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2 Timothy 1:13 – Improving Spelling and Improving Churches
Anyone familiar with the English language knows what a mixed up language it is. The reason is both historical and linguistic. Historically we are a nation built upon immigration. Linguisticly American-English absorbed and continues to absorb words from a variety of languages, melting them into an American alphabet soup. American-English is not a pure bred language, it is a mutt.
Every child, and every foreigner has struggled with spelling this mutt of a language. Take for example, the word “knight.” Only half of the letters in this word are pronounced: N-I-T. And yet, “nit” is pronounced nothing like….NIT (i.e., KNIGHT).
The Satirist Mark Twain contrived a plan for improving spelling:
“For example, in Year 1 that useless letter `c’ would be dropped to be replaced either by `k’ or `s,’ and likewise `x’ would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which `c’ would be retained would be the `ch’ formation, which will be dealt with later. Year 2 might reform `w’ spelling, so that `which’ and `one’ would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish `y’ replasing it with `i’ and iear 4 might fiks the `g/j’ anomali wonse and for all. Jenerally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonats, and iers 6-12 or so modifiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants. Bai iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridundant leterz `c,’ `y,’ and `x’ bai now just a memori in the maindz ov ould doderez to riplais `ch,’ `sh,’ and `th’ rispektivli. Fainali, xen, aafte sum 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy spiking werld.”
Whew! Let’s return to spelling sanity to make some spiritual applications.
Upon first reading Mr. Twain’s suggestions, words were still easily recognizable in the beginning; but not towards the end.
Is one change in God’s rulebook dangerous? Does one change free us to make others to ad infinitum and utter unrecognizable chaos?
What about Jesus’ church? Some churches represent the latter end of Mr. Twain’s satire; hardly Biblically recognizable. What some churches once were, many other churches (a little closer to home) are becoming. Are there activities being practiced today by various churches that cannot be substantiated by the Bible to ad infinitum, until there is a mass unrecognizable chaos?
The church of Christ in Winston-Salem strives to not add to or take away from the Bible. Why? The Bible is God’s word.
While much going on in churches today is fun and popularly practiced, they are not the purpose or work of the local church. The local church is spiritual, not social in nature.
Shouldn’t we be concerned with even one small change in God’s rulebook? (2 Timothy 1:13) To help us appreciate God’s perspective on His words, please read the following texts:
Deuteronomy 4:1-2 – “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. [2] “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 5:32 – “So you shall observe to do just as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Deuteronomy 12:32 – “Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.
Joshua 1:7 – “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.
1 Corinthians 4:6 – Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
2 John 1:9 – Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
Revelation 22:18-19 – I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; [19] and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
Anyone familiar with the Bible knows God does not want a mixed up church. We cannot improve upon God’s word for Christ’s church.
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