Say What??

Does it really make a difference what words we use and how we use them? This writer believes so. Words have changed meaning over time depending on the culture or generation that uses them. For fear of showing my age I will not go into any details as to which words I could use as examples. You no doubt have a few in mind as I bring the idea to memory. Change is not always a bad thing either, but when it comes to God's Word, I believe the original language can and often does make a big difference. As Revelation 22:18-19 says,
" (18)I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. "
As Christians of the 21st century, or any other for that matter, I believe we must be extremely careful so as to not change one word of God's Holy scriptures.

For the next three or four weeks I want us to look at some bible words that the religious world, as well as those never trained in religious things, often use and without any concern as to what they originally meant by the ones who wrote them. God took the time to make sure we got His Word, let's make sure we keep it as it was meant to be. II Timothy 1: 13 the apostle Paul says, " 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me. in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." Let's take a look at our first word.

The first word is one that is highly disregarded in many religious circles and that is the word 'baptism'. Baptism is one of those words that was not translated but rather 'transliterated'. That is, each letter in English represents a letter in the Greek word baptisma, which means many things in today's thinking (sprinkling, pouring or immersion). However in the Bible, in the original Greek language, it means only one thing, that is to dip, plunge or immerse (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4, 5). God had these men write it exactly how He meant it and it should not be deleted from in meaning to fit any generations' 'New Thinking'.

Among many religious groups not only is baptism changed in meaning, it has also been made of less or no importance within the plan for man to gain salvation. To many the idea of being 'saved' (in reference to salvation) is also used incorrectly. A person is called "saved" by simply believing or saying a prayer, this is man's idea. The bible, God's Word, however, tells us that a person is saved (enters the state of salvation) when they believe in the only begotten Son Of God and are 'baptised', immersed (Mark 16:15,16). Baptism is, according to God's Word, that place and time when, through faith, man's sins are forgiven. There is nothing in the water that magically does anything, but God does the work when we show our faith in what He said to do (read II Kings 5). Many make the false statement that we believe in ' water regeneration'. This is not the case at all. We believe in the God who said, "He that believes AND is baptised shall be saved" (Mark 16:15,16). Our active, working, believing, obedient faith in God causes God to fulfil His promises. There are many examples of this in the Old and New Testaments.

When man trusts what God has said, and follows through by faith, God acts in the most wonderful way as He has promised, and sin is then forgiven. God bless until our
next time.