ABBREVIATED COMMUNICATIONS

I Was Just Thinking About - - -

Communication is supposed to be clear, precise and accurate. However, we live in a day where Twitter, Instagram, Snap and a host of other social media tools has reduced communication to a brief sentence and no more than 140 words. In the political world, how many politicians can answer a simple or basic question with a “Yes!” or “No!”? There is always some qualifying comment or statement that far exceeds a 140 word limitation. It accomplishes a primary function, (1) non-commitment, and (2) muddying the water sufficiently so that no one will be able to quote the person with any definitive accuracy.

It is not just politicians who have fallen into this vagueness and abbreviated communication. It is becoming more and more common in the area of religion. The Clergy uses their share of Buzz Words and phrases such as: Regulative Principle, Reformed Faith, Arminianism (Remonstrants), TULIP, etc. (It is understandable if the average layman is left scratching his head and wondering about what is being conveyed or intended by these words and phrases. Exegesis is the task of the Clergy whose duty is to clarify and hermeneutically amplify the Sacred Scriptures. There is considerable implication to the words spoken by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 14:9, “But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a strange (unknown) tongue.” When the Apostle Paul wrote to the young Pastoral Student, he reminded him in I Timothy 4:12-16, “Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you…Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” It will require study of the Scriptures and due diligence in its proclamation.

The presentation of the Gospel has also fallen into a simplistic quagmire in varying forms of presentation. In an effort to communicate in quickly and simply, there has been the development of Booklets that are supposed to be used as a tool that can accomplish the task of communicating the Gospel in three to five minutes. Some of these booklets are, The Four Spiritual Laws; The Bridge; Steps to Peace With God. They, and others, follow a format of four basic steps that can bring one to a place of decision. In an effort towards a more accurate approach, there was the development of Evangelism Explosion that bases its approach on two basic questions. Depending on the response to: (1) Have you come to a place in your life where you know for certain that if you died today you would go to heaven?, and (2) Suppose you did die today and God said to you, Why should I let you into my heaven, what would you say?, an elongated presentation of The Gospel is then presented. The effort to present The Gospel in a moderately simple format is the development of The Roman Road to Salvation. It is based upon five passages in the Book of Romans. (1) Romans 3:23, (2) Romans 6:23(a), (3) Romans 6:23(b), (4) Romans 5:8, and (5) Romans 10:9-10. The invitation to receive Jesus Christ as Savior is given in Romans 10:13, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” There is some structure to this presentation and one would be wise to receive instruction in terms of a smooth and cogent presentation of The Roman Road.

How is it with you and your personal knowledge of Scripture? Your answer needs to be more than The Lord’s Prayer, The Apostles’ Creed, The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. Those have a place in terms of the substance in one’s belief system but they are not a substitute for your personal study and knowledge of the Scriptures. The goal for one’s life should be similar to that expressed about the Bereans in Acts 17:11-12, “Now the Bereans were more noble-minded…for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. As a result, many of them believed…” Study and know God’s Word. Consider these things with me!