ON THE THINKERS CORNER. THE LANGUAGE OF FAITH.“BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH SPEAKS IN THIS WAY, “DO NOT SAY in YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’

ON THE THINKERS CORNER. THE LANGUAGE OF FAITH.

“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”” Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭11. 

Language is central in the human existence. Language expresses the thoughts of the mind. Language is the coordinator of the five senses or faculties. Language is what connects or divides societies and cultures.

“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” 

They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭9. 

The language of faith is a mystery. A mystery is a revelation. The speakers of the language of faith are those who have been born again. It is the first step in the process of the New Birth. The Holy Spirit quickens the dead human spirit and, instantly, the newly born hears the voice of Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with the natural knowledge or faculties. Nevertheless, the newly born has to grow and learn more and more of the new language. That is the job of the five ministries of the Church. The reason for this is because the old nature is still around, and the devil, just like he did with Eve, will try to dilute the language of faith.

“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” II Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭2‬-‭4. 

The Lord Jesus Christ struggled with the Jews during His earthly ministry because they could not understand the language of faith.

“Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”” John‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬, ‭23‬-‭24‬, ‭37‬, ‭43‬-‭44‬, ‭46‬-‭47. Being Abraham’s natural children had nothing to do with the language of faith which Jesus Christ was teaching them with.

Generally, language is a product of the mind. However, there are two minds; spiritual and carnal minds. The carnal mind does not understand the language of faith. Why? It is because it has to see or perceive what is being talked about in order to understand it.

“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):” Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭8.

The language of faith says things that sound stupid and foolish to the natural mind. It speaks of heaven and hell as if they are already there. The natural mind, in the other hand, sees these two elements as being fictional. The behaviors of the faith language speakers offend the natural language speakers. 

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭13‬-‭16. 

Church Goers hate the born again believers because the born again possessed the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ in His believers produces the words of faith. Unfortunately, however, the old nature of the believers seems to stalk them with their old natural language. Because of the battle between these two natures, many believers are dwarfed.

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬-‭14. 

I encourage you, my readers, to endeavour to take advantage of this corner to explore the possibilities of the world of faith.