There is an important lesson I’ve learned in talking to Christians the last couple years… so I thought I would pass on. I’ve noticed that although we use a lot of the same words, biblical words, we mean very different things by them. Often, after a conversation, I kick myself when I realize we were using words like, salvation, grace, faith but meaning very different things by them. When you combine these deep words, there can be even more confusion if you are defining them differently. When I hear a phrase like “salvation by grace through faith in Jesus” I have to remember that people from different backgrounds mean very different things by the same sentence. Even when people ask me if I’m a Christian I have to ask them what that word means to them. I’m not ashamed of my faith but I’m ashamed of what others have said and done (maybe to the person I’m talking to) while calling themselves by that title.
Anyway…
Many in the church translate these biblical words from a Western Evangelical mindset (for an easy title) and others are translating the word or phrase from an ancient Jewish context, a Greek mindset context, and Eastern Orthodox context, an Asian Orthodox context…The list goes on and on. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that we understand them differently, but maybe we need to find out what each other means when they use these thick words. These words are so deep that maybe when we understand what someone else means by them in their faith context, we can deepen our own faith.
Through my own experiences with faith, my faith community, my years of studying scripture and reading nerdy theology books, I have a lens through which I read these words. I wanted to give some examples of some biblical words and how they are commonly understood (in the west) and how I understand them at this point in my faith journey. So these are my crude and short explanations of words from my experiences in conversations with people.
Believe:
Common- To intellectually accept something as true or fact
My Current Understanding- Implies trust as revealed by word and deed
Faith:
Common- The mental ascent to believe in something
My Current Understanding- The substance of what is hoped for
Gospel:
Common- Believe in Jesus and the bible so your soul can get into heaven when you die.
My Current Understanding- The crucified and risen Jesus is Israel’s Messiah and therefore the world’s true King. (Too short- read this from my friend Joe Boyd)
Salvation:
Common- Going to heaven when you die
My Current Understanding- Heaven invading earth to transform, renew and rescue
Soul:
Common- Some include Spirit in this definition and some say there is a body, soul, and spirit… three parts. (Word spirit and soul is interchangeable in most of the NT) This is the spiritual part of you that lives forever.
My Current Understanding- The word for soul in the New Testament is the word πσυχηε (psoo-khay) where we get our word psyche. Basic concept- breath of life.
Heaven:
Common- The place we escape to in death or at the end of time to get away from this place. We don’t know what it’s like but it should be great.
My Current Understanding- Where God’s will is fully done and his reign is seen everywhere. Heaven is what is promised to come down like a city at the end of Revelation to the newly created heavens and earth.
Repent:
Common- Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and take away guilt
My Current Understanding- Change your mind and thus your behavior
Word of God:
Common- The Bible
My Current Understanding- 1. God speaking directly to someone. 2. Jesus the living Word of God.
Grace:
Common- God’s unmerited favor toward believers
My Current Understanding- God’s unmerited favor toward his creation
Election:
Common- Those chosen at the exclusion of others
My Current Understanding- Those chosen for the benefit of others, to be a city on a hill. The first fruits of the coming redemption.
Regardless where we all land on a variety of words and beliefs, I want to come back to the place of remembering that we take the cup and bread and together, we remember who this is all supposed to be about.
i enjoyed reading your blog! I found it Very insightful on the descriptions and how others have different meaning for the same words, and concepts.