The Language of Our Father

There is no mode of action, no form of emotion, that we do not share with the lower animals. It is only by language that we rise above them.

-Oscar Wilde

“In the beginning... God said, Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:1-3)

Can you imagine if God said, and it wasn't?

That would be awkward.

I probably should have led with this post. I believe language, specifically as had in the meanings of words themselves, is the most powerful tool God has given His children. Nowadays words are supercharged with meanings so that they become virtually meaningless; their stores of import exhausted by an overabundance of innuendo and contradiction.

Why do I think this? Because the first recorded act of God was to speak. He spoke, and light was (ibid.). In the following verse we learn something about God's language:

"And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." (Genesis 1:4)

Inherent in God's original utterance was something that embodied everything that light was, is, and will be. The Eternal One observed that which He had spoken into being, this thing we call light, and He deemed it good. The scriptural definition of good can be interpreted reflective of God (see Luke 18:19). Following this line of thinking, this thing we call light was brought into being by the very word of God Himself to reflect that same Being. God's manner of speech acknowledges not only the thing itself, but its opposite as well. It takes into account its physical attributes, its artistic quality, its spiritual import, and its emotional necessity. We say light and mean something that is not dark. God says light and stars are born.

Let's go just another step deeper into this collection of verses. The first thing God the Father does is call for a light for His creation. The greatest Light in our speck of Eternity is not the Sun; science has already discovered countless stars that outshine our humble glow sphere. No, the Great Light was that same Light which illuminates the world and extends into the land of the shadow of death (see Isaiah 9:2). The Light of the World is Christ the Lord (see John 8:12; 3 Nephi 11:11). He is also the Word which the Father used to instigate creation and bring light and life to it (see John 1:1-6).

This is just an example of the power of word, whether written or spoken.

Today we have an epidemic of decaying language. This is largely brought on by a rejection of God and His Word, Jesus Christ. It is a tenet of our faith to preserve language. We ended my last post by speaking on how faith is engendered through word:

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:14-17, emphasis added)

This idea of language and word having great importance is a main theme in the beginning of the Book of Mormon. If we make our way past the most-read scripture in the book, we'll find the first allusion to the import of language:

"Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians." (1 Nephi 1:2)

Not long after this opening, Nephi and his brothers go and recover scripture in order to "preserve unto our children the language of our fathers" (1 Nephi 3:19-20). I find it fascinating that likely while Joseph Smith was translating these very words the first English compounded dictionary was being edited and published by Noah Webster. We have in our possession a book of scripture with a companion guide to the exact language used in its translation.

Words have power. One common misconception in Christianity is that mountains are moved one shovelful at a time. this is not what Christ had in mind:

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." (Mark 11:23)

All acts of faith are accomplished because first we speak. This is an awful power, if you think about it. How many expletives do we utter, and what would be the consequence of bringing into being exactly what we said? With my favorite pet word I think the world would stink even more than at present in my case.

In this past week's reading in the Book of Mormon, we witness another demonstration of the power God wields in speech. In the 11th chapter of 3 Nephi, God the Father says:

"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him." (vs. 7)

Immediately after this introduction the Son descends out of heaven and visits with the people. Imagine the power the Father has: He is Great enough to command another God (Christ), and be listened to and obeyed. That boggles my mind!

Language also happens to be a vehicle of perfection. Most of us are rightly daunted by the imperative "Be ye therefore perfect" given as the capstone to the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5:48), but we are given a key to this goal by James. Read the whole chapter, it's that good, but here's the main point:

"For in many things we offend. If any man offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." (James 3:2)

The same power that brought being into existence is that which will extend being into eternity.

It is extremely important to know what we mean when we use language. Perhaps that is why prior generations believed in the policy immortalized by Thumper in Bambi: "If ya can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all." God's standard is even higher than that:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:8-11)

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37)

What are you creating today?