Page 12 - May 2025 - Truth & Tidings

here is no room for creativity con- approach accordingly.
cerning the content of the gospel. This is entirely consistent with God’s
TPaul clearly set out its terms, “that established, creative means of commu-
Christ died for our sins in accordance with nicating with humanity. “The heavens
the Scriptures, that he was buried, that declare the glory of God, and the sky
he was raised on the third day in accor- above proclaims his handiwork” (Psa
dance with the Scriptures” (1Co 15:3-4). 1 19:1). “All things were made through him
Warning the Galatians about the gravity [The Word], and without him was not
of meddling with the message, he said, any thing made that was made” (Joh 1:3).
“But even if we or an angel from heaven God’s ancient prophets often employed
should preach to you a gospel contrary object lessons and visual aids (e.g., Jer-
to the one we preached to you, let him be emiah’s and Ezekiel's dramatic action
accursed” (Gal 1:8). sermons), dreams and visions, frequently
Nevertheless, Paul did not adopt a one- using graphic, apocalyptic imagery. The
size-fits-all approach to the presentation of wisdom writers imparted profound truth
the message. Recognising how important through their poetry, songs, riddles and
it is to connect with people where they wordplay. The parables which the Lord
are, he said, “To the Jews I became as a Jesus employed were simple, relatable
Jew …. To those under the law I became stories conveying profound truths, and
as one under the law …. To those outside were reinforced by remarkable miracles,
the law I became as one outside the law which John explicitly calls signs, empha-
…. To the weak I became weak .... I have sizing that God was using extraordinarily
become all things to all people, that by all creative means to impress the reality of
means I might save some” (1Co 9:20-22). Jesus’ identity as both Creator and Christ.

Biblical Basis Educational psychologists advance vari-
No one understood better than Paul ous theories of learning, but all recognise
that different individuals learn best in
that salvation is the result of the heart's different ways. For example, so-called
apprehending by faith the truth which the “visual learners” are said to process in-
Spirit applies by grace to the soul (Eph 2:8). formation by seeing and prefer to learn
Nevertheless, his by-all-means approach through images, diagrams and charts. By
reveals that he also understood that to contrast, “auditory learners” profit most
reach the heart, truth must overcome from discussions, lectures and audio con-
the twin obstacles of darkened minds tent; music, rhythm and rhyme are good
and inflamed emotions. He was always memorisation tools for them. Some learn-
sensitive to his audience’s circumstances,
understanding and biases, and tailored his ers gain more from reading, while others
learn best while doing. These observations
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the are just catching up with what the Creator
ESV. has already revealed concerning commu-

140 TRUTH kTidings May 2025