilty of sin. Romans 3:23 reads “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” A quick look at the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21) will show this to be true. It follows that disobedience requires punishment. Because God is holy and just, he cannot just let sin be ignored. Deuteronomy 8:5 states “Know then in your heart that as man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” If not for an amazing plan each man would have had to be punished for his own sins. Thankfully there is such a plan.
John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus came to earth to save mankind from the punishment of sin. He lived a sinless life only to be charged with the sins of all humanity. He died as a sacrifice to save every man and women from the punishment of sin forever. It’s a good thing he did because in Romans 6:23 we learn “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” Jesus lay decaying in a tomb for three days and then rose from the dead. He did not rise in some ghostly way, but he came back in flesh and blood. The same blood that ran from his body and dried up in his veins became fluid and able to transport oxygen again. The same heart that stopped and produced no electrical activity for three days once again pumped the blood through the same body that once again became supple. Therefore, if man believes in Christ he will through the grace of God have overcome sin and death. It is the sacrifice made by Jesus that saves mankind not any good act of man while on this earth.
It is very important to communicate clearly with people when attempting to provide them with new information. Using words that are only fully understood by people who have spent a significant amount of time learning the history and theology of the Christian Church hinders this process. Dictionary definitions prove the fact that the word gospel is one such word. There are examples of definitions which display circular logic, definitions which are superficial, and definitions which simply mention the first four books of the New Testament of the Bible. None of these definitions provide an understanding of the meaning of gospel as understood by the group of people calling themselves the Christian Church. Not one of these dictionary definitions mentions the creation of the universe including mankind. None of them say anything about how mankind corrupted the perfection of this universe or the need for punishment due to that fallacy. Not a single mention of overcoming sin or death can be found. The true definition of gospel as used by this group is then missed by the majority of the population.
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