|
Agape |
A type of love discussed in the Bible wherein the one showing love puts the
happiness and well being of the object being love about his or her own
happiness and well being even to the point of sacrificing oneself and doing
it no matter what the object being loved does in return (if anything). |
|
Alpha and Omega |
From the Greek alphabet, the first and last letters. The beginning and the
end. |
|
Amen |
A Hebrew word meaning "May it be so." |
|
Amillennialism |
"A" meaning 'no" and "mille" meaning "1000." This teaching says there is no
1000 year reign of Jesus on earth. |
|
Amyraldian |
One who believes that Jesus died effectually for every human being and that
God only applied the benefits of Jesus' death in a saving way to God's elect
people. |
|
Anabaptist |
A re-baptizer. At the time of the Reformation, most churches baptized
babies. The Anabaptists re-baptized believers on the profession of the
believer's faith, thus instituting credobaptism. |
|
Annihilationism |
Teaching that the wicked dead go to hell and are burned up and cease to
exist. Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in a hell so they believe the
wicked dead cease to exist immediately when they die. |
|
Anthropocentric |
Man (Human) centered. |
|
Anthropomorphism |
Ascribing human characteristics to God. |
|
Anthropopathism |
To ascribe human feelings and emotions to God. |
|
Antinomianism |
Living without a law (or The Law). Living a lawless life without rules or
boundaries. |
|
Antinomy |
Two "seeming" contradictory statements which are both demonstrably true. |
|
Apocrypha |
Seven books added to the Old Testament by the Roman Catholic and Eastern
Orthodox Churches. Protestant reformers believed the books were of a lesser
quality than the inspired books and also that they taught doctrine that
contradicted other portions of Holy Scripture. Additionally, Jewish groups
of the day did not accept the seven books as inspired or equal to Scripture.
Thus, they are not found in the Protestant Canon of Scripture. |
|
Apologist |
A person who can argue for the Christian faith. "Apologetics" is the study
of how to defend the Christian faith against critics and opponents. |
|
Apostasy |
The act of once professing the truth then later refuting or renouncing that
truth. |
|
Apostolic |
Having to do with the Apostles. |
|
Arianism |
A position that teaches that Jesus is more than a man but less than God. He
is the first creation of God. |
|
Armageddon |
In the study of the end times, this is to be the final battle of mankind
which is brought to an end by the sudden appearing of Jesus Christ to take
up his throne on the earth. The word is derived from the name of the Valley
of Meggido called Har Meggido. |
|
Arminianism |
The teaching that man is born totally depraved and that God gives each
person a measure of prevenient grace to overcome that depravity. Salvation
comes by cooperating with the grace God has given. |
|
Auricular Confession |
The Roman Catholic practice of confessing their known sins to a priest or
other "confessor." |
|
Backsliding |
When a Christian falls into sin. |
|
Baptism |
A church ordinance in which a new Christian is lowered (immersed) in water
as an act of identification with Christ in the New Convenant, as a rite of
initiation into the local church, as a picture of the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus, and as a testimony of a living faith in Jesus as God
and Savior. |
|
Baptism of the Holy Spirit |
This event happens at the conversion of a sinner to a child of God. In it,
the Holy Spirit comes to live in the new Christian and at the same time,
absorbs him or her into the universal Body of Christ. |
|
Baptismal Regeneration |
The false teaching that one's sins are washed away in the baptistry waters.
That one is "born again" in the act of baptism. |
|
Benediction |
A blessing usually given at the time of parting. |
|
Blasphemy |
A statement that directly attacks or insults the Person of God. |
|
Born Again |
Also called the "new birth." See "Regeneration." |
|
Calvinism |
The teaching that God sovereignly chooses who He will save and
accomplishes all the meritorious work to accomplish that salvation. God then
calls people to respond to what He has done for them and empowers them to do
so. |
|
Canon |
The recognized list of books of the Bible. For Protestants, this means the
66 books of the Bible, 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books. |
|
Carnal Christian |
See "Sandemandianisn." A person who believes that taking Jesus as Savior
and as Lord and God are two different things, so that one can claim to be
saved from God's wrath, and yet live in willful disobedience to God. This
person, claiming to be saved and living in disobedience is supposed to be a
carnal christian. This is not a small error. Such a person completely
misunderstands what salvation is about. |
|
Catechism |
A study of the teachings of a particular church or denomination. Most often
it is in the form of a question and answer format. For example, from the
Westminster Catechism ... |
|
Catholic |
Latin for "universal." When spelled with a small "c" it denotes the
universal Church which is comprised of all genuine believers in Jesus Christ
from all times, nations, peoples, and languages. When it is spelled with a
capital "C" it generally denotes the Roman Catholic Church or a member of
that Church. |
|
Cats and Dogs |
Furry creatures brought to us by God that teach us how to give and receive
unconditional love and to bring joy and happiness into our lives. I had to
toss this in as a cat and dog lover. Shoot me. |
|
Cessationism |
The teaching that miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, for example ...
speaking in tongues and healing, passed off the earth at the end of the
Apostolic age. |
|
Charismatic |
A type of Christianity forming in denominational churches which manifests
certain miraculous occurrences similar to Pentecostalism. |
|
Christian |
A person who believes that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the God-man, the
Messiah of Israel, who lived a sinless life and died as a personal
substitute for the sinner's sins. |
|
Christocentric |
Christ centered. |
|
Christophany |
A pre-incarnate appearance of Christ on the earth. |
|
Church |
This word is used in two ways. First, the universal (catholic) Church is
the Mystical Body of Christ comprised of all genuine believers both living
and dead from all over the world. The local church is a gathering together
of like minded believers for the purpose of worship, teaching, fellowship,
prayer, charitable works, and the carrying of gospel to the ends of the
earth. |
|
Church Discipline |
The procedure for trying to recall a church member who has fallen into open
and unrepentant sin back to full fellowship with the church body and the
universal church. |
|
Church Fathers |
Those who were the disciples of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. |
|
Clergy |
The part of the Body of Christ that ministers the word of God to the people
and who care for the souls of the flock of Christ. |
|
Common Grace |
The teaching that God's Spirit is active in the world among all men
accomplishing God's purposes. |
|
Confession |
A longer statement of faith covering all the major doctrinal areas believed
by a person, group, church, or denomination. In some places also called a
"Statement of Faith." |
|
Confession of Sin |
Agreement with God about the saints inherent sinfulness and his or her
constant need for grace, saving faith, and God's mercy. |
|
Consubstantiation |
The Lutheran teaching that when the minister blesses the bread and wine in
the Lord's Supper, that the true body and blood of Jesus are mixed with the
bread and wine in the Communion elements. |
|
Continuationist |
A person who believes that miraculous operations of the Holy Spirit, such
as those listed in 1 Corinthians 12, are still operating in the present day. |
|
Contrition |
Sincere remorse. |
|
Conversion |
The moment when a sinner exercises saving faith in Jesus Christ as Savior
and God and is saved, being passed from spiritual death to spiritual life. |
|
Coram Deo |
Latin for "Before the face of God." |
|
Covenant |
A contract. The word "Testament" also means covenant. A covenantal
Christian is one who views history through the filter of the covenants God
has made with mankind. |
|
Creationism |
The teaching that God created the universe and all that is in it in six
literal days. |
|
Creationism (dealing with the soul) |
The teaching that the soul is supernaturally created by God and put into
the infant's body at the time of ensoulment. |
|
Credobaptist |
A person who believes one should be baptized after making a credible
profession of faith in Jesus as God and Savior. |
|
Creed |
A short statement of what the writer's believe the Bible teaches. Two
famous creeds are the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed. |
|
Deacon |
A servant to the congregation. Deacons often help the pastors in the work
of the ministry and to see that all members of the congregation are taken
care of equally and fairly. |
|
Death |
Separation. When a person's spirit separates from their body they are
physically dead. When a person's spirit is separated from God they are
spiritually dead. |
|
Decalogue |
The Ten Commandments. Exodus 20 |
|
Demon |
A fallen angel, one who worshiped Lucifer as though he was God when he
demanded it of them. They exist now to do Satan's (Lucifer's) will and make
war on the saints. |
|
Denomination |
A subset of Christianity. Some denominations are Baptists, Churches of
Christ, Assemblies of God, The Church of God in Christ, Episcopal,
Methodists and Presbyterians. |
|
Disciple |
One who patterns his or her life after another person's. A student of a
particular person's teaching. |
|
Disfellowshipment |
To be removed by discipline from the membership of a local church body. |
|
Dispensationalism |
A teaching that divides human history into 7 time periods culminating in
the restoration of Israel to it's prominence among the nations and the
reinstitution of Old Testament animal sacrifices in the last Temple in
Jerusalem. |
|
Doctrine |
A teaching. |
|
Dualism |
The false teaching that God and Satan are equally powerful beings fighting
for control and rulership over the universe. |
|
Duty Faith |
The teaching that all men everywhere have a duty to believe the gospel. |
|
Eisogesis |
Adding meanings into the Bible text that are not in the text being
considered. |
|
Election |
To choose out of a group. In theology, the teaching that God has chosen
which people out of the human race that He has given to the Son and
will show grace to and bring to salvation. |
|
Emergent (Church) |
A modern approach to operating and teaching in churches built around
post-modern philosophy. |
|
Ensoulment |
The time at which a person's soul enters their body. |
|
Epistle |
A letter. |
|
Eschatology |
The study of the end times. |
|
Eschatology |
The study of the things dealing with the end of time and the future
eternal state. |
|
Evangelism |
Carrying to gospel to those who need it. Also a Christian sharing the
gospel with a non-Christian in a effort to invite the non-Christian to
confess for themselves the truths of the gospel message. |
|
Ex Nihilo |
Latin meaning "from nothing." |
|
Exclusivity of Christ |
The doctrine that there is no other way to peace with God except through
faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. |
|
Excommunication |
See Disfellowshipment. |
|
Exegesis |
Correct interpretation of the Bible text. Correctly explaining the Bible
text. See "expository preaching." |
|
Exogesis |
Deleting plainly found meanings from the Bible text under consideration. |
|
Expiation |
The carrying away of the penalty for sin. To relieve or cleanse from guilt. |
|
Expository Preaching |
The proclamation of the word of God as it is opened and explained in it's
correct context and meaning by the preacher. |
|
Federal Headship |
The teaching that a group of people share the identity of the group's head.
For example, all humans are under Adam's federal headship and thus share in
his guilt and the consequences of that guilt for his sin in the Garden of
Eden. |
|
Free Moral Agency |
The ability to chose freely from among the choices available. |
|
Free Will |
Also called "Libertarian Free Will," the ability to chose even those things
that are not among one's available choices. |
|
Gap Theory |
A theory of the earth's origins that teaches that Genesis 1 |
|
Gnosticism |
A teaching that the flesh and spirit are opposed to each other. Gnostics
believe one can live in debauchery and yet be holy in spirit. Also they
teach that Jesus was not God but was a man on whom God's "Christ spirit"
lived in. They believe when Jesus died on the cross God took away the
"Christ spirit" and that Jesus died as any other man. |
|
Gospel |
The Hebrew word meaning "Good News." Also called "the Evangel" in
Greek. It is the good news of the redemption of sinners to God through the
death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. |
|
Grace |
God's decision to and act of show(ing) mercy to sinners. |
|
Heresy |
A teaching, that by holding it, separates a person from the historic
Christian church. |
|
Historia Salutis |
The playing out of the order of salvation (ordo salutis) in actual time. A
Latin phrase. |
|
Hypercalvinism |
A heresy that carries biblical Calvinism beyond what the Bible says. It
essentially holds that God works without means. It is noted by some or all
of these teachings, a denial of common grace, a denial of duty faith, a
denial of the need for evangelism, a desire to find the elect and to preach
the gospel to them only. These are a few hypercalvinist teachings, but is
not exhaustive. |
|
Hypostatic Union |
The joining together of the divine and human natures in the Person of Jesus
Christ. |
|
Idol |
Anything that holds a higher place in a person's mind and affections than
the One True God does. |
|
Imago Dei |
Latin for "The image of God." |
|
Immaculate Conception |
Often mistaken for the teaching of the Virgin Birth, this Roman Catholic
doctrine teaches that Mary was conceived without the sin nature (see
Original Sin) humans inherit through their parents. Therefore, according to
Roman Catholic theologians, Mary was sinless as Christ was sinless. |
|
Imputed Righteousness |
The works of Jesus Christ being counted to a person's account. |
|
Incarnation |
God becoming a human being. |
|
Indulgence |
The granting of the either partial or full forgiveness of the consequences
of sin given in return for the performance of some action of penance or
piety. A Roman Catholic teaching. |
|
Inerrant |
Without mistakes. |
|
Infallible |
Without error in the teachings. |
|
Infralapsarianism |
The teaching that God decreed to create humans and knowing they would fall
into sin, chose to save some of those humans. |
|
Infused Grace |
The Roman Catholic teaching that God makes person just and righteous. The
Catholic cooperates with God through the sacraments of the Church in order
to become just, hoping that, at the end of life, they will be just enough
for God to allow into heaven. |
|
Irresistible Grace |
The doctrine that God draws all those He has chosen to save to Himself by
changing the sinner's will and revealing, by the Holy Spirit, a person's
helplessness in sin and need for a savior, then showing Christ to the
sinner. This work of the Holy Spirit always results in the conversion of
sinners to Christ. |
|
Justification |
The declaration of God that the demands of the law against the sinner have
been satisfied. God makes this declaration based on the work of Jesus Christ
on the sinner's behalf, thus Christ satisfies the law's demands as the
sinner's substitute. |
|
King James Onlyism |
Believing that the King James Version of the Bible is the only inspired
version of the Bible in English. |
|
Laity |
The part of the church body that is not clergy. A clergyman is called a
minister. One of the laity is called a layman (or laywoman). |
|
Lapsarianism |
Dealing with the order of the decrees of God. |
|
Limited Atonement |
Another name for Particular Redemption. |
|
Lord's Day |
The first day of the week. This is the traditional day of worship for the
Christian Church in celebration of the day Jesus rose from the grave. |
|
Lord's Supper |
Also called "Communion." This is the church ordinance where believers of
like faith partake of the grape juice and unleavened bread after a period of
self examination to proclaim the truths of the gospel message (to be
reminded that one body and blood was given for many and that the many form
the One Mystical Body of Christ). |
|
Lordship Salvation |
The teaching that when one is converted to Christ that Jesus is not only
that person's Savior but also his Lord and that to be a Christian means
being a follower (disciple) of Jesus. Being saved means, not only being
saved from God's wrath against sin but also means being set apart to be a
disciple of Christ. The two go together. This is the opposite of
Sandemandianism. |
|
Marcionism |
A teaching that the Bible presents two gods, a mean Old Testament god and a
nice and kind New Testament one. Also, that the only parts of the Bible that
are scripture for Christians are the gospel of Luke, the book of Acts and
the letters of Paul. |
|
Marriage |
A covenantal relationship instituted by God between a man and woman for the
procreation and raising of children, the stability of society and the
happiness of the married partners. |
|
Martyr |
One who suffers terribly, sacrifices greatly, or dies for their faith. |
|
Millennialism |
Having to do with the 1000 year reign of Christ. |
|
Miracle |
An event that takes place outside the normal operating laws of the physical
universe. |
|
Missionary |
One who carries the gospel message to people who need to hear it. |
|
Modalism |
A heresy that teaches that only Jesus is God and he works in different
modes at different times. So, in the Old Testament Jesus was the Father.
During the gospel times, He was Jesus, and now He is the Holy Spirit. People
who hold this heresy will say "He manifests himself in different modes." |
|
Monotheist |
A person who believes in only one God. |
|
Mortify |
To kill something. |
|
Natural Revelation |
The knowledge of God that can be obtained through the natural world. |
|
Normative Principle of Worship (NPW) |
The idea that what is not forbidden in scripture is acceptable for
worship. |
|
Object of Faith |
Christ alone, his Person and completed work. |
|
Open Theism |
A teaching that claims that God knows everything that can be known but does
not know what does not exist to be known. Therefore God does not the
decisions of His free will creatures and thus, the future is open and
unknown to God. One open theist writer suggests we call God "omnicompetent"
instead of "omnipotent." |
|
Ordo Salutis |
Latin for the Order of Salvation. The sequence of events in a sinner's
conversion to Christ. |
|
Original Sin |
The teaching that the sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden is passed on to all
humans who come after him. This sin nature is passed from father to child
from generation to generation. |
|
Paedobaptist |
One who baptizes infants. |
|
Parable |
A story that teaches a lesson. |
|
Particular Redemption |
The teaching that Jesus died on the cross to actually secure the salvation
of an innumerable band of people that have been given to him by the Father. |
|
Pastor |
The leader appointed by God to lead a local congregation. The call of God
to leadership is affirmed by a vote of the congregation. Two other terms
used for pastors are "elders" and "bishops." Elders are those who are mature
in the faith. Bishops are the overseers of the congregation and pastors are
the shepherds or caretakers of the congregation. See also "clergy." |
|
Pelagianism |
The teaching that humans are born neutral towards God and learn to become
sinners by being raised by people who are sinners. Pelagius taught Jesus
lived a sinless life to give people a sinless example to follow and humans
can save themselves by following the example Jesus gave us. |
|
Pentecostal |
A branch of Christianity that traces it's roots back to the Azuza Street
revival in the first years of the 1900s. |
|
Perfectionism |
The teaching that a Christian, after conversion, can learn to become
sinless. |
|
Perseverance of the Saints in God |
The doctrine that God continues His work in a person, even though the
person may fall into sin from time to time, until the person is ultimately
glorified in heaven with Christ their savior. |
|
Polytheist |
A person who believes in more than one god. |
|
Postmillennialism |
Believing that Jesus returns to the earth at the end of a 1000 period of
peace brought on by the reign of Christ's Church over the earth. |
|
Postmodernism |
A philosophy that teaches that there are no universal truths and that truth
is true for an individual but not for all people. Also, if there are things
that are truly true then they are not knowable with any degree of certainty. |
|
Predestination |
The doctrine that God, before time, set the ultimate end of every human's
life. |
|
Premillennialism |
Believing that Jesus returns physically to the earth at the beginning of a
1000 year period when he will reign personally and physically over the
earth. |
|
Prevenient grace |
Grace given by God to every human to overcome the depravity of men's souls
and their slavery to their sin nature. |
|
Priesthood of the Believer |
Each believer is his or her own priest. They don't need any other person to
stand between them and God. |
|
Process Theology |
The teaching that God is like humankind, He grows and learns and makes
mistakes and learns from his mistakes. The name comes from the phrase that
God is "in process." |
|
Prophet |
A person who speaks God's words. In modern usage, a person who preaches
against the sins of our present age. More generally, although loosely
applied, any biblical preacher. |
|
Propitiation |
Satisfaction. |
|
Protestant |
A Christian from one of the sects that trace their history to church
leaders who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century.
Any member or descendant of the Lutheran, Calvinist, or Anabaptist Reformed
traditions. |
|
Providence |
God's hand guiding the history of the earth and the humans who inhabit it
according to the pleasure of His will. |
|
Pseudepigrapha |
Books not included in the sixty six books of the Bible or the apocrypha
that claim to be biblical in character. |
|
Puritans |
English Protestants who hold, almost unanimously to Calvinistic theology.
The pilgrims who came to America were puritans. |
|
Question 1 |
"What is the chief end of man?" Answer |
|
Quicken |
To make alive. |
|
Rapture |
The teaching that Jesus will come back to the earth to gather his people
off the earth to himself. Folks who hold to the rapture believe that a time
is coming when God is going to pour out his wrath against the earth during a
seven year time period. This is called the Tribulation. Rapture believers
are divided as to when the rapture will happen, but all tie it to the seven
year tribulation. Some are Pretrib, meaning the rapture will happen before
the tribulation. Some are posttrib, meaning the rapture will happen after or
at the end of the tribulation. Some are midtrib believing the rapture
happens at the mid point of the tribulation. |
|
Reconciliation |
To change from an enemy to a friend. |
|
Reformed |
Having to do with the teaching of the Reformers who broke away from the
Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. See the definition of Calvinism. |
|
Regeneration |
The New Birth. This is the sovereign act of God in bringing the
spiritually dead sinner to spiritual life. It is the first act in the
process of conversion. Also called the "second birth." |
|
Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) |
The principle that the only acceptable acts of worship are what are
explicitly commanded in the Bible. |
|
Relic |
A physical item associated with Jesus, the Apostles, or other Christian
leader. |
|
Repentance |
A change of mind that results in a change in action. In salvation, turning
from one's own works of righteousness and putting one's saving faith in the
works of Jesus Christ on the person's behalf. |
|
Reprobate |
One who dies lost and apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ. |
|
Reverend |
A title of respect for a member of the clergy. A title for one who
ministers in the Name of God among the people of God. |
|
Revival |
A movement of God among His people through which He stirs a weak or dying
or backslidden faith back to full life. It has been defined by one writer as
a "people saturated with God." |
|
Righteousness |
Right covering, right clothing. In theology, it is the works we do to make
ourselves acceptable to God. The Bible says that our righteousness are like
filthy (putrid) rags. Jesus Christ, with his sinless life, imputes his works
to our account in our conversion. (See "imputed righteousness"). |
|
Sabbath |
The seventh day of the week. Generally Saturday, but more accurately it is
from sundown Friday night till sundown Saturday evening. |
|
Sacrament |
A outward act which, when performed, confers inward grace to the one
performing the act. |
|
Saint |
A person who has been set apart by the Holy Spirit through Christ for God
the Father. Any saved person. See "Christian." |
|
Salvation |
The state of being rescued from God's wrath in the future judgment by the
substitutionary death of Jesus Christ personally for the sinner. |
|
Sanctification |
To be set apart. In Christian theology, sanctification is the process of
the Christian life by which the disciple moves closer towards Jesus,
becoming like Him and moving farther from the world and it's ways and
values. Related topics include holiness, sanctified, saint, etc. |
|
Sandemandianism |
A heretical teaching that one can accept Jesus as savior and accept Jesus
as Lord another time. This teaching separates being a believer in Jesus from
being a follower of Jesus. It is also called "Non-lordship theology." |
|
Satan |
Once called "Lucifer," he was an angel that became full of pride and
demanded the other angels worship him as though he were God. One third of
the angelic host did and these are now called "demons" though they are
fallen angels. |
|
Schism |
Separation. Division. |
|
Seeker Sensitive |
An approach to planning churches and church activities built around the
professed needs of "seekers" (lost people who might be open to church
things). |
|
Seminary |
A school for the training of pastors, educators and theologians. |
|
Serpent Seed Doctrine |
A heretical teaching that Satan (as the serpent) has sex with Eve (Adam's
wife) and produced Cain (who killed Abel) and that the physical descendants
of Cain are children of the Devil. Many white supremacist groups hold that
these children of Satan can be seen in that they are not born white and use
this doctrine as a basis for their racism. |
|
Sh'ma |
(Pronounced Shema) This is the pronouncement among the Hebrews "Hear O
Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord is One." This is a belief also held
among all Christians. |
|
Socinianism |
A denial of any supernatural element in the Bible. A denial of anything
miraculous. |
|
Sola |
Latin for Alone, Only. |
|
Sola Fide |
Latin for "faith alone," Martin Luther developed this idea to show that the
Bible teaches that a Christian is justified by faith alone in what Christ
has already done for them at the cross and not by what they do to please
God. |
|
Sola Scriptura |
Latin for "scripture alone." It is the teaching that Holy Scripture is the
sole rule (the only judge) of acceptable doctrine and manner of life for the
Christian. |
|
Soli Deo Gloria |
The fifth "sola" of the Reformation. It is Latin for "To the glory of God
alone." |
|
Soul Liberty |
The teaching that each person is competent for themselves to determine what
is acceptable worship of God for them, so long as nothing they do violates
scripture. |
|
Soul Sleep |
A doctrine, most often found in cults, that teaches that when a Christian
dies, the soul is sleeping in the grave until the day of final judgment ...
then the soul goes to be with the Lord in heaven. A teaching that there is
no conscious existence for the Christian after death until the day of final
judgment. |
|
Speaking in tongues |
A teaching that God miraculously gives some believers (some groups believe
all believers) a "heavenly" language during which the person is able to
receive direct revelation from God. Related is a "Private Prayer Language (PPL)"
an alleged heavenly language given to a believer for the purpose of prayer.
These teachings are prominent among Pentecostal, Charismatic, and other
groups, but are not believed in, or practiced by all. |
|
Special Revelation |
The knowledge of God that be obtained by the things that God tells us
through His word. |
|
Supralapsarianism |
The teaching that God chose His elect people then put them into sinful
humanity even before God had decreed to create the human race. |
|
T.U.L.I.P. |
The acrostic for the (so called) 5 points of Calvinism, also called the
Canons of Dordt. They stand for (T)otal depravity |
|
Tetragrammaton |
The name given to the four letters used in Hebrew to represent the Name of
God. "YHWH" which is often pronounced "Yahweh" but is pronounced "Jehovah"
in the modern English. It is derived from Hebrew for the words "I AM." |
|
The Five Solas of the Reformation |
The pillars or foundational ideas on which all Reformed Protestant doctrine
was developed. In order they are sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide,
solus Christus, soli Deo gloria. They are remembered in English like this,
"According to scripture alone, we are saved by grace alone through faith
alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone." |
|
The Formal Principle of the Reformation |
Sola Scriptura (scripture alone). |
|
The Golden Rule |
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye
even so to them |
|
The Gospels |
The first four books of the New Testament. |
|
The Great Commandment |
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and
strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like unto the
first, that thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Mark 12 |
|
The Great Commission |
"Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost |
|
The Hound of Heaven |
A Puritan name given to the Holy Spirit. |
|
The Material Principle of the Reformation |
Sola Fide (faith alone). |
|
The Second Death |
Eternal separation from God of the reprobate in the eternal lake of fire. |
|
Theist |
A person who believes in a god. |
|
Theistic Evolution |
A teaching that God created all things and evolution was His means to do
it. |
|
Theocentric |
God centered. |
|
Theodicy |
The theological question of the existence of evil in light of the fact that
God is good and holy. |
|
Theology |
The study of the things of God. |
|
Theophany |
An appearance of God on earth. |
|
Torah |
The first five books of the Bible. |
|
Total Depravity |
The teaching that every part of a human being (his total being) that is,
his or her mind, will, emotions, body, intellect and so on, are infected by
sin and therefore, not able to contribute to the salvation of the sinner in
the sight of a holy and righteous God. |
|
Traducianism |
The teaching that the soul is naturally generated by the parents of a
child. |
|
Transubstantiation |
The Roman Catholic teaching that when the priest blesses the bread and wine
in the Lord's Supper, that they actually become the true body and blood of
Jesus Christ and is no longer bread and wine. |
|
Tribulation |
Any period of great suffering. In eschatology, it is the teaching that God
will pour out His wrath against sinful humanity in a seven year time period.
The culmination of this seven years is called "The Great Tribulation." The
end of the Tribulation time period is supposed to usher in the millennial
reign of Christ on earth. |
|
Trinity |
The Godhead. The three Persons of God, the Father, the Eternal Son, and the
Holy Spirit. Each one is completely God, yet together they are the One True
God. |
|
Truth |
What agrees with reality. |
|
Unconditional Election |
See "Election." The doctrine that God chose who He will save before the
foundation of the world, without any conditions on the part of the person. |
|
Unitarianism |
The attempt to combine all religions into one religion that takes the
"best" parts of every religion. |
|
Universal Atonement |
The teaching that Jesus died on the cross for every human being who ever
lived, is living or ever will live. In so doing, he made salvation possible
for every person but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone. |
|
Universalism |
The teaching that everyone will eventually go to heaven. |
|
Virgin Birth |
Relating to Christ, the fact that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was
conceived. |
|
Warrant of Faith |
The command of God to repent and believe in the gospel message. |
|
Word-faith Theology |
A teaching that God's plan for every Christian is that they be healthy,
wealthy and happy. Certain teaching of word/faith theology make this
teaching a heresy and not just an error. |
|
Young Earth Creationism |
The teaching that God created the world and all that is in it in six
literal twenty four hours days not long ago in history. Young earthers argue
that the earth is not less than seven thousand years old and not more than
(perhaps) fifteen thousand years old. |
