BSL

You've probably heard of ESL. That's "English as a Second Language". It refers to people who come to America from other countries and have to learn English in order to get along. They have their first language -- wherever they came from -- and this will be their second language. The idea is not simply to become "conversational". You know how that works. You take a high school Spanish course to become "conversational" in Spanish. You don't actually speak Spanish. You can just ... kind of ... get by. Forget any indepth dialog or serious discussions. You just want to know where to find the bathroom and "How much does that item cost?" But for ESL folk, the idea is not just to be able to determine if the water is safe (or, as was my case, to tell them "I don't speak Spanish"), but to make English a "home language". That is, you don't just know the terms; you think in that language.

So, what is the significance of my title above? I'd like to suggest that we all subscribe to BSL -- Bible as a Second Language. Let's face it. Every one of us come from a place that is not Bible-based in its origins. It is, in fact, sin-based. It is fundamentally concerned with Man's interests. It is self-centered at its core. The best we can achieve on our own is "enlightened self-centeredness", where we realize that being kind to others is in our own best interests. Our "language" is determined by the way we think. So speaking the language of God's Word is not our basic nature.

So, we get saved, born again, new. And along comes the Bible. It is the God-breathed representation of God's thoughts and the express representation of His nature and a book all about Him. Oh, yeah, and how we can know Him. But it isn't our first language. Indeed, for some, even the suggestion to make it any language is offensive. I would like to suggest, however, that we who belong to Christ should put in the effort to make a practice of making Bible our second language. How?

Learning to "think in Bible" is the aim. It is a process that Paul calls "the renewal of your mind" (Rom 12:2). It's what husbands are supposed to do for their wives in "the washing of water with the word" (Eph 5:26). (Interestingly, in the terminology of language teaching, it's called "full immersion".) So the aim is to learn to think in God's Word in order to live God's Word -- to allow God's Word to shape our thinking and our living. How?

Well, there are some common methods of learning languages that might be helpful here. Classes might help. That is, go to where the Word is being taught and learn it. Memorization is an indispensable aid. When learning foreign languages, it is obviously a good idea to learn the vocabulary and grammar. Now, the best teachers of foreign languages will tell you that formal training in vocabulary and grammar is not necessary to learn the language, and that may be true. We don't all have to become conversant in ancient Hebrew and Greek. But we should learn the meanings of words as they were intended by their authors. Every foreign language teacher will tell you that learning a language in context is essential. Several keys to learning a new language include listening, curiosity, and even courage. One thing you'll find is that learning a foreign language is like learning all sorts of things -- you will learn it best by getting multiple inputs from multiple sources using multiple methods. Seeing, reading, hearing, speaking, practicing -- all of these (and more) help teach a foreign language.

Learning to think in God's Word comes over time by many methods and from many directions. The benefits are also many. By immersing your mind in God's Word, you will find that it shapes your thinking, your behavior, every corner of your life. You will find that you acquire a biblical mindset where, even not being sure of the "address", you'll know that what you're hearing from "that person" is not in line with Scripture. You begin to catch errors and see the truth much more easily, both in others and, more importantly, in yourself. Acquiring Bible as a Second Language will wash you, will renew your mind, will provide not merely ideas, but an entire view of the world that, on one hand, obviously and radically differs from the world around you and, on the other hand, is lined up with God's view. Which, of course, is where you want to go. I recommend becoming a BSL student at your earliest opportunity, going for the "full immersion" approach, and making it the language in which you think rather than just speak. The benefits are huge.