INTRODUCTION
Postmodern assumptions now dominate the North American conversation landscape, such as, “A term can mean whatever you want it to mean, for example, marriage.” Further, many who have been in church for years have only the fuzziest notions about the meaning of central biblical or theological terms. This implies an ever greater challenge for those engaged in Christian teaching and preaching. There is a place for a book for everyday believers that says, “Christian terms have standard meanings, and here are the historic, orthodox meanings of essential terms.”The bog in your hands was prepared for this reason.
Each of the 52 terms is presented in a two-page study, organized into 8 major biblical categories. All begin with a pertinent citation from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, continue with a concise definition, move on to a brief discussion, and close with thought questions and a devotional prayer. Why 52 terms?
To learn about one Christian term each week for a year is a reasonable goal for even the busiest of persons.
I have written from a broadly evangelical perspective. My treatment is sensitive to areas where there are major differences of opinion, such as dispensational eschatology, Calvinism, Pentecostal issues, and the sacraments or ordinances. On the other hand, I affirm as a foundation the classic confessions of the churches (the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed) and the five pillars of the Reformation (salvation as taught in Scripture alone, by Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, to the glory of God alone).
If you relate positively to these beliefs and want to gain a better understanding of essential Christian terms, this bog is for you.
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THE APOSTLES’ CREED
(traditional wording; historically associated with baptism)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried;
(He descended into hell;)
The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven,
And sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church;
The communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins;
The resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
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THE NICENE CREED
(traditional wording; historically associated with the Lord’s Supper)
I believe in one God,The Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
And of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
The only-begotten Son of God,
Begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,
Begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;
By whom all things were made;
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven,
And was made incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary,
And was made man;
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered and was buried;
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures,
And ascended into heaven,
And sits on the right hand of the Father;
And He shall come again, with glory,
To judge both the quick and the dead;
Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son;
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified;
Who spake by the Prophets.
And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church;
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins;
And I look for the resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come. Amen.
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I. GOD
Who is God?What is He like?
Thinking about these questions has driven the greatest thinkers and philosophers of the ages. In today’s world, the issue—on the popular level at least—seems to be propelled by two notions.
On one side is the idea that God is whatever or whoever the individual makes Him (or It or Her) out to be. Everybody’s idea is equally valid. Do you want God to be like “the Force” (some benevolent entity) like in Star Wars?
Fine, even though there’s a dark side. Do you want God to be like a genie dispensing health and wealth just for the asking?
If this works for you, go for it.
The other notion is driven by a growing awareness of the religion of Islam, which worships only one God?
Many people have assumed that the God of Islam (Allah?) and the God of Christianity are identical. Thus the question arises, Is the God of Islam the Father of Jesus Christ?
Are Muslims and Christians—both claiming to worship the only deity there is?
Are both serving the same God?
Christians begin with the Scriptures, not with popular culture or with someone’s experiences of “God.”
Follow the study of these seven terms that point to the true identity of the God of the Bible. In particular, note the last study, on the Trinity.
If, as orthodox Christians have always affirmed, God eternally exists in three Persons—Father, Son, and Spirit—then the answer to the two questions at the end of the previous paragraph must be a resounding NO.
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1. Glory
I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice sounded like the roar of mighty waters, and the earth shone with His glory.... Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
DEFINITION: God’s glory is the display of His greatness, goodness, and beauty so that persons are aware of Him through sensory experiences such as sight and sound. To glorify God means to respond to His revealed glory in the ways Scripture teaches, such as praise, love, joy, and obedience.
Glory in the Old Testament usually represents a word meaning heaviness or weight (Hebrew kabod). Not surprisingly therefore, human beings have often recognized God’s glory in weighty or massive appearances: snow-capped mountains, starry skies, roaring oceans, or a splendid house of worship such as Solomon’s temple or a medieval cathedral. God’s majesty or worthiness was particularly revealed when His presence accompanied the Israelite's from Egypt. When the cloud rested on Sinai, Moses saw God’s glory (Ex 24:15-18). That glory was also associated with the tabernacle in the wilderness and the Jerusalem temple (Ex 40:34-35; 2 Ch 7:1-3). Many Jewish sources used the term shekinah (meaning “that which dwells,” but not found in Hebrew Scripture) to refer especially to the manifested presence of God.In the New Testament, the Greek word for glory is doxa, as in the title of the classic hymn, “The Doxology” (literally, “a word of glory”). In the Gospels God’s glory was seen by shepherds at Jesus’ birth and by the disciples throughout His ministry (Lk 2:9; Jn 1:14). Jesus’ death and resurrection displayed the glory of God (Jn 12:23-28; Lk 24:26). The second coming of Jesus will powerfully reveal God’s glory (Mk 8:38).
The Epistles teach that the glory of Christ and the glory of God are one and the same. The implications for followers of Christ are astounding. Paul told the Corinthians, “God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness’—He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Co 4:6). Thus, in the original creation, God’s glory was manifested by the creation of light. Now in the new creation—sinners made into saints—God’s glory has been experienced in human hearts, formerly dark places, “in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Throughout the ages Christians have believed that God does all things for His glory. The logic is simply this: because God is the greatest, best, and most beautiful Being, then the most wonderful thing He can do is display Himself. This, in turn, means that human beings who have truly experienced His glory can’t help but respond positively. To glorify God is to attach weight or worthiness to Him—and then to respond with all one’s might (see Ps 150). One of the great documents of English speaking Christians, The Westminster Confession, famously stated, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Paul wrote, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory” (1 Co 10:31).
REFLECTION:
Which displays of God’s greatness, goodness, and beauty have moved you the most?
How can you be more intentional about glorifying God day by day?
Do you enjoy God?
How?
PRAYER: Lord of glory, You have shown your greatness in all Your creation. You have revealed Your goodness through Jesus Christ. Your beauty is seen in all that You are and do. Teach us Your servants to glorify You through all our days unto eternity. Amen.
2. Holiness
Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming.”
DEFINITION: Holiness is the quality of being set apart. God is holy because He is like no other, and He exists eternally as the Holy Spirit. God’s holiness includes His moral perfection and righteousness. Persons, places, and things set apart for God are holy rather than common.
The incomparable holiness of God is celebrated throughout the Bible, such as in the Song of Moses and the Prayer of Hannah (Ex 15:11; 1 Sm 2:2). The psalms ring with His holiness. His name or character is to be recognized by all others as holy: “For the High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy says this: ‘I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed’” (Isa. 57:15). Because God is holy, His promises must certainly be fulfilled and His judgment against everything unholy is sure (Ps 89:35; Am 4:2).God is unsearchable and past finding out, inspiring awe and fear. When humans are confronted with God’s holiness, their own unholiness is the more clearly realized, as in the case of Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-7). All this stands in tension with the personal dimension of God as one seeking to relate to His creatures. God’s holiness (which separates Creator from creation) and His person-hood (which makes fellowship possible between the Creator and His creatures) are equally true.
The Book of Leviticus in particular focuses on holiness. God ordered the Israelite's to set themselves apart from everything ritually or morally profane: “I am the Lord your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy” (Lv 11:44). The Apostle Peter applied this text to God’s new people (1 Pt 1:15-16). See the article on sanctification for more about the holiness of persons.
Because Jesus is fully divine, He has the same holiness that is attributed to God (Lk 1:35; Jn 6:69). Although God’s Spirit worked throughout the Old Testament, He was rarely called the “Holy” Spirit until the birth of Jesus. In Acts and the Epistles, the Spirit gives spiritual life to those who once were unholy and hostile to God. The Holy Spirit lives in all believers, to enable both holy living and good works (Rm 8:9). Christians are frequently called holy ones or saints.
Because God is holy, He will not tolerate ungodliness forever. Divine holiness means that judgment of sin is necessary. God will render a final verdict for all humanity. Everything unholy will be condemned and there will be a new and perfectly holy creation. Peter wrote that “based on His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell” (2 Pt 3:13).
REFLECTION: In what circumstances have you learned the most about God’s holiness? What are the personal implications in your life for God’s command, “Be holy because I am holy”?
PRAYER: Lord God, You are holy and awesome. Thank You that You exist forever in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Let me become so engulfed by this truth that I am compelled to become more holy. I long for the unfolding of the new creation in which holiness will dwell eternally. Amen.
3. Sovereignty
Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. In Your hand are power and might, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name.
DEFINITION: God’s sovereignty includes both His power to do all that He wills and His rightful exercise of authority over His creation and His creatures. As the Almighty, His rule is righteous, and He expects human beings to recognize and submit to His lordship.
In the language of classic Christian teaching, God’s power is called His omnipotence. Whatever He wills surely comes to pass. After the New Testament period, the earliest Christian confession (the Apostles’ Creed) opened with the words, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” Biblical teaching and Christian belief always and everywhere have declared the twin truths that God has all power and that He rules actively as universal Sovereign.The Old Testament used various names for God, most of which underscore His rule as Lord, both of the world and of Israel. The following list shows the most important of these. The translation is that of the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Other English versions are similar.
| Hebrew Original | English Translation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adonai | Lord | ||||
| Elohim | God | ||||
| Yahweh (YHWH) | Lord | ||||
| Adonai Yahweh | Lord GOD | ||||
| Yahweh Sabaoth | Lord of Hosts | ||||
| El Shaddai | God Almighty |
In Scripture, adonai was also used for the human master in a mas-ter-servant relationship (Ex 21:1-6). Since the same term is applied to the God-human relationship, this shows His authority and the duty of His people joyfully to submit to Him. This master-servant bond was reciprocal. On one hand, the servant was to obey the Lord absolutely. On the other hand the Master obligated Himself to care for His servants. Those who called on God by His name, Lord, expected Him to take care of them, and God in turn expected their obedience in all things.
When the New Testament quotes the Old, the Greek kyrios (Lord) translates both Adonai and Yahweh. A striking example is the quotation of Psalm 110:1 in Mark 12:36: “The Lord [Hebrew Yahweh; Greek kyrios] declared to my Lord [Hebrew Adonai; Greek kyrios], ‘Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’” Thus, when Jesus’ followers addressed Him as Lord, this meant much more than “master” in an earthly sense. Paul wrote that someday everyone will bow to Jesus and all will “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Php 2:11). Hence Old Testament belief regarding God’s authority was recognized as fully resident in Christ. The New Testament term “master” (Greek despotes, from which the English term “despot” comes), used infrequently, referred either to a human master or to God as the sovereign Master (Lk 2:29; Ac 4:24; 2 Tm 2:21; 2 Pt 2:1; Jd 4; Rv 6:10).
REFLECTION:
What is the distinction between God’s absolute power and His right to exercise authority?
Do you agree that it is your duty “joyfully to submit to Him”?
Why or why not?
PRAYER: Sovereign Lord, I acknowledge Your mighty power and wonderful rule over all things. I gladly submit to You and praise You that You care for me, Your willing servant. Amen.
4. Omniscience
He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them. Our Lord is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite.
DEFINITION: Omniscience means to know all things, and the Scriptures affirm that God alone is all knowing. Although this includes factual knowledge, the biblical emphasis concerns God’s intimate knowledge of persons.
The sovereignty of God necessarily implies that He knows everything, down to the smallest details. He knows the number of hairs as well as stars (Lk 12:7). God’s omniscience has proven to be a great comfort to believers. One of the outstanding Bible promises can be true only if God is both omnipotent and omniscient: “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose” (Rm 8:28). Several objections to the biblical teaching have been raised. These are listed as questions below, with a brief answer following.If God knows everything, how could He then regret or repent of certain actions, as in Genesis 6:6 or 1 Samuel 15:35?
While nothing that happens ever comes to God as a surprise, this does not mean He is incapable of emotions or reaction against evil. He expresses both grief and wrath against sin because of His love (Eph 4:30).
If Jesus is fully God and God is omniscient, how could Jesus not know certain things, such as the time of His return, as in Mark 13:32?
During the period between His birth in Bethlehem and His crucifixion, Jesus emptied Himself and humbled Himself (Php 2:7-8). Evidently during those days He voluntarily gave up the independent use of certain divine attributes. What He spoke was only what the Father revealed to Him (Jn 8:28). Only after His resurrection did Jesus claim to have all authority in heaven and earth (Mt 28:18-20).
Does God’s omniscience include “what if’s” or contingencies? The biblical teaching is that God absolutely knows what persons would have done even under different circumstances. Jesus criticized the people of Capernaum with these words: “If the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today” (Mt 11:23).
Does God’s omniscience include His knowledge of choices people haven’t yet made? Some Bible students (calling themselves “open theists”) have recently been answering this question with a no, arguing that God knows everything knowable, but that He does not know the free choices of moral beings because these choices do not yet exist. Classic Christianity has always answered with a resounding yes. To argue otherwise means that prophecies in the Scriptures are only probabilities that might not happen.
God’s knowledge of the inner life of His children is especially celebrated in Psalm 139:1-6. Such knowledge, on the other hand, should cause alarm for the unrighteous (Ps 90:8; Pr 15:3; 1 Pt 3:12). God’s right to judge mankind in the final judgment includes His knowledge of human secrets (Rm 2:16).
REFLECTION:
Does your belief that God knows everything comfort or frighten you?
Why?
What are the main difficulties people have expressed to you about God’s knowledge of all things?
PRAYER: Lord God, I confess that You know all things. This means that nothing surprises You. I believe that You know me inside and out, so help me to live my life conscious that Your loving but holy eyes are ever upon me. May I live this day in light of my coming judgment. Amen.
52 Words Every Christian Should Know.
5. Presence
Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me.
DEFINITION: God’s presence is His “being there.” Omnipresence means that He is everywhere at all times. There is no place or time God is not. Yet the biblical emphasis is on His manifested presence, experienced only at certain times and places and by specific persons.
One glory of the religion of Israel was that, unlike the deities worshiped by surrounding nations, their Lord was not limited to one geographical location. He was in all places all the time. This is one of the traditional “three omnis” attributed to God. Omnipresence thus takes its place alongside omnipotence (without limit in power) and omniscience (without limit in knowledge). God is without limits—infinite—in space and time as their Creator. All created things and persons are limited to a particular space and time, but not God. Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple expressed this fully (2 Ch 6:18). This truth greatly comforts God’s people, but is a terror to those who wish to ignore or to hate Him. No escape is possible.Heaven—the realm beyond earth’s atmosphere (with the rain and the birds) and beyond outer space (with the sun and the stars)—is God’s home in the sense that His glory is perfectly displayed and adored there, and His will is perfectly obeyed by all who are there: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10).
The unseen presence of the Lord in all places and times is assumed throughout the Bible. Yet an experience that revealed His localized presence was what His people longed for. God promised Israel, “I will place My residence among you, and I will not reject you. I will walk among you and be Your God, and you will be My people” (Lv 26:11-12). Both at the tabernacle in the wilderness and at the Jerusalem temple, the people rejoiced that God displayed His presence there (Ex 25:8; 40:34-38; 2 Ch 7:1-3). (In many world religions, a temple is the deity’s dwelling, the god’s house, and an image or idol was placed there. In Israel’s temple such images were forbidden by the Second Commandment. The same is true for Christians.)
Jesus Christ is the localized manifestation of God: “The Word became flesh and took up residence [literally tabernacled] among us” (Jn 1:14). One of His names is Immanuel, God With Us. In the Epistles, both the physical body of the individual believer and the body of Christ (the church) are temples for God’s very presence (1 Co 3:16; 6:19; 2 Co 6:16; Eph 2:21). One of the terrifying descriptions of eternal punishment is of humans without hope of ever experiencing God’s presence: “These will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction, away from the Lord’s presence” (2 Th 1:9).
The final state of glory includes the redeemed perfectly experiencing His presence: “Look! God’s dwelling is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rv 21:3).
REFLECTION: How do you distinguish between God’s omnipresence and His localized presence? Which one is more important? How have you personally experienced God’s presence?
PRAYER: All-present God who ever sees me, I long to experience Your presence this day. Bring me safely to Your heavenly home, where I will dwell in Your presence forever. In the name of Jesus, Immanuel, I pray. Amen.
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6. Love
We have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.... We love because He first loved us.
DEFINITION: God’s love is His freely given, intense affection, actively showing delight and goodwill toward the objects of His pleasure. Grace is His love expressed to those who don’t deserve it; mercy is His love shown to those in need.
If contemporary people believe anything at all about God, they believe that He loves. Yet this is often thought of as a kind of vague indulgence, like a forgetful but sentimental grandfather distributing treats. Such a view strips God of His holiness, forgetting that God’s wrath and His judgment of evil are also included in His character.From before the ages began and apart from the creation, God’s love has always found perfect expression in the pleasure of the Father, Son, and Spirit for each other. Jesus noted, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands” (Jn 3:35; see also Jn 14:31). God chose to create, however, and because of His love He cares for His creation providentially. No bird falls from the sky without His concern (Mt 10:29). “The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God” (Ps 104:21).
A Christian understanding of God’s love focuses on His grace (love expressed toward sinners), and the heart of the gospel is that God in love sent His Son to the world. John 3:16 has become the best known Bible verse with good reason. Although in holiness He cannot overlook evil, in love God invites all humans to repent and believe the gospel. Sinners in rebellion against Him—the world—are the objects of His love.
In yet another sense God’s love is directed to His chosen people. He told the Israelites, “The Lord was devoted to you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery” (Dt 7:7-8). This is God’s electing love. (See the article on predestination.) The New Testament equivalent is Christ’s love for His bride, the church (Eph 5:25). This love resembles the particular love a husband has for his chosen wife, which differs from the general concern he ought to have for other women. God “predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved” (Eph 1:5-6).
For His people, God’s love is unconditional, but the experience of loving fellowship with Him depends on obedience to His will. Jude 21 exhorts believers to “keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jesus Himself declared that obeying His commands was the way to remain in His love (Jn 15:10). “From eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear Him... [and] who remember to observe His instructions” (Ps 103:17-18).
REFLECTION: Why is it essential to see that God’s love was perfectly expressed before creation? How have you experienced God’s unconditional love? How does obedience relate to God’s love?
PRAYER: Great God of love, You loved the world of undeserving sinners by sending Christ. I praise You because “God is love.” Help me to remain in Your love by obeying Your word and seeking to please You in all I am and do. Thank You that Your love lasts forever. Amen.
7. Trinity
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
DEFINITION: God is eternally one Being. Yet He exists eternally as three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. There are not three Gods, only one. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are distinct from each other.
The term “Trinity” is found nowhere in the Bible, but the biblical foundation for orthodox belief is undeniable. In the earliest centuries of Christianity, a number of challenges by false teachers provoked debate and discussion about the relationship among the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. How should Jesus be understood in relation to the Father? Is there warrant to refer to the Spirit as personal, rather than as a divine force?The Council of Nicea, a notable meeting of Christian leaders in AD 325, published a statement of faith around which true Christians rallied.
What is the relationship of the Son to God? Here’s how the framers of the Nicene Creed stated it: “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.” This reflected the conviction that a number of passages unambiguously refer to Christ as God. An example is Romans 9:5: “From them [the Israelites], by physical descent, came the Messiah, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”
Is the Spirit a person? Here’s the answer given in the Nicene Creed: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified.” This develops the conviction that the Holy Spirit has emotions or affections, something limited to personal beings. An example is Ephesians 4:30: “And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit, who sealed you for the day of redemption.”
The diagram below represents a famous attempt at illustrating the classic conception of the Godhead. Understanding the Trinity has escaped the most brilliant Christian thinkers of the ages, and this doctrine is perhaps best thought of as an inscrutable mystery received by faith.
REFLECTION:
How does the Trinitarian view of God differ from that of other religions that worship one God? How does this doctrine help explain that God’s love existed before creation?
PRAYER: Father, Son, and Spirit, You are wonderful and beyond my ability to understand. I praise You that in the everlasting love of the Persons of the Godhead, You chose to create and to redeem to Yourself other persons to love who will love You in return. Amen.
From: 52 Words Every Christian Should Know.
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