Words are the spoken symbols with which we think. The more words we know the greater our range of thought. The more specific and exact our words the more specific and exact our thoughts.

To think is the easiest thing to do. To think rightly is the hardest thing to do. Both require knowledge of words. The latter more and better words than the first.

To work in a profession we must learn its special words

To work properly in a specialized profession, we must learn the special words of that profession, whatever it may be: physics, psychology, business administration, biology, medicine, mechanics, accounting, or communications. Until we learn the words, we cannot form accurate thoughts and understand the principles and concepts of the profession.

That is why when we try to learn anything new, we usually go through an initial period of difficulty and confusion until we learn the words, the thought symbols, that we need to think rightly about what we are trying to learn.

It is the same with Bible-Christianity

Unless we are careful, even over-zealous, to use the inspired words of the Bible as precisely as the writers did, we will not really understand the doctrines and concepts about which they wrote.

To enter into their thinking while they were writing, to think along with them, we must use the words and phrases they used to bring forth their thoughts. We must learn and use the words they were thinking with so that we can understand what they wrote. We must also use their exact words as precisely as we can when teaching Bible doctrines.

Most Christians loose in their use of biblical words

Most Christians today are not only loose in their use of biblical words and expressions, they are downright sloppy. Often those who take it upon themselves to be Bible teachers are the worst offenders, and too seldom seem to care about or even understand the importance of exactness in the use of Bible language.

As one preacher replied when urged to be more precise in quoting the words of the Apostle Paul, "What's the difference, it's only semantics." That explained his problem and his confusing doctrines.

Words enable us to think

How well we think and what we think about depends upon the words we know and use. If we fill our brain with foolish and idle words, we will think foolish and idle thoughts.

We think at the level of the words we can use. And though we may wish to think higher, and even have the mental capacity to do so, our lack of usable words will impede and stagnate the growth of our thoughts.

Lofty thoughts of God

In the high days of the Church, Christians had lofty thoughts of God because they used lofty words to speak of Him and to Him. For this, the King James language was most ideal.

Not that it is necessary to speak to God in such a language, but the very elegance of the language aided in developing high and holy thoughts of God. Translate the King James language of the Psalms into modern English and you lose the transcendent concepts of God that they contain—and their musical quality.

All of which is to say, our modern language may be more responsible than we know for our lowered concepts of God. As our language loses its loftiness, so do our thoughts. Common language births common thoughts.

To elevate God back to His rightful position in our thoughts, "high and lifted up," we will have to elevate our theological usage of modern language to a level consistent with the biblical concept of God.

We must learn to speak and think rightly of Him that we may rightly worship and serve Him. He is worth whatever effort it takes.