[This article was written by Tim Haile.]
It is not uncommon to hear people cite a particular Bible passage or principle and emphasize the fact that it is in the “red letter” part of the Bible. They mean to emphasize that these words were spoken directly by Jesus; not by some other Bible writer. Some publishing companies do use a red font to express the words that were directly spoken by Jesus. And while there is nothing wrong with showing respect for the words of Jesus, we must not be deceived into thinking that the “black letters” present teaching that is inferior to what is printed in “red letters.” The teaching of Christ is not limited to what He directly spoke while He was in the flesh. Jesus actually selected and inspired certain men to complete the work of revelation after He had returned to Heaven.
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It is important that we have the proper source of authority in religion. If we do not, the result is apostasy. Disobedience is when we do not do everything “in word or deed…in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17) but by other standards of authority as well. Division comes when we do not “all speak the same thing” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
We see this problem when we look at “church history.” When I use this term (church history), I am not referring to the history of the Lord’s church from its establishment on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) to the present day. I am using it as most use it – as the history of denominations that claim or have claimed to follow Christ. Throughout this history, apostasy came as the result of people not following the proper source of authority.
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“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16).
We often like to plan for the future. It gives us a sense of security knowing what is coming next and working toward a certain goal. But we do not know with certainty what is coming next. Our best plans could be in vain. Many things could happen that are beyond our power to control that can completely change our life.
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I came across Daniel Sommer’s commentary on the New Testament. I thought a couple of his comments regarding the church in particular were quite good.
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The title of this article may seem odd. Why would there ever be a need for factions among those claiming to follow Christ? After all, Jesus prayed that His disciples might “all be one” (John 17:21). Paul admonished the Ephesians to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Unity and harmony are desirable and ideal: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1).
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Jesus spoke of two paths that we can choose to take in our lives here on the earth. There is a broad way that “leads to destruction” and a narrow way that “leads to life” (Mt. 7:13-14). We are to strive for the eternal life that is rewarded at the end of the narrow path. Paul told the Philippians to “press on toward the goal” (Phil. 3:14). But how do we find our way to and down this path?
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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