"Foreign Language"

"When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language." Psalm 114:1

When the Israelites were living in Egypt they were living among people who did not speak the same language as they spoke. For the Christian this world is a "foreign land". It is not our home. We are just living here temporarily until we go home to be with our Heavenly Father. While we are here we are living among people who speak a "strange" language- a language that we do not speak, a language that should be "foreign" to us.

What is this foreign language? One of the definitions in the dictionary for "foreign" is: strange or unfamiliar. In other words, in context with what I am saying this morning, the language of the world should be unfamiliar to the Christian. It should not be a language that we speak.

I want to talk about our "language" this morning as Christians. It should not be the same as the world's language. What is the language of the world? What should the language of the Christian be? The language of the world is a language of profanity. Cursing for most comes naturally. They curse about everything. The language of the Christian should not include profanity. "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:16) "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." (James 3:10) Instead our language is a language that speaks blessings. "Bless them that curse you." (Luke 6:28a)

The language of the world is one of covetness. They are always wanting more and never satisfied. The Christian should not have covetness in his/her vocabulary. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

The world speaks a language of lies and flatteries. "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." (Ephesians 4:15,25)

Fear, doubt and unbelief are also the languages of the world. The Christian's words should be words of faith. "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." (Romans 10:8) "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done." (Matthew 21:21)

There are many more languages that the world speaks that I don't have time to list. But the Christian language is different and should be different than the world. I am not talking about the terminology that we use, I am talking about the words we say. Our language is a language of praise, thanksgiving, faith, blessings, edification, truth and should be well seasoned with grace and love.

When Peter sat around the fire the night he betrayed Jesus, he was accused of being a disciple of Jesus because of his speech- his speech gave him away. Does your speech give you away this morning as a follower of Jesus? Is it foreign to the language of the world? Or does it identify you more with the world than it does with being a Christian? "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." (1 Peter 3:10) "Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it." (Ephesians 4:29- Amplified Bible)

Have a great day. What language do you speak?

For further reading:
1 Timothy 6:6,20
Philippians 4:11
Ephesians 5:2-4
2 Corinthians 12:20
Colossians 4:5
Matthew 26:73