LANGUAGE OF ASHDOD

There is nothing inherently sinful about the use of words, and we must be quite careful not to create endless "doting about questionings and disputes about words (1 Tim. 4:6). On the other hand, Nehemiah was greatly distressed when he saw that "their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jew's language" (Neh. 13:24).

Language is the means by which we communicate thought. Without knowing the Jew's language there were certain spiritual concepts about the true and living God that just could not be communicated. In fact, an attempt to use pagan religious terms might communicate the very opposite of that intended.

So even today the world has so twisted the use of many bible words that we are often at a loss to communicate spiritual thoughts with them. For examples, we hear of fellowship dinners, fellowship halls, fellowship parties; Christian colleges, Christian student centers, Christian old-folks homes; youth ministries, bus ministries, and music ministries.

Is it wrong to use these words in this way? Not inherently. But, the answer is yes if there is an intent to imply biblical authority for unscriptural things. And if there is no such intent, we wonder why these words are used?

The word fellowship is never used to refer to a common meal, a recreation hall or any type of party in the bible; the word Christian is never used as an adjective in the bible; and the word ministry is never qualified by an adjective in the bible.

But there is a much more subtle demon at work here. For, if we are in the habit of mis-using these words, can we begin to understand the true depth of their biblical meanings: fellowship (the same Greek word as communion), Christian (a name which should not be used in vain), and ministry (service which should not be trivialized -- see Heb. 8:6).

This article is not about the misuse of three words. These are the more graphic examples. We could talk about any number of others: rapture, church, praise, faith, grace, work, baptism, etc., etc. Rarely are these words used by the general religious world with their true biblical meanings. The net result is that our ability to communicate using these words is greatly hindered.

"Using bible words in bible ways" is not just a gimmick -- it is essential to avoiding the language of Ashdod -- it is essential to our understanding of God's commands.