Faith
A non-meritorious (unearned) system of perception and belief based on confidence and trust in the authority of God’s Holy Word and His veracity (truthfulness).
Category: Terms A-F
Barrier of Sin
An invisible wall, insurmountable, that literally separates imperfect mankind from Perfect God. This barrier prevents man from having a relationship with God. Six bricks comprise this barrier: Humanity’s position in Adam. Sin. The penalty of sin. Physical birth. Man’s relative righteousness. The perfect Character of God. This barrier is removed solely by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the…
Faith-Perception
(Based on Roman 8:28-32) Your understanding of salvation and the filling of the Holy Spirit comes by means of faith-perception – knowledge, understanding, acceptance, belief. Faith-perception (meditation and recall of doctrine) makes the power of the Holy Spirit, and the spiritual life of the believer, a reality in our thinking. Reality is not what we feel, not what we assume,…
Communion
Communion is the worship ceremony in which the believer concentrates on the person and saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Christ commanded “This do in remembrance of Me“ (1 Corinthians 11:24b). The believer is required to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that he/she is in fellowship which is achieved by confession (1 John 1:9), before partaking…
Foreknowledge
God is omniscient. God has always known everything there is to know – there isn’t anything He has not always known. God gave life (reality-creation) to time (history). He always knew. God ordained history which He always knew. God’s foreknowledge became, by His decree, reality. God is! We are. Time became “to be.” God is the “I Am – to…
Epoch
Epoch An epoch is a period of time, characterized by particular events. Specific time periods (epochs) are clearly defined (visible) when we look back at history in Scripture. It is easier to grasp the great panoramic view of history and the times of various events when we place these events on a timeline. Epochs are basically time capsules of history….
De-evolution
Scripture asserts the de-evolution of man (Genesis Chapter 3). This counters the evolutionary theory. God’s viewpoint sees man as the fall of something once great (Genesis, chapter three). Man’s viewpoint, on the other hand, sees himself as the rising up from something inferior. The theory of evolution, also man’s viewpoint, supposes the gradual development of something into a more complex…
Divine Good
Divine good is “Christian service and deeds produced by the believer filled with the Spirit.” Only divine good is acceptable by Perfect God. Human good is deeds and works done in the flesh while out of fellowship (perpetual sin unconfessed). Human Good is not acceptable to God because human good is a product of the sin nature. Only what is…
Faith and Faith-Rest
FAITH Faith is the acceptance of an established criterion as the basis of reality; it is confidence or belief in the authority and veracity of another. The assent (assent is the expression of approval or agreement) of the mind to the truth of a proposition, followed by acceptance and confidence. In theology, it is the assent of the mind to…
Civil Disobedience
Civil disobedience refers to the action of disobedience (negative attitude followed by negative action), which is a manifested arrogance against the local, civil, state, or federal laws. It is also a direct action (rebellion) against God and the laws of divine establishment, in that God sets up the principles of law for the benefit, protection, orderly function, survival and perpetuation…
Degeneracy
Degeneracy is the process of passing from a higher to a lower status – to decline progressively. Christian degeneracy is the decline to false or inferior standards, accompanied by loss of integrity. It is the subnormal status of fragmentation and reversionism, or “backsliding.”
Capital Punishment
Capital punishment is the maximum use of jurisprudence under the laws of divine establishment. Capital punishment must be preceded by trial, authorized by the judicial function of government. Others must see punishment by death for the purpose of restraint.
Abrahamic Covenant
The Abrahamic Covenant is the unconditional covenant between God and Abraham, and Abraham’s progeny (all born-again Jews). This Covenant promises a national land (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:15-17). And it promises a King from Abraham’s line (Genesis 17:1-11.)
Election
Election is the expression of the sovereign will of God in eternity past, before creation of the universe, before anything existed (except the Godhead). Election is the sovereign right of God over His creation. Election is a Biblical term that is applied to the believer and to angels. God ordained history based on His foreknowledge. Reference Foreknowledge.
Abundant Life
John 10:10b: “I am come that they (Jews and Gentiles – all humanity) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.“ This abundant life has application to the believer’s walk through fields of grace with the Lord, who leads the way home to Heaven. But, it also speaks to eternal life, which is received at the point…
Acceptable (to God)
The believer is made “acceptable” to God (Ephesians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5) because of Christ’s spiritual death in your place on the cross. This relates to the doctrine of Propitiation. God accepts Christ’s sacrifice for all who will believe in Christ (John 3:16,36), therefore there is no condemnation to the believer. Also reference Reconciliation.
Adoption
For reference, please see Romans 8:15,23 (future adoption); Ephesians 1:5. The Biblical concept of adoption in the New Testament is based on the Roman aristocratic function of adoption during the first century. In Scripture, adoption means to be recognized by God as an adult son. This is our actual position at salvation. However, experientially at salvation, we are adopted babes…
Anthropomorphism
An anthropomorphism ascribes to God physical characteristics such as eyes, nose, ears. God the Father and the Holy Spirit do not have our “physicalness,” but the humanity of Christ does, which makes Christ the Unique Person in the universe.
Arrogance/Arrogance Skill-Sets = Ego
Arrogance distorts Truth. Ego has certain skill-sets manifested from the arrogance patterns of the sin nature, such as: self-absorption; self-deception; self-justification (Galatians 6:3; James 3:14-16). Be sure to see our categorical studies on the Sin-Nature. It is the epitome of arrogance for finite mankind to think they are impressing infinite God. It is also one of satan’s most successful campaigns…
Expiation
Expiation is the finished work of Christ on the cross. The payment-in-full for all sin for all time.