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A BASIC CHRISTIAN VOCABULARY

Gordon R. Lewis

WHY DEFINE YOUR TERMS?

to speak responsibly and accurately of biblical teaching.
to eliminate ambiguity in witnessing and in teaching.(one's children and others)
to avoid merely verbal arguments in religion (1 Tim 6:4; 2 Tim 2:14).
to formulate conceptually adequate characterizations of Christian realities

ABREVIATIONS:

NT for the New Testament;
OT for the Old Testament.
The first 3 letters of each Book of the Bible (example, Act = Acts)

ADOPTION. The heavenly Father's loving acceptance of formerly estranged sinners as children in his moral and spiritual family. Believers, legally accepted on the ground of Christ's atonement, may address God affectionately, as a NT child would his or her father in Aramaic, Abba, "Dad". (Gal 4:5; Eph 1:4; Rom 8:15).

ADVENT. The miraculous entrance of the eternal Word (John 1:1) or Son (John 3:16) of God into human history, particularly referring to Jesus' first coming at Bethlehem and His second coming at the end of this church age on planet earth (2 Pet 1:16; Act 1:11).

AGAPE. The transliteration of a Greek term for love in the sense of a self-giving concern for another's well-being. It is used of God's purposeful care for undeserving sinners with whom he was not well pleased (Joh 3:16; Rom 5:8). Believers in turn determine volitionally to give of themselves for the well-being of people who may not be emotionally lovable.

AGNOSTICS. Those who believe that they cannot know whether God exists or the Bible is true. Often they claim that because of their inability to resolve such questions, no one can!

ALTAR. An elevated place on which an OT priest placed a sacrifice as an offering to God. Christian churches do not have literal altars because Christ's sacrifice of Himself was the final sacrifice to which all the others pointed (Heb 9-11).

AMEN. A word confirming a covenant or oath (Num 5:22; Neh 5:13). In worship, it affirms agreement with a statement or prayer.

ANGELS. Created spirits appointed to minister to God's people (Heb 1:14). Fallen angels are demons or messengers of Satan (Matt 25:41). Angels may appear in the form of humans (Heb 13:2; Act 1:10), but are a separate order of being. Humans who die do not become angels (Psa. 8:4-5).

APOCRYPHA. Uninspired books written during the interval between the writing of the Old and New Testament books. In reaction against Luther and the Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church pronounced them part of the canon on April 8, 1546.They were not cited as authoritative by Christ or His apostles.(See CANON)

APOLOGETICS. The science and art of giving a reasoned defense of the Christian faith (1 Pet 3:15). Peter reasoned with Jews at the feast of Pentecost by arguing from fulfilled predictions that Jesus was the Christ and 3,000 believed (Acts 2:14-36). Paul, with Gentiles at Athens, defended the existence of God, the Lord of all and Jesus as the Judge of all humans and several believed (Acts 17:16-34). The term "apologetics" also referred to an attorney's defense of a client in a court of law. It came to be used of early Christian leaders who answered attacks on the faith made by ungodly Roman emperors.

APOSTASY. A conscious, deliberate and permanent abandonment of Christ's person and work to which one had previously committed one's self. The term was used of soldiers who had sworn to defend a country, but who betrayed it (1 Tim. 1:19-20; 2 Tim. 4:10). People who hold false beliefs or errors as a result of ignorance are not apostates.

APOSTLE. One who is sent to represent another. First used of Jesus'12 disciples when they were sent out two by two (Mark 3:14;6:30). When a successor to Judas was sought, he had to be one who had been with Christ from the beginning and was an eyewitness to His resurrection. Apostles in this specific sense were chosen by the Holy Spirit to write NT books under inspiration. So the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph. 3:20).

ARK. (1) The large vessel that saved Noah and his family from the flood. (2) The small waterproof basket-like vessel in which baby Moses was hidden by his mother. (3) A portable chest of acaia wood called the ark of the covenant, the ark of the testimony or the ark of the Lord or of God. The only article in the holy of holies, it contained the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, a golden bowl of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded.

ARMINIANISM. A set of beliefs about salvation originated by Jacob Arminius (1560-1609). Although humans are depraved, a universal, resistible grace gives all people ability to believe the gospel. Christ died for all and God chose the elect by foreknowledge of those who would believe, but they may backslide and lose their salvation. (See CALVINISM)

ASSURANCE. The confidence of a repentant believer in the gospel that he or she is eternally a child of God. This conviction results from believing that God is able to do what He promises (Rom 4:21), and from the inner witness of the Holy Spirit with his or her spirit (Rom 8:14-16).

ATONEMENT. The provisions of Christ's death for sinners to remove all the affects of their sin including: redemption to remove the power of sin, justification to remove the guilt of sin, reconciliation to remove the alienation of sin, and resurrection to conquer death, the consequence of sin.

BAPTISM. (1)At the time of John the Baptist, Christ and the NT, the immersion of a believer in water representing one's identification with Christ in his death to a sin-dominated way of life, and resurrection to a new Christ-ruled way of life (Rom. 6:1-6). Some denominations have decided that sprinkling with water signifies cleansing the whole person as well as immersion.

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Water baptism also visibly signifies the Holy Spirit's immersion of a believer into the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit introduces one into the universal church at conversion, not subsequent to faith in Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).

BAPTIST CHURCH. A group of Christians organized to fulfill the many ministries of a church with two major distinctives. (1) Baptists immerse only people old enough to repent of their sins, believe the gospel, and trust Christ for their salvation (not infants). (2) The organization of a Baptist church includes at least two levels of officers: elder-pastor-bishop as one office and deacon and deaconess as the other.

BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. The belief that the rite of water baptism by certain church officials (Catholic or Lutheran) conveys a new nature and new life to the candidate baptized. This belief assumes that the sacred ordinances called sacraments performed by priests convey redemptive grace. Instead, the Holy Spirit conveys redemptive grace as He wills through the sacred ordinances and other forms of service to others.

BIBLE. The unique library of sixty-six Books written by some 40 different prophets and apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit to be authoritative spokesmen for God. Hence these 66 Books were recognized by God's people as divinely authoritative, and as the primary source and only inerrant rule for faith and practice. (See CANON)

BISHOP. An elder who has the gifts and responsibility of administering (overseeing) the business matters and many ministries of the church.

BRIDE OF CHRIST. A figurative expression for believers who anticipate the Second Advent of Christ and the marriage supper of the Lamb.

CALL. God's summons to leave the world and serve Him. In the NT, (1) The believers' visible or audible invitation to non-Christians to leave the world and accept Christ, the external or verbal call. (2) The Holy Spirit's effectual witness to the truth of the gospel in a person's spirit, the internal call. In contemporary usage, the invitation of a church to an elder to serve as pastor.

CALVINISM. A set of beliefs about salvation originated by the Reformer, John Calvin (1509-1564): All humans are holistically depraved and unable to respond to the gospel apart from the special internal call of the Holy Spirit. Christ died for those the Father gave to the Son (John 17:6-7 ff). The Holy Spirit wins the chosen to faith in Christ and enables them to persevere as believers throughout their lives. God not only foreknows who will believe, but predestines and enables them to believe authentically and permanently. (See ARMINIANISM).

CANON. The collection of divinely revealed and inspired books recognized by Christian churches as authoritative. For Protestants, the Bible's 66 books are the only inerrant authority for faith and practice. (See APOCRYPHA)

CHILDREN OF GOD. God is the Father of all people because the depend on God, and are obligated to His moral principles. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, God is not the Father of all morally and spiritually, they are of their father the devil (John 8:44). Only sinners who believe on Christ become moral and spiritual children of God.

CHRIST. The "anointed One" to be the Messiah who brings salvation to Israel and the whole world. The Father anointed Jesus of Nazareth with power (Act 10:38) at his baptism (Mat 3:13ff). Peter acknowledged that the historical Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ (Mat 16:16). Being the promised prophet, priest and king, the Messiah is Lord of believers and will come again to establish his rule universally (Heb. 9:28; Rev. 20:5}. (See JESUS)

CHRISTIANITY. The religion of followers of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah of Israel and Lord of all. Spiritual experience is founded on the inspired written revelation of truth about Christ. This faith diagnoses the major human problem as moral not metaphysical. Our problem is not that we are distinct from God (metaphysically) but that we are rebels against God's moral laws. The forgiveness of sinners is justly possible only through Jesus' death that atoned for our sins. Followers of Christ believe the gospel, repent of their sin, trust Jesus as their Savior and Lord and live a life of grateful fellowship, adoration, obedience, meditation and intercession according to the guidelines of Spirit-attested and inspired Scripture.

CHURCH. A gathering of immersed followers of Jesus who are organized with at least two offices, elders and deacon/ deaconess, to lead them in achieving many purposes. These include: lifelong learning of apostolic doctrine, evangelizing, baptizing, responsibly observing the Lord's table, fellowship, prayer, helping the poor and oppressed, preaching, disciplining, giving as God prospers them and sending out missionaries. (Acts 2:41-42). (See ECCLESIOLOGY)

COMMENTARIES. These reference works supply background material for understanding the author, date, purpose and outline of books of the Bible and their author's interpretation of most verses or paragraphs.

CONSCIENCE. A person's inner sense of a difference between right and wrong with a sense of obligation to do what is right and a sense of shame when we do wrong. God inscribes universal moral principles in human spirits in order that we might discern his righteousness. But God's laws may be held down in unrighteousness and our consciences seared. Cleansed by Christ's atonement, the believer's conscience no longer condemns him (Heb. 9:14; 10:22).

CONCORDANCE. A reference work for determining the meaning of a biblical word from its uses throughout Scripture. The meaning of the word in its immediate and broader biblical contexts is more important than its significance twenty centuries or more later. When complete, a concordance lists every reference in the Bible using the term you want better to understand.

CONDEMNATION. A determination of divine justice without partiality, that all Jews and all Gentiles are guilty of violating principles essential to their well-being in outward works expressing their souls' inward condition (Rom. 3:10, 23; Joh 3:17-20, 36).

COMMUNION. The personal fellowship that believers have with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (1 John 1: 3; 2 Cor. 13:14). The Holy Spirit dwells with believers so that fellowship may be continuous. At the Lord's Table believers are especially aware of the Spirit's Presence.

CONVERSION. A person's conscious act of: (1) believing the gospel, (2) turning away in repentance from the old sinful life dominated by the fallen nature and (3) turning to Christ by committing themselves to Him as Savior and Lord (Act 2:36; 15:3; 26:18).

COVENANT or TESTAMENT. An agreement involving the promise of one person to another. In the old covenant (OT), God made an agreement with Abraham pledging to be with believers in the promised Messiah and make their nation a blessing to the world. In the new covenant (NT), Christ promises to build his church and be with them as they take the gospel to every tribe and nation on earth..

CREATION. The free, loving action of the personal Creator at a point in the finite past, to create matter-energy out of nothing (Gen. 1:1-2), and in six days form it into the light, atmosphere, land, oceans, vegetation, day and night, fish, birds, animals and humans (Gen. 1:3 -31). The account in Genesis 2 focuses in on the creation of the first man and woman and their environment.

DEACON, DEACONESS. Servants of a household or of the church chosen to help with numerous duties given them by the elders so that the elders may commit themselves to the Word and prayer (Acts 6:1-8; 1 Tim. 3:8-13).

DEATH. (1) Physical death, the separation of the spirit from the body (2 Cor 5:8; James 2:26), is indicated medically by the functional failure of the heart and circulatory functions, the lungs and respiratory functions and all functions of the brain and brain stem. (2) Spiritual death is separation of the spirit from God in this life. (3) Eternal death is the separation of the spirit and resurrected body from God forever. (4) To die with Christ (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:6) is to separate one's self from the dominion of fallen desires and dedicate one's self to knowing, loving and serving God above all others.

DEMONS. Fallen angels under Satanic leadership who are agents of deception and may possess people, causing physical harm and moral evil. Christians purchased by Christ cannot be demon possessed, but need to live defensively because of possible demonic attacks (Eph. 6:10-18).

DEPRAVITY, TOTAL. The inclination to evil in every human since the fall, that taints every human capacity: intellect, emotion, will, conscience and act. This holistic perversity does not mean that all people are always as bad as possible, because they are restrained by common grace and remain in God's image even though it is corrupted (Eph. 2:3, 4: 17-19).

DEVIL (or SATAN). The chief fallen angel who wanted to be God and can only destroy. The great Deceiver makes sin seem desirable in order to try to thwart God's general purposes for mankind, and God's redemptive purposes for believers. As a spirit, the devil may not appear evil, but as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). He will be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Matt. 25:41).

DISCIPLE. The original term for those who believed Jesus' message and committed themselves to follow him to learn from the Master teacher. The twelve closest followers of the Messiah (Mat 10:1; 11:1) came to be called apostles and founded the early churches. Often, "disciple" may refer to all Jesus' followers (Acts 6:1,2,7: 9:36) who were not called Christians until at Antioch (Acts 11:26) and who continue to learn from their Master in heaven.

DISCIPLINE. (1) Self-training to develop character as a disciple of Christ. Spiritual disciplines include personal Bible study, prayer, Christian meditation, fasting, fellowship in the church, stewardship and participation in the ministries of the church. (2) Church discipline s required when the doctrines and by-laws of its constitution are deliberately violated. The steps in Mat 18:15-17 are to be followed for the primary purpose, not pf dismissing members, but of restoring them to fellowship if possible (Gal. 6:1).

DOCTRINE. Teaching on a select topic derived from the study of relevant passages on the subject from the entire Bible. Such a topical Bible study usually considers the Christian doctrines of: God, divine revelation, humanity, sin, Jesus, salvation, sanctification, the church and the future. True teachings provide guidelines to direct devotion away from idols and to the triune God and edify God's people (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Tim 4:6; 6:3). False doctrines lead to counterfeit spiritualities and destroy a church (Eph. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:3-4).

ECCLESIOLOGY. By derivation, the biblical doctrine (Greek logos) of the church (Greek ecclesia). (1) The local church is made up of immersed believers within commuting distance from its meeting place and participating in its ministries. (2)The universal church is made up of all living believers around the world at a given time (3) The invisible church is the body of Christ, composed of all believers of all times. (See CHURCH).

EDIFICATION. The strengthening of church members doctrinally, morally and spiritually through different forms of ministry to one another.

ELDERS. Mature men morally and spiritually, who are responsible for leadership in the church. They are worthy in character, experience, personality, reputation, interests and ability to teach Christian doctrine (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Sometimes called pastors, elders are qualified to shepherd and feed the sheep, that is, to teach and preach (1 Pet 5:1-3). Sometimes called bishops, elders are responsible to oversee and administer the all the ministries and business of the church. (Act 20: 18,28).

ELECTION. God chose Jesus Christ (1 Pet 2:4,6) to save sinners unable to save themselves. Since no holistically depraved sinners seek God or would come to Christ on their own, "those the Father gave to Christ" are called by God and enabled to come to Christ for salvation and service to others. Saul who became Paul is a prime example of all believers (See also John 17:6,9; Eph. 1:3-11). The divine initiative also applies to groups of chosen people corporately like Israel and the church (See PREDESTINATION)

EPISTLE. A divinely inspired letter written by an apostle included in the NT to instruct and edify a church.

ESCHATOLOGY. The doctrine of last things. (1) Personal eschatology includes a Christian view of death, the intermediate state, the resurrection of the body, judgment, hell and heaven. (2) Historical eschatology encompasses: the end of the present church age and its rapture, the great tribulation, the return of Christ to this earth, the battle of Armageddon and Christ's 1,000 year universal social and political rule on earth

ETERNAL SECURITY. The doctrine that God enables the chosen who are justified by grace through faith to persevere in the process of sanctification until death or rapture. God's people are chosen to be holy (Eph. 1:3). Although none are perfect, God does not retract his verdict of justification, reverse regeneration or take back his ransom for believers (Rom. 8:35-39; John 17:12; 10:28-29; Phi 1:6). (See PERSEVERANCE)

EVANGELISM. The science and art of communicating the good news to sinners who acknowledge that they are not just, righteous or holy before God and sense their need of moral and spiritual help. "To evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. . . . Evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Savior and Lord" (Lausanne Covenant, July 1974).

EXPIATION. The provision of Christ's atonement whereby the sinner's feelings of real guilt are removed. Since no reference is made to the turning away of God's wrath as in propitiation, "expiation" is preferred by those who do not believe in divine wrath. (See PROPITIATION).

FAITH. Having believed the gospel and repented of one's sin, faith is one's trust in the Living Person of Jesus Christ Himself for the unmerited gift of eternal life. The object of belief is true information about Jesus; the object of faith as commitment is Jesus, the living Person of whom those truths speak (2 Tim 1:12).

FALL. The disbelief and disobedience of Adam and Eve when they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, were punished by God and put out of the Garden of Eden. Because the first parents have transmitted an inclination to sin to every member of the human race, the whole race may be spoken of as fallen.

FASTING. The voluntary, private discipline of abstaining from food partially or wholly, for purposes of urgent prayer or mourning in family, church or national emergencies.

FLESH. Over and above its possible reference to (1) the literal body, in many biblical contexts "flesh" designates (2) our old, sinful nature, that is, our inherent inclination to disobey or disbelieve Gods' revealed truth.

GIFTS. God, the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:5,17), grants not only natural abilities to all persons, but also different spiritual (charismatic) gifts to every member of Christ's body as He wills (1 Cor. 12:4-11). The exercise of one's gifts is to be motivated by love and maturity (1 Cor. 13) for purposes of edifying the whole church (1 Cor 14:3, 26) and so must be understandable by all present (14:6-25) and done in fitting and orderly ways (14:33-40).

GLORIFICATION. The completion of believers sanctification at Christ's return when the raptured or resurrected are made completely like Christ and enjoy the marriage supper of the Lamb, singing Hallelujah!

GOSPEL. The good news, the best news sinful humans can ever hear, that God's eternal Word or Son (Joh 1:1) became flesh (v14), lived without sin, died to pay the just penalty for our sins and rose again in triumph over death, evil and Satan (1 Cor. 15:3-4). By means of Christ's atonement, God remains just and is able to justify the ungodly who believe (Rom. 3:25-26). This news, the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:14-16), is to be taken to every unbeliever we contact and to every tribe and nation in the world.

GRACE. God's love in action bestowing unmerited blessings on persons who deserve the opposite. "Common grace" refers to the good things the Creator gives to all people, the just and unjust (Mat 5:45). "Special grace" refers to the blessings of salvation provided by Christ and given to believers by the Holy Spirit. God expects more than mere justice of Christians able to work. Christians among the "haves" put their love in action by working to earn resources to give to the "have nots" in mercy and grace. (Eph. 4:28). (See justice and mercy).

GUILT. A sinner's culpability for sin, a consequence of breaking God's moral laws, often sins of pride or sensuality. Guilt feelings should, but may not accompany real guilt before the divine Judge. A non-Christian counselor may remove guilt feelings for lesser things, but no one can forgive real guilt for sin against God but God Himself on the ground of Christ's substitutionary atonement.

HEART. Often a figurative expression for the inner person, the soul or spirit made in God's image for fellowship with God. "Thou has made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee" (Augustine).

HEAVEN. Sometimes used of (1) the atmosphere, or (2) the spacious universe, "heaven" most distinctively refers to (3) the glorious, immediate presence of God.

HELL. The place of eternal retribution for morally accountable sinners who remain unrepentant and reject Christ's atonement, the only ground on which God can be just and justify the ungodly. Jesus warned people about hell more often than anyone else in Scripture and taught that it was eternal (Mat 25:46).

HERESY. A view that contradicts explicit biblical teaching on the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith as held by the church through the centuries.

HOLY. A holy person or thing is set apart from sin (or secular uses) and dedicated to purposes pleasing to God (1 Tim 4:4). The Triune God, being morally separated from all sin and faithfully dedicated to righteousness, is uniquely and awesomely transcendent to all creation.

HOLY SPIRIT. The third person of the triune Godhead who had a distinct role in salvation. The Holy Spirit applies the undeserved blessings the Father planned and the Son provided. The Holy Spirit calls, regenerates, indwells, assures, fills, leads, comforts, illumines, guides, counsels, produces "fruit," and enables believers to persevere.

IDOLATRY. The worship and service of the creation more than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). We serve an idol if our ultimate concern or priority is fame, wealth, pride, sensuality, a house, a television, the internet, an automobile, one's self, another person or anything else in all creation.

IMPUTE. To charge or credit to the account of another. Scripture teaches three major imputations. (1) The guilt of Adam's sin is charged to each member of the human race (Rom. 5:16,18). (2) The guilt of the entire human race is charged to Christ's account on the cross (Isa. 53:6; 2 Cor 5:19,21). (3) Christ's complete righteousness is credited to the account of everyone united to Him by faith in His atonement (Rom. 4:3,9,22-24). Illustration: Paul said to Philemon, "If he (Onesimus) has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me" (Philemon 17-18).

INCARNATION. The greatest event in the history of planet earth! God's eternal Word or Son (John 1:1; 3:16) came to earth as a child of the virgin Mary (Mat 1:18-25; Luk 2:4-7; Joh 1:14) in order to bear the guilt of sinners on the cross and thus atone for the sins of the whole world

INSPIRATION. The doctrine that the Bible originated with God who supernaturally supervised the human authors in their research and writing so that their original writings were inerrant in all that they affirmed (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20,21). Hence the Bible is the Christian's primary source and only inerrant moral and spiritual authority for living and serving.

INTERMEDIATE STATE. The conscious condition of the believer's spirit after death and waiting for the resurrection of the body as one is with Christ which is better by far than our present state (Phi. 1: 21-23).

JEHOVAH or YAHWEH. Two attempts to transliterate the Hebew name God asked Moses to call Him. Translated into English, it is The LORD. This unique name means "I AM WHO I AM" or simply "I AM." (Exo 3:14). "I" the personal God "am" and will continue to be the Lord of all in time and eternity. Later, Jewish scribes ceased to pronounce "This glorious and awesome name" (Deu 28:58) because they thought it too holy be uttered.

JESUS. The name for Mary's son meaning, like the name as for Joshua, Jehovah or Yahweh is our Savior (Mat. 1:21). As Peter and many others concluded, Jesus is Israel's long awaited Messiah or "anointed one" (Mat 16:16). Jesus the Christ was apparently shortened to Jesus Christ. (See CHRIST)

JEWS. (1) The descendants of Abraham God in love chose to deliver from Egyptian slavery (Deu 7:7-10) in order to preserve the line of the coming Messiah. Literally, persons descended from the tribe of Judah or all who returned to Israel after the exile, (2) Today, a practicing adherent of Judaism. (3) Spiritual children of Abraham include all from any tribe or nation who have received Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah (Rom. 2:28,29).

JUSTICE. An essential characteristic of the omniscient Judge who gives all persons what they deserve without partiality (2 Chr 19:7), whether reward for good or condemnation for evil. Fairness is also a virtue God requires of His people in relating to their "neighbors" in court (legal justice), in business (commercial justice) and in the family (familial justice). God expects governmental leaders to be fair in correcting wrongs done to their citizens (retributive or remedial justice) and to be impartial in disbursing resources to their citizens (distributive justice). (See mercy and grace)

JUSTIFICATION. The decision of the merciful divine Judge to issue a complete pardon from the guilt of all the believer's sin and impute to him or her Christ's perfectly righteous moral standing. A sinner's justification is by God's grace alone through faith alone on the ground of Christ's atonement alone. The ground of one's justification is not our added works, lest anyone should boast (Rom. 5:1; 8:1; Eph 2:8-9).

KINGDOM OF GOD. (1) The rule of the Almighty over everything that exists for his temporal purposes providentially. (2) The rule of Christ in the spirits of believers born into his redemptive kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). (3) Christ's future universal kingdom for 1,000 years (Rev 20)..

LAW. The Creator's physical, moral and spiritual requirements of persons for their well-being. (1) The first five books of the Bible. (2) The Ten Commandments. (3) In the NT, 9 of the 10 commandments repeated by Christ and the apostles. The Sabbath command was omitted and Jesus went out of his way to challenge Pharisaic observances of that day. What was done away was Pharisaic hypocrisy in law keeping. Christians can fulfill the requirements of the law, not in the flesh, but with the Holy Spirit's enablement.(Rom. 8:1-4). (See LORD'S DAY and SANCTIFICATION)

LIFE. (1) Temporal life is the ability of spirit and body to be self-conscious, self-moving, and self- determining and to respond to stimuli and to mature. (2) Spiritual life is the self-conscious, and self determining ability to respond and relate to the triune God and his purposes and grow in moral likeness to Christ. (3) Eternal life is the continuation of the rich quality of relating to the triune God that begins at conversion and is everlasting.

LORD'S DAY. Judaism honors creation by worshipping on the seventh day. Christians honor God on the first day of the week in celebration of several NT events related to the new creation. On the first day of the week, Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead, the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and the church began. So Christians met and gave offerings on the first day of the week (1 Cor 16:2). On the Lord's day John received prophecy about the future (Rev. 1:1). The seventh day Sabbath was no longer to be required (Col. 2:13-17; Gal. 4:9-11; Rom. 13:8-10; 14:5-9, 10, 12-13).

LOVE, (Greek agape). (1) A characteristic of God displayed in the gift of his Son for the sake of unworthy sinners. (2) A settled purpose of will in a Christian (not merely an emotion) to give one's self for the sake of God's kingdom and the well-being of others. More specifically, in love Christians present the gospel to unbelievers, edify believers and minister to the sick, prisoners, the poor, widows, orphans and internationals.

MERCY. God's love in action, withholding deserved punishment. Christian love in action withholding deserved penalties. (See JUSTICE ANDGRACE)

MESSIAH. The anointed one. See CHRIST.

MILLENNIUM. A period of 1,000 years in which Christ personally rules on earth to complete the removal of all the environmental, social and political affects of the fall and to rule the whole world socially and politically in righteousness, peace and love.

MIRACLE. An observable event that is unexplainable in terms of natural factors (a "mighty act"), so extraordinary as to elicit awe ("a wonder") and indicative of a power acting on nature for good or evil purposes. A miracle of God serves the purposes of his kingdom. A miracle of Satan, the great imitator, advances the purposes of his rebellion against God's rule. (See PROVIDENCE)

MONOTHEISM. The teaching that there are not many gods (polytheism), but there is only one God. The oneness of God, like the oneness of a marriage or of the body of Christ, includes multiple persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Trinitarians are monotheists since they do not worship three Gods, but one.

MYSTERY. Not some irrational notion, but a meaningful idea which God has hidden until the appointed time for it to be revealed (Rom. 16:25-26).

OMNIPOTENCE. God's unlimited (infinite) power to do anything He chooses to do in the way He wishes to do it. God does not, of course, choose to do anything contrary to his unchanging nature and purposes. Neither does God do nonsensical things like creating square circles (Luk 1:37).

OMNIPRESENCE. God's awareness is infinite or unlimited by space or time orthe extent of the cosmos. God was, is and will be conscious of everything and every person in human history and the cosmos.(Psa 137:1-10). God's providential presence is in everything that comes to pass. His redemptive presence is experienced in the lives of believers. His glorious presence awaits believers when this life is finished.

OMNISCIENCE. God's unlimited (or infinite) knowledge of everything and every person's good or evil thoughts, words, feelings and actions in history and the cosmos.. (Psa 137:1-10)

ORIGINAL SIN. Not the first sin of Adam and Eve, but since the fall, the sinful inclination inherent in all humans coming into the world. The tendency toward selfishness etc. is "original" in human offspring like original equipment on an automobile (Psa 51:5; 58:3; Pro 22:15; Gen 8:21; Eph 2:3).

ORTHODOX. Literally, a straight opinion, a view that is in accord with biblical teaching and has been so interpreted by the historic Christian church. The term may also refer to the eastern branch of the Christian Church. Eastern Orthodoxy, separated from Roman Catholicism in the tenth century.

PANTHEISM. The belief that an impersonal Energy (God) is all that is real, and that all that is real is God (impersonal Energy). What we experience with sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch is mere appearance (maya), not the underlying changeless reality. (Hinduism, Christian Science, Unity and some liberal "Christian" theology.

PASSOVER. An annual Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, and especially from the last plague upon the firstborn (Exo 12).

PERFECTIONISM. The view that Christians can attain complete freedom from known and willful sin in this life. That is to be our goal (Mat 5:4-8), but there are sins of omission and complete perfection will not be attained until we go to be with Christ (1 Joh 1:8-10).

PERSEVERANCE. The doctrine that authentic converts to Christ in whom the Holy Spirit has begun a good work will continue faithfully to serve Christ until death.(Phi 1:6). (See ETERNAL SECURITY)

PERSON. A living and active center of consciousness in the godhead, the three persons who think, feel, will, communicate and relate. A human spirit in God's image who thinks, feels, wills, communicates and relates to God, others and the world. In this life, the human spirit is intimately associated with a body, including the brain and nervous system, until death.

POLYTHEISM. The doctrine that there are many gods. (In Greek and Roman mythology, paganism and Mormonism.

PRAYER. A person's response and request to the Lord of all, who is revealed primarily in the Jesus of history and the truths of Scripture. Responses to God's grace include faith, worship, confession, adoration and dedicated action. Requests are motivated primarily by love for God and humans for the strengthening of God's kingdom and are answered by His power and in accord with His wisdom. (See SPIRITUALITY)

PREDESTINATION. The biblical teaching that God not only foreknows everything in history, but has predetermined that some things would come to pass in spite of human inability to achieve them (Isa 14:24,27; Dan 4:35). (See ELECTION).

PRIEST. In the OT, a person who offered sacrifices to God, mediating between sinners and God. In the NT, Christ, the great high priest offered the final sacrifice for all sin, once-for-all doing away with the OT priesthood (Hebrews). The Roman Catholic Church reinstated a priesthood. So the Protestant Reformers opposed them on the ground of the universal priesthood of every believer, poor or rich, ordained or not. Every believer in Christ's name can offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to God and come boldly before the throne of grace with requests (1 Pet 2:5; Heb. 4:14).

PROMISE. Words spoken or written, morally binding a person to do something or not to do something. In biblical use, a promise contains the elements of covenant, contract and pledge. In our words we reveal ourselves; in our promises we give ourselves away. "When God speaks forth Himself in His words He does indeed give Himself, His love, His will and His power to those who receive these words. . . .In every Promise He puts Himself in our Power to lay hold and posses." (Andrew Murray)

PROPHET. A spokesman for God (Exo 4:16-, 7:1) who may foretell the future, but more often speaks to people of his own time, calling for repentance and warning of coming judgment for their sins, or for strength, encouragement and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3).

PROPITIATION. The provision of Christ's atonement by which his sacrifice of Himself turns away the Father's wrath from believers. Thus the atonement appeases God's righteous indignation for the believer's sin and expiates or removes the guilty conscience from the believer (See EXPIATION).

PROVIDENCE. God's ordering of all events in history usually through secondary means (such as laws of nature and human wills) to achieve his wise, holy and loving purposes for creation and for his people. Occasionally, however, God performs miracles to deliver Israel from Egypt, preserve the forefathers of the Messiah from militant Baal worshippers, attest the words of the Messiah, the prophets and the apostles and to establish new churches throughout the Mediterranean world. (See MIRACLE)

RAPTURE. Just as Christ was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, so at his second coming, all believers will be resurrected and with the living will ascend as Jesus did to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51,52).

RECONCILIATION. The provision of Christ's atonement that reunites estranged sinners through faith to loving, personal fellowship with God. Being personally related to God means also being personally in fellowship with all other believers regardless of race, caste or denomination.

REDEMPTION. The provision of Christ's atonement by which believing sinners are liberated progressively from the power of sin. Christ delivers captives from the "slave market" of habitual sinning.

REGENERATION. A supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit who graciously gives a convert a radically new nature. The "new birth" in the unconscious is instantaneous and gives a believer a new Christlike spiritual life. (John 3:1-8). (See CONVERSION)

REPENTANCE. The convert's conscious turning from a sin-dominated way of life producing a thorough change of outlook with reference to God., Christ and God's moral principles. It is a radical change, not merely of emotions, but of mind, emotion, will, speech, acts and relationships (Act 17:30). (See CONVERSION)

RESURRECTION. Jesus' body that died and was buried rose again to an even more wonderful life. Resurrection is not mere revivification to the previous life, as in an operating room. Christ's resurrection body had some important similarities to his truly human body before He died. His raised body was physical, visible, audible, scarred and recognizable. There were also important differences. His resurrected body became incorruptible, spiritual and glorious, having new spiritual abilities it did not have before In the future resurrection of believers, their bodies will be similar and different in much the same way as Jesus' spiritual body (1 Cor 15).

REVELATION. GENERAL. God's universal unveiling of truths indispensable for meaningful human life on earth, including our dependence on God, our accountability to God and our guilt before God (Psa 19:1-6; Rom. 1:20; 2:14,15).

REVELATION, SPECIAL. The disclosure of God's gracious plan of salvation in the incarnation, death and resurrection of the Messiah and Lord and in conceptual truths recorded by inspiration in Holy Scripture (Psa 19:7-14; John 1:1,14; Heb. 1:1-3; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21).

RIGHTEOUSNESS. (1) A characteristic of God's moral nature. (2) The believers' position or standing achieved when the Father imputes Christ's perfect righteousness to them at conversion. (3) A progressive state of uprightness in fulfillment of God's moral guidelines achieved by the enablement of the Holy Spirit (Psa 145:17; Rom. 5:Rom 8:1-4).

SAINTS. The NT calls all believers "saints" or holy ones. Accordingly, all believers are to distance themselves from evil in character, thought, speech and behavior and dedicate themselves to pleasing their Savior and Lord in all those ways (Rom. 1:7).

SALVATION. The most general term for what the Father graciously planned, Christ mercifully provided and the Spirit of truth is administering to overcome sin and all its affects on earth. It encompasses: election, foreknowledge, the providential restraining of evil through the world, special revelation, inspiration, incarnation, internal calling, conviction of sin, conversion, regeneration, justification, redemption, reconciliation, sanctification, perseverance and glorification!

SANCTIFICATION. The growing process whereby believers overcome temptation and actively yield to the disciplines of study of Scripture illumined by the Holy Spirit and by prayer and the guidance of other gifted Christians consistent with biblical teaching, become strong saints in moral and spiritual wisdom. (John 17:17,19). (See SAINTS)

SEPARATION. (1) Personal separation means that every Christian, though in the world, should not be of the world. Christians do good to all people but do not become unequally yoked with unbelievers in marriage or other entangling alliances. (2) Ecclesiastical separation requires churches, after trying everything morally and legally wise to reform a denomination dominated by leaders who reject the fundamental doctrines of the faith, to withdraw from denominations or other organizations that have departed from the orthodox doctrines with which they began (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

SIN (singular.). The tendency of fallen human natures to disbelieve God's Word, become disenchanted with God's holy presence and disobey God's moral principles whether by action or inaction (Mat 12:33-37).

SINS (plural). Self-determined, responsible acts of morally accountable people who yield to selfish, evil desires, inexcusably misuse their intellectual, emotional or volitional abilities, disrespect other's inalienable rights by treating them unfairly, violating revealed moral laws and otherwise rebelling against God's wise and caring rule of their lives (om. 1:21-32).

SOUL. A person's invisible, inner entity in God's likeness who began at conception and exists ever after. Functionally, the term "soul" is used primarily of one's inner person as one is well related to other humans in the world, or at enmity with them. (See SPIRIT)

SPIRIT. Another term for the invisible inner entity in God's image who began at conception and is everlasting. Functionally, the term is used primarily of one's inner self as one is either in fellowship with God or alienated from God. In sum, humans are composed of two parts, the outer and inner person: the body and the soul or spirit (this view called dichotomony) but humans are involved in three major relationships: to God, to others/self and to the world (this view called trichotomy).

SPIRITUALITY. (1) In a pantheistic worldview, a passing mystical experience or an altered state of consciousness in which people are merged with, and indistinguishable from, impersonal ultimate Reality, depersonalized, passive, non-conceptual, speechless, unaware of time and convinced of having experienced an unknowable ultimate reality. (2) In a Christian theistic worldview, spirituality is an abiding, experience of fellowship in which regenerate people are conscious of their Lord's presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit. In this I - Thou communion, believers do not confuse themselves with deity, are actively yielded to the Holy Spirit's illumination of the Bible's conceptual truth, cleansed and renewed in God's likeness, assured of their salvation, discerning, and emboldened to speak up for the gospel as they engage in their daily duties. The goal in mysticism is union; the goal in Christianity is communion. (See PRAYER)

TEMPTATION. An enticement to sin. It is not a sin to be tempted. Entertaining temptation and yielding to it is sin. Jesus felt the allure of sin, but did not yield to it. He defeated the Tempter, as we should, by quoting memorized Scripture. In the world, one cannot avoid inducements to sin, but one must learn to distance one's self from them promptly. Our sanctification will be tested by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in life's achievements (1 Joh 2:16). But Christians do not dwell on these unethical desires. Rather, saints take radical action if necessary to break the power of habitual incitements to sin (Mat 18:8-9; 1 Cor. 7:2,5: 1 Tim. 6:9-10; 2 Tim. 5:1-2)

THEISM. The philosophy or doctrine that God is a personal spirit (not an energy or force), who is moral and worthy of worship, whose being is distinct from the world's being (vs. pantheism) and who is active in the world providentially and redemptively (vs. deism). Trinitarians clarify that God is a super personal, tri-personal Being.

THEOLOGY. The spiritual discipline that studies the Bible topically to develop coherent beliefs and then seeks to understand the relationships between those doctrines, thus forming a systematic theology. Integrative theology incorporates historical, biblical, systematic, apologetic and practical approaches on each major doctrine using a scientific abductive method (rather than inductive or deductive) of research, reasoning and decision making,1.

TONGUE SPEAKING. Talking in foreign languages one has not studied (Acts 2), In public church services speaking in tongues should be motivated by love, one at a time, interpreted, and done decently and in order to build up the body of Christ, not divide a church (1 Cor 12-14).

TRIBULATION. In general, the present distress of God's people from ungodly humans and demonic forces. At the end of the age, Jesus predicted a great tribulation (Mat 24:21). During that period Satan will unleash unparalleled attacks on God's people and God will unleash His righteous wrath against the last Anti-Christ and his followers around the earth (Rev. 4-19). Following the climax of the great tribulation, the battle of Armageddon, Christ will rule the entire world in righteousness (Rev. 20).

TRINITY. The doctrine synthesizing the Bible's teaching that there is but one God and that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. The doctrine affirms that God is one in being and three in persons who have distinct but harmonious offices (or functions) and from eternity have enjoyed a fellowship of agape love. Trinitarianism was derived from Scripture, not non-Christian philosophy and was accepted by the church councils because it provided a coherent account of all the lines of biblical teaching about God (Mat 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:13).

. 1 See Gordon Lewis and Bruce Demarest, Integrative Theology 3 Volumes in 1 (Zondervan, 1996). 1 1