SOME NEW WORDS
1. It has been said that the first person (Adam) had a large vocabulary.
2. This belief is based upon the verses just read (Gen. 2:19-20).
3. Adam “named every living creature.”
4. Every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens was named by Adam.
5. We do not know how many species existed in Adam’s time.
6. We do know this.
7. Not too long ago a taxonomist concluded
8. We now have 3500 different mammals; 8600 birds; 5500 different reptiles and amphibians.
9. Adam may have named between 10,000 and 20,000 different creatures (Willmington, pp. 282-283).
10. The first man was fairly well equipped in the area of terminology.
IN SPITE OF ALL THE THINGS ADAM KNEW AND THE WORDS HE COULD PRONOUNCE, THE BIBLE TELLS US HE LEARNED SOME NEW WORDS.
A. These new words remind me of a child who comes from school.
B. The young person says to mom or dad, “I learned a new word.”
C. The word is shared with the parents and mom and dad are not pleased.
D. The parents are displeased because new word is a bad word.
2. Consider some of the new words Adam came to know.
3. Death (Gen. 2:17).
A. He had head this term used by God but it took some time for him to fully understand it.
B. He eventually learned what this word meant.
4. Nakedness (Gen. 3:7).
A. The first couple learned some things about clothing.
B. They came to realize they were not wearing any and they were “afraid.”
5.
A third new concept for Adam and his wife is found in
the word cursed (
6.
Sorrow is indicated in (
7.
Thorns (
8.
Sweat (
9.
Sword (
10. Adam knew a lot before the fall, but after sinning, his knowledge was broadened.
11. His eyes were opened to new things just as God had promised.
12. When we think about who Christians are, we find another description in the life of Adam.
13. Christians are people who are well informed about certain words.
14. There is a term for this which may or may not be your dictionary.
15. This word is Christianese.
16. Christians use words in ways that others do not.
17. Or, we have some special definitions for common words.
18. Here are some quick examples:
A. Carnal, confess, consecrate, covenant, mystery, born again, blasphemy.
B. These terms have been called “insider language.”
19. This description is probably not too far off the mark.
20. We do use special terms, often because they are in the Bible.
21. Each term I just mentioned is expressed in the Bible.
22. In the other scripture that was read (Eph. 2:1-6) several other unique words are found.
23. This morning we want to think about some important words in a Christian’s vocabulary.
24. These are words we need to know, use, and express to others.
A. The people of God are familiar with death just as Paul described in Eph. 2:1.
B. Most know about physical death.
C. Bodies age, wear out, and reach a point where they can no longer function.
D. The Christian knows that death involves more than this life.
E. There is something described as spiritual death.
F. Rev. 20:14 refers to a “second death.”
25. If we die once, some would say a second death is impossible.
26. If we are dead we are dead.
27. It is true that we cannot die twice in the physical sense of the word.
28. Physical death ends our existence on the earth but it does not mean our life is over.
29. It simply means that our life on earth has ended.
30. There is continued existence in another place.
31. If we are in a right relationship with God, we will “live” (be saved), Eph. 2:1.
32. If we are not in accordance with God’s will, we will “die” (be unsaved).
33. We need to know that the word death has more than one meaning and share this knowledge w/others.
34. Being unsaved (spiritual death) is a condition caused by sin (Eph. 2:1).
A. Sin is another word which is becoming more and more unfamiliar to people.
B. Even members of the church do not know what it means.
C. The word sin means “miss the mark.”
D. The mark (target) is God’s revealed will.
E. Just as an archer might miss a target with his arrow, so people miss perfection in their lives.
F. When we sin, we violate God’s law and are deserving of the second death.
G. Our society has tried to take the word sin and make it outdated.
H. Sin is treated as a undesirable term which needs to be struck from the dictionary.
I. Consider some examples:
J. People live together in a state other than marriage.
K. The Bible says this is fornication (sin).
L. Modern culture refers to this is a “meaningful and committed relationship.”
M. Sexual sin is frequently described as an “alternative lifestyle.”
N. What used to be repentance (a turning from sin) has now become, “I’m sorry.”
O. There is no change or altered course. People acknowledge something and keep on doing it.
P. Sin and repentance (a turning from it) are, in at least some places, going out of style.
Q. The word sin is being removed from the vocabulary.
R. It is being replaced by words like “tolerance, acceptance.”
S. Killing children in the womb was redefined as “pro-choice” a long time ago.
T. Pornography is “adult material or adult entertainment.”
35. Sin, repentance, and an eternal spirit are not as common as we might think.
36. A few months back a woman called the building and needed the address.
37. She could spell Goshen, Church, “of,” but did not know how to spell Christ.
38. I have been to funerals where people expressed absolutely no understanding of eternity.
A. As Christians we know words others need to know but do not know.
B. As we think about words of this nature, other terms come to mind.
C. Christians know about the word blood.
D. A little while ago we had the Lord’s Supper.
E. We had this memorial last Sunday, the Sunday before that, and the Sunday before that.
F. Why do we pass the trays and partake of this memorial week after week?
39. I ran a concordance search this past week on the words “His blood.”
40. I found 6 New Testament references, and I want to share 4 of these with you.
A. Rom. 3:25 says there is “propitiation” through “His blood.”
B. This is a big word which describes salvation.
C. We deserve the second death but the blood of Jesus allows us to avoid that.
D. Rom. 5:9 is a little clearer: We are justified by Jesus’ blood.
E. Eph. 1:7 says we are redeemed by Jesus’ suffering on the cross.
F. Rev. 1:5 says the Lord looses us from our sins by His blood.
41. When the world thinks of blood, it is usually not good.
42. Blood means someone is hurt, seriously ill, a candidate for surgery, or dead.
43. Christians see the word blood in a broader context.
44. We have another definition for it that many do not know or really understand.
A. This word is an essential link in salvation.
B. When Paul used several special words in Eph. 2 he included blood (verse 13).
C. The four passages I cited a moment ago show that without the blood we cannot be saved.
D. Blood is a crucial component in our salvation.
E. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the blood that was shed on our behalf.
F. The bread commemorates Jesus’ bleeding body that was beaten and sacrificed.
G. The fruit of the vine is an even more vivid reminder of what He did.
45. Under the Old Testament people brought animals, perhaps once a year to priests.
46. Animals were butchered and their blood was used to keep away God’s punishment for sins.
47. The Son of God was no animal.
48. Neither was He just a man. He was the sinless Son of God who died on our behalf.
49. The sacrifice is so wonderful we do not treat it like an animal sacrifice.
50. Instead of once or twice a year we remember it each Sunday.
51. This is what Jesus said to do; He said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
52. We come together to remember Jesus each first day of the week.
A. Several weeks ago we established that Jesus has a day that belongs to Him.
B. This day is Sunday.
C. On the day belong to Jesus we honor Him in the way He has described.
53. A Christian knows the meaning of the words blood, sacrifice, and the Lord’s day.
IN THINKING ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL WORDS IN THE MINDS OF CHRISTIANS, SOME OTHER TERMS COME TO MIND.
A. There is the word eternity.
B. Because of what the Bible says, Christians believe in an after-life.
C. That is, there is an unending existence after our time on earth.
D. Jesus promised a time when all people will be raised from the dead.
E. This promise is given in Jn. 5:28-29 – READ.
F. For at least some who are not Christians, eternity is a new word.
2. The resurrection promised by Jesus in Jn. 5:28-29 may also be new.
3. A final judgment will come as a surprise to many.
4. There are certain terms which Christians use again and again.
A. We may use these words so often we seldom think about them.
B. Others are not familiar with or are less familiar with these words.
C. Our job is to introduce new words—Bible words—to people.
5. We have some of the most important words people will ever hear.
6. When I pick up a dictionary there are words in it I do not know.
7. There are probably words I will never know or use.
8. I know the most important words.
A. I know about sin, spiritual death, repentance, the new life, baptism, and being raised with Christ.
B. I know about a coming resurrection and a final judgment.
9. A Christian knows and obeys the special terms in the New Testament.
10. Do we know what these words are?
11. Have we obeyed them?
12. Are we trying to share them with others?
13. If you need to broaden your knowledge of Bible words, we would like to help.
14. If you understand the words used by Bible writers but have not obeyed, we would like to help you too.