In His Image

(The following is an excerpt from "Reclaiming Authentic Fundamentalism"
by Douglas R. McLachlan)

If social communication is language's secondary purpose, theological communication is its primary purpose. God gave language so that He could speak to us, we could speak to Him, and we could speak to others for Him. In the simplest sense, it seems to me that there are at least five species of theological communication:

• propositional - God speaks to mankind directly apart from any intermediary, as with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8ff)
• prophetic - God speaks to mankind indirectly through the office of gifted men (apostles/prophets) who were superintended by the Holy Spirit (Il Peter 1:21)
• propagational - Christians speak to mankind for God evangelistically, in the power of the Holy Spirit and out of the principles of the Word of God (I Peter 3:15; Mark 16:15)
• prayer - Christians speak to God for others and for themselves subordinately, expressing a concern for God's will, not their own (I Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 6:9-13)
• praise - Christians speak and sing worshipfully to God for His glory out of a heart of sincerity and integrity (Psalm 50:23; 9:1)

It is for such lofty purposes that God originally gave to His image-bearers the great gift of speech. It is tragic to see how far human language has slipped from its original high purpose. Profanity, malice, obscenity, and fidelity have come to characterize human speech. That's why David warns us: "The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" (Psalm 12:3-4). Of course, it is not true that our lips are our own. The great capacity for speech finds its origin in God and belongs to God. It is something which comes out from Him and is to be used for Him, in accordance with His principles and for His glory. Any deviation from that purpose is sooner or later bound to meet up with divine retribution- "the Lord will cut off" all who engage in such abuses of the divine purpose!