Page 8 - May 2025 - Truth & Tidings

A to remember that clarity is crucial. How,
young man arrived on a mission
field. The tribal chief and all the
then, can I accomplish the necessary task
people of the village gathered to
welcome him, asking him to say a few of preaching the gospel in a clear and
comprehensible manner? Here are a few
words. Since he did not yet know the suggestions, not presented as though the
language, he required the translating skills writer had mastered this, but as a goal for
of the veteran missionary to help him com- which we all should strive.
municate his message. He was fresh out
of seminary, bursting with self-confidence, Grasp the Gospel’s
and eager to share his knowledge about Terminology
God. He began, “We must always remem- First, I must understand the gospel
ber that there is an infinite and qualitative itself. That involves understanding the
difference between the eternal gospel and terms the Bible uses – words such as
all the historical manifestations of it under redemption, justification, propitiation,
the contingencies of human existence.” salvation, regeneration – to convey this
The older missionary stood there, some- most vital of messages. If I wish to be
what dumbfounded, as the smiling young understood, I first must understand. It
man waited for him to translate. Finally, is impossible to communicate something
the wise older man turned to the people clearly and simply if I do not comprehend
and said, “Friends, he says he loves you it myself. Consider Apollos: however
and he’s glad to be here!” eloquent his oratory and passionate his
Would we, like our young missionary preaching before he fully understood the
friend, require a translator to make clear truth, the results afterward were remark-
what should be the salient points of gospel able. Acts 18:28 records, “He mightily
messages we tried to give? While many convinced the Jews, and that publicly,
other truths may be valuable to stress, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was
surely these are the vital things to keep Christ” (KJV). This is why Stephen Covey
before our audiences: wrote, “Seek first to understand, then to
• That we are sinners in need of an be understood.”
almighty Savior
• That God sent His Son to deliver us Consider the Congregation’s
from our sins by His death on the cross Familiarity
• That salvation is through repentance Would it not be strange to harangue our
and faith in Christ hearers about the dangers of constantly
• That to reject the Savior will mean rejecting the gospel when that particular
perishing forever audience never heard the message before?
All our knowledge of the truth will not Then again, the confusion that clouds the
benefit an audience if we are unable to mind of a religious church-goer is likely
communicate it in a way that our listeners different from that of a daughter or son of
can grasp. The first-century gift of tongues believers. To the truth-seeking treasurer
required an interpreter lest the speaker be from Ethiopia, Philip simply “preached
considered a barbarian. To avoid such an Jesus.” Compare that to Peter’s messages
unflattering description today, we need in the early chapters of Acts, as he spoke to

136 TRUTH kTidings May 2025