[sword-devel] The Gospel

[Mike Sangrey]

On Wed, 2002-09-18 at 18:17, Chris Little wrote:
<snip>
> It ties in slightly with the message from one of our chapels a while back,
> that the most important translation of the Bible is the BBV: the
> Believers' Behavior Version--the one that we each convey upon those around
> us through our actions.

Very good!  Since you're at SIL (I'm a little envious <smile>)...

We had an interesting discussion on the Bible translation list a while
ago.  I can't remember the exact topic, but I can remember becoming
quite convinced that the translation into one's life (thoughts, words,
actions--the whole nine yards of our whole being, if you will) was
prerequisite to an accurate translation onto the printed page.  Or, for
that matter, into the air as we speak.

Troy A. Griffitts <scribe@crosswire.org> had said:
> What would you say?

in reference to having only 5 minutes to share the gospel.

What came to mind immediately was Mat. 25:31-46[1].  I think of that
passage often when I think of what I'm being measured by.  So, I really
like Chris's reply.  It's not that we say nothing.  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Not
that he was implying that, either.  But the gospel speaks of great
love.  A great love that changes broken people into something they are
not.  But the hearers have a question on their minds:  "Really???"

So, it's both.  It's the statement, "the gospel declares that God is a
God of great love for people like you and me."  And, it's the proof in
the messenger's life that proves the truth of the words--the gospel DOES
change a life to one that loves people.

The more I learn the Bible, and about linguistics and how to translate
the Bible, the more I think I'm just now learning how to talk.

Thank you to all those working on the Sword development.  Your
sacrifices are part of the much larger role of getting the gospel out.

---
[1] The "whatever you did for the least of these" passage.

-- 
Mike Sangrey
msangrey@BlueFeltHat.org
Landisburg, Pa.
                        "The first one last wins."
            "A net of highly cohesive details reveals the truth."