Yet in the area of our faith and beliefs we quickly settle for one way of expressing what it is to be a believer. Maybe we feel safe with descriptions like ‘saved’ or ‘born again’ or even the more neutral ‘being a follower’ ‘a believer’ or ‘having a fulfilling relationship’. No wonder people soon walk past us; no wonder they soon stop listening to what we want to say.
This should not be because we have in the Bible a wealth of ways to express the privilege and blessings of being a Christian. The authors of Scripture used an abundance of rich and varied ideas to convey the greatness and wonder of their new life.
They spoke of being: In Christ; raised with Christ, citizens of heaven, or God’s own. They knew they had passed from death to life; they had been washed and renewed. They described themselves as living stones, heirs and children of God and a new creation. They had realized that God had said “Yes” to them in Christ. And so on...
There are dozens of pictures describing our new standing. You could do worse that note them down for yourself as you read the Scriptures, perhaps starting with all the descriptions given in Ephesians chapter 1.
“Misunderstandings often occur merely because two believers are using different… biblical pictures to describe the same reality”
If we make an effort to discover what we have, and are, more fully, then it will enrich our own faith as we explore our privileges and responsibilities. It will also help cooperation with other believers, because avoidable misunderstandings often occur merely because two believers are using different, and equally valid, biblical pictures to describe the same reality and experience.
Also, getting back to the shopping analogy, our witness will be more attractive. We will be using all the rich and varied resources given to us share our message with others. We should realise that people, being diverse in temperament and interests, will respond differently to ideas or explanations. If one way of telling our story doesn’t work, try another. We are provided with plenty to use. Like Paul we should be all things to people in order to win some.
A carpenter watched as his apprentice, making short shaky erratic strokes, tried to saw a piece of wood. Taking the saw the carpenter soon cut through the wood with long smooth confident strokes.
Turning to the apprentice he said “You bought all of the saw, so use all of it”. We have a storehouse, laden with truth in all its shapes, sizes and colours. We should use all of them in the task before us.
Warren Nelson, originally from Drogheda Co Louth, worked in the linen industry until he took up the challenge to communicate the good news, this lead to teaching at Irish Bible School in Co Tipperary. He now enjoys active retirement and DIY near Tullamore.
Join the Conversation: Do you think Christians have become limited or lazy in the way they describe and express their faith? How does Christian jargon hinder our message? Do you believe that the words and images we use can cause misunderstandings between believers? How do we deal with this challenge? Share your views, comments and questions below.
