Adoption - The word translated adoption comes from the joining of two Greek words that mean to place as a son. This word signifies the highest blessing of the gospel since the acceptance implied by justification and the friendship defined by reconciliation are surpassed by the relationship established by adoption into God’s family. Like other teachings of scripture the New Testament doctrine of adoption is anticipated in Old Testament revelation. The LORD declared Israel to be His son by the exodus from Egypt. (Exodus 4:22) This gracious adoption of Israel into God’s family is celebrated in the law, (Deuteronomy 14:1) the prophets (Hosea 1:10 & 11:1) and the Psalms. (Psalm 80:8-15) In the New Testament the redemption secured by the incarnation of Jesus also has resulted in an adoption of believers. (Galatians 4:4,5) The Holy Spirit is called the spirit of adoption because He persuades believers of God’s fatherly favor. (Romans 8:15) It is those who believe in Jesus who are God’s sons. (Galatians 3:26) They were predestined to be adopted according to His choice. (Ephesians 1:5) This adoption like other blessings is applied to the experience of believers now but will not be fully enjoyed until the resurrection. (Romans 8:23; 1 John 3:1-3) Top
Amillennialism- this is an unfortunate term, for it suggest that this view has no idea of a millennium. The reason it referred to as "a" or "non" millennial is because of the fact that this view sees the millennium as a spiritual reality, and not as a physical one. The saints in glory are now reigning over the spiritual kingdom on earth and the saints on earth reign with Christ upon the earth and Christ reigns within their hearts. The binding of Satan has already taken place at the time of Christ's’ victory over him at His death and resurrection. The fact that the gospel is spreading to the Gentiles indicates Satan’s inability to deceive the nations. Satan however will be released at the end of the age to intensify the forces of evil on the face of the earth. The age will end with a time of tribulation. It may include the restoration of the Jews to the Gospel. There will be a time of apostasy, and the rise of the Antichrist. However Christ’s return will bring judgement upon the devil, beast and false prophet. There will be one general judgement where both the wicked and the righteous will appear. The sheep on the right and the goats on the left to give an account. After the final judgement, the new earth and the new heaven will appear. Theologians who this view are such as Kuyper, Bavinck, Demoor, Greydanus, Vos, Hendriksen, Berkhof, Murray, Van Til and others. Top
Angelology - The study of angels. The word angel means messenger. Although the messenger may be human, the word usually signifies a spirit. (Hebrews 1:7) There are two classes of angels in scripture. The good angels are in complete submission to God. (Psalm 103:20) The fallen or evil angels did not remain in their original condition but rebelled against God. (Jude 6) Passages like Ephesians 6:12 and references to Michael as the "archangel" strongly suggest the existence of a hierarchy among both classes of angels. Other scriptures like Daniel 10 and Revelation 2,3 suggest that nations and Churches have angels assigned to them. Matthew 18:10 has been interpreted as confirming the existence of "guardian angels" which are assigned to individuals. Angels are not included in the plan of redemption and are said to be desirous of looking into the things that pertain to it. (1 Peter 1:12) Hebrews 12:22-24 teaches that the angels worship God in heaven with the saints both living and dead. Top
Annihilationist - Annihilationists do not believe in an eternal state of conscious suffering. They believe that man’s soul does not survive death. The resurrection of the wicked will be followed by an interval of conscious punishment for sin which will be followed by an eternal state of nonexistence. Some of the major cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists believe in the theory of annihilation. The support for this doctrine comes from the Biblical picture of death as a sleep and from the conviction that the infliction of eternal suffering is unjust. However, it is just as likely that this sense of injustice arises from inadequate views of the nature of sin. Sin must be seen as a rebellion against an infinitely good and just God if we are to have any adequate view of the punishment it deserves. Also the equating of death with unconsciousness is difficult to support in the light of passages like 2 Corinthians 5:8 where Paul wrote that to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord. Top
Anthropology - From two Greek words; Anthropos- "man,"and logos-"the study of:" thus the study of man. A Biblical anthropology must begin with the account of creation. Man is not an evolved animal but a creation of God in His own image and likeness. (Genesis 1:26-28) A Biblical anthropology can be summarized by seeing all men as related to two men, Adam and Christ. All who are in Adam by a natural birth are fallen under the curse of sin and are condemned. All who are in Christ by a supernatural birth of the Spirit are justified. (Romans 5:12-19) Another issue in debate between a Biblical and a secular anthropology involves an understanding of the meaning of death. Atheists define man as the product of random natural forces and death as a natural result of being human. The Bible teaches that man is a creation of an infinitely good and just creator. Death is understood not as a natural event but as a judgement of God upon sin. (Romans 6:23) Top
Anthropomorphic - This term comes from two Greek words meaning man likeness and refers to those passages of scripture where human characteristics are ascribed to God. Examples include the LORD’s "disappointment" with men in Noah’s day, (Genesis 6:6) His "repentance" that He had made Saul king over Israel (1 Samuel 15:35) and His "investigation" into the wickedness of the people of Sodom. (Genesis 18:20,21) Anthropomorphic language does not give us an exact representation of the divine nature. It is an accommodation to our limited capacity to understand. It is also a dramatic reminder that the infinite, transcendent creator is intimately involved in the government of His creatures. Top
Antichrist - A term used by the apostle John to identify an apostasy from the faith which involved a denial of the incarnation of Christ. (1 John 4:3) The presence of many antichrists was interpreted by John as a sign that the last hour had come. (1 John 2:18,19 - see Matthew 24:10) Historically the Christian Church has expected the rise of a single individual who will embody opposition to God in the same proportion that Jesus embodied submission to Him. This individual is usually associated with the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2 and it is usually believed that he will make his appearance just before Christ returns according to 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Great excitement has been generated by this belief that the Antichrist is so closely associated with the Second Coming. Many of the villains of history like Hitler and Stalin have been supposed to be the fulfillment of the prediction of the coming of Antichrist. Some in our own day believe that the Antichrist is alive today and will soon be revealed. Top
Antipaedobaptists - oppose the baptism of infants. They insist upon an ability to profess faith in Christ as a requirement of baptism. They point to the lack of a specific example of infant baptism in the book of Acts as proof of their contention. However, it is just as likely that the baptism of infants was taken for granted since the making of a covenant always included the generations of the one making it. This was as true for believers under the New Covenant as it was for Abraham. (Acts 2:39) The contention of padeobaptists rests upon this understanding of the covenant. They say that baptism was given to the Church for the same ends as circumcision was given to Abraham; to signify and seal the promise to him and to his descendants. Antipaedobaptists have greatly increased with the popularity of Dispensationalism in this century because the two ideas are closely related. Top
Arminianism -Is five articles of faith based on the teaching of James Arminius, a Dutch seminary professor. His followers (Arminians) presented these five doctrines in a form of a remonstrance. They insisted that the Belgic Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg catechism be changed to conform to the doctrines within the Remonstrance. The five points of Arminianism are as follows:
1. God elects or reproves on the basis of foreseen faith or unbelief.
2. Christ died for all men and for every man although only believers are saved.
3. Man is not so depraved that divine grace is necessary unto faith or any good deed.
4. Grace may be resisted.
5. Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up
Their faith. (Some Arminians believe in eternal security)
The synod of Dort in 1618 rejected the five points of Arminianism as heretical teaching. Top
Atonement - This particular doctrine denotes the very heart of the gospel. It is God’s provision and payment for the sins of His people through the sacrificial substitutionary death of Christ. The moving cause of the atonement is found in the good pleasure of God to save sinners. (Isa.53: 10, Luke 2:14, Col.1: 19) In the atoning work of Christ we see the Justice of God clearly revealed while the sinner is justified. The necessity of the atonement is manifested by God sending His only unique son to be bruised and shed His precious blood for the sins of the elect. (Rom.3: 25,26) The advocates of a universal atonement assert that Christ merely made salvation possible for all men, and that their actual redemption is dependent on their own free choice. Those of the Reformed persuasion maintain that Christ actually saves those whom He laid down His life for. Not one of them for whom Christ paid the price for will lose their salvation. All are eternally secure. (John 10:27-29) Top
Autosoterism - From two Greek words; auto meaning "self" and soter meaning salvation. This term refers to the heresy of trusting in one’s self for salvation. This is the burden of nearly all-pagan religions. The eastern mystics look to themselves for salvation, something which western humanists are also prone to do. The Bible puts salvation solely in the hands of a sovereign God who dispenses His favor according to His own will and pleasure. (Ephesians 1:3-5) It teaches men to hope in the mediation of a divinely provided savior Jesus Christ, the son of David. There are traces of this doctrine even in some Christian heresies. The most obvious example is the teaching of Palagius, a bishop of the early Church who opposed the predestinarian theology of Augustine. Palagius taught that men could achieve a righteous standing before God by their own merits. He did not believe in the teaching of original sin, that fallen men were under a predisposition to do evil in God’s sight. Some of the Pharisaical teaching recorded in the New Testament also comes under this category. This can be seen in the parable of the publican and the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14. The Pharisee trusted in his own righteousness to enable him to come before God. The publican confessed his sin and threw himself upon the mercy of God. Jesus assured His disciples that the publican, not the Pharisee was justified in the sight of God. Top
Bibliology: The scope of Bibliology includes the doctrines of revelation, inspiration, illumination, interpretation, preservation and canonicity. It is fundamental to the Christian faith and is given primary place in systematic theology, as it is the platform upon which all other doctrines are built. It deals with the structure and formation of the books of the Bible. The various names given to Bible; such as Scripture, II Tim.3: 15,16; II Pet.1: 20 Word of God, Mark7: 13; Heb.4: 12; The law, the Prophets and the Writings, Luke 24:27,44; The Law, John 10:34,Psa.82: 6; The Oracles of God, Heb.5: 12, I Pet.4: 11 Top
Calvinism - The synod of Dort reaffirmed a system of Theology in response to the five points submitted by the Arminians and has been since known as the five points of Calvinism. The five points are as follows:
The name Calvinism derives from the French Reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) who had taught so much in defending these views. J. I. Packer states the difference between Calvinism and Arminianism is not "primarily one of emphasis, but of content. One proclaims a God who saves, and the other speaks of God who enables man to save himself. Calvinism presents the three great acts of the Holy Trinity for the recovering of lost mankind. Election by the Father, redemption by the Son, calling by the Spirit as directed towards the same persons, and as securing their salvation infallibly" Top
It’s very important not to equate Calvinism with merely five points because it tends to obscure the organic character of Calvinistic thought on this subject. Although the five points are really inseparable, they stand together. If you reject one you are really rejecting them all. The major point of Calvinistic soteriology is concerned with the fact that sinners do not save themselves in any sense at all. To God be the glory; Amen. Top
Canonicity: Deals with "the rule" or "canon" which means a rod by which things were kept physically straight, used metaphorically in II Cor10: 12-18; Gal.6: 14-16. The canonicity of the Bible is the quality or character of the Scripture by which they are our rule of faith and life, as the infallible Word of God. It is equivalent to authority, the divine authority of the Scriptures. Canonicity is not synonymous with inspiration, but the two areas are precisely co-terminus. The books of Scripture which are inspired are also canonical and those books which are canonical are the inspired books. Top
Christology - The preexistence of Christ is proved from John 1:1; 8:58, the Human nature of which the Son of God assumed coexisted with the Divine nature in such a way that these two contrary natures, the divine and the human were joined in one person without mixture between the two. Christ was born of a virgin and preserved from all sin. Theologians often speak of the two states of His human ministry as the states of humiliation and exaltation. The phrase "state of humiliation" usually includes the incarnation, public ministry, rejection and crucifixion. By the state of "exaltation," they usually intend His resurrection from the dead, ascension to the right hand of God, session and return in glory. Theologians also speak of the three offices of Christ referring to His work as a Prophet, Priest and King. As a Prophet Christ reveals the Father to men. Top
(John 14:9) As a Priest He offers His body as a sacrifice for sin and makes intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:10,12) As a King he rules in the name of the Father over all creation. (Matthew 28:18; John5: 22) Top
Communicable Attributes - These attributes are those, which God is pleased to communicate to His creatures. Love is one of those divine attributes which, God is eternally moved to self-communicate. His love is described by Jeremiah the prophet as "everlasting". (Jer.31: 3) Paul says love is something that will never fail and will out last gifts of prophecy, languages or knowledge. Now Paul says, "we have faith and hope but love remains forever." (I Cor13: 8, 13) Although, it should be understood however, that when Divine attributes are communicated to man it is only to a finite and imperfect degree. Top
Covenant - God has been pleased throughout history to confirm His promises to His people by means of a covenant. The essential nature of the covenant is defined as a solemn oath to perform a pledge. When the LORD desired to give assurance to Abraham of His promise to give the land of Canaan to his descendants, He commanded him to divide several sacrificial animals and then He passed through the parts and affirmed this promise. This was an ancient Near Eastern way of swearing an oath. The meaning of God’s actions in passing between the parts of the slaughtered animals can be best described as a self-maledictory oath. In effect God was saying to Abraham, may I become like one of these if I do not keep My promise to give your descendants all this land. (See Genesis 15) The writer of Hebrews found certainty in God’s oath to Abraham recorded in Genesis 22 because it is impossible for God to lie. (ie; bear false witness under oath- see Hebrews 6:13-18) The central features of the various covenants God made at different times with different people include; a promise to be their God and to make them His people, and a promise to bless their descendants and a sign to confirm His oath. The prior covenants made with Abraham and David have received their highest realization in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. (Acts 2:29-36; 13:32,33; 2 Corinthians 1:20) In the light of the New Testament we must realize that the true descendants of Abraham are those who believe in Christ, (Galatians 3:29) the true Jerusalem is heaven (Hebrews 12:18-24) and the true son of David is Jesus of Nazareth. (Romans 1:1-4) Top
Deacons - The word deacon in Greek comes from the word for servant. Unlike the office of elder there is no mention of deacons prior to the New Testament. Many people believe that the first deacons ordained by the Church were the seven men chosen to serve the widows in Acts 6:1-6. This interpretation has given rise to the belief in a division of labor in the Church offices of elder and deacon. The elders are responsible for overseeing the spiritual good of the Church while the deacons take care of pressing physical needs. This interpretation is strengthened by Peter’s division of the gifts Christ has given to believers into the two general categories of teaching and service. (1 Peter 4: 10,11) The qualifications for the office of deacon are the same as for an elder except that deacons do not need to have a gift for teaching. (1 Timothy 3:7-10) Top
Demonology - The Scripture informs us of the fall of certain angels, which did not keep their first estate. They are called by various names in the Scriptures, for example evil or unclean spirits, demons, principalities, powers, and rulers of this world, wickedness in heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12) The reason for their fall is not certain but the general opinion is pride. I Tim.3: 6 The number of demons appears to be exceedingly numerous, where we read in Scripture that these demons are referred to as legion. (6000 soldiers, Mk.5: 9, Matt.26: 53) Demons are distinguished from elect angels. (I Tim. 5:21) They were disobedient as Jude says, "they left their first estate" (Jude 6) Demon possession is so often mentioned in the gospel accounts where the victim is tormented by the strong forces of demonic influence, where the body and mind are under the control of the wicked spirits. (Matt.8: 6,28; 12:22; 15; 22; Luke 4:33,35; 7:33; 8; 29; 9:42; 11:14) Those possessed with demons exhibit supernatural power or knowledge. Also those afflicted with possession may incur bodily disease and mental illness. Some theologians have asked the question, "Do possessions now exist?" Many reply, no; because Christ earthly ministry demonstrated His power to overthrow Satan’s kingdom. However Paul’s letter to the Ephesians evidences that evil spirits do now work in the children of disobedience. (Eph. 2:2) Top
Dispensationalism - The teaching which originated with John Nelson Darby, the founder of the Plymouth Brethren, in the middle of the nineteenth century. Its fundamental concern is to posit a radical and unbiblical distinction between law and grace. Dispensationalism separates them into distinct administrations or dispensations. The law as a means of salvation prevailed from the giving of the covenant at Mount Sinai to the death of Christ. Salvation by grace as a method of salvation was confined to the time between the resurrection of Christ and the Second Coming which is usually referred to as the "Church age." Dispensationalism underwent a radical change in the middle of this century as more and more dispensationalists accepted the view that salvation under the terms of the Old Covenant was by grace through faith and not by works. Dispensationalism still exhibits a tendency to antinomianism because of its view of the relationship between grace and law. Dispensationalists also continue to deny that the present reign of Christ at the right hand of God is a fulfillment of the promises made to David. They insist that the fulfillment of the kingdom has been delayed until after the Second Coming. Top
Elders - There have been elders among the people of God since the earliest days of the nation of Israel. Moses and Aaron presented the word of the LORD to the elders of Israel before the exodus from Egypt. (Exodus 4:29,30 - see 3:16) It is clear from Exodus 24 that the elders represented the people before the LORD. It is also clear that they ruled over the people as is implied by their taking their seat in the midst of the congregation in Psalm 107:32. This authority is even clearer in the New Testament. Peter commanded the elders to lead the Church in the ways of God as an example for them to follow. (1 Peter 5:1-3) The elders are called bishops in 1 Timothy 3:1. In Acts 20:28, the office of elder is associated with the bishop and the pastor. Paul called the Ephesian elder’s bishops and commanded them to pastor the flock of the Church. The doctrinal controversy of the necessity of circumcision for salvation was settled by a gathering of elders. (Acts 15:1-22) For these reasons the government of the Church is committed to the elders in Presbyterian Churches. The Elders of various local Churches gather together to conduct the business of the whole Church at regular intervals. This gathering of elders is usually referred to as a Synod when it represents the entire denomination, and is called a Presbytery when it is a gathering of elders from several congregations in a given geographical area. Congregationalists oppose this view of authority and posit final authority in the body of the Church. The Roman Catholic Church also opposes this view of authority by giving the rule of the Church to popes and cardinals. The qualifications for an elder are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Top
Eschatology - Is the doctrine of last things. It relates to our individual future of the world and mankind. It has also been called ‘the crown or capstone of theology.’ With regard to ‘individual eschatology,’ it has reference to death and immortality and the soul and body’s existence after death. (Psalm 90) Either heaven or hell is man’s eternal destiny based upon his relationship with Jesus Christ. (Psalm73: 12-19) Purgatory is not a Scriptural term but is an invention of the Roman Church. The immediate state is the existence of the soul between the first and Second Coming of Christ Coming of Christ. Only those in Christ have received from Him derived immortality. They are destined for everlasting blessedness with respect to both soul and body.
General Eschatology deals with preliminary signs leading up to the Second Coming of Christ and the event itself along with the future eternal estate. There are essentially two great signs: 1.The preaching of the gospel in the whole world for a testimony to all nations and 2.The great tribulation- These two signs vary depending on what your millennial view may be. Top
Eternality - God’s eternality denotes God, transcends time, and possesses the whole of His life all at once. Psalm 90:2 " Before the mountains were born, or Thou did give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God." (Psa.102: 12) With God there is an endless duration. There is within His being an eternal present, and no past or future. (Eph.3: 21) Top
Exegesis - Is closely related to hermeneutics, which is the science of interpretation. Hermeneutics seeks to establish the ruling principles of biblical interpretation; exegesis seeks to fix the meaning of individual statements and passages. Exegesis rests on the study of language for translation. There must be linguistic study of the original texts of both the Hebrew in the Old Testament and Greek in the New Testament. This study is also called morphology, which deals with the structure of the language. It’s important that a lexicographical study be vigorously pursued as well. This particular lexicon study deals with the meaning of words and syntax or various parts of speech. Exegesis is predicated upon two fundamental areas. First, discovering the accurate meaning of the words as used by the Biblical author. It assumes the content of the passage to be of superlative importance, for man’s understanding of the exact meaning of the word of God. Top
Gnosticism - A very dangerous heresy which came into the church like a flood in the second century. The term "gnosis" comes from the Greek which means "knowledge" The Gnostics believed in a special kind of knowledge, an esoteric or secret knowledge. It could be possessed only by that section of humanity, which was "spiritual". The Gnostic errors are clearly referred to in the NT, I John 2:22; 4:2-3 which reference is made to those who denied that Christ had "come in the flesh". In general, all the varied schools taught that matter was utterly and irretrievably evil. Gnosticism held to a "Inner Light".
Inner Light is an intelligence that comes from God without reliance on sight, sound, taste touch or smell. But when we read the Scriptures it requires the senses such as receiving the sacraments. These are the means through which God communicates with us, according to historic Christianity. In Gnosticism, not only the object of faith, but also the act of faith becomes radically revised. Faith takes on the dimension of magic, a technique for getting what one wants by knowing the rules of the secret world. Gnosticism is very much alive in the present evangelical church. Evangelical theologian, Clark Pinnock asserts, "The issue God cares about is the direction of the heart, not the content of theology," He also suggest that we ought to become, "more spiritually Buddha like". Such thinking is swallowing the culture as a whole, and with it much of modern Christianity. Top
Heresy - This word comes from a Greek word which means to choose. It generally refers to a particular kind of false teaching. Heresy is not a repudiation of the Bible’s authority but a misrepresentation of its teaching. For example, the Bible teaches that God is love. It also teaches that God hates the wicked. (1 John 4:8; Psalm 5:4-6; Romans 9:13) Any teaching that fails to account for both truths is heretical. Universalism with its emphasis on God’s love and its rejection of hell is therefore guilty of heresy because it chooses to believe only part of the truth about God’s love. Other heretical beliefs include Modernism, because it accepts the reality of Christ’s humanity but denies His deity; and Arminianism, because it accepts the truth that men are free and responsible for their actions but misinterprets that freedom as an autonomous freedom and not a freedom of choice which is limited by the nature of the object. (Matthew 12:33-35) Top
Hermeneutics - is the science of interpretation. There are various tools to place in our toolbox in order to rightly divide the word of truth. Helpful tools that aid in the interpretation of scripture are such books as commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, archeological works and atlases. The first necessity in the interpretation of the Scriptures is the context. Context rules! Both the historical and logical context comes under these subject headings. Historical context deals with the matter of authorship, date, whom the book was addressed to, along with the purpose and themes of the book. Secondly, the logical context which could be diagramed as a spiral. Beginning with the reading of the Bible text followed by the author, book, preceding context, immediate context, word study, and grammar. As we move nearer to the center, the meaning of the passage increases. Only the immediate context can narrow the possibilities to the actual meaning. There are some handy rules to be applied in hermeneutics. 1.) The Bible must be read in the right spirit. By this we mean the Bible should be read passionately and personally while being involved in what we read. We also mean that the Bible reader should read between the lines. 2.) Historical narratives are to be interpreted by the "didactic." This word means "literature that instructs or teaches." Example, The gospel accounts record what Jesus did whereas the epistles interpret the significance of what He did. Now this is an oversimplification because the gospels do at time teach and instruct. Another example is that in the gospels we find the recorded events whereas in the epistles we find the significance of those events in terms of doctrine, exhortation and application. 3.) The implicit is to be interpreted by the explicit. 4.) Determine the meaning of words from its original language. (Hebrew /Greek) Top
5.) Note the presence of parallelism. Example: synonymous parallelism, this occurs when the second line repeats the first with little or no added meaning. (See Psalm 2:2-4) 6.) Be careful with parables. Jesus often taught with parable. Questions come to mind like what was the original intent of the story? Did Jesus use parables to make His spiritual truth more understandable? Or did He use them to obscure His teaching? (Mark 4:10-12) 7.) Be careful with predictive prophecy. The interpreter must always begin his exegesis by asking this question. What did this prophecy mean for the people who lived at the time in which it was uttered? Old Testament prophecies should be interpreted in the light of the newer revelation. (Amos 9:11-15 cf. Acts 15:12-19) When interpreting prophecies, we must not lose sight of its expected fulfillment or its conditional character. (Jer.18: 7-10) Top
Historic Premillennialism-Is the eschatological position that holds to a literal millennial reign of Christ on the earth. It should not be confused with dispensational premillennialism, which holds to seven major dispensations throughout Scripture. Prior to the coming of Christ the Church will face severe persecution along with a personal Antichrist who will also persecute the Church, but his stay will be short lived. Christ shall appear and triumph over the Antichrist, cast Him in the lake of fire and begin His millennial reign on the earth with the heavenly saints as well as the saints that remain on the earth. After the blissful reign of Christ and the Church, the wicked dead will be raised up and appear at the general judgement. And after this, the new heavens and the new earth will be created. Finally eternity will be ushered in. Theologians such as Bengel, Godet, Hofmann, Lange, Ellicott, Guiness, Kellogg, Zahn, Newton, Trench and others hold this particular view. Top
Illumination - Deals with the enlightening or understanding of truth already revealed. Illumination generally accompanies inspiration or is included in it, but not always, as it is seen from I Peter 1:11. Psalm 119:18 "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." The apostle Paul attributes this illumination to the third person of the trinity. I Cor2: 12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God," (I Cor2: 14; John 14:17, 26; 16:12-14) Top
Immanence - This doctrine affirms God’s activity in the world He has made. The deists taught that God was transcendent in a way that is not taught in the Bible. They believed that the world was like a giant clock which God wound up at creation. It then runs by itself while the creator pursues other things. Thus, in this view God is like an absentee landlord who owns a property which has been lent out to others, but because of the distance between himself and the house he never goes there to see how things are. In opposition to this the Bible teaches that God is intimately concerned with His creation and constantly active in it. He not only created it but actively sustains all things by His will. (Psalm 145:9, 14-16) Therefore, the world is not independent of God but dependant upon Him for its existence. Top
Immutability - Described by Louis Berkhof, as "that perfection of God by which He is devoid of all change, not only in His perfection’s, but in His purposes and promises."
Heb.1: 11,12 The heavens, "will perish, but Thou remainest; and they all will become old as a garment, and as a mantle Thou wilt roll them up; as a garment they will also be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end." (Isa.34: 14)
Stephen Charnock rightly says, "How cloudy would his blessedness be if it were changeable; how dim his wisdom if it might be obscured, how feeble his power if it were capable to be sickly and languish, how would mercy lose much of its luster if it could change into wrath, and justice much of its dread if it could be turned into mercy, while the object of justice remains unfit for mercy, and one that hath need of mercy continues only fit for the divined fury?" God is always the same. Time makes no addition to him, nor does it diminish anything from Him. God’s nature, essence, will, and wisdom have always been the same from eternity past and shall be the same to eternity future without any variation. Top
Incarnation - This word means "in flesh" and refers to the full humanity of the second person of the trinity. The doctrine is taught in passages like John 1:1 and 14 where the Word who was God became flesh. The incarnation was predicted in the Greek translation of Psalm 40:6 which is quoted in Hebrews 10:5. "Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me." In this text the writer of Hebrews shows that this means that Christ’s incarnation was for the purpose of making Himself an atoning sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 10:5-10) This clarified his earlier declaration that the incarnation had made it possible for Jesus to disarm the devil and deliver His people. He was made like His brethren so that He might be a faithful and merciful high priest in making a propitiation for their sins. (Hebrews 2:14-17) The incarnation is also clearly taught by Paul in passages like Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 3:16 and Philippians 2:5-8. The incarnation is an essential doctrine of the Christian faith. It is so essential that the apostle John identified a confession of the incarnation as the undeniable evidence of the work of the Spirit of God in 1 John 4:2. In 2 John 7 those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh are called deceivers and antichrist. Top
Incommunicable Attributes - emphasize the absolute being of God. These eternal attributes of God belong only to Him, and cannot in any way be transferred to the creature. For example, the attribute of God’s Self- Existence depends not on anything outside Himself. The ground for His existence takes place within Himself. God is independent in His being, and everything else depends upon God for their existence. As the apostle Paul said to the Athenians in Acts 17:28 "for in Him we live and move and exist," as even some of your poets have said, "for we also are His offspring". The "Omni" attributes of God are also incommunicable attributes such as God’s Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Omnipotence. Only God can be present everywhere at the same time. His omnipresence is not by extension, multiplication, or division of essence. He is everywhere, similarly as the soul is all in every part of the body. The whole essence of God is here, is there, and everywhere. Chrysostom said, "God is everywhere and nowhere". Nowhere, he means God is not bound by any place, and everywhere, he means God is not tied down to any place as the creature is. Top
Infralapsarianism - This word is used in theology to define the view that God’s choice of the elect contemplated them as fallen in Adam. Thus, according to this view, the order of God’s decrees is the exact opposite of what the supralapsarians say it was. Infralapsarians say that God’s love for the elect was based upon a choice which contemplated them as being "in Christ". (Ephesians 1:4) Therefore, those who take this position desire to give prominence to the mediatorial work of Christ. If God choose the elect without reference to Christ’s mediatorial work, then how could Paul say that their election was in Christ? The debate between infra and supralapsarians has been carried on by able defenders on both sides. It is difficult to determine which of these two positions best reflects the teaching of Scripture since the order of the divine decrees is something which is not revealed in scripture. In fact, the very idea of an "order of decree" is an anthropomorphism. If it were literally true that there is an order of decrees in the mind of God this would contradict His omniscience by which He knows all things all the time and does not have to think in consecutive terms. Therefore, it would seem appropriate to select the best that each of these two views has to offer and avoid debates about things that are known only to God. Top
Justification - The verb form "to justify" means to declare as or accept as righteous. Negatively this means that the one to be justified is considered to be without any sin. This is a greater blessing than forgiveness since the latter blessing is a remission of sins that had been recognized while justification contemplates a man as never having been a sinner. Positively justification means that a man is accepted as being in possession of a perfect righteousness that has fulfilled the whole law. The fullest description of this doctrine is found in the letter of Paul to the Romans. It is clear that this declaration is not based upon works since those who are justified are said to "have sinned and fall short" of an acceptable righteousness and are "ungodly". (Romans 3:23; 4:4) The justification of sinners is expressly called a gift in Romans 3:24 & 5:15-18. The sinner’s standing before God is not based upon works of righteousness which he has done but upon the work of Christ done for him and on his behalf. (Romans 3:24-26) The active and passive obedience of Christ are imputed to him as the ground of his justification before God (2 Corinthians 5:21) and this righteousness is received by faith alone. (Romans 4:5) Justification is a distinct blessing from the sanctification which necessarily flows from it. Justification is the result of the work of Christ for the believer and changes his legal standing before God. Sanctification is a work of the Holy Spirit in the believer and changes the condition of his heart. The righteousness which justifies the sinner remains outside him in Christ and is only experienced by faith. The righteousness which sanctifies him is worked in him and is experienced by him. Justification is complete the instant it is received in faith. Sanctification is never complete in this life. The blessing of justification also gives those who believe an infallible title to eternal life so that all who are justified are also glorified and no one can condemn those whom God has justified. (Romans 8:30-34) Top
Kenosis - This is the Greek verb "to make void" or of no account" It particularly has reference to the humanity of Christ as presented by Paul in Phil.2: 6-8 "although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in likeness of men." The liberal view is that Christ emptied Himself of His divine attributes when He became man. This view does not have a Scriptural basis. The Reformed position on this is that Christ certainly did not empty Himself of any of His divine attributes. There is a real sense in which Christ emptied by adding a body. In other words Christ did not assert His divine prerogative because He took the bodily form of a servant. One example of this is that the humanity of Christ could not be in Jerusalem and Samaria at the same time. Christ laid aside His glory except on rare occasions. He became poor so that we might become rich. He also became subject to the demands and to the curse of the Law, and in His entire life became obedient in action and suffering to a shameful death. Top
The Kingdom of God - Is to be understood as the reign of God in human history through Jesus Christ. There are essentially two major aspects of the kingdom of God 1.) The redemption of God’s people and, 2) The final establishment of the new heavens and new earth. It encompasses all kinds and classes of people and a great deal of time as well as a great deal of territory. The kingdom is not a political or earthly kingdom. As our Lord before Pilate clearly expressed " My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36) The kingdom of which Jesus refers to in the model prayer, "Thy kingdom come," (Matt.6: 9-13) is not a request that the Kingdom would come into being because the Kingdom already exist. There is what we might call the kingdom of grace, which presently exercises the conscience of God’s people. It is a kingdom that increasingly operates in our hearts. (Luke 17:20,21)
Paul indicates that the kingdom of God is not a mere physical manifestation. (Rom.14: 17) This kingdom of grace rules the will and affections of man, in fact it brings the whole man in subjection to Christ. There is also the kingdom of glory, which co-exist with the kingdom of grace. They differ not by nature but only in degree. Grace precedes glory and if you have grace you most certainly have glory. The insightful puritan Thomas Watson said, "the kingdom of grace is glory in the seed, and the kingdom of glory is grace in the flower." The kingdom of God includes both a positive and a negative aspect. Redemption is the positive aspect for those believers who enter the kingdom by faith. Judgement is the negative aspect for those who reject it. Our Lord sites for us many examples of the kingdom of God. 1.) Building your house on a rock verses building a house on sand.
(Matt.7: 24-27) 2.) The parable of the marriage feast - Matt. 22:1-14. There was those who rejected the invitation to the wedding feast. The Jews, by and large rejected the prophets. They were stiff necked. (Jer. 7:25,26; Psa.95: 10; Isa.1: 2-15) God who is patient, sent out another invitation. Yet still their depraved hearts refused to accept the invitation and instead they killed those servants. The parable points out that God has a limit to His patience, so judgment comes by way of Titus the son’s emperor of Rome and Jerusalem is destroyed in AD 70. The temple is burned and the city is left in ruins. (Luke19: 41-44) A third invitation is sent out but this time it’s given to the Gentiles. (See Matt.21: 42,43) and the poor in spirit come in to the wedding hall. The covenant of the Lord still remains in force in spite of the unwillingness of the Jews. God is able to make children of Abraham out of stones! (Matt.3: 9) Top
Limited Atonement - This doctrine represents the third letter in the TULIP formula. It involves an interpretation of the will of God with respect to the death of Christ. This doctrine "limits" the intention of the Father and of the Son in the cross to the actual redemption of the elect and not to provide a hypothetical salvation for every individual if they will only believe the gospel. Scriptural evidence for this doctrine comes from those passages that definitely limit the intention of God in the sacrifice of His Son to the elect. (John 10:15) From this evidence it is argued that it makes no sense to limit God’s intention to save the elect by the death of Christ if it was His actual intention to save every individual. Another line of evidence comes from those passages, which define the purpose of God in the atonement as an actual accomplishment of salvation rather than a possibility. (John 1:29) And thirdly, the coordination of the sacrifice of Christ with His high priestly ministry in heaven at the right hand of the Father. (John 17:9) The question raised by this line of evidence is, ‘why would Jesus offer a sacrifice for each and every man and then refuse to pray for the fruits of that redemption to be applied to the vast majority of them? The atonement seems to be defined as having a universal application in passages like 1 Timothy 2:6. However, the "all men" for whom Christ gave Himself as a ransom are to be understood as referring not to every individual man, but to some of all kinds of men; that is Jews, and Gentiles, educated and uneducated. (Colossians 3:11) This relative sense of the phrase "all men" is common in Scripture. When Matthew says that "all men" were baptized by John, his meaning is clearly some of all kinds not every individual. (Matthew 3:5,6) When Jesus predicted that "all men" would be drawn to Him as a result of His atoning sacrifice, He meant that some of all kinds, not every individual. (John 12:32) Thus even a passage like 1 Timothy 2:6 does not contradict this theory of the atonement. Top
Millennium - The one thousand-year reign of Christ in Revelation 20 has been interpreted in many different ways all of which fall into one of three separate categories. Premillennialism understands this rule to be fulfilled in a literal kingdom on earth lasting one thousand years following the Second Coming of Christ. According to this view this is when the promises respecting the kingdom in the prophets will be fulfilled. (See Ezekiel 36-39 for example) The amillennialist and postmillennialist believe that the millennium refers to the present reign of Christ from heaven and so its establishment is before the Second Coming. The first resurrection is interpreted as the regenerating work of the Spirit in connection with John 5:21-25. The thousand years is interpreted as a symbol of an indeterminately long duration. (See Psalm 50:10) Some preterists view the millennium as the fulfilment of a promise to the early Church to exalt those who were martyred for the faith. It is interesting to note that the description of the blessings associated with the millennial reign are parallel with the promises given to the martyrs of the seven Churches of Asia in chapters two and three. A crown of life and exemption from the pains of the second death were promised to the martyrs of Smyrna in Rev. 2:10,11. The martyrs of Thyatira were promised a share in Christ’s rule over the nations in Rev. 2:26,27. And the over comers in Laodicea were promised a share in Christ’s dominion in Rev. 3:21. These preterists understand the first resurrection as a symbol of the intermediate state in which the martyrs of the beast (Rome) were blessed by the presence of God in heaven. Their participation in Christ’s dominion is interpreted by them as a participation in His victory over sin and death. (2 Timothy 2:11,12) Top
Omnipresence - An attribute of God which explains His relationship to space. The word itself means "everywhere present." The doctrine means that the divine essence is not bound by space. He is present everywhere at the same time. This attribute is affirmed in Jeremiah 23:24 where God asks, "Do I not fill heaven and earth? " Perhaps the most complete statement of this doctrine in Scripture is in Psalm 139. Here David makes God’s omnipresence personal. There is no escape from the divine presence. Wherever David might go to flee from Him, God is already there. (7-10) This is the use we should make of this doctrine. Our entire lives are lived in the presence of God. We should therefore be conscious of His presence in our everyday life knowing that He is watching the evil and the good that we do. (Proverbs 15:3) Top
Omniscience - With this attribute God knows Himself perfectly as I Cor2: 11"Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God." (Matt. 11:27) God knows the past, the present and the future altogether at once. I Sam. 2:3 " The Lord is a God of knowledge" The Hebrew plural number, " knowledge’s or "all kinds of knowledge" The puritan, Stephen Charnock (1628 - 1680) puts it this way, "What is the knowledge of man but a spark to the whole element of fire, a grain of dust, worse than nothing, in comparison of the knowledge of God, as His essence is in comparison of the essence of God?" God knows all that is actual; he knows everything that is, has been or shall be. God knows all that is possible. This means He knows things that are non-existent -and are therefore just possibilities. Example: The Lord knows what you would be doing if you were not a Christian. He knows the non-existent consequences, failures, successes, and status. He knows if you would be dead or alive, imprisoned or free separated or married, rich or poor. God knows what He could create. He knows what He would not create. (Rom. 4:17) God knew those things He has created before they were created, when they were yet a possibility. God knows the past as if they were present, to His knowledge. Eccl. 3:15 "That which is, has been already, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by." (Gen. 30:22; Mal.3: 8-16; Job 14:17.What about the believer’s sin? Heb.8: 12, God in pardoning is said to forget sin, not that He ceases to know it, but ceases to punish it. He has no lapse of memory, but does have judicial forgetfulness. Top
Ordo Salutis - Is the Latin term meaning "the order of salvation" The Reformed position of the order of Salvation is essentially God’s call precedes regeneration. Regeneration precedes faith. There is in a sense one call, but two aspects of that call. There is the External Call which is God calling the sinner through the gospel message. The other aspect is God calling the sinner through the Internal Call or sometimes known as Effectual Call whereby the Holy Spirit calls the sinner within his heart. The Scriptures give us skeletal frame of the order of Salvation in Romans 8:29-30 There the Apostle Paul speaks of Effectual Calling, Justification, and Glorification. Top
Paedobaptist - Are those who baptize infants and small children of believing parents and treat them as members of the church. Antipaedobaptists on the other hand argue that to do so is both unscriptural and presumptuous. But Reformed paedobaptists argue just as there’s no direct command to baptize children so there is no direct command to baptize only those who make a personal profession of faith. Biblical principles have the force of commands by good and necessary inference. There is a sacramental continuity between both testaments that not to baptize children of believing parents would require some explicit word of repeal. Children of believing parents rightly are "a heritage of the Lord" Psalm 127:3-4. The Reformed paedobaptist position is based upon the unity of the covenant of grace and the oneness of the people of God in all ages. As John Murray declares: "The basic premise of the argument for infant baptism is that the New Testament economy is the unfolding and fulfillment of the covenant made with Abraham, and that the necessary implication is the unity and continuity of the church." The apostle Paul joins both signs together in Colossians 2:11,12 ... "And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." Jesus Himself commanded his disciples, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as there." These children who are children of covenant parents and these little children who actually are covenant children. Peter argues from the same standpoint in Acts 2:39, "the promise is for you and your children and for all who are afar off." At least twice in Acts and once in I Corinthians is the reference to household baptisms (Acts 16:15,33,34; I Cor. 1:16; 16:15) Perhaps the greatest argument comes from Paul in I Cor. 7:14. Here, Paul expressively declares that the children are holy. There is a sanctifying effect of the believing spouse on the marriage relationship as well as a sanctifying effect on the children due to the believing spouse. Paul of course does not mean that the children are actually saved by the relationship, but he ascribes covenant status to children of parents who are themselves members of the church of Jesus Christ. Top
Parallelism - Belongs to the work of hermeneutics, which is the science of interpretation. It is the relationship between two or more sentences or clauses that correspond in similarity. There are essentially three types of Parallelism: 1) Synonymous, Antithetic, and Synthetic. Synonymous Parallelism deals with pairs such as earth, dust; enemy, foe; Jacob, Israel; voice, speech; people, nations; and similar combinations. See Psalm 2:2-4
Example: "Kings of earth / rulers"
"Take counsel together"
See also Isaiah 53:5 - "Pierced / crushed
"Transgression / iniquities
Antithetic Parallelism - This occurs when the two parts set in contrast to each other See Prov. 13:1; 10; 4 Top
Synthetic Parallelism - (Step Parallelism) refers to a development of thought in which the second line adds ideas to the first and a conclusion on the third line. See Psalm1: 3 Note the three steps: planting, fruitfulness, endurance. See also Proverbs 3:13-20 Top
Perseverance of the Saints - This doctrine is the fifth letter in the TULIP soteriology. It means that the elect are incapable of falling away from God’s grace so as to be lost again. This inability is ascribed in the Bible to the work of the Spirit in regeneration. Those who are truly regenerated cannot fall away from the faith completely as the antichrists did John’s day. (1 John 2:18,19) This is why the writer of Hebrews made a distinction between those hypocrites who had fallen away from the faith and those who had remained faithful. The hypocrites had received many privileges common to membership in the Church. Still, all that they had experienced fell short of the "things that accompany salvation". The distinguishing mark of salvation is enduring in faithfulness until the end. (Hebrews 6:4-12) Some are discouraged by suffering. Others are distracted by the pleasures of sin. But the elect endure because God is working in them by His Spirit. (Philippians 1:6) This doctrine has sometimes been confused with the antinomian phrase "once saved always saved". Perseverance does not mean that the elect will be saved whether they persevere or not. If they turned away they would be condemned. Perseverance means that the elect will be faithful until the end. Top
Postmillennialist - The postmillennialist believes that the gospel will achieve widespread acceptance in the future. The basis for this hope rests upon a literal interpretation of the promise to call all the Gentile nations to salvation in passages like Psalm 86:9. Postmillennialism tends to thrive in prosperous times just as premillennialism with its inherent pessimism is accepted in times of trouble. It has been a source of great encouragement in many missionary endeavors particularly with the Puritans. In recent times, Postmillennialism has been associated with a Liberal view of the inevitability of progress. Top
Predestination - In a general sense deals with God’s purpose respecting His moral creatures. The Hebrew word yada refers to a choice based upon knowledge. Israel for example had been predestined to be God’s people among all the peoples of the earth. (Amos 3:2) The Greek usage Prognosis means "to decide upon beforehand, predetermine." The death of Christ was predetermined; (Acts2: 23, 4:28) the salvation of the elect was predetermined before the foundation of the world, the Christian’s inheritance as well has been predestined long ago in the decree of God. All men and angels are the objects of God’s predestination. God’s election of some men for the purpose of salvation in and by Christ was based on His gracious purpose alone. The election of angels is based upon God’s most holy and wise decree. Elect angels did not fall but nonetheless are considered elect angels with holy works. (Mk.8: 38; Luke9: 26;I Tim.5: 21) The non elect angels on the other hand have fallen in rebellion towards God. (II Pet.2: 4; Jude 6) There are two parts of predestination, namely election, and reprobation. Top
Preterist - A preterist is one who believes that most New Testament eschatology was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. They interpret the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24; Mark 13 and Luke 21) as a prediction of the destruction by the Romans as retribution for the Jewish role in the death of Christ. The book of Revelation is also interpreted as fulfilled in the same event. The Babylonian harlot (Judaism) is destroyed by the beast from the sea (Rome). The rest of the symbols are understood as depicting the events leading up to the destruction of the temple. The primary evidence brought forward to prove this interpretation is the temporal statements in Revelation and the gospels which indicated an immanent fulfillment. (Matthew 24:32-34; Revelation 1:1-3) Preterists interpret the phrase "last days" as a reference to the last days of Israel’s covenant with God among the nations, not as a reference to the final days before the Second Coming. Top
Providence - Is that work of God by which He preserves all His creation, God in providence directs and controls everything in the universe to their appointed ends.
There is no such thing as "blind fate" or "luck," because as Proverbs teaches the whole disposing of events is the ordering of the Lord. (Prov.16: 33) Every event is for the glory of God. He is like a great pilot steering the ship of creation, involved with every move, sustaining the work of His creation. God’s providence is to be observed. The Puritan Thomas Watson said, "It should not be the Christians’ Bible, but the Christians’ diary."
God’s providence is irresistible; no one can hinder it. When the time was come for God to release Joseph, the prison could hold him no longer (Psa.105: 20). If God’s providence were for one moment to be withdrawn there would be utter confusion, the universe would dissolve and all of God’s creatures would be confounded. As Watson puts it, "our clothes would not warm us, our food would not nourish us, without the special providence of God." For the elect, God works out every thing for their good. (Rom. 8:28) Let all His people give God thanksgiving for His merciful providence that protects us and cares for us daily. Top
Purgatory - Is the Roman Catholic doctrine of purging sin for those members who have committed venial sins. Rome teaches two categories of sin, Mortal sin is the most severe and may endanger persons’ soul forever if a person dies with a mortal sin on his soul. However venial sin is less severe and may be expiated by the flames of purgatory. The duration of suffering for sin may be a long time as much as one thousand years or more. The Roman Catholic faithful may aid the suffering souls through the purchasing of "indulgences" which are remissions before God of sin. In exchange for the purchase of indulgences the Pope dispenses out this " treasury of the Church", through the administration of the priests, the merits of Christ, Mary, and the saints in behalf of and for the benefit of the purchaser’s loved ones suffering in Purgatory. This teaching is not a Biblical doctrine and is strictly an invention of the Roman church. Only the atoning blood of Christ is sufficient for the expiation of sin. At the judgement seat of Christ the genuine believer in Christ will be justified and fully acquitted. (Rom.4: 25; 5:1,9) Top
Rapture - The rapture is the catching up of the saints to meet the Lord upon His return to the earth. Paul speaks of this in his first letter to the Thessalonians. (1 Thessalonians 4:17) In Dispensationalism the rapture marks the end of the Church age and the beginning of the great tribulation which immediately precedes the coming of Christ to establish the millennial kingdom. In Reformed theology the rapture of the saints immediately precedes the final judgement and restoration of all things. Top
Regeneration - Comes from the Greek word (anagennao) meaning "beginning from above." The new birth described by our Lord in John 3:3,5, originates from heaven. The Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration is compared to the wind. It sovereignly moves; it sovereignly accomplishes its end. The Holy Spirit’s work is effectual and irresistible, the same power which God wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. Eph.1: 19, 20. There is a passing out of death into life, (John 5:24, Col.2: 13), and a taking away of the heart of stone and a giving of a heart of flesh. (Eze.11: 19) Top
Repentance - There are three words in Old Testament Hebrew which are translated "repentance" which mean either to sigh, to be sorry, or to turn back or away. There are two words used in the Greek New Testament that mean to regret or to think differently. The idea expressed by the combination of all these words seems to point to a change in the whole person; both in his attitudes, affections and behavior. This meaning is confirmed by prophetic speeches like Ezekiel 18:30,31 where repentance is defined as "casting away transgressions and making a new heart". The importance of repentance is revealed by its connection with forgiveness. Peter joined the two together in his preaching on the day of Pentecost and following the healing of the lame man at the temple. (Acts 2:38; 3:19) When Jesus appeared to Paul He commanded him to preach repentance and forgiveness together. (Acts 26:15-20) Even human relationships can only be restored through repentance as Jesus taught in Luke 17:3,4. This significance of repentance has led some to conclude that we are not saved by faith alone without our works. However it should be remembered that repentance itself is a gift of God to His elect and not a human accomplishment. (Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:24-26) Top
Reprobation - Is the negative side of predestination. It implies that some members of the human race were not elected to salvation in Christ. It is God’s decree whereby He has determined to pass some men by with the operation of His special grace and to punish them in their sins in order to manifest His justice. God is not in any way obligated to keep man from falling. (John 9:39) The Scripture points out the utter lost condition of the reprobate. The reprobate has been finally given up unto their sins. (Rom.1: 21-28) God’s wrath is manifested upon "vessels of wrath"(Rom.2: 5, 6) Jonathan Edwards put it this way, "God lets them now gather their fuel in which to be burned. He lets them ripen to be trodden in the winepress. He lets them dry out for the fire. The heathen are reprobates by circumstantial unbelief. They never even hear the gospel and thereby are not in any position to believe, but because of their sins of nature and deed are condemned though not so dreadfully as the "gospel hardened" who sin against even greater light." Top
Revelatory gifts - Revelatory gifts are the result of a specific work of the Holy Spirit. It involves a revelation of the purposes of God and takes several distinct forms. In the Old Testament God spoke to men through the prophets in many different ways. (Hebrews 1:1) Some of the methods God employed included visions, dreams and the ephod which the priest wore. (Numbers 12:6; 1 Samuel 23:6-12) The apostles used lots on at least one occasion to determine the will of the Lord. (Acts 1:24-26) Revelatory gifts usually involved ecstatic speech that completely overwhelmed the one experiencing it. (1 Samuel 19:19-24) In the New Testament the "charismatic" or miraculous gifts of the Spirit included revelatory gifts. Prophecy or ecstatic speech continued as with the Old Testament saints. In addition there were other gifts like a word of knowledge or of wisdom, tongues and the interpretation of tongues which were revelatory in nature. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) The exact nature of the gift of tongues has been a matter of debate among Christians. Some say that these were unknown languages to the speaker but not to the hearer as on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-11) Others claim that the need for a spiritual gift to interpret the gift of tongues proves that it is not a language used among men but a heavenly language that only the angels understand. (1 Corinthians 14:16; 13:1) What should not be in debate among Christians is the revelatory and temporary character of these gifts. The gift of tongues like prophecy reveals mysteries. (1 Corinthians 14:2) In fact the gift of tongues is prophecy in an unknown language. The mysteries revealed by these gifts included the meaning of the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:6-13), the inclusion of the Gentiles as fellow heirs with the Jews in salvation. (Ephesians 3:1-6; Colossians 1:25-27) and the future salvation of the Jews. (Romans 11:25-27) Therefore, the question of whether there should be revelatory gifts in the Church today is really a question of whether we should expect God to give the Church a new revelation of His will. The Church as it presently exists is founded upon the once for all testimony given by the apostles and recorded in the New Testament. (Ephesians 2:20; Jude 3) A renewal of revelatory gifts (such as the gift of tongues) would imply that the doctrine taught by the apostles has been surpassed by a new revelation. The apostolic doctrine recorded in the New Testament does not require any new miraculous signs to confirm its truth since the miracles of the early Church already have provided that confirmation. (Hebrews 2:1-4) Top
Sacredoalism - is the belief that salvation is mediated through priests and the sacraments of the Church. In Roman Catholic theology, forgiveness is obtained by the sacrament of penance and the absolution of the priest. The danger of this perspective is twofold. First of all because it misinterprets the true meaning of the sacraments. Sacredoalism understands the sacraments as an efficacious means of salvation apart from the gift of faith rather than as a sign and pledge of God’s goodness that is received by faith. Secondly, sacredoalism is dangerous because it tends to lead those who believe it to trust in their own works and the authority of human priests instead of resting in the finished work of Christ. Thus, the divine purpose in giving the sacraments to the Church, which is to direct her faith to Christ as the only savior of men, is obscured by this heretical doctrine. Top
Sacraments - The reformers emphasized the priority of the Word of God. God created man that he might obtain knowledge through the senses of the ear and eye. The ear is the channel by which the word is communicated and the eye is the way in which the sacraments are manifested. Sacraments are never complete without the word. The word engenders faith and strengthens faith, while sacraments serve to strengthen faith.
There are only two sacraments that were instituted by Christ. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These sensible signs are used as benefits of the covenant of grace and applied to believers. The elements used are water, bread and wine. These sacraments are use to deepen our consciousness of spiritual blessings of the Covenant. Although grace is not acquired through the sacraments, saints are obligated to obey the divine precept. Neglecting the sacraments results in spiritual impoverishment and has a destructive tendency. The sacraments of the Old Testament such as circumcision and the Passover represent the same spiritual realities in the New Testament. An example, under Moses they were baptized. (I Cor.10: 1-4) Under Abraham’s circumcision was a seal of faith. The sacraments of both dispensations are used interchangeably. (I Cor. 5:7;Col.2: 11,12) Top
Sanctification - The basic idea of sanctification is setting apart. The two words that describe for us the meaning comes from the Hebrew word qodesh and the Greek word hagiasmos both having the meaning "holiness." The Sabbath was set apart from all other days, as a day of worship and rest from labor. Under the Old Testament, the tabernacle, its furniture and the sons of Aaron were set apart for the service of God. (Exodus 29:44) The nation of Israel was set apart from the rest of the nations because of God’s covenant. (Leviticus 11:44,45) And the offerings designated as "holy gifts" were the exclusive property of the LORD or the priests. (Lev.22: 10-15) In the New Testament Jesus sanctified Himself as guilt offering so that His followers might also be sanctified. (John 17:19) The Church is sanctified by the "washing of water with the word" just as Jesus prayed that they might be sanctified by the truth. (Ephesians 5:25,26; John 17:17) The opposite of this consecration is profanity, treating something holy as if it were common. Thus the Corinthians were rebuked for treating the Lord’s supper as if it were a common meal and were guilty of not discerning the presence of Christ’s body in the supper.
(I Corinthians 11:20-34) The agent of sanctification is the Holy Spirit. As the apostle Peter says: "According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of blood of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 1:2) Finally, sanctification is our cooperation with the Holy Spirit’s work in us. Paul gives us that balance in Phil. 2:12-13 " work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure." God’s work in us is not suspended because we work, nor our work suspended because God works. The means the Holy Spirit uses to conform us to Christ is God’s word. (John 17:17) Top
Satanology - The study of Satan. The Hebrew word Satan means adversary or enemy. He is called the accuser in Revelation 12:10. We have an example of this in the opening chapters of the book of Job where Satan accuses Job of serving God for selfish goals. (Job 1:9-11) This picture is repeated in Zechariah 3 where the prophet saw a vision of Satan standing against Joshua the high priest accusing him. He is also called the serpent and a deceiver in Revelation 12:9. There may be a reference here to the serpent who tempted Eve in the garden. Interestingly the words for a serpent and a diviner in Hebrew are from the same root. Thus Satan is associated with the false prophets who led Israel astray. (1 Kings 22:1-23) And his activity in the last days is described as a deluding influence sent by God to punish those who did not receive the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) He was working in Peter when he tried to persuade Christ not to go to the cross. (Matthew 16:21-23) He was working in the Jewish leaders as they plotted to put Jesus to death. (John 8:44) He was also working in the false apostles who "transformed themselves into the ministers of righteousness" as they proclaimed circumcision and obedience to the law of Moses in place of faith in Christ’s righteousness. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) Top
Session of Christ - This phrase refers to Christ’s act of sitting down at the right hand of God following His resurrection and ascension into heaven. The Bible declares this fact in the sermons of the apostles, (Acts 2:32-36) and in their letters. (Ephesians 1:18-21) Sitting in the Bible is a picture of ruling. The rule of the Elders over the Church is expressed by their sitting. (Psalm 107:32) This idea of ruling has even carried over into our own language. It used to be common to speak of "the seat of authority". Jesus sat down in heaven to rule in the midst of His enemies until the time appointed by the Father to put all things under His feet. (Psalm 110:1-7) This session of Christ was interpreted by Paul and Peter to be the fulfillment of God’s promise to seat David’s son on an eternal throne. (Acts 2:29-36; 13:32,33) Jesus declared to His disciples that "all authority in heaven and on earth" had been given to Him. (Matthew 28:18) This was similar to His declaration that "all judgement" had been given to Him. (John 5:22) Paul interpreted this as his understanding of the present reign of Christ that He had been exalted far above every name. (Philippians 2:9) Therefore Jesus commanded His disciples to go to all the world and teach His commands to every nation because they were all accountable to Him. (Matthew 28:18,19) Top
Soteriology - The word indicates "to save" from the Greek word sozo or the Hebrew word yasa, meaning "to deliver, save, or liberate." The scope of salvation deals with at least twelve vital doctrines such as redemption, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation, propitiation, conviction, repentance, faith, regeneration, sanctification, preservation, and glorification. The parameters of the plan of salvation are given a full treatment by the theologian Benjamin B. Warfield in his book "The Plan of Salvation," He first lists Autosoterism which is self-salvation. They are those who believe that they can work for their salvation. This is a Pelagian system of works. Secondly, there are those known as Sacerdotalist who believe salvation comes through the Church and its priestly ministry. This is largely the Roman Catholic position. Thirdly, There are those who adopt a Universalist point of view, which believe all men will eventually be saved. The Reformed view is the fourth view, which teaches that Salvation is by Grace alone, through faith alone and by Christ alone. (Eph. 2:8, 9) Top
Sovereignty - It is One of God’s attributes, which is infinitely elevated above the highest creature. It is God absolutely independent and subject to no one. God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. Isaiah 46:10 " My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure" The apostle Paul spells out God’s Sovereignty in one reference, regarding our salvation. God, "having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will." The great Calvinistic preacher, C H Spurgeon said in his sermon on Matthew 20:15: "There is no attribute that is more comforting to His children than that of God’s Sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that Sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that Sovereignty overrules them, and that Sovereignty will sanctify them all." Psalm 135:6 succinctly puts it, "Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places." Some have argued that the Sovereignty of God destroys human responsibility but A.W. Pink sees it from the right perspective when he says, "human responsibility is based upon Divine Sovereignty, and is the product of it"
Perhaps the grandest display of the absolute Sovereignty is the Biblical emphasis upon the elect whose foundation is a perfect one (II Tim.1: 19). As for the reprobate, his foundation is sinking sand. The Lord will have "mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardens" (Rom.9: 18) Top
Supralapsarianism - This theological term comes from Latin words that mean "above the fall." It refers to a belief that God’s choice of certain sinners had no reference to His decree regarding the fall of man into sin. Thus the proponents of this position regard God’s election as something which He ordained before He contemplated them as fallen in Adam. Those who take this position say that it is necessary to understand the order of God’s decrees in this way to preserve His grace free from considerations outside Himself. The name Yahweh comes from the Hebrew verb "to be" and literally means, "I will be what I will be". This name signifies God’s independence and self-determination. If God were moved to love the elect because he saw them fallen in Adam this would be a response to something in man and not a determination of His own will, which is said to be the cause of all things in scripture. (Ephesians 1:11) Thus the supralapsarian position is taken by those who want to defend the freedom and sovereignty of God from the corruption of what they see as a subtle Arminian influence in the infralapsarian view. Top
Systematic Theology - The root understanding comes from the Greek word (Sunistano) which means, "to bring together." All the various aspects of Theology are brought together in an orderly manner. i.e. Theology begins with God. This is called Theology Proper, which scope covers the doctrine of God, His existence, attributes, Trinitarian distinctions, decrees, and works. Followed by Anthropology the study of man in relation to God. Followed by Soteriology, which deals with man’s salvation. Etc. Thomas Aquinas said, "Theology comes from God, it deals with God and leads to God." Theology is the queen of the sciences. Though the word "theology" itself is not found in the Bible, the etymology of the word is from the Greek meaning "God and Word" which is clearly found in the Scripture. Top
Theology Proper - Is the doctrine of God, His existence, attributes, Trinitarian distinctions, decrees, and works. Within this theological science there is the treatment of God with respect to His nature, argument for His existence, attributes, decrees and Trinitarian arguments and works. The great Thomas Aquinas said, "Theology comes from God it deals with God, and leads to God" (See definition for Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology) Top
Theophany - Is God coming down from heaven to earth in human form. In Eden we take notice of God walking with man in the cool of the day. (Gen.3: 8) Following the fall of man and his expulsion from the garden, God would no longer walk with man. Yet God in His grace did come to man in various forms. The ultimate form was when Christ was born as it clearly says in Galatians, "When the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law." The ultimate theophany came in Emmanuel. (God with us) Christ came into the world to be one with us, to walk and go before us and to restore that fellowship lost by Adam in Eden.
We may divide theophanies in two categories: 1.) Impersonal and 2.) Personal, An impersonal theophany came in the form of a burning bush with Moses (Exodus 3:2,4) A similar one appeared in the pillar of cloud and fire (Ex.21-22). Personal theophanies are to be noted in Exodus 33:14 "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest" We are told that God appeared to Jacob as a man and wrestled with him. Jacob said, " I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved." (Gen.32: 24-30) This is a most astonishing incident. We are to understand this: that the second person of the trinity, who appears in human form, is the preincarnate state of Christ. This holds to the principle stated in John 1:18: "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." In Genesis 18, one of the three angels who is called, "Lord" is to be taken as the Second Person of the Trinity who appears thus in human form. Jesus was the fourth man in the fiery furnace along with the three Hebrew young men. The form of the fourth "was like unto the Son of Man" (Dan.3: 25) Top
Total Depravity - The first of the "five points of Calvinism" sometimes referred to by the acrostic, "TULIP". The doctrine of total depravity emphasizes the complete inability of fallen men to do anything towards salvation. They are viewed as "dead in sin". (Ephesians 2:1) They cannot come to Christ. (John 6:44) Therefore, if men are to be saved it must be because God has changed their natural disposition to be hostile towards Him. (Romans 8:7) Those who profess a belief in total depravity teach that faith and repentance are a gift from God before they become a work of man. This belief is reflected in passages like Acts 11:18, 2 Timothy 2:24-26, and Philippians 2:12,13. The contrary views that men must repent and believe either "on their own" as in Palagianism or "with God’s help" as in Arminianism, presents a serious threat to a Biblical understanding of the freedom and sovereignty of God’s grace. Top
Transcendence - This doctrine teaches that God is separate from the world and independent of it. Transcendence is implied in the divine name, Yahweh. God existed before the world came into being. (Genesis 1:1) And He would exist even if the world came to an end. (Psalm 102:25-27) Transcendence is the opposite of a pantheistic worldview in which God is viewed as being contained by the world and not existing apart from or outside of it. Top
Universalism - This term is used for a variety of theological beliefs which share a common theme. The common theme is the assumption that God has a saving love for all men. In Liberal theology this means that He will save all men regardless of whether they believe or not. Therefore, all religion, even atheism, can be viewed as road which leads to eternal life. In the Neoorthodoxy of Karl Barth, universalism means that God has chosen all men "in Christ" but only those who actually believe will be saved. The Arminian view of the atonement is a third example of this tendency. This view asserts that Christ died to save every individual of the human race. The fact that some are not saved is attributed to their ignorance or to their unbelief. The Bible argues against each of these forms of universalism. Against Liberalism the Bible teaches that there is no other name besides the name of Jesus which can offer men salvation. (Acts 4:12) Jesus said to the Jews, "unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins". And Paul wrote that salvation was impossible apart from belief in the truth. (Romans 10:13-15) Against Barth the Bible asserts that God has predestined a particular group of sinners to salvation in Christ. Those who are predestined are the same as those who are in fact saved. (Romans 8:29,30) The Bible knows nothing of a hypothetical salvation that will never be realized. Those who are not saved were rejected before they were born, or had done anything good or evil like Esau. (Romans 9:10-13) And against the Arminian view of the atonement Christ said that He came to give His lifeas a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28) He laid His life down for His sheep not for those who did not believe His words. (John 10:15,26) He sanctified Himself as an offering for the sin of those who follow Him. (John 17:19) Top
Visible and Invisible Church By these terms we do not mean there are two different churches, but two aspects of the one church of Jesus Christ. Invisible stresses essentially her (the church’s) spiritual essence. It’s impossible to determine who actually belongs to the body of Christ and who does not. The union of true believers has been called a mystical union. Calvins’ perspective helps us to focus our thinking regarding the church. He states it this way: "the principle task of the invisible church is to make the invisible church visible." And the Theologian Berkhof puts it this way, "the invisible naturally assumes a visible form." Those who are enrolled as church members are considered part of the visible church. In other words you can actually count them. But it is also true that those written on church rolls may not be genuinely regenerated. Kuiper puts it: "only the regenerated are of the visible church." I John 2:19 The church is a living organism, (Eph. 4:12,15,16) growing and being built. Immaturity is not acceptable. None of us within the church have the liberty to be static. Isolation is forbidden. When the body over performs there is a malfunction, when it under performs there is a malfunction. The body must be balanced and grow in love. Top