A
"A.D." From the Latin, "Anno
Domini," which means in the year of our
Lord. The Western Calendar is dated from the
birth of Christ. Therefore, A.D. 2000 means
2000 years after the birth of Jesus. It
should be placed before the year.
a
posteriori, a priori are terms used
to refer to whether an assertion is
dependent on experience (a posteriori) or
independent of experience (a priori). For
example, if one observes creation and sees
in it an organized pattern, it might be
concluded a posteriori (i.e., on the basis
of observing creation) that God exists as
its cause. However, if God's existence can
be proved on some basis prior to sense
experience, then the existence of God is
argued a priori.
a priori
Knowledge, judgments, and principles which
are true without verification or testing. It
is universally true.
Aaron
older brother of Moses. From the time Moses
set out to free Israel from Egypt, Aaron his
brother played an important part in the
young nation’s development. He remained in a
position of influence and responsibility
until the day of his death, forty years
later (Exod. 4:10-12:50; Exod. 5:1-5; Exod. 7:7;
Exod. 28; 29; 32; Num. 17; Death of Num. 20:22-29;
Num. 33:39).
Aaron's rod
was used by Aaron to demonstrate to the
Pharaoh that the God of the Hebrews was
Lord. It became a snake when cast down (Exod. 7:8-13) and brought about the first three
plagues (Exod. 7:19-20; 8:5-7; 8:16-19). This
rod was the same one used to strike the
rocks at Horeb and Kadesh to bring forth
water (Exod. 17:1-7; Num. 20:7-11).
The rebellion of Korah (Num. 16:1-50) made it
necessary to determine who would be eligible
to come before God in the tabernacle as
priests. The head of each tribe was to
inscribe his name on an almond rod
representing his tribe, and each rod was
placed in the tabernacle. The next morning
Aaron’s rod had blossomed and bore almonds.
This was taken as a sign from God that the
house of Aaron had the right to serve Him in
the tabernacle. The rod was placed inside
the tabernacle (Num. 17:1-11). According to
Hebrews 9:4, the rod was kept in the ark of the
covenant.
Abaddonn The Hebrew word for "destroyer" whose Greek
equivalent was "Apollyon."
Abaddonnis the
satanic angel of the Abyss (Rev. 9:11).
Abandonment
Ezra 10:3
Ability Everyone
has certain talents or God-given gifts that
they are skilled in. For example, some
people are very hospitable and relatable and
know how to make people feel comfortable.
Some individuals are talented
businesspeople, teachers, musicians or
parents.
These talents can be more than hobbies or
even careers. These gifts can be used for
the glory of God. Using your talents for God
can allow you to be a part of advancing the
kingdom of God, helping others, and
improving the world around you. Natural
ability and spiritual gifts are not the
same. God divinely gives to every believer
spiritual gifts for the work of service and
ministry.
From God. 1 Pet. 4:11
Giving according to. Ezra 2:69; Acts 11:29
Greater, promised. John 14:12
Limited only by faith. Mark 9:23
Measured by one’s readiness. 2 Cor. 8:12
Of Jesus, through the Father. John 5:19
Of Paul, through Christ. Phil. 4:13
Of the woman who anointed Jesus. Mark 14:8
Spiritual, assigned by God.
Rom. 12:3-8
Spiritual, inspired by the Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:4-11
Talents given according to. Matt. 25:15
To build the tabernacle.
Exod. 36:2
To make the priests’ garments.
Exod. 28:3
(From: Holman Concise Topical Concordance)
Abomination of Desolation
Mentioned by our Savior, Matt. 24:15, as a
sign of the approaching destruction of
Jerusalem, with reference to Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. The prophecy referred
ultimately to the destruction of Jerusalem
by the Romans, and consequently the
"abomination" must describe some occurrence
connected with that event.
It appears
most probable that the profanities of the
Zealots constituted the abomination, which
was the sign of the impending ruin; but most
people refer it to the standards or banners
of the Roman army. They were abomination
because there were idolatrous images upon
them.
Predicted by Daniel in Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11:
Cited by Christ in Matt. 24:15;
Mark 13:14
Abortion
(accidental or planned miscarriage) We believe
that human beings are created by God in His
image. Therefore every person, from
conception (in the womb) to its natural end,
possesses immeasurable worth and inherent
dignity including preborn children, elderly
individuals, those with special needs and
others marginalized by society. Christians,
then, are called to defend, protect, and
value all human life having concern for the
physical and spiritual needs of all people.
God's position on abortion is clear. Unborn
children are people whom God already has a
plan for. God said through Jeremiah the
prophet, "Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you, and before you were born I
consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet
to the nations (Jer. 1:5)." God has a plan
and a purpose for the unborn and to end that
life prematurely goes against His divine
plan (Gen. 1:27; 2:7; 9:6; Job 33:4; Ps. 139:13-16;
Jer. 1:4-5;
Matt. 6:26; 22:37-39;
John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 2 Cor. 5:8-10; 5:14-15;
Rom. 12:20-21; Gal. 6:10).
Accidental
abortion, Exod. 21:22-25.
Abortion
desired, Job 3:11-16
Womb to
tomb, Job 10:19
Fetus in
God’s care, Isaiah 44:2
Desiring
abortion, Jer. 20:17
Fearfully,
wonderfully made, Ps. 139:13-14
Fetus
development, Eccl. 11:5; Exod. 21:22-25; Ps. 51:5; 139:13-15;
Eccl. 11:5
Abortive
spiritual birth, 1 Cor. 15:7
Principles relevant to development of unborn
children:
Consciousness of unborn child. Luke 1:41, 44
Controlled by God. Job 31:15; Ps. 119:73; 139:13-15;
Isa. 44:2; 46:3
For a purpose. Isa. 49:5; Jer. 1:5; Rom. 9:11;
Gal. 1:15
Life begins at conception. Ruth 4:13;
Hosea 9:11
Mysterious. Eccles. 11:5
Value of
life:
Children a reward from God. Ps. 127:3-5
God gives and takes life. Job 1:21
Infants blessed by Jesus. Luke 18:15-16
In image of God. Gen. 1:26-27; 9:6
Preference for life. Deut. 30:15, 19; 1 Cor. 15:25-26
Sanctity of life. Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7; Ps. 8:5
Abuse
(physical) Gen. 16:9; Exod. 20:4-5; Isa. 50:4-6
Abraham
son of Terah,
father of the chosen family,
father of the chosen family
Gen. 11:26-12:20; 14:18-24; 15:18; 16;
Gen. 18:16-33; 22; 25:1-11; Rom. 4; Gal. 3:6-29; James 2:20-24.
Abraham’s
Bosom In Roman times, their custom
of reclining on Couches at meals prevailed
among the Jews. Each leaned on his left arm,
and so lay, as it were, in the bosom of the
next below him. This position in the bosom
of the master of the house was the place of
honor (John 1:18; John 13:23). To lie in
Abraham's bosom was thus a phrase for
blessed repose in closest nearness to the
father of the faithful in the feast of
paradise (Matt. 8:11; Luke 16:23).
Was used as a synonym for the life
hereafter. According to the Old Testament,
when a person died he went to “be with his
fathers” (Gen. 15:15; 47:30; Deut. 31:16;
Judg. 2:10). The patriarch Abraham was
regarded as the “father” of the Jews (Luke 3:8; John 8:37-40.) At death, therefore, the
Jewish believer went to his forefathers or,
to “father Abraham.”
The only Bible use
of “Abraham’s Bosom” is in Jesus’ parable of
the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
The Abrahamic Covenant
(See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Gen. 12:2; 15:17; 17:7; 22:16-18;
Josh. 21:43; 1 Kings 4:21; 2 Chron. 7:8; 2
Chron. 9:26;
Ps. 105:11.
Absalom was beloved
by David and the people but seemingly for
the wrong superficial reasons. While he was
handsome and had beautiful hair, he was also
violent, passionate, headstrong, and a
self-seeking man who was born in Hebron (2 Sam. 3:3). He killed Amnon for raping his
half-sister Tamar (2 Sam. 13:20-38; cf. 2 Sam. 3:3; 13:20-39; 14; 15:1-18:8; 18:9-18).
Abyss (or Deep, without
bottom) The chaos; the deepest parts of the
sea; and in the New Testament, the place of
the dead, Rom. 10:7; a deep place of
punishment. The devils besought Jesus that
he would not send them into the abyss, a
place they evidently dreaded, Luke 8:31;
where it seems to mean that part of Hades in
which wicked spirits are in torment. It also
symbolizes the source of Satanic evil and
misery. Demons begged Jesus that He would
not command them to go away into the abyss
{bottomless pit, deep} (Luke 8:31). A star
fallen from heaven to earth will be given
the key of the bottomless pit (lit. the pit
of the abyss) and will open it (Rev. 9:1-2).
Satan is the angel of the bottomless pit
(lit. of the abyss) (Rev. 9:11). The beast
will ascend out of the bottomless pit (lit.
of the abyss) (Rev. 11:7; 17:8). The
bottomless pit {deep abyss} is reserved for
some fallen angels (see Luke 8:31), and
later for the devil (Rev. 20:1, 3; lit. the
abyss). After their judgment, the devil and
his angels will be cast in the eternal fire
prepared for them (see Matt. 25:41). Paul
asks who will descend into the abyss {deep}
to bring up Christ again from the dead (Rom. 10:7).
Acceptance
By the grace of God.
Rom. 5:17; Eph. 1:6
Of prayers. Gen. 19:21
Of sacrifices.
Ps. 119:108
Of sinners. Ezek. 20:40-41; 36:23-29
The Book of Acts 1-28
Acts picks up where Luke's Gospel leaves
off, recording the early progress of the
gospel as Jesus' disciples took it from
Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and the
rest of the Mediterranean world. The story
begins with Christ's ascension and the
events of Pentecost. As Gentiles begin
responding to the gospel, the focus shifts
to Paul and his missionary journeys. Acts
forms a bridge between the four Gospels and
the rest of the New Testament, showing how
the apostles carried on Christ's work and
providing a historical background for Romans
through Revelation. The Acts of the Apostles
is the second of two New Testament books
written by Luke. Like his Gospel, Acts was a
letter to Luke's friend Theophilus, written
sometime in A.D. 62-64.
Accuser
is a legal term describing a person who
claims another is guilty of a crime or a
moral offense. The Hebrew word for accuser
is Satan (Ps. 109:6). False accusation called
for serious punishment (Deut. 19:15-21). The
psalmist prayed for judgment against his
accusers (Ps. 109:4, 20, 29). False accusers
led to Christ’s conviction and death (Matt. 27:12). Jewish accusers (Acts 22:30) finally
led Paul to appeal to Rome (Acts 25:11; cf. Luke 18:3; 1 Pet. 5:8; Job 1:6; Rev. 12:10; Zech. 3:1). See
Satan.
Ad
hominem argument
(of an argument or reaction) directed
against a person rather than the position
they are maintaining.
Adam, the first
man. The Lord God formed man (adam)
of dust from the ground. (Gen. 2:7). Adam
represented the climax of God’s creation. He
shared his physical origin with other
animals in being made of common earthly
chemicals, yet he was uniquely different in
that he was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7. God gave Adam a wife, Eve,
who shared his unique nature (Gen. 2:21-23),
and this nature has passed on to the human
race that has descended from them (1 Cor. 15:45-49). Compared to Christ, 1 Cor. 15:21-22; 45-49; Luke 3:23-38; Rom. 5:12-21;
1 Tim. 2:13.
Adam and Eve,
our first parents. God created the first man
Adam and then created the first woman, Eve.
God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
to care for and nurture the land. God gave
Adam and Eve specific instructions in the
Garden of Eden. He told them to “be fruitful
and multiply” (Gen. 1:28), and He gave them
every tree to eat from except for one. “And
the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of
every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil you shall not eat’” (Gen. 2:16-17). God
warned them that if they ate from the tree
they would die. At that time, Adam and Eve
were naked and unashamed. (See:
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - Bible
Story)
Adam,
as a Type The apostle Paul speaks
of Adam as “the figure of him who was to
come.” On this account our Lord is sometimes
called the second Adam. This typical
relation is described in Rom. 5:14-19.
Adamic Covenant of Grace (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Addiction
Prov. 5:22-23; Jer. 13:23; Mark 9:43-47; 13:23.
Adoption
(Spiritual) When the Bible uses
adoption as a picture of what God has done,
the emphasis is on the status and dignity he
places on those whom he brings into this
close relationship with himself. Old
Testament Israel is a good example of this
gracious act of God; for he chose Israel
from among all the peoples of the world and
made the nation his son (Exod. 4:22; Deut. 14:1;
Hosea 11:1; Rom. 9:4). The New Testament
develops the idea of adoption more fully,
showing that God makes repentant sinners his
sons. He brings them into such a close
relationship with himself that they can
speak to him as sons to a Father (Rom. 8:15;
Gal. 4:6).
There is no
conflict between the pictures of new birth
and adoption. New birth shows that God gives
life to those who are spiritually dead;
adoption shows that God makes believers his
special possession and gives them the full
status of mature adult sons (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 3:23-26; 4:1-7;
Eph. 1:5; 1 Jn. 3:1). This
is possible only through the death of Jesus
Christ, and it is true only of those who
have faith in him (Gal. 3:26; 4:4-5).
As sons of God, believers enjoy the
spiritual privilege of access to God (Rom. 8:15-16) and inherit here and now his
spiritual blessings (Rom. 8:17; Gal. 4:7).
They can look forward to the full and
unhindered enjoyment of these blessings at
the return of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:23; 1 Jn. 3:2).
Adultery
The teaching of the Bible is that sexual
relations are lawful only between husband
and wife. A sexual relation between two
people who are not married is usually called
fornication; a sexual relation between a
married person and someone other than that
person’s marriage partner is usually called
adultery (Gen. 35:22;
Exod. 20:14;
Num. 5:31; Prov. 2:22; 5:3-10; 5:22-23; 23:27; 31:3;
Ezek. 23:25;
Matt. 19:1-9; Mark 10:1-12;
Rom. 12:9; Rom. 12:20;
Gal. 5:19; 1 Thess. 4:3-4.
Advent Christ’s coming (1)
through the virgin birth to minister and
provide salvation; Matt. 1:1825; Luke 2:6-20;
John 1:1-18; (2) in the clouds for judgment;
Matt. 24:30; 1 Cor. 15:23;
John 1:1-18; 1 Thess. 4:15-16
Adversary Enemy, either
human or satanic. Psalmists often prayed for
deliverance from adversaries (Ps. 38:20; 69:19; 71:13; 81:14; 109:29). The devil is
the greatest adversary and must be resisted
(1 Pet. 5:8-9).
Advice
1 Chron. 21:3-4; Prov. 5:22; Dan. 6:21,
Advocate Jesus had been
a counselor or helper to his followers
while he was with them, and promised that
when he left them and returned to his
Father, he would send them another
counselor, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit
would dwell with Jesus’ followers, giving
them the sort of teaching, guidance and help
that Jesus had given them (John 14:16-17; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; cf. Matt. 10:19-20;
Rom. 8:26, 34; Heb. 7:25).
While the Holy Spirit is within believers on
earth, Jesus Christ appears before the
Father as their advocate in heaven. Rom. 8:34; John 14:16; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7;
1 Jn. 1:9; 2:1-2. Another picture of the risen
Christ’s work on behalf of his people is
that of high priesthood. In this picture
Jesus’ work is similar to that of an
advocate. He is his people’s great high
priest, who understands their needs and
appears in the presence of God to plead for
them (Heb. 7:25; 9:24).
Affairs
(See Fornication and Adultery) with
prostitutes Prov. 7:6-23; 1 Cor. 6:13-20;
Forbidden. Exod. 20:14; Prov. 5:15-20; Matt. 5:27-28; 1 Cor. 6:9, 18; 7:1-3;
Col. 3:5-6; 1
Thess. 4:3-5;
Heb. 13:4 Forgiven by:
God. 2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 51.
Jesus. John 8:10-11.
Spouse. Judg. 19:1-4.
Have
consequences that affect others:
1 Cor. 5:12; Prov. 6:27-32; 7:21-27; 9:13-18;
Rom. 1:26-27;
Guilt. Ps. 51:1-14 Public
embarrassment. Gen. 38:23-26; 1 Sam. 2:22-24;
2 Sam. 12:11-12; Matt. 1:19;
Refused by
Joseph. Gen. 39:7-18;
Temptation to engage in. 1 Cor. 10:12-13.
Afflictions are common to all
(Job 5:7; 14:1; Ps. 34:19); are for the
good of men (James 1:2-12; 2 Cor. 12:7) and
the glory of God (2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 Pet. 4:14),
and are to be borne with patience by the
Lord's people (Ps. 94:12; Prov. 3:12). They
are all directed by God (Lam. 3:33), and will
result in the everlasting good of his people
(2 Cor. 4:16-18) in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35-39).
Agnosticism The belief that it is
not possible to know if there is or is not a
God. (Compare with atheism that says there
is no God, deism that says there is a God
but he is not involved in the world, and
theism which states that there is a God and
he is involved in the world.)
Ahab was an Israelite king, son of
Omri, and the seventh king in Israel
(874-852 B.C.). He was notoriously corrupt
and infamous for marrying the Sidonian
Princess Jezebel through whom idolatry and
spiritual prostitution permeated Israel. 1 Kings 16-22
Aids
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is
a chronic, potentially life-threatening
condition caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging
your immune system, HIV interferes with your
body's ability to fight infection and
disease.
Consequence of the Fall.
Rom. 1:27.
Injunctions regarding
Cultivate a pure
lifestyle. Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:1-7.
Have
empathy for those who suffer. Rom. 12:15.
Jesus’ compassion on lepers and the sick
generally. Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41.
Principles relevant to
All
sufferers comforted by God. 2 Cor. 1:4.
Nothing can
separate the Christian from God. Rom. 8:31-39.
People responsible for their own actions.
Hosea 8:7;
Gal. 6:7-8.
(From: Holman Concise Topical Concordance)
Alcohol
use
God's people are allowed to drink alcohol, but are forbidden to get drunk. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18;
Gen. 9:22-25; Lev. 10:9; Esther 1:8; Ps. 104:14-15; 116:13;
Prov. 20:1; 23:29-35; Hosea 4:11; Joel 1:5;
Matt. 26:17-30; Luke 1:15; John 2:1-11; 1 Tim. 5:23
Alexander the Great. The
name “Alexander” or “Alexander the Great,”
referring to the Macedonian king, never
appears in the Bible. However, the prophets
Daniel and Zechariah wrote prophecies
concerning Greece and Alexander’s Macedonian
Empire. The non-eschatological prophecies in
Daniel have proved so reliable that some
critics have tried to post-date his writing,
even though copious literary, historical,
and biblical factors point to a date of
writing in the sixth century B.C. Zechariah,
writing sometime between 520 and 470 B.C.,
was also well before Alexander’s rise to
power. (See:
Does the Bible mention Alexander the Great?
and
Josephus on Alexander's visit to Jerusalem)
Altars
Gen. 12:7-8; 33:20; Josh. 8:31; 2 Kings 16:10;
Amos 3:14;
Rev. 6:9; 16:7.
Ambition
Gen. 11:4; Num. 16:3; Judg. 18:20; Jer. 45:5;
Matt. 20:20-21; 1 Cor. 7:17, 20, 26.
Andrew was a disciple of
John the Baptist, then of Christ, Matt. 4:18, 19; John 1:40-42 Enrolled among the Twelve,
Matt. 10:2 Mentioned, Mark 13:3, 4; John 6:8, 9; 12:20-22; Acts 1:13.
Amillennialism The teaching
that there is no literal 1000 year reign of
Christ as referenced in Rev. 20:1-15. It sees
the 1000 year period spoken of in Rev. 20:1-15 as figurative. Instead, it teaches
that we are in the millennium now, and that
at the return of Christ (1 Thess. 4:16-18;
1 Thess. 5:1-2) there will be the final
judgment and the heavens and the earth will
then be destroyed and remade (2 Pet. 3:10).
The Amillennial view is as old as the
Premillennial view. (Also compare to Postmillennialism).
The Book of
Amos 1-9
Amos, possibly the
first of the writing prophets, was a
shepherd and farmer called to prophesy
during the reigns of Uzziah (792-740 B.C.)
in the southern kingdom and Jeroboam II
(793-753) in the north. During this time
both kingdoms enjoyed political stability,
which in turn brought prosperity. It was
also a time of idolatry, extravagance, and
corruption. The rich and powerful were
oppressing the poor. Amos denounced the
people of Israel for their apostasy and
social injustice and warned them that
disaster would fall upon them for breaking
the covenant. He urged them to leave the
hypocrisy of their "solemn assemblies" (Amos 5:21) and instead to "let justice roll down
like waters" (Amos 5:24). Nevertheless, said
Amos, God would remember his covenant with
Israel and would restore a faithful remnant.
Anakim (long-necked)
(See: Nephilim)
A race
of giants, descendants of Arba, Josh. 15:13; 21:11, dwelling in the southern part of
Canaan, and particularly at Hebron, which
from their progenitor received the name of
"city of Arba." Anak was the name of the
race rather than that of an individual. Josh. 14:15.
The race appears to have been divided into
three tribes or families, bearing the names
Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai. Though the
war-like appearance of the Anakim had struck
the Israelites with terror in the time of
Moses, Num. 13:28; Deut. 9:2, they were
nevertheless dispossessed by Joshua, Josh. 11:21-22, and their chief city, Hebron,
became the possession of Caleb. Josh. 15:14;
Judg. 1:20. After this time, they vanish from
history. (SBD)
Ancient of Days An
expression applied to Jehovah three times in
the vision of Daniel (Dan. 7:9, 13, 22) in
the sense of eternal. In contrast with all
earthly kings, his days are past reckoning.
Angel of the Lord
Gen. 16:7, etc. (The special form in which
God manifested himself to man, and hence,
Christ's visible form before the
incarnation. Compare Acts 7:30-38, with the
corresponding Old Testament history; and
Gen. 18:1; Gen. 18:13-14; Gen. 18:33 and
Gen. 19:1.
Gen. 22:11-12; Gen. 31:11; Exod. 3:2; 14:19; Judges 2:1, 4; 6:11, 14; 13:3;
Ps. 34:7; Isa. 31:8-9; Ezek. 40:3;
Zech. 1:12, 13; 3:1; 2:8; 12:8.
God’s presence, Gen. 24:7; Exod. 23:20-22;
Num. 22:22-30.
messenger of God, Gen. 16:7; Judg. 2:1; Acts 5:14.
(Compare: Angel of the Lord,
Anthropomorphism & Theophany)
Angels
Exod. 23:20-23; 2 Chron. 32:21; Job 33:23-24;
Ps. 29:1; Dan. 8:16; 10:12; Luke 1:19; Acts 6:15;
1 Cor. 6:2-3;
Heb. 1:7; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6
Guardian Ps. 91:11; Ezek. 9:1-2; Matt. 18:8; Acts 12:15
Anglophones or
appearances of angels.
Anger
1 Chron. 13:11; Job 15:13; 32:2-5; Prov. 14:29;
Dan. 2:5; Acts 15:39; Eph. 4:26; James 1:19-20.
Annas was a Jewish high
priest, Luke 3:2 Christ appeared before,
John 18:12-24 Peter and John appeared
before.
Annihilationism Says the inmates of Hell will be subjected
to time-limited punishment, and then will be
exterminated in what is referred to as "the
second death." Following that, no part of
them -- body, soul, mind and spirit -- will
continue to exist in any form. As Matthew 10:28 states, God: "is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell."
Anointing the
practice of anointing with perfumed oil was
common among the Hebrews. The act of
anointing was significant of consecration to
a holy or sacred use. Figuratively styled
the “oil of gladness” (Ps. 45:7; Heb. 1:9).
Jesus of Nazareth is this anointed One (John 1:41; Acts 9:22; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 18:5, 8), the Messiah of the Old
Testament.
of
believers, 1 Jn. 2:20
of David, 2 Sam. 2:4; 5:3
of the High Priest, Lev. 8:12; 8:13
referring to Jesus, 2 Sam. 22:51.
Anthropic Principle The
idea that the universe exhibits elements of
design specifically for the purpose of
containing intelligent beings; namely,
humans. Much debate surrounds this issue. Is
the universe necessarily arranged by God so
as to make life possible or is it simply
that the universe is godless and that life
came into existence due to the chance state
that we now find it in?
Anthropomorphic Manifesting in
human form. It is from the Greek "anthropos"
meaning "man" and ""
meaning "man" and "morphe" meaning "form."
In biblical theology, God is described in
anthropomorphic terms; that is, in human
terms with human attributes. For example,
God has hands and feet in Exodus 24:9-11 and
is loving (1 Jn. 4:8).
Anthropomorphism - the practice of
describing God in human terms, as if He had
feet (Exod. 24:10), hands (John 10:29), a face
(Matt. 18:10), a heart (Hosea 11:8), and so
forth. Although the Old and New Testaments
deny any literal similarity of form between
God and His creatures (Job 9:32; John 4:24),
the Bible frequently uses such human
language to affirm that God is personal and
active in His creation.
The appearance of
Jesus, God’s Son, in a human body is a
literal revelation of God in human form
(John 1:14). Jesus was “in the form of God,”
but He took “the form of a servant,” the
“likeness” and “appearance” of a human being
(Phil. 2:6-8), to save us and reveal the
depth of God’s love (John 14:9; 1 Jn. 1:1-2). Therefore, with respect to Jesus, we
can literally speak of God in human form.
(Compare: Angel of the Lord,
Anthropomorphism & Theophany)
Antichrist
a figure who opposes God. The word is used
to describe a spirit of rebellion against
God, "...the spirit of the Antichrist..." (1 Jn. 4:3) and of a specific future person
identified as the man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:3). He actively opposes Christ (2 Thess. 2:4) and when he arrives, he will be
able to perform miracle. Some believe he will be an
incarnation of Satan and as such will be
able to deceive many. His number is 666
(Rev. 13:18). A further possible description
of him might be found in Zech. 11:15-17). 1 Jn. 2:18-22; 4:3;
2 Jn. 1:7; Rev. 13:1-18;
compare Matt. 24:5; 24:23-24; Mark 13:21-22).
Antichrist(s) The opponent(s) of
Christ who face ultimate defeat but tempt
God’s people. They are especially associated
with end time. 1 Jn. 2:18-20; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7;
Rev. 13:1-18; compare Matt. 24:5; 24:23-24; Mark 13:21-22.
Antinomianism is the
heretical belief that a Christian is under
no law whatsoever, whether biblical or
moral, and thus may do whatever he pleases. The word
comes from the Greek anti, against, and nomos, law. It is the unbiblical practice of
living without regard to the righteousness
of God, using God's grace as a license to
sin, and trusting grace to cleanse of sin.
In other words, since grace is infinite and
we are saved by grace, then we can sin all
we want and still be saved. It is wrong
because even though as Christians we are not
under the Law (Rom. 6:14), we still fulfill
the Law in the Law of love (Rom. 13:8; Rom. 13:10;
Gal. 5:14; Gal. 6:2). We are to love
God with all our heart, soul, strength, and
mind, and our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27) and, thereby, avoid the offense of
sin which cost God His only begotten Son.
Paul speaks against the concept of
antinomianism in Rom. 6:1-2: "Are we to
continue in sin that grace may abound? May
it never be! How shall we who died to sin
still live in it?". We are not to use the
grace of God as a means of sin. Instead, we
are to be controlled by the love of God and
in that way bear the fruit of the Holy
Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25).
Anxiety
is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness.
Ps. 38:6; 23:4; 121:4; Matt. 6:25-34; Mark 4:19;
Luke 12:22-34;
Phil. 4:4-9;
1 Pet. 5:7
Apocalypse is from the
Greek word for "revelation," or "unveiling."
It is synonymous with Armageddon and refers
to those future things dealing with the
return of Christ and the great battle of
Armageddon.
Apocalyptic
(1) A revealing of the future; (2) Jewish
and Christian writings such as Daniel and
Revelation reflecting persecution of God’s
people; (3) symbolic language reflecting
belief in two opposing universal powers (God
and Satan); two ages of universal history
(present age dominated by evil and Satan and
age to come under God’s rule); and a future
judgment giving rewards to the people of God
and eternal punishment to the wicked.
Apocrypha The word
means "hidden". It is used in a
general sense to describe a list of books
written by Jews between 300 and 100 B.C.
More specifically, it is used of the seven
additional books accepted by the Catholic
church as being inspired. The seven books
are Sirach, Wisdom, Tobit, 1 Maccabees,
Judith, additions to Daniel, and Esther. The
Apocrypha are written works, often of
unknown authorship or doubtful origin. In
Christianity, the word apocryphal
(ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings
which were to be read privately rather than
in the public context of church services --
edifying Christian works which were not
considered canonical Scripture. In the wake
of the Protestant Reformation, the word
apocrypha came to mean "false, spurious,
bad, or heretical".
From a Protestant point of view, Biblical
apocrypha are a set of texts included in the
Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, but not in
the Hebrew Bible. While Catholic tradition
considers some of these texts to be
deuterocanonical, and the Orthodox Churches
consider them all to be canonical,
Protestants consider them apocryphal, that
is, non-canonical books that are useful for
instruction. Luther's Bible placed them in a
separate section in between the Old
Testament and New Testament called the
Apocrypha, a convention followed by
subsequent Protestant Bibles. Other
non-canonical apocryphal texts are generally
called pseudepigrapha, a term that means
"false attribution".
Apocryphal
writings the third and
second centuries B.C. produced many new
Jewish writings. Some of these were vividly
written and therefore were very popular,
particularly in an age when great changes
were occurring in the Jewish world. But
their popularity did not give them
authority, and they were never accepted into
the Jewish canon.
These non-canonical
books are in two groups. One group is known
as the Apocrypha (literally, 'hidden', but
meaning 'disapproved' or 'outside'; i.e.
outside the canon). The other group is known
as the Pseudepigrapha (meaning 'written
under a false name'). In popular usage,
'Apocrypha' often refers to the two groups
together. Early Christians may have read the
books (e.g. Jude 1:9,14), but they did not
regard them as Scripture. [The AMG Concise
Bible Dictionary].
Apollos
was an Alexandrian Jew; instructed by Aquila and
Priscilla and sent to Achaia, Acts 18:24-28
Referred to as having ministered in Corinth. 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4, 22; 4:6; 16:12.
Apollyon Destroyer, the
name given to the king of the hosts
represented by the locusts (Rev. 9:11). It is
the Greek translation of the Hebrew Abaddon.
Apologetics The study of
theology for the purpose of defending
Christian teaching against criticism and
distortion, and giving evidences of its
credibility. John 7:16-17; Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:9; 2:1; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Jn. 1:9-10.
Apostasy is an abandonment of what one
has professed; a total desertion, or
departure from one's faith or religion.
At present. Rom. 1:18;
Titus 1:10-14.
At end of age. 2 Tim. 3:6-9; 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:3.
Apostates are
those who have forsaken the church, sect or
profession to which he before adhered. In
its original sense, applied to one who has
abandoned his religion; but correctly
applied also to one who abandons a political
or other party.
Believers do not become.
Ps. 41:18-19; Heb. 6:9; 10:39.
Cautions against becoming.
Heb. 3:12;
2 Pet. 3:17.
Described.
Deut. 13:13; Heb. 3:12.
Guilt and punishment of. Zeph. 1:4-6;
Heb. 10:25-31; 10:39;
2 Pet. 2:17-22.
Impossible
to restore. Heb. 6:4-6.
Made by
persecution. Matt. 24:9-10; Luke 8:13.
Made
by a worldly spirit. 2 Tim. 4:10.
Never
belonged to Christ. 1 Jn. 2:19.
Will abound
in the latter days. Matt. 24:12; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1
Tim. 4:1-3.
(From: Holman Concise Topical Concordance)
Apostle
is a person deputed to execute some
important business; but appropriately, a
disciple of Christ commissioned to preach
the gospel. Twelve persons were selected by
Christ for this purpose; and Judas, one of
the number, proving an apostate, his place
was supplied by Matthias in Acts 1. The title
of apostle is applied to Christ himself,
Heb. 3. In the primitive ages of the church,
other ministers were called apostles, Rom. 16; as were persons sent to carry alms from
one church to another, Phil. 2. This title
was also given to persons who first planted
the Christian faith. Thus Dionysius of
Corinth is called the apostle of France; and
the Jesuit Missionaries are called apostles.
Luke 6:13; Acts 1:26; 8:1; 15:19-21; 1 Cor. 9:15; 12:28; 15:8;
2 Cor. 12:12; Gal. 1:1.
Jesus selected
12 Apostles (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). The full list
of the Twelve is given with some variation
in Mark 3, Matthew 10, and Luke 6 as: Peter
and Andrew, the sons of John (John 21:15),
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Philip,
Bartholomew; Matthew, Thomas, James, the son
of Alphaeus, Jude, or Thaddaeus, the son of
James, Simon the Cananaean, or the Zealot,
and Judas Iscariot.
Appeal to
Authority is the misuse of an
authority's opinion to support an argument.
While an authority's opinion can represent
evidence and data, it becomes a fallacy if
their expertise or authority is overstated,
illegitimate, or irrelevant to the topic.
Appeal to Ignorance argument
(also known as an "argument from ignorance")
argues that a proposition must be true
because it has not been proven false or
there is no evidence against it.
Appeal to Hypocrisy arguments, also
known as the tu quoque fallacy — focuses on
the hypocrisy of an opponent. The tu quoque
fallacy deflects criticism away from oneself
by accusing the other person of the same
problem or something comparable.
Appeal to Pity arguments rely on
provoking your emotions to win an argument
rather than factual evidence. Appealing to
pity attempts to pull on an audience's
heartstrings, distract them, and support
their point of view.
Aquila
was Paul’s host in Corinth, Acts 18:2, 3
Travels to Syria and Ephesus with Paul, Acts 18:18, 19 Instructs Apollos, Acts 18:24-26
Esteemed by Paul, Rom. 16:3, 4, Acts 18:24-26.
Ararat
Gen. 8:4; 2 Kings 19:37; Isa. 37:38.
Archangel in the Bible, a
Greek word found only in the New Testament
in two places: 1 Thess. 4:16, "For the Lord
Himself will descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trumpet of God; and the dead in
Christ shall rise first"; and Jude 9, "But
Michael the archangel, when he disputed with
the devil and argued about the body of
Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a
railing judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke
you.'" Michael is the only Archangel in the
Bible. Scripture refers to the Archangel
Michael as a “chief prince” of the heavens.
(Dan. 10:13; 10:21; 12:1).
Argument from Design
attempts to prove God's existence by arguing
that the universe and things in it exhibit
attributes of design. A design must have a
designer. Since the Universe appears
designed, it had to have someone who
designed it.
Arguments
Job 18:2; Acts 15:39.
Arguments can be
avoided by using gentle words Prov. 15:1.
Loving arguments is a sin
Prov. 17:19.
A fool
is quick to argue Prov. 20:3.
Avoid becoming
entangled in others’ arguments Prov. 26:17.
Avoid arguing with a weak Christian
Rom. 14:1.
We should avoid arguments
Phil. 2:14.
Arguments between Christians are useless Titus 3:9.
Arianism was an early
heretical teaching about the identity of
Jesus Christ, founded primarily on the
teachings of Arius. The central
characteristic of Arian thought was that
because God is one, Jesus could not have
also been truly God. In order to deal with
the scriptural testimony to the exalted
status of Christ, Arius and his followers
proposed that Jesus was the highest created
being of God. So although Christ was fully
human, he was not fully God. Arius’s
teaching was condemned as heretical at the
Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. The Jehovah's
Witness cult is an equivalent, though not
exactly, of this ancient error. (See:
The Trinity)
Ark of the covenant
was a small close vessel, chest or coffer,
that was the repository of the tables of the
covenant among the Jews. This was about
three feet nine inches in length. The lid
was the propitiatory, or mercy seat, over
which were the cherubs. The vessel in which
Moses was set afloat upon the Nile was an
ark of bulrushes.
Exod. 16:34; 25:10-22; Num. 4:5; 7:89; Josh. 6:9;
1 Sam. 4:5, 7, 10; 2 Sam. 6:7; 1 Kings 8:1-6; 8:9;
1 Chron. 13:10, 14; 13:9-10; 15:2; 2 Chron. 35:3.
Ark, Noah's This "chest" or
"boat" was to be made of gopher, (that is,
cypress), wood, a kind of timber which, both
for its lightness, and its durability, was
employed by the Phoenicians for building
their vessels. The planks of the ark, after
being put together were to be protected by a
coating of pitch, or rather bitumen, both
inside and outside, to make it water-tight,
and perhaps also as a protection against the
attacks of marine animals.
Directions for
building of Gen. 6:14-16.
Noah and family
preserved in Gen. 6:18; 7:8; Matt. 24:38;
Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20.
Animals saved in Gen. 6:19-20; 7:1-16.
See:
Noah's Ark |
Noah's Ark |
Noah's Ark |
90 Minutes of Geological Evidence for Noah's
Flood |
What Caused the Worldwide Flood of Noah's
Day?
Armageddon
(the hill of Megiddo or the city of
Megiddo). Rev. 16:16. The scene of the
struggle of good and evil is suggested by
that battle-field, the plain of Esdraelon,
which was famous for two great victories, of
Barak, over the Canaanites and of Gideon,
over the Midianites; and for two great
disasters, the deaths of Saul and Josiah.
Josh. 12:21; 17:11; Judg 1:27; 5:19; 1 Kings 9:15;
2 Kings 9:27; 23:29; Zech. 12:3;
Rev. 16:14-16; 19:19
Arminianism There are five
main tenets of Arminianism: 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 so depraved that divine
grace is necessary unto faith or any good
deed, 4) This grace may be resisted, 5)
Whether all who are truly regenerate will
certainly persevere in the faith is a point
which needs further investigation. (Compare
with Calvinism)
Artaxerxes
The Greek form of the name of several
Persian kings. (1.) The king who obstructed
the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4:7). He
was probably the Smerdis of profane history.
(2.) The king mentioned in Ezra 7:1, in the
seventh year (458 B.C.) of whose reign Ezra
led a second colony of Jews back to
Jerusalem, was probably Longimanus, who
reigned for forty years (464-425 B.C.); the
grandson of Darius, who, fourteen years
later, permitted Nehemiah to return and
rebuild Jerusalem.
Ascension
Ps. 27; Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1:1-11; John 16:5-16;
Eph. 4:7-13
Asceticism Self-denial and
personal discipline used by some Christians,
especially during the Middle Ages, to try to
avoid worldliness and to show devotion to
Christ.
Asherah, along
with Astarte and Anath, was one of the three
great goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon.
In Canaanite religion her primary role was
that of mother goddess. Canaanites
associated Asherah with sacred trees, an
association also found in the Israelite
tradition. The word Asherah in the Old
Testament was used not only in reference to
the goddess herself but also to a wooden
cult object associated with her worship. 1 Kings 18:19
Asherah Pole were poles, or
sometimes stylized trees that stood as a sacred
monument and tribute to the Canaanite
goddess, Asherah. According to Canaanite
myth, this mother goddess created several
gods in the Canaanite pantheon with the
other creator god, El. The Canaanites often
worshipped her via trees (Asherah poles)
because of her association with the tree of
life (Exod. 34:13; 2 Kings 18:19;
Deut. 16:21; Judg. 6:25-30; 2 Kings 23:4-7).
Astrologer (Dan. 1:20; Dan. 2:2,
Dan. 2:10, Dan. 2:27, etc.) Heb. 'ashshaph', an
enchanter, one who professes to divine
future events by the appearance of the
stars. This science flourished among the
Chaldeans. It was positively forbidden to
the Jews (Deut. 4:19; Deut. 18:10; Isa. 47:13).
Assurance of
salvation
Theologically, assurance is the state of
being confident in a condition or outcome.
Usually it is applied to one’s assurance of
salvation. Texts often used to support
assurance of salvation are John 10:28 “and I
give eternal life to them, and they shall
never perish; and no one shall snatch them
out of My hand,” and 1 Jn. 5:13, “These
things I have written to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God, in order that
you may know that you have eternal life.”
This assurance is given by the Holy Spirit.
God will never abandon his people
Ps. 138:8.
God’s promises last forever
Jer. 32:40.
False assurance is dangerous Luke 18:18-30.
We can be assured of eternal life John 5:24.
God will not refuse any who come to him John 6:37-40.
Our place in God’s family is secure
John 10:27-28.
Christians have peace with
God Rom. 5:1-5.
Salvation cannot be
canceled Rom. 11:29.
Accountability should
help others Gal. 6:1.
Our salvation was
guaranteed before Creation Eph. 1:4-5.
Assurance comes from faith Ps. 37; Rom. 8;
Eph. 3:12; 2 Tim. 1:8-12; 1 Jn. 2:28-3:24; 5:9-13.
Atheism This word comes
from two Greek words, a the negator, and, and
theos, God. Atheism teaches that there is no
God of any kind, anywhere, anytime. Some
atheists claim to "exercise no belief in a
god" the same way they would exercise no
belief in pink unicorns. Logically, an
atheist would be an evolutionist. The Bible
teaches that all men know there is a God
(Rom. 2:14-15). Therefore, they will be
without excuse (Rom. 1:19-20 ) on the Day of
Judgment. Instead, atheists willingly
suppress the knowledge of God by their
unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18-19). Ps. 14:1;
Ps. 53:1; Job 12:7-25
Atonement
may be defined as that act of dealing with
sin whereby sin’s penalty is paid and
sinners are brought into a right relation
with God. In the Old Testament the word is
used mainly in connection with the offering
of sacrifices for sin. The word does not
occur in most versions of the New Testament,
but it is used broadly in the language of
theology in relation to the sacrificial
death of Christ.
Isa. 27:8-9; 53:5; Ezek. 16:63;
Made by Jesus
John 1:29;
Rom. 3:25.
Divinely ordained Luke 2:30; Luke 2:31; Gal. 4:4;
Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:3-12; Eph. 1:17-22; Eph. 2:4-10;
Col. 1:19-20; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8.
A mystery 1 Cor. 2:7; 1 Pet. 1:8-12.
Made but once Heb. 7:27; Heb. 9:24-28; Heb. 10:10, 12, 14; 1 Pet. 3:18.
Redemption by Matt. 20:28; Acts 20:28;
Gal. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 9:12;
Rev. 5:9.
Typified Gen. 4:4; Heb. 11:4; Gen. 22:2;
Heb. 11:17;
Heb. 11:19; Exod. 12:5; Exod. 12:11; Exod. 12:14;
1 Cor. 5:7;
Exod. 24:8; Heb. 9:20; Lev. 16:30;
Heb. 9:7; Heb. 9:12-28; Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22.
Atonement, Day of The great
annual day of humiliation and expiation for
the sins of the nation, “the fast” (Acts 27:9), and the only one commanded in the law
of Moses. The mode of its observance is
described in Lev. 16:3-10; Lev. 23:26-32; and
Num. 29:7-11. It was kept on the tenth day of
the month Tisri, i.e., five days before the
feast of Tabernacles, and lasted from sunset
to sunset.(See:
Hebrew
Calendar)
Atonement Under the Law
Made by sacrifice
Lev. 1:4-5
By priests
alone 1 Chron. 6:49; 2 Chron. 29:24
Necessary
for Exod. 32:30; Lev. 23:27-28; 2 Sam. 21:3
Ransoming
Exod. 30:15-16; Job 33:24
Purifying
Exod. 29:36
Offered for The congregation
Num. 15:25; 2 Chron. 29:24
Offered for The
priests Exod. 29:31-33; Lev. 8:34
Attributes of God: The distinctive
characteristics of God as he is described in
the Bible. These include eternality,
faithfulness, goodness, graciousness,
holiness, immutability, infinitude, justice,
love, mercy, omnipotence, omnipresence,
omniscience, self-existence,
self-sufficiency, sovereignty, and wisdom.
Attitude
Gen. 4:5-7; Ps. 73:3-5; 77:12; 81:11; 86:11;
Eccl. 11:10;
Isa. 1:11-14; Ps. 73:3-5; 77:12; 81:11; 86:11;
Eccl. 11:10; Isa. 1:11-14; Jer. 17:10;
Joel 2:13; Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:24.
Augustus Caesar The
cognomen of the first Roman emperor, C.
Julius Caesar Octavianus, during whose reign
Christ was born (Luke 2:1). His decree that
“all the world should be taxed” was the
divinely ordered occasion of Jesus' being
born, according to prophecy (Mic. 5:2), in
Bethlehem. This name being simply a title
meaning “majesty” or “venerable,” first
given to him by the senate (27 B.C.), was
borne by succeeding emperors. Before his
death (A.D. 14) he associated Tiberius with
him in the empire (Luke 3:1), by whom he was
succeeded.
Authority The capability,
liberty, and right to perform what one
wills. The word implies also the physical
and mental ability for accomplishing the end
desired. Authority refers especially to the
right one has, by virtue of his office,
position, or relationship, to command
obedience.
Of Christ’s power over spirits. Mark 1:27
Of Christ’s teaching. Matt. 7:29
In the family. 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22; 6:1-4; 1
Tim. 2:12; 3:4, 12; 1 Pet. 3:1-6
Given to the disciples. Luke 9:1
Of God. Ps. 29:10; Dan. 4:34-35
Of government. Prov. 29:2; Rom. 13:1-7
Promised to believers. Luke 19:17; Rev. 2:26
Of rulers, prayer for. 1 Tim. 2:1, 2
Submission to. Rom. 13:7; Heb. 13:17
Azazel Revised Version only
here; rendered “scape-goat” in the
Authorized Version). Azazel, in this
passage, seems to be synonymous with a term
known as a scapegoat. We use that phrase
colloquially to mean placing blame on
someone who has done no wrong, to set free
those who have done wrong from punishment.
The Jewish understanding of scapegoat had a
more literal meaning. The high priest would
lay his hands on a goat and would
symbolically place the sins of the people on
that animal. Then they would drive that goat
out into the wilderness, away from the
people. Symbolically sending the sins of the
people far away from them.(Lev. 16:8-26)
Jesus
is the Lamb that was slain from the creation
of the world. Jesus was sacrificed for our
sins and Jesus is our scapegoat. (Heb. 4:14; Rev. 13:8;
2 Cor. 5:21; c.f. Isa. 53:3, 12).
B
Baal, False god
Main
deity of the Phoenicians and the Canaanites and
it is applied to numerous Canaanite local
deities. Baal was worshipped in many ancient
Middle Eastern communities, especially among
the Canaanites, who apparently considered
him a fertility deity and one of the most
important gods in the pantheon. (pl. ba’alim
, Judg. 2:11-13; 3:7; 8:33; 10:10; 1 Sam. 7:1; 12:10; 1 Kings 18:18; Jer. 11:13).
Babel The Hebrew name for
Babylon, one of the cities founded by
Nimrod. In Gen. 11:1-9, it is the location
where the entire world spoke a single
language and worked together to build a
tower into the heavens. It was
representative of the great pride of man.
God confused their languages. The building
of the tower ceased and they dispersed.
Babel, Tower of The name
given to the tower which the primitive
fathers of our race built in the land of
Shinar after the Deluge. Their object in
building this tower was probably that it
might be seen as a rallying-point in the
extensive plain of Shinar, to which they had
emigrated from the uplands of Armenia, and
so prevent their being scattered abroad. But
God interposed and defeated their design by
confounding their language, and hence the
name Babel, meaning “confusion.” In the
Babylonian tablets there is an account of
this event, and also of the creation and the
deluge. Gen. 11:1-4;
Gen. 11:5-9
Babylon The great city on the
Euphrates River; capital of Babylonia.
captives in Babylon, Ps. 137:1; Jer. 29:10
destruction predicted, Jer. 51:36-37
as a symbol of evil,
Rev. 14:8; Rev. 17:5
Backsliding is usually used to describe
believers making unrighteous choices such as
excessive drinking, sexual immorality, foul
language, low church attendance, or similar
outward behaviors. The Bible doesn't use the
term backslide, but does use the phrase
"fall away." To fall away means to go
through a period where we question or faith
or return to unchristian ways after acting
like a believer.
Afflictions sent to
heal. Hosea 5:15.
Blessedness of those who
keep from. Prov. 28:14; Isa. 26:3-4; Col. 1:21-23.
Brings its own punishment.
Prov. 14:14;
Jer. 2:19.
Endeavor to bring back
those guilty of. Gal. 6:1; James 5:10, 20.
Exhortations to return from. 2 Chron. 30:6;
Isa. 31:6;
Jer. 3:12, 14, 22; Hosea 6:1.
God is
displeased at. Ps. 78:57, 59.
Guilt and
consequences of. Num. 14:43; Ps. 125:5; Isa. 59:2, 9, 10, 11;
Jer. 5:6; 8:5, 13; 15:6; Luke 9:62.
Hateful to believers.
Ps. 101:3.
A haughty
spirit leads to. Prov. 16:18.
Healing of,
promised. Jer. 3:22; Hosea 14:4.
Is:
Departing from the simplicity of the
gospel. 2 Cor. 11:3; Gal. 3:1-3; 5:4, 7.
Leaving the first love.
Rev. 2:4.
Turning
from God. 1 Kings 11:9.
Likely to continue
and increase. Jer. 8:5; 14:7.
Not hopeless.
Ps. 37:24; Prov. 24:16.
Pardon of, promised.
2 Chron. 7:14; Jer. 3:12; 31:20; 36:3.
Pray
to be restored from. Ps. 80:3; 85:4; Lam. 5:21; 80:3; 85:4.
Proneness to.
Prov. 24:16; Hosea 11:7.
Punishment of tempting others to the sin of.
Prov. 28:10; Matt. 18:6.
Sin of, to be
confessed. Isa. 59:12-14; Jer. 3:13-14; 14:7-9.
Warnings against.
Ps. 85:8; 1
Cor. 10:12.
(From: Holman Concise Topical Concordance)
Bad Company We are
warned in scripture to avoid taking part in
the sinful practices of the world. Yet,
Jesus “come to seek and to save the lost”
(Luke 19:10). He was willing to associate
with those who were, according to the
Pharisees, not good enough. But it was those
who were open to hearing Christ, and they
mattered to God! Jesus did not condone sin
or participate in the destructive behaviors
of the ungodly. Being a “friend of sinners,”
Jesus showed that “God’s kindness is
intended to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4). Jesus led a perfect, sinless life and
had the “authority on earth to forgive sins”
(Luke 5:24). Because of that, we have the
opportunity to experience a transformed
heart and life. Jesus, our friend, spent
time with sinners, not to join their sinful
ways but to present them the good news that
forgiveness was available. Many sinners were
transformed by His words of life—Zacchaeus
being a prime example. We are called to
share the gospel with the whole world. (Luke 19:1-10; See also: Luke 7:31-34; 15:1-4 cf.
Matt. 9:10-13; 11:16-19; Luke 4:18; Isa. 61:1-2). See: Evangelism
Commandment to avoid.
Jer. 51:6; 2 Cor. 6:14
Consequences of involvement with. 1 Cor. 5:6; 15:33
Balaam
Num. 22:5-7; Num. 22:22-35; Num. 23:7-10; 18-24;
Num. 24:3-9; 15-24; Deut. 23:4, 5; Josh. 24:9-10;
2 Pet. 2:15-16; Jude 11;
Rev. 2:14
The Bandwagon Fallacy
assumes something is true (or right or good)
because others agree with it. In other
words, the fallacy argues that if everyone
thinks a certain way, then you should, too.
Baptism
church ordinance or observance that
represents the believer’s death to sin and
resurrection to a new life in Christ by
means of emersion.
Matt. 3:11; 3:6;
Mark 1:4; 1:8; Luke 12:50; John 3:23-25;
Acts 8:14-17; 19:5; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 10:2; Heb. 10:22;
1 Pet. 3:21.
with the Holy Spirit, Mark 1:8; Acts 19:2
of repentance,
Mark 1:4; 1:5; Luke 3:3; Acts 18:25; 19:3
ritual
cleansing, Acts 19:3
sign of New Covenant, Col. 2:11
Baptism of the Holy Spirit The baptism with, in, or by the Holy Spirit was an event that John
the Baptist foretold (Matthew 3:11), that Jesus promised (Acts 1:4-5), and that Peter and
Paul referred to (Acts 11:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:13). Historically it took place on the
Day of Pentecost when the risen and
glorified Christ gave the Holy Spirit to his
disciples as he had promised and in so
doing, united them all into one body, the
church (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:33; 1 Cor. 12:13).
Christ pointed forward to the coming of the
Holy Spirit in power: Matt. 3:11; John 1:33; The
baptism was promised to the saints: Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; 2:38-39; 11:16; There is a necessity
of receiving the Holy Spirit’s baptism: John 3:5; Acts 19:2-6; All true believers partake
of the baptism: 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:3-4;
Eph. 4:4-6; Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:26-28; The Holy Spirit renews and cleanses
our soul: Titus 3:5-6; (Note the past tense
nature of the baptism with the Holy Spirit
in the Epistles)
When we receive the baptism of the Holy
Spirit, we are baptized into the body of
Christ, his church. The baptism of the Holy
Spirit is a onetime historical event that is
not repeated over and over again. All true
believers receive the baptism when they
become Christians. Christ pointed forward to
the coming of the Holy Spirit in power for
the church universal. After the Holy Spirit
descended upon the church in Acts 2, the
baptism is always spoken of in the past
tense. The baptism of the Spirit is not a
second act of grace or an experience that we
feel but rather a position we gain through
our faith in Jesus Christ. The sphere of the
baptism grows numerically as more people
accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.
(See: Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 4:4-6;
Col. 2:12)
Foretold Ezek. 36:25
Is through Christ
Titus 3:6
Christ administered
Matt. 3:11; John 1:33
Promised to saints
Acts 1:5; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 11:16
All saints partake of
1 Cor. 12:13
Necessity for John 3:5; Acts 19:2-6
Renews and cleanses
the soul Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 3:20-21
The Word of God
instrumental to Acts 10:44; Eph. 5:26
Typified Acts 2:1-4
Baptismal Regeneration is
the belief that baptism is essential to
salvation, that it is the means where
forgiveness of sins is made real to the
believer. This is incorrect. Paul said that
he came to preach the gospel, not to baptize
(1 Cor. 1:14-17). If baptism were essential
to salvation, then Paul would have included
it in his standard practice and preaching of
the salvation message of Jesus, but he did
not. (Col. 2:10-11.)
Barnabas was a disciple
from Cyprus; gives property, Acts 4:36, 37
Supports Paul, Acts 9:27 Ministers in
Antioch, Acts 11:22-30 Travels with Paul,
Acts 12:25; 13-15 Breaks with Paul over John
Mark, Acts 15:36-39
Bartholomew
was called Nathanael. Was one of the twelve
apostles of Jesus, Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18;
Luke 6:14; John 1:45, 46; Acts 1:13
"B.C." stands for "before
Christ." The Western Calendar is dated from
the birth of Christ. Therefore, 1400 B.C.
means 1400 years before the birth of Jesus.
It
should be placed after the year.
"B.C.E." stands for "before
common era." A modern, less religious way to
designate the same calendar year as B.C..
Beelzebub Matt. 10:25; 12:24-27
Bel is one of the names of
Marduk, the chief god of the city of Babylon
(Jeremiah 51:44).
Belief (faith, trust, reliance,
confidence, credence, freedom from doubt,
optimism, hopefulness, hope)
in God makes us righteous
Gen. 15:6
in God should be accompanied by action
Deut. 27:10
affects the way we live Mark 1:15
Right beliefs are important for salvation
Rom. 10:9
is more than acknowledging James 2:21
Belonging
Ne.. 10:36
Belteshazzar (Beltis
protect the king) the Chaldee name given to
Daniel by Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:7).
Berea A city of Macedonia
to which Paul with Silas and Timothy went
when persecuted at Thessalonica (Acts 17:10-13), and from which also he was
compelled to withdraw, when he fled to the
sea-coast and thence sailed to Athens (Acts 17:14-15). Sopater, one of Paul's companions
belonged to this city, and his conversion
probably took place at this time (Acts 20:4). It is now called Verria.
Bethlehem
Gen. 35:19-20; Judg. 12:8-10; Ruth 1:1; 19-22; 4:11-13;
1 Sam. 16:4-13;
2 Sam. 23:14-17; 2 Chron. 11:5-6; Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:16-18;
Luke 2:1-7; 2:4, 11
Betrayal
Ps. 41:9; 109:1-3; Jer. 40:16; 41:6; Obad. 1:7;
Matt. 26:14-16; 26:49; 26:75;
Mark 14:10-11; 14:45; 14:72; Luke 22:47-48; 22:61-62
Bible is the name given to the
revelation of God to man contained in 66
books or pamphlets, bound together and
forming one book and only one, for it has in
reality one author and one purpose and plan,
and is the development of one scheme of the
redemption of man.
is perfect Ps. 18:30
is true Ps. 33:4
will last forever Ps. 119:89
gives us wisdom Ps. 119:9
can be trusted Ps. 119:138
reveals the truth Acts 18:28
is holy Rom. 1:2
God’s Holy Spirit helps us to understand 1 Cor. 2:12-16
is authoritative Gal. 3:10
is a Christian’s spiritual weapon Eph. 6:17
is inspired by God 2 Tim. 3:16
judges our life Heb. 4:12
helps us grow spiritually 1 Pet. 2:2
Bible, Inspiration of The
Apostles appealed to. Acts 8:32; 28:23
Continually affirmed. Deut. 6:6; 1 Kings 16:1;
Jer. 13:1; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:21
Inspired by God. 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:1
Inspired by the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:16; 2
Pet. 1:21
Presents Christ. John 5:39; Acts 18:28
Will judge those not accepting it. John 12:48;
Heb. 10:28
Biblical Theology
focuses on the teachings of the individual
authors and books of the Bible and places
each teaching in the Scriptures’ historical
development. It is a presentation of the Old
and New Testament writers’ theological
teachings within their historical setting.
Bible Introductions and
Outlines (The
NIV Study Bible)
https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Bisexuality
Gender distinction at creation.
Gen. 1:27; 2:20-24
Gender distinguished by hair length. 1 Cor. 11:14-15
Men forbidden to wear women’s clothing and vice
versa. Deut. 22:5
Bitterness
Ruth 1:13; 20-21; Job 15:13; 38:2;
Ps. 140:10; Eph. 4:31; Heb. 12:15
Bishop
is a church leader: literally, overseer or
supervisor; known as pastor in some
denominations and as a distinct supervisory
office in others.
Appointed by the Holy Spirit Acts 20:28
Among the recipients of Paul’s letter to
Philippi Phil. 1:1
Requirements for serving as 1 Tim. 3:2-11
A title of Jesus
1 Pet. 2:25
Blame
God
Gen. 42:28;
Exod. 16:3; Ruth 1:13; 20-21; 2 Kings 3:10; Job 35:12-13;
Ps. 88:6;
Prov. 19:3; Eccl. 5:19-20; Jer. 2:29; 4:10
Others
Gen. 16:5; Judg. 19:25; 20:6; 1 Kings 17:18, 20;
Hosea 4:4
Blameless
2 Sam. 22:24; Ps. 26:1; 84:11; 101:2; Prov. 20:7;
Titus 1:6
Blasphemy
According to the law of Moses, blasphemy was
an act not merely of disrespect to God but
of rebellion against God. The penalty was
death (Lev. 24:10-23; 1 Kings 21:10; Acts 6:11;
7:58). Israelites by nature had a
reverence for the name of God, and were not
as likely to speak blasphemously of God as
the Gentiles were (2 Kings 19:6; 2 Kings 19:22;
Ps. 74:10, 18). But they often acted
blasphemously, as seen for example when they
turned from God to serve idols. Jesus was
accused of blasphemy for declaring himself
to be God. (Ezek. 20:27-28).
Exod. 20:7; Lev. 24:13-23; Matt. 9:1-8; 12:31-32; 26:57-67; Mark 2:6-7; 3:20-30; John 10:36; 1
Tim. 1:13;
Rev. 13:6; John 8:58-59; John 6:35; 9:5; 11:25; John 10:31-33; 11:8
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
consisted in attributing to the power of
Satan, those unquestionable miracles which
Jesus performed by "the finger of God," and
the power of the Holy Spirit. It is plainly
such a state of willful, determined
opposition to God and the Holy Spirit, that
no efforts will avail to lead to repentance.
It is unpardonable.
Among the
Jews, it was a sin against God, answering to
treason, in our times. Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28
Blessed
Ps. 32:1; Matt. 5:3-10; Eph. 1:3
Blessings
Deut. 7:12-16; Ps. 32; 67; Ezek. 34:26-30; John 1:14-17;
Eph. 1:3-14; Matt. 5:1-11; Luke 6:20-22
Blindness
as divine judgment Gen. 19:11; Deut. 28:28; Acts 13:11
by divine design
Exod. 4:11; John 9:2-3
humane treatment of Lev. 19:14; Deut. 27:18; Job 29:15
Blindness, spiritual
Isa. 29:9-10; 32:3; 42:7; 42:16-19; 43:8; 59:10;
Matt. 15:14; 23:16-26; John 9:39-41; 12:40;
Rom. 2:19; 2 Cor. 4:4;
2 Pet. 1:9; 1 Jn. 2:11;
Rev. 3:17
figurative 1 Sam. 12:3
Blood
in the Old Testament, the blood symbolically
represented life. It is the life (blood) of
the victim that is the source of the
atonement, which, of course, brings the hope
of the sinner's union with a holy God.
water turned into, Exod. 7:14-24
used in the Passover, Exod. 12:13-23
not to be eaten, Lev. 3:17; Deut. 12:16; 1 Sam. 14:31-34
of animal sacrifices, Lev. 1; 3; 4; Heb. 9:12-13; 10:4
of Christ, Matt. 26:28; Rom. 5:9; Heb. 9:14; 1 Jn. 1:7
Body of Christ
Christ's physical body, John 2:19-21; John 19:38; Acts 2:31; 1
Cor. 11:24; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Peter 3:18
the Church as Christ's spiritual body, Rom. 12:5;
1 Cor. 12:12-31; Eph. 1:23; 4:4; 5:23.
Boldness Prov. 14:26; 28:1; Eph. 3:12; 2 Tim. 1:7; Heb. 4:16; 10:19; 13:6; 1 Jn. 2:28; 1 Jn. 4:17
Bondage, Spiritual
Believers are delivered from.
Rom. 6:18, 22
Christ delivers from. Luke 4:18, 21; John 8:36;
Rom. 7:24-25; Eph. 4:8
Deliverance from, illustrated.
Deut. 4:20
Deliverance from, promised.
Isa. 42:6-7
To the devil. 1
Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26
To the fear of death.
Heb. 2:14-15
The gospel as instrument of deliverance from.
John 8:32; Rom. 8:2
To sin. John 8:34; Acts 8:23;
Rom. 6:16; 7:23;
Gal. 4:3; 2 Pet. 2:19
Book of Life
is the book kept by God with the list of
names of people who will escape God's wrath
(Ps. 69:28; Rev. 21:27). Those whose names
are not in the book of Life are cast into
hell (Rev. 20:15)
Born again The
new birth enjoyed by a Christian upon his
conversion and regeneration. It is a work of
the Holy Spirit within a believer. It is
related to faith in Christ and Him crucified
(John 3:3-5). It means that the person is no
longer dead in sins (Eph. 2:1), no longer
spiritually blind (1 Cor. 2:14), and is now a
new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17).
Necessity of, because of:
Inability John 3:3-5
The flesh John 3:6
Deadness
Eph. 2:1
Produced by:
The Holy Spirit John 3:5, 8; Titus 3:5
The Word of God James 1:18;
1 Pet. 1:23
Faith
1 Jn. 5:1
Results of:
New creature
2 Cor. 5:17
Changed life
Rom. 6:4-11
Holy life
1 Jn. 3:9
Righteousness
1 Jn. 2:29
Love
1 Jn. 3:10
Victory
1 Jn. 5:4
Borrowing Exod. 22:14; Exod. 22:15;
Ne. 5:1-3; Ps. 37:21; Prov. 22:7; Matt. 5:42
Boasting
About the Christians of Corinth. 2 Cor. 8:24; 9:3
In the last days. 2 Tim. 3:2
In the Lord. Ps. 34:2; 44:8; Jer. 9:23-24; 2
Cor. 10:13; 10:17; Gal. 6:14
Of the man of perdition. 2 Thess. 2:3-4
Warned against. Deut. 8:17; 32:27; Prov. 27:1
Of the wicked. Ps. 10:3; 12:3; 17:10; 52:1; 94:4
Bread
Matt. 14:13-21; 15:29-38; 26:26; Mark 6:35-44; 8:1-9; 14:22;
Luke 9:12-17; 11:5-8; 22:19; John 6:5-13; 6:35, 41, 48, 51;
1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-24
Breath
Figurative sense. Ezek. 37:9
Of God. 2 Sam. 22:16; Job 4:9; 33:4; 37:10;
Ps. 18:15; 33:6;
Isa. 30:33.
Bribes
Prov. 17:8; 21:14; 22:16
Bride of Christ a symbolic
term used to designate the Christian church
in its relation to Christ as one who is a
pure virgin (2 Cor. 11:2), loved by Christ
(Eph. 5:22-33), who will be in the marriage
supper to the Lamb (Rev. 19:7). Rev. 21:9
says, "And one of the seven angels who had
the seven bowls full of the seven last
plagues, came and spoke with me, saying,
"Come here, I shall show you the bride, the
wife of the Lamb."
Brotherhood
Basis for peace in. Gen. 13:8
Betrayal of. Gen. 4:1-16; 37:1-36; James 2:1-5
Blessings of. Ps. 133:1; Prov. 17:17
Danger of offending brethren. Rom. 14:21; 1 Cor. 8:11
Responsibility of. Gen. 4:9; Deut. 15:11;
Rom. 12:10
Test of. 1 Jn. 2:9; 3:14; 4:20
Busy-Bodies
Fools are Prov. 20:3
The idle are 2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:13
Are mischievous tale-bearers
1 Tim. 5:13
Bring mischief upon themselves 2 Kings 14:10;
Prov. 26:17
Christians must not be 1 Pet. 4:15
C
Calvary is the site of the
crucifixion of Jesus. Matt. 27:33. It was located
outside the city of Jerusalem. Matt. 27:33;
Luke 23:33; John 19:17
Calvinism a system of Christian
interpretation initiated by John Calvin. It
emphasizes predestination and salvation. The
five points of Calvinism were developed in
response to the Arminian position (See
Arminianism). Calvinism teaches: 1) Total
depravity: that man is touched by sin in all
parts of his being: body, soul, mind, and
emotions, 2) Unconditional Election: that
God’s favor to Man is completely by God’s
free choice and has nothing to do with Man.
It is completely undeserved by Man and is
not based on anything God sees in man (Eph. 1:1-11), 3) Limited atonement: that Christ
did not bear the sins of every individual
who ever lived, but instead only bore the
sins of those who were elected into
salvation (John 10:11,15), 4) Irresistible
grace: that God's call to someone for
salvation cannot be resisted, 5)
Perseverance of the saints: that it is not
possible to lose one's salvation (John 10:27-28).
Canon The
collection of Holy Scripture; the Bible as
the authoritative standard by which all
doctrine and practice is judged. In the
early days of the church, the 'Bible' that
the Christians used was what we call the Old
Testament (Luke 24:27,44; Acts 8:32; 17:2,11;
Rom. 1:2; 4:3; 9:17; 2 Tim. 3:15-16).
But with the coming of Jesus, Christians saw
that God's revelation did not end with the
Old Testament. Jesus had promised the
apostles that after he returned to his
Father, the Holy Spirit would come to
indwell them, enabling them to recall,
interpret and apply his teachings (John 14:25-26; 16:13-15). The writings of the New
Testament are part of the fulfilment of that
promise. Apostles had God-given authority,
and Christians recognized their teachings
and writings as having the same authority as
the Old Testament Scriptures (1 Cor. 14:37;
1 Thess. 5:27; 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:14; 2 Pet. 3:2;
Rev. 1:1-3).
Capital
Punishment The Old Testament law
commanded the death penalty for various
acts:
For adultery. John 8:3-11
For murder. Gen. 9:5-6;
Exod. 21:12 Required
to atone for murder. Num. 35:33 For violating
Sabbath. Exod. 31:14 Warning against putting
innocent to death. Exod. 23:7
Care,
God’s
Affirmed in faith.
Ps. 23
Assured through trust.
Ps. 55:22
Illustrated
in the church. 1 Cor. 12:25
Promised. 1 Pet. 5:7
Careers
Exod. 7:7; Acts 18:3
Caring
God cares for
his people Deut. 7:9
God cares for
underprivileged people Ps. 68:5
Protect the
needy Ps. 82:3
God’s people should help the
oppressed Isa. 1:17
Care for your enemies Luke 6:27
God’s people should care for the needy
Luke 14:13-14
God cares for his children
Rom. 1:6-7
Treat parents with care
Eph. 6:2
Treat co-workers with care
Col. 4:1
Care for
the elderly 1 Tim. 5:1-4
Christians need to
care for the needy James 1:27
Carelessness
Admonition against.
Heb. 2:1
Danger of. Ezek. 39:6;
Matt. 12:36
Folly of. Prov. 14:16;
Matt. 7:26-27
Warning against.
Deut. 8:11; Isa. 47:8; Luke 8:15
Carnal (See: Worldly) used theologically,
refers to the sin nature. A carnal Christian
is one who more attentive to physical life
and its temporary allurements and
satisfactions than he is to the spiritual
life of the Lord. The word carnal means (One
who has received Christ, but who lives in
defeat because he is trying to live the
Christian life in his own strength) 1 Cor. 3:1-3
Causal Fallacies are
informal fallacies that occur when an
argument incorrectly concludes that a cause
is related to an effect. Think of the causal
fallacy as a parent category for other
fallacies about unproven causes.
"C.E." stand for "common
era."
A
modern, less religious way to designate the
same calendar year as A.D..
Celibacy
Jesus’ teaching concerning.
Matt. 19:10-12
Paul’s teaching concerning. 1 Cor. 7:1-9; 25-26; 32-39
Wrongly insisted on by some teachers. 1 Tim. 4:1-3
Certainty
Of faith. John 6:69; Heb. 10:22.
Of hope. Heb. 6:11.
Of judgment for sin. Num. 32:23; Heb. 9:27.
Of reward for righteousness. Prov. 11:18.
Of salvation. 2 Pet. 1:10.
Of truth. Prov. 22:21.
Cessationism is the
position within Christianity that the
Charismatic Spiritual gifts (speaking in
tongues, word of knowledge, word of wisdom,
interpretation of tongues, faith healing,
miracle workings and modern day Apostles and
Prophets) ceased with
the closing of the Canon of scripture and/or
the death of the last apostle.
Character
Deut. 8:2;
2 Chron. 32:31; Ps. 35:11-16; 66:10;
Prov. 23:15; 24:10; 27:21; Jer. 12:5-6; Mal. 3:18;
Matt. 11:18-19; Luke 6:43-45; 7:33-34
Charismata the abilities
given to each believer by God according to
God’s own will for the building up of the
body of Christ, the church, are identified
as charismata (Greek), “grace gifts,” or
pneumatikon (Gk.), “spiritual gifts.”
Charismatic Gifts The
special spiritual gifts given to the church.
They are for edifying and building up the
church. They are mentioned in Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12; and 1 Cor. 14.
The sign gifts were reserved for the initial
stages of the Church and were for the
purpose of pointing to and authenticating
the Apostles as revealers of divine truth,
and were never intended to be characteristic
of the lives of all believers. 1 Cor. 13:8-10
Cherub / Cherubim is a type
of angel usually involved in sacred work
before God. They are generally described as
winged creatures with feet and hands. Exod. 25:18;
Gen. 3:24; Ezek. 1:5-14. See Heb. 9:5
Children
(importance) Gen. 19:31-32; Exod. 21:22-23;
Deut. 25:11-12;
Ruth 4:14-15;
1 Chron. 2:32; Job 42:12-13; Ps. 127:3-5;
Jer. 16:2; Mark 10:13; Luke 18:15
Choice
Deut. 31:16-21; 1 Kings 8:58; 12:15; 2 Chron. 18:22; Job 14:5;
Ps. 25:12; 32:9; 103:19; 139:16; Isa. 54:15; 63:17;
Jer. 4:10; 29:13; Ezek. 14:9; Matt. 23:37;
Luke 15:11-32; Acts 13:48; Rom. 9:8-33; Eph. 1:4-5
Christian comes from the
Greek word christianos which is derived from
the word christos, or Christ, which means
"anointed one." A Christian, then, is
someone who is a follower of Christ. The
first use of the word "Christian" in the
Bible is found in Acts 11:26, "And the
disciples were called Christians first in
Antioch." It is found only twice more in
Acts 26:28 and 1 Pet. 4:16; John 1:1,14; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8.
Christian fellowship
Rom. 16:1-16; 1 Cor. 11:20-22; 2 Cor. 1:5; Gal. 6:10
Christian freedom
1 Cor. 6:12; Rev. 2:20
Christ likeness
2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:14-17; Gal. 5:22, 23;
Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Jn. 3:2
Christophany was an
appearance of Christ after His Resurrection,
esp. as recorded in the New Testament.
The Book of 1 Chronicles 1-29
First and 2 Chronicles, originally one
book, was written sometime after Judah began
to return from the Babylonian exile in 538
B.C. (1 Chron. 9:1-2; 2 Chron. 36:23). It
focuses primarily on the history of Judah,
the southern kingdom of divided Israel.
1 Chronicles begins with several
genealogies, with special emphasis on David
and Solomon. The "chronicler" moves next to
the history of the kingdom under David,
stressing David's deep interest in worship
and his detailed plans for the construction
of the temple-which would be built by his
son Solomon. 1 Chronicles was probably
written to reassure the returned exiles of
God's faithfulness toward his people. Its
author is unknown, although many have
thought that Ezra was the principal writer.
The Book of 2 Chronicles 1-36
2 Chronicles, which extends 1
Chronicles' history of Judah, was written
sometime after the people began to return
from the Babylonian exile in 538 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:23). The "chronicler," perhaps
trying to encourage the returned exiles,
recalls the greatness of Solomon's reign.
Most of the book, however, focuses on
Judah's fall into sin which had led to the
exile. Judah had several godly kings,
especially Hezekiah and Josiah, but it still
declined into sin. Still, God remained
faithful to his covenant people, and as the
book closes it jumps ahead several years,
recording the decree of Cyrus that allowed
the Jewish exiles to return to their
Promised Land. The author is unknown,
although many have thought that Ezra was the
principal writer.
Church (Gk. ekklesia,
“called out,” ek “out,” kaleo “to call”).
General Use. The word church is employed to
express various ideas, some of which are
scriptural, others not. It may be used to
signify: (1) The entire body of those who
are saved by their relation to Christ. (2) A
particular Christian denomination. (3) The
aggregate of all the ecclesiastical
communions professing faith in Christ. (4) A
single organized Christian group. (5) A
building designated for Christian worship.
Simple New Testament Usage. In the NT
the church comprehends the whole number of
regenerated persons specifically from
Pentecost to the first resurrection (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:13-17) united organically
to one another and to Christ by the
baptizing work of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5;
Col. 2:10-12). According to the NT
definition the church is the mystical Body
of Christ of which He is the head (Eph. 1:22-23), being a holy temple for the
habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:21-22), “one flesh” with Christ
(Eph. 5:30-31), and espoused to Him as a pure
virgin to one husband (2 Cor. 11:2-4).
[From: The New Unger's Bible Dictionary].
Circular arguments occur
when a person's argument repeats what they
already assumed before without arriving at a
new conclusion. For example, if someone
says, "According to my brain, my brain is
reliable," that's a circular argument.
Circumcision
was a minor surgical operation carried out
on baby boys to remove the foreskin from the
penis.
Gen. 17:10; 34:24; Exod. 4:24; 4:25; Josh. 5:3;
Acts 15:1; 16:3; 15:10-12; Rom. 2:25-27;
1 Cor. 7:18;
Gal. 5:2
Inner Deut. 10:16;
Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:28-29; Col. 2:11
Cleanness
Lev. 11-15; Ps. 51:1-9; Heb. 10:19-22; 1 Jn. 1:5-10
Clinical Theology in
essence, is a theology of recovery. Clinical
Theology is any integration of psychology
and theological studies that can be used in
a professional clinical setting. Clinical
Theology is not a psychology of religion
about why people believe in God, but it is a
“theology of psychology.” Clinical Theology
can be used to evaluate the spiritual needs
during a crisis and to move the client to
the next step of treatment through
client-centered recovery plans, Christian
counseling, Chapel services, and Chaplain
visitations.
The Book of Colossians 1-4
Paul wrote to the church in Colossae to
fortify it against false teachers who might
try to impose strict rules about eating and
drinking and religious festivals. Paul shows
the superiority of Christ over all human
philosophies and traditions. He writes of
Christ's deity ("He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation" [Col. 1:15]) and of the
reconciliation he accomplished with his
blood. He explains that the right way of
living in this world is to focus on heavenly
rather than earthly things. God's chosen
people must leave their sinful lives behind
and live in a godly way, looking to Christ
as the head of the church (Col. 1:18).
Paul wrote while in prison, probably about
the same time as he wrote to the Ephesians.
Comfort
Job 4:1; Ps. 23:4; 2 Cor. 1:5
Comforter
The designation of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7; or
Advocate, or Helper; (Greek. paracletos).
The same Greek word thus rendered is
translated “Advocate” in 1 Jn. 2:1 as
applicable to Christ. It means properly “one
who is summoned to the side of another” to
help him in a court of justice by defending
him, “one who is summoned to plead a cause.”
“Advocate” is the proper rendering of the
word in every case where it occurs. It is
worthy of notice that although Paul nowhere
uses the word paracletos, he yet presents
the idea it embodies when he speaks of the
“intercession” both of Christ and the Spirit
(Rom. 8:27, Rom. 8:34).
Commandment, The New
John 13:34, 35; 1 Jn. 2:7-11; 2 Jn. 1:5; Matt. 22:34-40
Commitment
Gen. 15:6; Deut. 33:9; Ruth 1:16-18; Ps. 31:15; 40:6; 86:11;
Prov. 23:15; Isa. 58:6-7; Jer. 9:2; 26:10-16; Ezek. 20:3; Zech. 13:3;
Luke 14:26; John 6:51-58; 2 Tim. 3:7; Rev. 3:16
Communion, Lord's Supper, Eucharist:
Fellowship with God. The Lord's Supper is so
called (1 Cor. 10:16-17), because in it there
is fellowship between Christ and his
disciples, and of the disciples with one
another. (Matt. 6:29; 26:26-28; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:51-56; 21:13; Acts 1:4; 2:42;
Acts 46-47; 20:7, 11; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:20-26; 24:30-43).
Complaining
Exod. 16:7; 17:2; Num. 21:5-6; Job 6:5; Ps. 3:1;
Eccl. 5:19-20; Isa. 45:9; Jer. 45:3; 2 Cor. 1:8
Complimentarianism The
theological position that there are
different roles between men and women in the
Christian church, church leadership,
marriage, etc. Essentially it holds to a
hierarchical structure between men and
women. This position focuses on function and
calling as revealed in the Bible, and does
not assert that women are inferior in
nature. This position would negate the
possibility of women being pastors, elders,
bishops, etc. Furthermore, it would assert
that the husband is the head of the wife as
well as the head of the family.
Conditional Immortality is the
belief that the soul is not innately
immortal. At death, both the wicked and
righteous will pass into unconsciousness,
only to be resurrected at the final
judgment. God, who alone is immortal, passes
on the gift of immortality to the righteous,
who will live forever in heaven or on an
idyllic earth, while the wicked will
ultimately face the second death, i.e.
extinction. Thus, immortality and enduring
life are conditioned upon salvation. The
lost will not live forever, according to
conditionalists. (Gen. 3:22-23; Rev. 22:2; John 5:29; Luke 20:35-36; 1 Cor. 15:50, 53).
Confession
Josh. 7:19; 2 Sam. 12:13; Ne. 1:6; Job 16:17; Prov. 14:9; 28:13;
John 9:41;
1 Jn. 1:9
Conscience
Gen. 39:9; Deut. 28:65;
Josh. 1:1; Job 13:25; Ps. 19:13; Prov. 20:27;
Ezek. 38:22-23; Acts 24:25; Rom. 14:13; 14:22-23;
1 Cor. 8:10-11
Consecration
Exod. 13:1-2; 19:14, 22; Lev. 8:10; 11:44-47;
Num. 7:1; Josh. 3:5
Consubstantiation The
belief in the Lutheran tradition that the
body and blood of Christ are mystically and
invisibly present in the Lord's supper but
are not materially identified with the bread
and wine. See Transubstantiation.
Contentment
Ps. 23:1; Eccl. 1:6-8; 1 Cor. 7:17, 20, 26; 1 Tim. 6:6-8
Continuationism (Aka
Continualism) is the belief that the
supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit taught
in the bible -- such as prophecy, tongues,
interpretation of tongues, healings,
miracles, etc. -- have not ceased and are
available for the believer today (1 Cor. 1:7). Continuationism is the opposite of
Cessationism which teaches that supernatural
gifts have ceased either when the canon of
Scripture was completed or at the death of
the last apostle. Those who hold to
continuationism are called continuationists
or non-cessationists.
Conversion
is the result of turning away from sin,
accepting the truth of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and submitting to him. People are
converted when they turn from darkness to
light, from Satan to God, from dead idols to
the living Christ (Acts 15:3; 26:18; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; cf. Matt. 13:15;
2 Cor. 3:16). Their changed lives are
the outward demonstration of that inward
turning which the Bible more commonly calls
repentance (Acts 3:19; 26:20; see
Repentance). Through repentance, believing
sinners receive the salvation of God. They
are born anew; they become new people (2 Cor. 5:17; see Regeneration;
Salvation).
Commanded by God:
Isa. 31:6; 45:22;
Jer. 18:11; 25:5; 35:15; Ezek. 18:23, 30; 33:11; Joel 2:12-14;
Matt. 18:3; Acts 3:19; 14:15; 26:20
Turning from sin to God:
Deut. 30:10;
1 Kings 8:35; 2 Chron. 6:26; 7:14; Ne. 9:35;
Ps. 22:27; 119:59; Prov. 3:7; Isa. 45:22;
Jer. 18:8, 11; Mal. 3:7; Acts 3:26; 9:35; 14:15; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Peter 2:25
The Book of 1 Corinthians 1-16
The city of Corinth was at the heart of an
important trade route in the ancient world.
Like many cities that thrive on trade,
Corinth had a reputation for sexual
immorality, religious diversity, and
corruption. The church that Paul planted
there (Acts 18) floundered under all of
these influences and began to divide over
various issues. 1 Corinthians addresses
many practical questions dividing the
church-questions concerning such things as
spiritual gifts, marriage, food offered to
idols, and the resurrection. Paul urged the
Corinthians to be unified and to give
themselves fully to "the work of the Lord"
(1 Cor. 15:58). 1 Corinthians 13
includes a well-known passage on the nature
and importance of love. Paul wrote this
letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus about
A.D. 55.
The Book of 2 Corinthians 1-13
Paul's second
letter to the Corinthians discusses some of
the things previously addressed but also
deals with new issues. While 1 Corinthians
called for believers to be unified with each
other, in this letter Paul urges the church
to be unified with him in his ministry.
Paul's opponents were undermining his work,
claiming that his suffering (2 Cor. 11:24-29) proved he was not a true apostle.
Paul responds that his suffering highlights
his dependence on Christ, as it points to
Christ's strength rather than his own.
2 Corinthians includes stirring
perspectives on gospel ministry (2 Cor. 2-5), encouragements to holy living (2 Cor. 6-7), and instructions about giving (2 Cor. 8-9). Paul wrote this letter from Macedonia
a year after writing 1 Corinthians, about
A.D. 56.
Courage
Josh. 1:6-9; Ps. 27:14; 1 Sam. 17:26-50; Dan. 3;
1 Cor. 16:13; Phil. 1:20; Acts 4:13; 5:17-32; 20:22-24
Covenant
A contract or agreement between two parties.
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith
is always thus translated. Berith is derived
from a root which means “to cut,” and hence
a covenant is a “cutting,” with reference to
the cutting or dividing of animals into two
parts, and the contracting parties passing
between them, in making a covenant (Gen. 15;
Jer. 34:18, Jer. 34:19). The corresponding
word in the New Testament Greek is diatheke,
which is, however, rendered “testament”
generally in the Authorized Version. It
ought to be rendered, just as the word
berith of the Old Testament, “covenant.”
Abraham’s
Ps. 111:5-9;
Jer. 16:15
David’s
Ps. 89:3
Everlasting
Ezek. 16:60
Israel’s
Deut. 28:1-15; Deut. 28:16-19;
Josh. 24:25; Judg. 2:20-21; 2 Kings 21:9;
Ne. 9:5-38
The
Old Covenant (Sinaitic):
Instituted at Sinai
Exod. 19:5
Ratified by sacrifice
Exod. 24:6-8; Heb. 9:16
Does not annul the Abrahamic
Gal. 3:16-18
Designed to lead to Christ
Gal. 3:17-25
Consists of outward rites
Heb. 9:1-13
Sealed by circumcision
Gen. 17:9-14
Prefigures the Gospel
Heb. 9:8-28
The
New Covenant (evangelical):
Promised in Eden
Gen. 3:15
Proclaimed to Abraham
Gen. 12:3
Dated in prophecy
Dan. 9:24-27
Fulfilled in Christ Luke 1:68-79
Ratified by His blood
Heb. 9:11-23
Remembered in the Lord’s Supper 1 Cor. 11:25
Called everlasting
Heb. 13:20
New Testament Jer. 31:31; 65:17;
Ezek. 37:26-28; 39:29; Matt. 17:3; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 9:30; Acts 15:19-21;
Rom. 2:25-27; Heb. 8:6-11
See:
Covenants in the Bible &
The
People of God in History &
New Covenant Theology
Covenant Theology is a
system of theology that views God's dealings
with man in respect of covenants rather than
dispensations (periods of time). It
represents the whole of scripture as
covenantal in structure and theme. Some
believe there is one Covenant and others
believe two and still others believe in
more. The two main covenants are covenant of
works in the O.T. made between God and Adam,
and the Covenant of Grace between the Father
and the Son where the Father promised to
give the Son the elect and the Son must
redeem them. Some consider these to be one
and the same. The covenants have been made
since before the world was made (Heb. 13:20)
Cosmological Argument An
attempt to prove that God exists by
appealing to the principle that all things
have causes. There cannot be an infinite
regress of causes, therefore, there must be
an uncaused cause: God.
Cosmology The study of the origin
and structure of the universe.
Coveting
Exod. 20:17; Josh. 7; 1 Kings 21:1-14; James 4:1-10
Creation
(causing what did not exist to exist by God
alone) (Gen. 1:5-31; 1-2; Gen. 7-9; Exod. 31:17;
Exod. 20:8-11; Job 37:14-16; 39:1-30; 39:17;
Ne. 9:6; Ps. 146:6; Ps. 19:1-6; 48:10;
Ps. 74:13-14; 96:11-13; Ps. 104:6-9; 104:16-30;
Prov. 8:22-31; Rom. 1:19-20; Col. 1:15, 18; 1 Tim. 4:3-4)
Author
of:
God
Heb. 11:3
Jesus Christ
Col. 1:16-17
Holy Spirit
Ps. 104:30
Objects of:
Heaven, earth
Gen. 1:1-10
Vegetation
Gen. 1:11-12
Animals
Gen. 1:21-25
Man
Gen. 1:26-28
Stars Is. 40:26
Expressive of God’s:
Deity
Rom. 1:20
Power Is. 40:26-28
Glory
Ps. 19:1
Goodness
Ps. 33:5-6
Wisdom
Ps. 104:24
Sovereignty
Rev. 4:11
Illustrative of:
The new birth
2 Cor. 5:17
Renewal of believers
Ps. 51:10
The eternal world Is. 65:17;
2 Pet. 3:11-13
The
first:
Subject to vanity
Rom. 8:19-20
Will be delivered
Rom. 8:21
Creationism, Old-Earth
(OEC) is a form of creationism which tries
to accommodate modern scientific theories
including day-age creationism, gap
creationism and progressive creationism.
Broadly speaking, OEC occupies a middle
ground between young Earth creationism (YEC)
and theistic evolution (TE). In contrast to
YEC, it is typically more compatible with
the humanistic scientific consensus on the
issues of physics, chemistry, geology, and
the age of the Earth which all have man-made
assumptions and disregard the Bible as God's
truth and the Bible's historically reliable
revelation.
Creationism,
Young-Earth (YEC) is the
Biblical belief that nature, and aspects
such as the universe, Earth, life, and
humans, originated with supernatural acts of
divine creation
(ex nihilo "out
of nothing")
just as the Bible says in Genesis 1. The
days of creation week were all literal,
24-hour days that took place approximately
6,000 to 10,000 years ago.
See:
Creationism |
Creationism (Biblical Creation) |
Six Thousand Years with Ken Ham |
Science Confirms a Young Earth—The
Radioactive Dating Methods are Flawed
Creator
(the Supreme Being)
A
title of God Is. 40:28
Man’s
disrespect of Rom. 1:25
To be
remembered Eccl. 12:1
Criticism
Job 6:15-17; Ps. 64:3-6; Prov. 12:1; 27:6; Eccl. 10:20;
Jer. 18:19-23; Rom. 14:4; 2 Cor. 5:13
Cross
was a form of torture and execution used by
the Romans, not by the Jews. Yet Jesus knew
that in the end this was the way the Jews
would have him killed (John 3:14; John 8:28;
John 12:32-33). Although the New Testament
writers refer to the cruelty and injustice
of Jesus’ crucifixion (Acts 2:23), their
main concern is not with the physical horror
of his death but with its theological
meaning ( 1 Cor 1:18; 1 Peter 2:24).Matt. 16:24;
Mark 8:31-9:1; Luke 9:23; 23:26-49; John 3:14;
Gal. 3:1-14; 5:11; Eph. 2:11-18; 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5;
1 Pet. 2:24
Jesus died on a cross, Matt. 27:31-50; Mark 15:20-37; Luke 23:26-46; John 19:16-30
importance of, 1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Cor.2:2; Gal. 6:14;
Eph. 2:16; Col. 2:13-14
as a symbol of death to oneself, Matt. 10:38;
Luke 9:23; Rom. 6:6; Gal. 5:24
Crown
As a
symbol Ps. 8:5; 103:4; 149:4; Prov. 10:6; 12:4; 16:31; 17:6;
1 Thess. 2:19;
Phil. 4:1
Worn
by leaders Lev. 8:9; 2 Sam. 12:30; Esther 1:11; 2:17;
Zech. 6:9-11; Matt. 27:29; John 19:2, 5; Rev. 14:14; 19:12
Cults
Gen. 9:25; 38:16; Exod. 22:18-20;
2 Kings 1:2;
Ps. 77:12;
Jer. 2:8, 27; Matt. 6:23; 2 Cor. 11:20; 1 Jn. 3:2;
Rev. 2:24
Crucifixion was a form of
execution by affixing a victim to a cross to
die; Jesus’ death on the cross for sinners.
John 19:16-37; Rom. 6:6; Gal. 2:20. (See
Cross)
Cult A religious group that
follows a particular theological system. In
the context of Christianity, it is a group
that uses the Bible but distorts the
doctrines that affect salvation sufficiently
to cause salvation to be by works and
unattainable. Anthony A. Hoekema lists the 4
major cults as: Christian Science, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism.
D
The Book of Daniel 1-12
Exiled to Babylon in 605
B.C., Daniel was
one of several young men chosen to serve in
Nebuchadnezzar's court. When Persia
conquered Babylon in 539, Daniel was again
given a position of power. He remained
faithful to God in both of these hostile
environments. From the interpretation of
dreams, to the familiar stories of the fiery
furnace, the lions' den, and the handwriting
on the wall, to the prophetic visions, the
recurrent theme is God's sovereignty over
human affairs. In the historical sections
(Daniel 1-6) God supernaturally rescued
Daniel and his friends. The rest of the book
consists of visions of future judgment and
deliverance by the Messiah. Some of Daniel's
prophetic themes are echoed in the New
Testament, especially in Revelation.
David
From humble beginnings as the youngest son
of a Bethlehem shepherd named Jesse, David
rose to become Israel’s greatest king. He
established a dynasty out of which,
according to God’s plan, came the great
Messiah, the son of David, who was Jesus
Christ, Savior of the world (1 Sam. 16:1; 1 Sam. 16:11; 2 Sam. 5:3-4; 2 Sam. 5:12; Isa. 9:7;
Luke 1:32-33; Luke 2:11). Ps. 51; Matt. 1:1-18; 21:41-45;
Luke 1:26-33
The Davidic Covenant (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Day of Atonement the great
annual day of humiliation and expiation for
the sins of the nation, “the fast” (Acts 27:9), and the only one commanded in the law
of Moses. The mode of its observance is
described in Lev. 16:3-10; 23:26-32; and
Num. 29:7-11. See also: Exod. 30:10; Heb. 5:1; 5:3; 7:26-28; 9:7; 9:13
Day of the Lord
God’s time of decisive intervention in
history.
Isa. 13:6; 34:4; Jer. 25:33;
Lam. 1:21; Amos 5:18-20; Zeph. 1:7-18; 3:8;
Joel 1:15; Amos 5:18; Zech. 14:1;
Luke 17:24; 1 Cor. 1:8;
2 Cor. 1:14;
1 Thess. 5:1-11; 2 Thess. 2:1-5; 2 Pet. 3:10
Deacon
Acts 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 3:8-13
Dead Sea Scrolls
This collection of Jewish writings
discovered in 1947 in a group of caves near
the Dead Sea is often called the Qumran
Scrolls because of the proximity of the
caves to the community of Qumran. The
writings date from c. 150 B.C. to A.D. 1OO.
Death, the Bible teaches
that man dies as a result of sin (Gen. 2:17;
Rom. 5:12). Yet it is not God's desire that
man should die. Death is the enemy of man
and God (1 Cor. 15:26; Heb. 2:15). Results
of Adam's sin Physical and spiritual death
are not completely separate. When sin
entered the life of man through Adam, it
changed everything. All man's life is now
affected by the certainty of death (Rom. 5:12-17). This involves physical death and
spiritual death. The truth of this is
demonstrated by the fact that the work of
Christ, which reverses the effects of sin on
man's behalf, brings the gift of spiritual
life now (Rom. 6:23) and in the end will
bring victory even over physical death (1 Cor. 15:21, 22, 44, 45).
Death, Eternal
The miserable fate of the wicked in hell
(Matt. 18:8; 25:41-46; Mark 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 2 Thess. 1:9; Jude 1:7). The
Scripture as clearly teaches the unending
duration of the penal sufferings of the lost
as the “everlasting life,” the “eternal
life” of the righteous. The same Greek words
in the New Testament (aion, aionios, aidios)
are used to express
(1.) the eternal existence of God (1 Tim. 1:17;
Rom. 1:20; Rom. 16:26);
(2.) of Christ (Rev. 1:18);
(3.) of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 9:14); and
(4.) the eternal duration of the sufferings
of the lost (Matt. 25:46; Jude 1:6).
Their
condition after casting off the mortal body
is spoken of in these expressive words:
“Fire that shall not be quenched” (Mark 9:45, 46), “fire unquenchable” (Luke 3:17),
“the worm that never dies,” the “bottomless
pit” (Rev. 9:1), “the smoke of their torment
ascending up for ever and ever” (Rev. 14:10-11).
Death penalty
Gen. 4:15; 9:6; Num. 25:7-8; Deut. 17:5-7; 19:13;
Josh. 20:3; Judg. 8:17; 1 Sam. 15:33; 1 Kings 2:32; Ps. 78:34; Acts 7:57-59
Debts
Exod. 21:2; Deut. 15:1; Ne. 5:5; Prov. 22:7; Matt. 18:24-28; 18:34
Deception
2 Sam. 13:6; 16:4; 2 Chron. 18:29; Jer. 41:6
Decision making
Gen. 4:7; Exod. 10:1; 9:34;
1 Chron. 19:3-5; 2 Chron. 32:31;
Prov. 15:22; 16:1-9; 1 Cor. 2:15; 10:27-30
Dedication
Lev. 27:2; 27:26-28; Ne. 12:27-43
Deism
is a religious belief holding that God
created the universe and established
rationally comprehensible moral and natural
laws but does not intervene in human affairs
through miracles or supernatural revelation.
In other words, deists believe in the
existence of a supreme god, or a creator of
the universe, but they reject religious
dogma and demagogy, religious books claiming
to contain the revealed word of God,
skepticism of miracles, prophecies, and
religious mysteries. In deism, humans’
relationship between god is rather
impersonal. Since deism believes the
existence of God without accepting claims of
divine revelation, it appeals to people from
both ends of the religious spectrum.
Demon (an evil spirit from the devil)
Both Old and New Testaments speak of the
reality of the spirit world. Within this
unseen world are spirit beings beyond
number. They are commonly called angels,
some of whom willingly serve God, though
others have rebelled against him (Jude 1:6;
see Angels). These rebellious, or fallen,
angels are variously known as demons, evil
spirits, spiritual hosts of wickedness,
principalities, powers, rulers, authorities,
evil spiritual forces, cosmic powers of
evil, and angels of the devil. Their leader
is Satan (Luke 10:17-18; Eph. 6:12; Col. 2:15; James 2:19; Rev. 12:9; see Satan). In
relation to the ministry of Jesus, demons
are usually called unclean spirits (Matt. 10:1,8; Mark 6:7,13).
Demon possession
Matt. 8:28-34; Mark 1:23; 5:1-10; Luke 4:33; Acts 16:16-19; 1 Tim. 4:1-10.
Denial
Ps. 32:3; Ezek. 33:32; Mark 16:7.
Depending on God
Josh. 24:19; Ps. 62:3-6; 86:1; 104:16-30; Prov. 27:1;
Zech. 10:1;
Matt. 10:9-10; Mark 6:8; Luke 6:24-26; John 15:4;
2 Cor. 9:11;
1 Tim. 6:6-8;
1 Jn. 2:24
Depravity
a reference to the corruption of man’s
nature as a result of sin. The fall has so
affected man that the totality of his
nature—understanding, emotions, will, body—
is warped by sin (total depravity), and all
his actions are tainted by sin so that he is
incapable of doing anything good in any
ultimate sense (Is. 64:6). This condition of
his moral nature makes it not only possible
but also certain that man will sin (Ps. 51:5;
Jer. 17:9). It does not mean that man
is as bad as he could be. See: Gen. 6:5-13; 8:21;
Ps. 51:5;
Rom. 2:1; 3:9-23; 7:5-25
Depression
Job 17:15; Ps. 61:2; 69:1-3; Prov. 25:20; Eccl. 4:1-3
Despair
1 Kings 11:10-12; Job 7:8-10; 7:15-16; 9:22-24; Ps. 10:1; 142:6;
Eccl. 1:15;
Isa. 33:7-9;
Jer. 8:20; Ezek. 37:11; Hab. 3:17-18
The Book of
Deuteronomy 1-34
Deuteronomy, which means "second law," is a
retelling by Moses of the teachings and
events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It
includes an extended review of the Ten
Commandments (Deut. 4:44-5:33) and
Moses' farewell address to a new generation
of Israelites as they stand ready to take
possession of the Promised Land. Moses
reminds them of God's faithfulness and love,
but also of God's wrath on the previous
generation of Israelites because of their
rebellion. Repeatedly he charges Israel to
keep the Law. Deuteronomy is a solemn call
to love and obey the one true God. There are
blessings for faithfulness and curses for
unfaithfulness. The book closes with the
selection of Joshua as Israel's new leader
and the death of Moses.
Devil
the Greek is "diabolos" which means
accuser. The greatest of all the fallen
angels. He opposes God and is completely
evil. He is often called Lucifer which is a
Latin translation of "light bearer" found in
Isa. 14:12, and also the accuser of the
brethren in (Rev. 12:10), dragon (Rev. 12:9),
the devil (Matt. 4:1), the tempter (Matt. 4:3), the accuser (Rev. 2:10), the prince of
demons (Luke 11:15), the ruler of this world
(John 12:31), See Isa. 14:12-15 for a
description of the fall of the devil. Upon
Jesus' return, the Devil will be vanquished
-- depending on the eschatological position.
His future is the eternal lake of fire.
Diaspora Biblically, it
refers to the dispersion of the Jews outside
of Israel from the time of the Babylonian
Captivity until now. During the centuries
immediately before the New Testament era,
Jews had become widely scattered across
western Asia, eastern Europe and northern
Africa. Some of these were descendants of
people who had been taken captive to foreign
lands by Assyria, Babylon and other invaders
of Palestine. Some had fled as refugees in
times of persecution; others had moved to
different places in search of trade. All
these people were known as ‘Jews of the
Dispersion’ or ‘the scattered Jews’ (John 7:35; James 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1). By New
Testament times many of these Jews only
spoke Greek. At the same time they
maintained their Jewish identity through
keeping the Jewish law. Wherever they lived
they built synagogues (Acts 13:5,14; 17:1, 10; 18:1-4)
and kept the traditions of their ancestors.
Usually they went to Jerusalem for the more
important ceremonies and festivals (Acts 2:1,5; 21:27-29).
Didache
either the Greek word of teaching in New
Testament; or a writing of Christian
teachings from shortly after A.D. 100.
Disabilities
Exod. 4:10; 4:11; Lev. 21:17-23; Deut. 27:18; 2 Sam. 19:24; Ps. 6:2-7; Luke 13:11
Disciple is a follower and
learner of Jesus Christ. John 8:31; 13:35; Acts 11:26.
Discipleship
Matt. 4:20; 8:20; 16:24; 28:19; Mark 1:16-17; 8:34; 10:21;
Luke 6:13; 9:23; 9:57-62; 14:25-34; John 1:40-42; 8:51; 15:1-17; 21:15-19;
Rom. 12:1; Phil. 3:10
Discipline
Ps. 6:1; 66:10; 94:12-13; 141:5; Prov. 3:11-12; 19:18; 29:19;
Jer. 16:15; 30:11; 1 Cor. 9:27; 1 Thess. 4:6;
Matt. 18:15-17; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 2:6-8; Heb. 12:4-11
Discouragement
1 Kings 19:3; Ne. 4:10; Hag. 1; 2; 2 Tim. 4:9-11
Discrimination
Gen. 43:32; 1 Chron. 1:5;
Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11; Philem. 1:16; James 2:1-7
Disobedience
God’s
response Gen. 2:17; Lev. 10:1; Num. 14:40-41; 20:12;
Deut. 1:37; 28:46; 1 Kings 20:36; 2 Chron. 18:28; Ps. 81:11;
Prov. 28:14; Jer. 42:20; Ezek. 7:27
Leaders’ response
2 Sam. 18:14
Dispensation in theology,
the meaning of the term dispensation is as a
distinctive arrangement or period in history
that forms the framework through which God
relates to mankind.
Dispensationalism is the method or
scheme according to which God carries out
his purposes towards men is called a
dispensation. There are usually reckoned
three dispensations, the Patriarchal, the
Mosaic or Jewish, and the Christian. These
were so many stages in God's unfolding of
his purpose of grace toward men. The word is
not found with this meaning in Scripture. 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10; 3:2; Col. 1:25
The Dispersion is from the
Greek for “scattering,” refers to the
numerous relocations of large groups of
Israelites/Jews throughout the world,
including to Assyria and Media (722 B.C.),
Babylon (586 B.C.), Alexandria in Egypt
(300 B.C.), Phrygia (200 B.C.), and Rome (A.D.
63). This dispersion resulted in greater
exposure of the Jews to other peoples and
also laid the groundwork for the worldwide
spread of the gospel during the first
century (see Diaspora).
Disrespect
2 Kings 2:23-24
Divination is
the practice of determining the hidden
significance or cause of events, sometimes
foretelling the future, by various natural,
psychological, and other techniques.
An abominable practice 1 Sam. 15:23
All who practiced it, abominable Deut. 18:12
Practiced by
Diviners Deut. 18:14
Enchanters Deut. 18:1; Jer. 27:9
Witches Exod. 22:18; Deut. 18:10
Charmers Deut. 18:11
Wizards Deut. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:3
Consulters of familiar spirits Deut. 18:11
Magicians Gen. 41:8; Dan. 4:7
Astrologers Isaiah 47:1; Dan. 4:7
Sorcerers Jer. 27:9; Acts 13:6; Acts 13:8
Necromancers Deut. 18:11
Soothsayers Isaiah 2:6; Dan. 2:27
False prophets Jer. 14:14; Ezek. 13:3; Ezek. 13:6
Effected
through
Enchantments Exod. 7:11; Num. 24:1
Sorcery Isaiah 47:12; Acts 8:11
Frustrated by God Isaiah 44:25
Could not injure the Lord's people Num. 23:23
The law
Forbade to the Israelites the practice of
Lev. 19:26;
Deut. 18:10-11; Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:14
Punished with death those who used Exod. 22:18;
Lev. 20:27
Punished those who sought to Lev. 20:6
The Jews prone to 2 Kings 17:17; Isaiah 2:6
Divorce
The dissolution of the marriage tie was
regulated by the Mosaic law (Deut. 24:1-4).
The Jews, after the Captivity, were required
to dismiss the foreign women they had
married contrary to the law (Ezra 10:11-19).
Christ limited the permission of divorce to
the single case of adultery. It seems that
it was not uncommon for the Jews at that
time to dissolve the union on very slight
pretenses (Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). These precepts given
by Christ regulate the law of divorce in the
Christian Church.
Deut. 21:14; 1 Chron. 8:8;
Ezra 10:17; Isa. 50:1; Mal. 2:14; John 4:18; 1 Cor. 7:15
Doctrine The study of
theology is an effort to make definitive
statements about God and his implications in
an accurate, coherent, relevant way, based
on God’s self-revelations. Doctrine equips
people to fulfill their primary purpose,
which is to glorify and delight in God
through a deep personal knowledge of him.
Meaningful relationship with God is
dependent on correct knowledge of him. 2 Tim. 1:13-14; 3:16; Titus 1:6-9; 2:1.
Doctrinal Statement (See:
Statement of Beliefs - In Him Ministries)
Doubts
1 Kings 17:24; Job 40:2; Ps. 69:1-3; 73:3-5; Eccl. 9:4-6;
Jer. 15:18; Mal. 3:14-15; Luke 7:19-23; John 21:15-17;
James 1:6-8
Dreams
(visions) Gen. 28:12-15; 31:11; Judg. 7:14; 7:15;
1 Kings 3:15; 1 Chron. 17:2; Job 42:5; Isa. 1:1; 6:1;
Ezek. 1:1; 3:14; Zech. 1:8;
Rev. 1:19-20; 4:2
Drunkenness Deut. 21:20;
Deut. 21:21; Ps. 69:12; Prov. 23:21; Isa. 28:1;
Isa. 28:3; Joel 1:5; Nah 1:10;
1 Cor. 5:11; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Cor. 6:10
E
The Book of Ecclesiastes 1-12
Ecclesiastes contains reflections of an old
man, the "Preacher," as he considered the
question of meaning in life. He looked back
and saw the futility ("vanity") of chasing
after even the good things this life can
offer, including wisdom, work, pleasure, and
wealth. Even if such things are satisfying
for a time, death is certain to end this
satisfaction. In fact, God's judgment on
Adam for his sin (Gen. 3:17-19) echoes
throughout the book (especially Eccl. 12:7). Yet the person who lives in the fear
of the Lord can enjoy God's good gifts.
Young people, especially, should remember
their Creator while they still have their
whole lives before them (Eccl. 12:1).
Traditionally interpreters of Ecclesiastes
have identified the "Preacher," who is also
called "the son of David, king in Jerusalem"
(Eccl. 1:1), as Solomon (tenth
century B.C.).
Ecclesiastical, Having to
do with the church (Greek ekklisia).
Ecclesiology is the study
of the Christian church, its structure,
order, practices, and hierarchy.
Ecumenical Having to do
with the unity of all Christians or at least
a cooperative spirit among Christians.
Eden Garden of, the
residence of our first parents in their
state of purity and blessedness. Gen. 2:8-17;
Gen. 3:23-24; Gen. 4:16; Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 28:13;
Ezek. 31:9; Ezek. 31:16; Ezek. 31:18; Ezek. 36:35; Joel 2:3
The Edenic
Covenant (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Education
Judges 5:1; 2 Chron. 17:7;
Prov. 19:18
Religious Judges 2:10;
2 Kings 22:2;
2 Chron. 29:3; 32:7-8; Ne. 8:7; Job 3:3; Ps. 22:9-10; 103:17-18
Edification
All to be done to. 2 Cor. 12:19; Eph. 4:29
Described. Eph. 4:12-16
Exhortation to. Jude 1:20-21
Foolish questions opposed to. 1 Tim. 1:4
Gospel as the instrument of. Acts 20:32
Is the object of
The church’s union in Christ. Eph. 4:16
Ministerial authority. 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10
Ministerial gifts. 1 Cor. 14:3-5; 14:12
The ministerial office. Eph. 4:11-12
Love leads to. 1 Cor. 8:1
Mutual, commanded. Rom. 14:19; 1 Thess. 5:11
Peace of the church favors. Acts 9:31
Use self-denial to promote, in others. 1 Cor. 10:23, 33
Eisegesis is when a person
interprets and reads information into the
text that is not there.
Elder
In the Old Testament: those who by virtue of
age and experience were qualified to give
counsel and rule, especially in the local
government; Exod. 3:16; 24:9; Num. 11:16; Deut. 21:2-18;
Judg. 8:14-16; 2 Kings 6:32; 23:1
in the New Testament: leaders in the early
church (Acts 5:17-42; 11:30; 14:23; 20:13-38; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:14; Titus 1:5-9;
James 5:14)
modern churches
interpreted by some as the pastors and in
others as a separate office.
Elderly
Ps. 92:14-15; Prov. 16:31; Eccl. 12:3-5
Elect/Election
(chosen) God’s choice of those who
believe in Christ is an important teaching
of the apostle Paul (See: Rom. 8:29-33; 9:6-26; 11:5-28;
Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 1:1). Election (Greek:
eklego)
refers to God choosing in Christ a people
whom he destines to be holy and blameless in
his sight (2 Thess. 2:13). Paul sees this
election as expressing God’s initiative as
the God of infinite love in giving us as
finite creation every spiritual blessing
through the redemptive work of his Son.
(Gen. 12:1-9; Exod. 19:1-6;
Deut. 10:12-22; Isa. 41:8-16; John 15:9-17;
Rom. 9:6-13; Eph. 1:3-14; 1 Pet. 2:1-10; 2 Pe 1:3-10
See: Election &
Predestination)
Elijah
1 Kings 17; 18; 19; 21; 2 Kings 2; Luke 9:28-36
Elisha
1 Kings 19:16-21; 2 Kings 2-13
Emotions
(expressing) Ps. 13:1-5; 88:5; 140:1-11; Prov. 14:29;
Lam. 1:12
Encouragement
1 Sam. 23:16; Job 4:1; Prov. 25:20; Isa. 12:1-6
Enemies
Ps. 27:2; 31:6; 35:11-16; Prov. 25:21-22;
Luke 6:27-36; Rom. 12:19-21
Envy
Gen. 37; Mark 7:20-23;
James 3:13-4:10
The Book of Ephesians 1-6
The
apostle Paul wrote Ephesians to the churches
around Ephesus (Acts 19) to display the
scope of God's eternal plan for all
humanity-for Jews and Gentiles alike. This
is the mystery of God, hidden for ages but
now made known in Jesus Christ. The first
three chapters focus on what Christians
should believe, unfolding the glorious
riches of God's grace in Christ. Dead
sinners are made alive and gain eternal
salvation "by grace... through faith"
(Ephesians 2:8). The last three chapters
explain the implications of God's grace for
the church, for individuals, and for
families. This second section comes to a
climax with a command to stand with the
armor of God against the devil. Paul wrote
this letter while in prison, probably in
Rome about A.D. 60.
Episcopal A
form of church government led by bishops
(Greek episkopoi) characteristic of the
Anglican or Protestant Episcopal Church.
Epistemology The study of
how we know and of the sources of knowledge.
Epistles New Testament
letters by Paul, James, John, Peter, and
Jude.
Equivocation Arguments
happen when a word, phrase, or sentence is
used deliberately to confuse, deceive, or
mislead. In other words, saying one thing
but meaning another.
Eschatology The
study of last things or end time when Christ
returns.
See:
Eschatology &
What
Does The Bible Teach About The Secret
Rapture?
The Book of
Esther 1-10
The book of Esther never mentions God's
name, yet God clearly orchestrated all of
its events. Esther, a Jew living among the
exiles in Persia, became queen of the empire
in about 480 B.C. Haman, a Persian official,
sought to eradicate the Jewish minority, but
God had prepared Esther "for such a time as
this" (Esther 4:14) to save his covenant
people. The book was written some decades
later to document the origins of the Jewish
observance of Purim, which celebrates
Israel's survival and God's faithfulness.
The author is unknown, but some believe it
could have been Esther's cousin Mordecai,
who is a key person in the book. Throughout
the book we see God's sovereign hand
preserving his people, showing that
everything is under his control.
The Eternal Covenant / Covenant of
Redemption (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Eternal life
Matt. 19:16-30; John 3:1-21; John 6:46-57;
Rom. 2:7; Rom. 6:15-23;
1 Jn. 5;
Rev. 21:22-27
is only for those who do God’s will Matt7:21
The righteous will receive Matt. 25:46
Belief in Jesus is required for John 3:15-16
Evil people will receive eternal punishment John 5:28-29
Jesus came to give life John 10:10
Jesus gives eternal life John 11:25
Jesus is John 14:6
cannot be earned Eph. 2:8-9
comes from God Titus 1:2
gives us hope Titus 3:7
Eternal
Security The doctrine that
salvation cannot be lost. Since it is not
gained by anything we do, it cannot be lost
by anything we do. This does not mean that
we can sin all we want (Rom. 6:1-2) because
we have been freed from sin and are set
apart for holy use (1 Thess. 4:7).
Eternity
Job 20:5-9; Ps. 21:4; 30:9; Eccl. 3:11
Ethics The study of morality and
moral decisions that guide human conduct.
Eucharist, Communion, Lord's
Supper:
Fellowship with God. The Lord's Supper is so
called (1 Cor. 10:16-17), because in it there
is fellowship between Christ and his
disciples, and of the disciples with one
another. (Matt. 6:29; 26:26-28; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:51-56; 21:13; Acts 1:4; 2:42;
Act 46-47; 20:7, 11; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:20-26; 24:30-43)
Evangelical The
theological position which affirms the
fundamental doctrines of Christianity.
Evangelism is the
proclamation of the Gospel - the good news
about Jesus Christ which is God’s power to
save all who believe it and turn from sin to
follow him. All Christians are called to do
evangelism (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 10:14-17), but not
everyone has the gift of evangelism
(Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:4-12; 12:27-31; 2 Tim. 4:5).
Eve
Gen. 1:26-5:2; 1 Cor. 11:2-16; 1 Tim. 2:8-15
Everlasting The word for
eternal has different meaning in the Hebrew
and the Greek languages and we need to
understand their uses. Circumcision, the
Passover, the Sabbath, the covenants, and
God’s Word are all said to be eternal
(Gen. 17:9-14; Exod. 12:13-14; 31:13, 17; 1 Chron. 16:15; Ps. 119:160; Isa. 40:8) but do not continue
under the New Covenant.
Evil is the comprehensive
term under which all disturbances of the
divinely appointed harmony of the universe
are included. Christian doctrine, in
accordance with the Scriptures, carefully
distinguishes between physical and moral
evil.
Physical Evil. It is often
called natural evil and is disorder in the
physical world. Such physical causes as
militate against physical well-being are
therefore called evils. That such evils are,
to some extent at least, the effect or
penalty of sin is a clear teaching of
Scripture (Gen. 3:10-12; 6:13). To what
extent physical sufferings are the necessary
means to greater good is, however, a great
question.
Moral Evil. This is sin,
disorder in the moral world. It is the
failure of rational and free beings to
conform in character and conduct to the will
of God. This is the greatest evil (see Rom. 1:18-32). How the existence of evil is
compatible with the goodness of God is the
question of theodicy. For discussion of
moral evil. [The New Unger's Bible
Dictionary].
Evil Spirits spirits are
referred to in both the Old and New
Testaments but are often called by other
names such as “unclean spirits” or “impure
spirits,” “deceiving spirits” or “lying
spirits,” “demonic spirits,” and “demons.”
In all cases, evil spirits are malevolent
supernatural beings. Evil spirits work
against God, but the Bible also informs us
that God in His sovereignty can choose to
use evil spirits to carry out His plans and
purposes, demonstrating that He is Ruler
over all the universe (Judg. 9:23; 1 Sam. 16:14-15).
Evolution
is the theory that all living things on earth
evolved from a single source and driven by
genetic mutation and natural selection gave
rise to all the various life forms on earth.
The theory of evolution goes against what
the Bible says. The Bible is clear that God created
the human race
by a divine act of His will (Gen. 1-3; John 1:3; 1:10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-3).
Excommunication The act
of discipline where the Church breaks
fellowship with a member who has refused to
repent of sins. Matt. 18:15-1;8; 1 Cor. 15:5;
1 Tim. 1:20.
Exegesis
Literally, getting out the meaning; the
process by which Bible students interpret
Scripture.
Exile
In the Old Testament 'the exile', or 'the
captivity', refers to the period of
approximately seventy years that followed
Babylon's conquest of Jerusalem and
deportation of the people into captivity in
Babylon (2 Kings 24:1-25:21; Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10;
Dan. 1:1-4; Ezek. 1:1-3). The exile came
to an end after Persia's conquest of Babylon
in 539 B.C., when the new ruler gave
permission to the captive Jews to return to
their homeland (2 Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4;
Isa. 48:20; see Chronicles, Books of,
Ezra).
In the
New Testament 'the exile' refers to the
Christian's life in the present world. Since
the Christian is considered to be a citizen
of heaven, his present life is like that of
a foreigner or pilgrim in an alien country
(Phil. 3:20; Heb. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:1,17; 2:11). [The AMG Concise Bible Dictionary]..
Exodus Israel’s escape from
slavery in Egypt is commonly known as the
exodus (meaning ‘a going out’). The most
likely date for the event is about 1280 BC,
and the historical account of the event is
given in the book of Exodus
God’s
deliverance Exod. 4:1-9; 5:1-5; 7:10-10:29; 11:1-12:39; 14:5-29
God’s
motive Gen. 15:13-16; Deut. 7:8-9; Hosea 11:1
The Book of Exodus 1-40
Exodus tells of God fulfilling his promise
to Abraham by multiplying Abraham's
descendants into a great nation, delivering
them from slavery in Egypt, leading them to
the Promised Land, and then binding them to
himself with a covenant at Mount Sinai.
Moses, under the direct command of God and
as leader of Israel, received the Ten
Commandments from God, along with other laws
governing Israel's life and worship. He also
led the nation in the building of the
tabernacle, a place where God's presence
dwelled among his people and where they made
sacrifices for sin. Traditionally, Jews and
Christians recognize Moses as the author,
writing sometime after the Exodus from
Egypt.
Expiation the action
directed towards nullifying the effects of
sin which breaks the relationship between a
person and God; emphasizes the saving event
of the atonement of Christ rather than the
penalty or punishment endured. Lev. 17:11;
Deut. 21:1-9; Luke 18:13; Heb. 2:17; 8:12; 1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10.
The Book of
Ezekiel 1-48
Ezekiel, a prophet and priest, was exiled to
Babylon in 597 B.C. His ministry extended
over at least twenty-three years. The book
opens with his first dramatic vision of the
"likeness" of the Lord himself. Ezekiel was
keenly aware of God's presence and power in
human affairs. He addressed both the exiles
and the people left in Judah with messages
of warning and judgment, predicting the fall
of Jerusalem. After Jerusalem's fall (in
586), Ezekiel prophesied hope and
reassurance for the people of Judah, who had
then lost the focus of God's covenant, the
temple in Jerusalem. His vision of the
valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) is a
classic picture of God's ability to renew
his people.
The Book of Ezra 1-10
The book of Ezra begins where 2 Chronicles
ends. As prophesied by Isaiah (Isa. 44:28),
the Persian King Cyrus had sent exiles led
by Zerubbabel back to Jerusalem in 538 B.C.
(Persia had defeated Babylon in 539.)
Despite opposition from the non-Jewish
inhabitants of Judea, and after
encouragement by the prophets Haggai and
Zechariah, the temple was rebuilt (515).
Then in 458, Ezra led the second of three
waves of returning exiles. By the time Ezra
arrived, the people had again fallen into
sin. Ezra preached God's word and the people
repented (Ezra 10:9-17). Ezra succeeded
because God's hand was upon him (Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31). This book, perhaps
written by Ezra, shows God's power in
covenant faithfulness, moving even pagan
kings to accomplish his redemptive purposes.
F
Failures
Judg. 14:4; Ps. 106:7-43;
Matt. 26:75;
Mark 14:72; Luke 22:61-62
Faith is a biblical word
that refers both to intellectual belief and
to relational trust or commitment. The
biblical authors generally do not make a
distinction between faith as belief and
faith as trust, but tend to see true faith
as consisting of both what is believed
(e.g., that God exists, that Jesus is Lord)
and the personal commitment to a person who
is trustworthy, reliable and able to save
(that is, trust in the person of Christ as
the way to salvation). Heb. 11:1.
Faithfulness
Gen. 17:10; Job 36:7;
Ps. 78; 111; Lam. 3:22-32; Luke 8:18; Gal. 5:16-26;
Heb. 3; Rev. 2:8-11
The Fall is that event in
the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve
disobeyed the command of God and ate of The
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2; 3). Since Adam represented all of
mankind, when He sinned, all of mankind fell
with Him (Rom. 5:12; 8.
(See: Fall of
man)
Fall of Man
The event in which Adam and Eve, the first
humans, disobeyed the explicit command of
God, thereby bringing sin and death onto the
human race. As a consequence of the Fall
humans have become alienated from God, from
one another and from the created order.
Gen. 3:1-19; Gen. 2:16; Gen. 2:17; Job 31:33;
Eccl. 7:29;
Isa. 43:27;
Hosea 6:7;
Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:14;
Rom. 5:18; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 5:21; 1 Cor. 15:21;
1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14
False accusations
Job 19:29; 31:35
False Dilemma/False
Dichotomy argument presents limited
options — typically by focusing on two
extremes — when in fact more possibilities
exist. The phrase "America: Love it or leave
it" is an example of a false dilemma.
False gods
Acts 17:23
False Teachers, Teachings,
Prophets Deut. 13:1, 2; 13:3; Matt. 7:15-20;
Matt. 24:24; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:5;
Titus 1:15; 2 Pet. 2:1; 2:2; 1 Jn. 2:19; 2 Jn. 7; 8; Jude 1:4, 8;
Rev. 11:15; 13:11-17;
Fame
Job 29:20; Matt. 23:9
Family
Gen. 2:24; Lev. 20:9;
Ps. 127:3-5; Mal. 4:6; Matt. 10:35-37;
Mark 10:29; Luke 8:20-21; 12:51-53; 14:26;
Acts 16:15
Blessings
Gen. 24:60; 27:38; 28:4; 48:20; Deut. 33:1;
Ruth 4:12; 1 Chron. 5:1; 16:43; 26:10
Model
Ps. 103:17-18; 1 Cor. 7:14
Name
Gen. 15:2; 19:31-32; 38:14; Deut. 25:5-9; Job 30:8
Of God
Eph. 1:5; 1:13
Christ’s
2 Sam. 7:16; 1 Kings 11:36;
Ps. 132:12; Matt. 1:1-17; Luke 2:48; 3:23-38;
John 7:5
Famine
Ruth 1:1; 1 Kings 17; 2
Kings 6:25-8:2
Fasting
Lev. 16:30; 23:27; Deut. 9:18; 1 Kings 21:9; Isa. 58:3;
Joel 1:14; Zech. 8:19; Matt. 6:18; 9:14-15; Mark 2:18-20;
Luke 5:35; Acts 13:2-3
Fear
Ps. 140:1-11; Matt. 8:26; Mark 4:40; 5:17;
Luke 8:37
Consequences Job 31:23
Of
death Isa. 38:10-14
Of God
Exod. 3:6; Deut. 5:5; 2 Chron. 26:5; Job 9:9; 28:28;
Ps. 14:5; 19:7-9; 25:14; 103:11;
Prov. 1:7
Of the
unknown Exod. 14:12
Feasts and Festivals
of the Old Testament in Leviticus 23:
Israelites were largely a farming people,
and their religious festivals, or feasts,
were built into the agricultural cycle.
There were three main annual festivals:
Passover-Unleavened Bread and
Pentecost-Harvest at the beginning of the
year, and Tabernacles-Ingatherings in the
middle of the year. On these three occasions
all adult males had to go to the central
place of worship, which was originally the
tabernacle and later the temple (Exod. 23:14-17).
Passover and Unleavened Bread:
God
decreed that the month during which the
Israelites escaped from bondage in Egypt
should be the first month of their religious
year (Exod. 12:2). (This Jewish month fits
somewhere into the period of March-April on
our calendar.) In the middle of the month
the people kept the Passover, followed by
the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:5-8; Mark 14:1). The Passover recalled
God’s ‘passing over’ the houses of the
Israelites when he killed the firstborn
throughout Egypt (Exod. 12:27). The
accompanying Feast of Unleavened Bread
recalled the people’s hasty departure from
Egypt when they had to make their bread
without leaven (yeast), cooking as they
travelled in order to save time (Exod. 12:8;
Exod. 12:34; Exod. 12:39). Once the Israelites had
settled in Canaan, the festival became an
occasion to acknowledge God’s care in giving
them their grain harvest. At Passover time
the barley was ready for harvest, but before
the people could reap it and use it for
themselves, they had to acknowledge God as
the giver. Therefore, on the third day of
the Feast of Unleavened Bread, they
presented the first sheaf of reaped barley
to God. They accompanied this with animal
sacrifices that expressed confession,
gratitude and dedication (Lev. 23:10-14; Num. 28:16-25).
Feast of Harvest: (Pentecost)
After the
Feast of Unleavened Bread, the people
returned home and for the next six weeks
were busy harvesting, first the barley and
then the wheat. At the end of the wheat
harvest they showed their thanks to God for
their food by presenting to him two loaves
of bread such as they would eat in their
normal meals. Again there were additional
sacrifices (Lev. 23:15-21; Num. 28:26-31).
Since this festival fell on the fiftieth day
after Passover, it later became known as the
Feast of Pentecost (‘pentecost’ meaning
‘fifty’). It was also known as the Feast of
Weeks, being a week of weeks after the
offering of the first barley sheaf (Deut. 16:9-10). More commonly it was called the
Feast of Harvest or Feast of Firstfruits.
Between the two festival seasons:
After
the cereal harvest there was much activity
as the people threshed, winnowed and stored
the grain. The hottest part of the year had
now arrived, and over the next few months
the figs, grapes, olives and dates ripened
and were harvested. By the middle of the
year, summer had almost gone, most farming
activity was finished, and people began
preparing for the mid-year festival season.
On the first day of the seventh month
(within the period of September-October on
our calendar) the ceremonial blowing of
trumpets called the people together for a
special day of rest and worship (Lev. 23:24-25). This was to prepare them for the
solemn cleansing from sin that followed ten
days later on the Day of Atonement.
The
Day of Atonement:
Only one person, the
Israelite high priest, could enter the Most
Holy Place of the tabernacle, and he could
do so only once a year, on the Day of
Atonement (Lev. 16:2; Heb. 9:7). This was a
day that the Israelites observed as a
national day of cleansing from sin. It fell
on the tenth day of the seventh month, a few
days before the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 16:29-34;
Lev. 23:27-34)
Feast of Tabernacles: (or Shelters)
Five
days after the Day of Atonement was the
Feast of Tabernacles. The name ‘tabernacle’
in this case does not refer to the Israelite
place of worship, but to small shelters, or
booths, made of tree branches and palm
leaves. During the festival people lived in
these shelters in remembrance of Israel’s
years in the wilderness (Lev. 23:34; Lev. 23:39-43). The festival was also known as
the Feast of Ingatherings, because it marked
the end of the agricultural year, when all
the produce of the land had been gathered in
and the people rejoiced in thanksgiving
before God (Lev. 23:39; Deut. 16:13-15). The
number of sacrifices at this feast was
greater than at any other, though the number
decreased a little each day (Lev. 23:36;
Num. 29:12-38). There are records of
Israel’s celebration of the Feast of
Tabernacles after Solomon’s completion of
the temple and after the Jews’ return from
captivity in Babylon (2 Chron. 8:12-13; Ezra 3:4). They
still celebrated it in the time of Jesus
(John 7:2), and had introduced into it a
water-pouring ceremony. Jesus referred to
this ceremony when he addressed the people
on the final day of the feast, offering to
satisfy the spiritual needs of all who came
to him for help (John 7:37-39).
Feast of Purim:
The Feast of Purim was
not one of the feasts appointed by God
through Moses. It was established in Persia
in the fifth century BC by Mordecai, a
leader of the large community of Jews that
had grown up in Persia after the Babylonian
captivity. Haman, Persia’s chief minister,
had gained the king’s approval for a plan to
destroy the Jewish people. He determined the
date to carry out his plan by casting lots,
or purim (purim being the Hebrew plural of
the Persian-Assyrian word pur, meaning
‘lot’) (Esther 3:7). In the end, however, Haman
was executed and Mordecai made chief
minister in his place. When Haman’s ‘lucky
day’ arrived, the Jews, instead of being
slaughtered, took revenge on their enemies (Esther 9:1). Mordecai then ordered that Jews
celebrate the great occasion with feasting,
exchanging gifts and giving to the poor.
Jews have celebrated the festival to the
present day.
Feast of Dedication:
During the second
century BC, the Greek ruler of the Syrian
sector of the Empire, Antiochus IV Epiphanes,
used his military power to try to destroy
the Jewish religion. In a brutal attack he
invaded Jerusalem and slaughtered the Jews.
He then defiled the Jewish temple by setting
up an altar in honour of the pagan gods and
sacrificing animals that the Jews considered
unclean. A group of zealous Jews, the
Maccabees, began a resistance movement
against Antiochus, and after three years of
untiring fighting won back their religious
freedom (165 BC). They promptly cleansed and
rededicated the temple, in celebration of
which the Jews established the annual Feast
of Dedication. It was the Jews’ only winter
festival (John 10:22-23). (From: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary:
See also: Hebrew Calendar)
Fellowship (see: koinonia)
Fellowship according to its basic biblical
meaning, fellowship is concerned not with
people enjoying each other's company, but
with people participating together in
something. Fellowship is communion having a
share in something.
Fellowship 'with'
means sharing 'in' An example of the
biblical meaning of fellowship is the Lord's
Supper, or Holy Communion. The believer's
act of eating bread and drinking wine in the
Lord's Supper is an act of fellowship with
Christ, for it is a spiritual sharing in his
body and blood. It is a participation in
Christ and all that his sacrificial death
means to the believer (1 Cor. 10:16; see
Lord's Supper). By being united with Christ,
the believer shares in him, has fellowship
with him (1 Cor. 1:9; Heb. 3:14). Likewise the
believer has fellowship with the Father (1 Jn. 1:3) and with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 1:21; Heb. 6:4), for through
faith in Christ he has become a sharer in
the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). [The AMG
Concise Bible Dictionary].)
Fights
Disputes
2 Sam. 19:26-27
Feuds
Esther 3:2-5; Isa. 11:13; Ezek. 35:5;
Luke 9:53; Acts 23:9
Quarrels
Gen. 45:24; Ne. 5:1-5
Financial planning
Prov. 11:25-28; Eccl. 11:2;
Luke 12:33-34; 16:8-11
First born in biblical
times, the firstborn was given certain
unique rights, responsibilities, and
privileges. A married couple’s firstborn
male child was given priority and
preeminence in the family, and the best of
the inheritance. The nation of Israel is
identified as God’s “firstborn” in the Bible
(Exod. 4:22; Jer. 31:9); in other
words, Israel held a special place of
privilege and blessing among the nations.
As a point of clarification, the term
firstborn in relation to Jesus does not
suggest that He is a created being. The Son
of God has existed for all eternity along
with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus
is fully God (John 1:1-3). He took on human
flesh so that He could become our Savior
serve as the Mediator between humankind and
God (1 Tim. 2:5). When Scripture refers
to Christ as the “firstborn,” the message is
that Christ’s supremacy, sovereignty, and
priority extend over all things and all
other beings.
The Flood of Noah’s day (approx. 2348
BC) was a world-wide, year-long global catastrophe that
destroyed the pre-Flood world, reshaped the
continents, buried billions of creatures,
and laid down the rock layers. It was God’s
judgment on man’s wickedness and only eight
righteous people, and representatives of
every kind of land animal, were spared
aboard the Ark.
Gen. 7; 8; 9;
Matt. 24:38; Luke 17:26; Heb. 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20;
2 Pet. 2:5
See:
The Flood |
Noah's Ark And The Flood |
The Flood |
The Global Flood of Noah's Day
Foreknowledge God’s eternal
knowledge of the future. Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Peter 1:2, 20;
Isa. 41:22-23; 57:15
Forgiveness is an act
of God’s grace to forget forever and not
hold people of faith accountable for their sins; to a lesser degree the
gracious human act of not holding wrong acts
against a person. Forgiveness has both
divine and human dimensions. In the divine
relationship, it is, first of all, the
gracious act of God by which believers are
put into a right relationship to God and
transferred from spiritual death to
spiritual life through the sacrifice of
Jesus. It is also, in this divine dimension,
the ongoing gift of God without which our
lives as Christians would be “out of joint”
and full of guilt. In terms of a human
dimension, forgiveness is that act and
attitude toward those who have wronged us
which restores relationships and fellowship.
Human
Gen. 33:4; 50:15-21;
Luke 15:17-24; 23:34; Acts 7:60; 2 Tim. 4:16; Matt. 18:35; Luke 11:4; Eph. 4:32;
Col. 3:13
God’s
Exod. 34:6-7; Ps. 32:5; 51:1, 2, 7, 9; 103:8, 12;
Isa. 38:17; 43:25; 44:22; 55:7; Jer. 31:34; Mark 2:1-11;
Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 10:43; 13:38;
Heb. 10:17-18; 1 Jn. 1:9
See:
In Him Ministries! - Growing in Christ)
Fornication usually
refers to sexual immorality by unmarried
people, whereas adultery refers to sexual
immorality by married people. Sometimes the
Bible speaks of fornication to denote sexual
immorality in general (Acts 15:20). It
regards as immoral any sexual relations
outside marriage or with any person other
than one’s marriage partner (Matt. 5:32; 1
Cor. 5:1; 1 Cor. 6:13; 1 Cor. 6:18; 1 Cor. 7:2;
1 Thess. 4:3-4). The union of a man and a woman
to become ‘one’ means, by definition, that
it excludes all others (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5-6).
Foul Language
is not fitting for a Christian Eph. 5:4
Our speech reflects our relationship with God
Col. 4:6
Our speech should be an example to others 1 Tim. 4:12
Free Will The freedom God
gives people to make decisions without the
decisions being predetermined; the human
freedom to reject God’s will or to choose to
obey God. (John 12:39; 1 Tim. 2:4; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Pet. 1:10-11; 3:9; Rev. 3:5)
See:
Freedom of the Will
Freedom
John 8:31-36; Rom. 6; 8:1-17;
Gal. 3:8-25; 4:21-5:26
Friendship
1 Sam. 23:16; 2 Sam. 1:26; Prov. 17:17; 24:26; 27:10, 17;
Eccl. 4:9-12
With
God Exod. 33:11; 33:12, 17; Job 42:2; Ps. 25:14; 119:57;
2 Cor. 5:19
Fruit of the Spirit
Luke 8:15; John 15:4;
1 Cor. 13:1-3;
Gal. 5:16-26
G
The Book of Galatians 1-6
Paul's letter to the Galatians was addressed
to a group of churches in Galatia, a region
of present-day Turkey. Paul had preached the
gospel in these churches. He wrote to
counter those who taught that Christians
must be circumcised in order to be accepted
by God. Paul began with a defense of his
apostolic authority (Gal. 1-2), then
made it clear that all believers, Jew and
Gentile alike, enjoy complete salvation in
Christ (Gal. 3-4). In Galatians 5-6
Paul showed how the gospel of grace leads to
true freedom and godly living. Perhaps the
central message of Galatians is "a person is
not justified by works of the law but
through faith in Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16). Paul wrote this letter sometime
between A.D. 48 and 55.
Gambling
Ps. 62:10; Prov. 13:11; 28:19-20; Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:9; Heb. 13:5
Generosity
Gen. 13:9; Deut. 23:24-25;
Prov. 11:25-28; Mal. 3:10; Luke 16:9; 2 Cor. 8:1, 7
The Book of Genesis 1-50
As its name implies, Genesis is about
beginnings. Genesis tells us that God
created everything that exists. It shows
that God is both the Creator and the Ruler
of all creation. But it also tells of
humanity's tragic fall into sin and death,
and of God's unfolding plan of redemption
through his covenant with Abraham and his
descendants. Genesis includes some of the
most memorable stories in the Bible,
beginning with Adam and Eve (Gen. 1-4),
continuing through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and ending with the life of Joseph
(Gen. 37-50), who died before 1600 B.C.
Traditionally, Jews and Christians have
recognized Moses as the author, writing
after the Exodus from Egypt, commonly dated
around 1440 B.C. though many prefer a date
around 1260 B.C.
Gentile Those who are not
Jews. Gentiles were used by God to punish
apostate Judea (Deut. 28:49; 1 Kings 8:33)
and often included in blessings by God upon
the Jewish people. "Gentiles" is often used
biblically in reference to nations. Jewish
ceremonial regulations, see Acts 15:19-20
Gentleness
of Christ Isa. 40:11; 2 Cor. 10:1; Matt. 11:29
of God 2 Sam. 22:36; Ps. 18:35; Isa. 40:11
of Paul 1 Thess. 2:
exhortations to Gal. 5:22; 2 Tim. 2:24-26;
Titus 3:1; 3:2;
James 3:17
Gifts of the Spirit
Exod. 31:1-5; Acts 10:46; 12:10; 12:28-29; 19:6;
Rom. 12:6-8;
1 Cor. 7:7; 1 Cor. 12:10; 28-29; 7:7-8; 12:8-30; 14:3-28;
Eph. 4:7-11; 1 Pet. 4:1
Giving in the Bible is
clear throughout that we’re called to give
generously. Even in the book of Exodus
chapter 35, we see the Israelites all
generously giving the materials and time to
build the tabernacle. If any of those people
decided to withhold the materials they owned
or the skills they had, the tabernacle
wouldn’t have come together. In the New
Testament God himself gave us his only son
because he loves us so much, and that Son
died on a cross for us. It sets a model that
generosity in God’s people should be
sacrificial and regular. Matt. 6:1-4; 1 Cor. 16:2;
2 Cor. 8:11-14; 9:6-7.
God is honored by our gifts Exod. 35:22
Generous giving honors God Ezra 2:68-69
God will reward us for giving to others Mark 9:41
Giving helps others live Acts 2:44-45
We should support Christian workers Acts 28:10
Wealthy people should give generously 1 Tim. 6:17-19
God is pleased with our gifts Heb. 13:16
Giving reflects God’s love 1 Jn. 3:17
Glorification is the last
stage in the process of salvation, namely,
the resurrection of the body at the second
coming of Jesus Christ and the entrance into
the eternal kingdom of God. In glorification
believers attain complete conformity to the
image and likeness of the glorified Christ
and are freed from both physical and
spiritual defect. Glorification ensures that
believers will never again experience bodily
decay, death or illness, and will never
again struggle with sin. Rom. 8:17; 8:30-32;
2 Cor. 3:18
Glory
Exod. 40:34-38; 2 Chron. 7:1-4; Ps. 29; 93; 96;
John 1:14-18; 12:20-33; 2 Cor. 3; Rom. 3:10-23;
Acts 7:55; Rev. 15:8
Gnosticism A view fully
developed after 100 A.D. that stressed
salvation through a secret knowledge (Greek
gnosis) and a dualistic world view with
equal powers of good and evil. (Col. 1:19; 1:28; 2:3; 2:10-18;
1 Tim. 1:3-11; 4:3; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:14-18; 2 Pet. 2:12;
1 Jn. 1:10; 2:3, 18, 27; 4:1-2; 1 Jn. 5:6, 16;
2 Jn. 1:7-11; 1:9; Jude 1:19; Rev. 2:24).
God Throughout the
Hebrew Scriptures, two chief names are used
for the one true divine Being - Elohim,
commonly translated God in our version, and
Jehovah, translated Lord.
Elohim is
the plural of Eloah, (in Arabic,
Allah); it is often used in the
short form, El, (a word signifying strength,
as in El-Shaddai, God Almighty, the
name by which God was specially known to the
patriarchs. Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 27:35; 45:8;
Exod. 4:11; 6:3; 11:3; 1 Chron. 1:1; Job 16:6; Ps. 118:18;
Jer. 51:24; Ezek. 6:14; Hag. 1:6, 9;
Rev. 10:7.
God as creator
Ps. 108:7-9
God as father
Isa. 64:8; Hosea 11:1, 4; Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:23
God as teacher
Job 38:21; 40:7; 42:4; John 4:6-7
God’s anger
Deut. 1:34; Ezra 10:14;
Job 16:9; Ps. 2:12; 76:10; 79:5; Isa. 6:5; 6:9-13; 12:1; 24:14-16; 47:6;
Jer. 17:4; 30:22-24; Lam. 2:4-5; Ezek. 5:13;
Obad. 1:10-11;
Zech. 1:2, 15;
Matt. 21:12;
Rev. 14:19-20; 15:1; 16:1
God’s appearance
Ps. 23:3
In
human form Gen. 18:10; 32:24, 28; 32:30; 48:16;
Josh. 5:14; Judg. 2:1, 4; 6:11, 14; Job 36:26; Ps. 13:1; 32:7; 34:9-10; 67:1;
Jer. 18:17; Dan. 3:25; Zech. 4:10; Luke 1:46-55; 22:70-71;
John 1:1;
Heb. 2:17
Invisible spirit
Gen. 3:8; Deut. 5:4
Signs
2 Chron. 5:13-14; Job 38:1; 42:5; Ps. 18:2; 27:1; 35:2; 61:2; 71:3; 84:11; 100:3;
Isa. 40:10-11;
Ezek. 34:11; Mic. 7:14;
John 10:1-15
God’s call
Jer. 1:5; 20:7-9;
Ezek. 3:18;
Amos 1:1; John 1:10;
Luke 1:15; 2 Cor. 10:12; Gal. 1:1, 12; 1:15-20;
1 Tim. 1:18; 2 Tim. 1:6
God’s care
Exod. 16:31; Num. 2:17; 33:49; Deut. 14:23; Ezra 5:5;
Job 10:13-14; 29:2; 39:1-30; Ps. 23:3; 127:2; 131:2;
Ps. 139:5; 145:14-16; Isa. 49:16; Zech. 11:7
Physical needs
Exod. 16:8; Judg. 15:19; Ne. 3:1-32; Luke 6:35;
Phil. 4:19
God’s character
Exod. 34:6-7; 1 Sam. 15:29; 2 Sam. 7:15; 22:27; 1 Chron. 21:15; Ne. 8:9-11; Job 23:13-17; Ps. 7:11; 18:25-26; 33:14-15; 90:11-14; 95:10; 102:25-26; 150:2;
Isa. 1:1; 43:25; 54:7;
Jer. 14:7; 14:21; 30:22-24; Ezek. 10:12; 45:13-25;
Dan. 7:9; Nah. 1:7; Zech. 4:10
God’s chosen people
Deut. 4:33; Esther 4:14; Ps. 16:3; 78:67-68; 108:7-9;
Ezek. 36:35-38; Zech. 2:8;
Rom. 11:22-32; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:1
God’s compassion
Gen. 15:16; John 11:35
God’s control
Deut. 17:15; Josh. 1:4;
Ne. 11:3-19;
Esther 4:16; 9:3-4; Job 9:13;
Ps. 46:8; 82:6; 103:19; 113:5; Isa. 40:23; 55:11;
Jer. 29:13; Ezek. 1:5-6; Hab. 2:20; Zech. 5:9;
Rom. 9:22-23
Over
evil Deut. 31:16-21; Josh. 6:21; Judg. 9:23; 1
Kings 15:34;
Job 1:12; 2:3; 6:4; 16:10-11; 19:8-12; Hab. 1:6, 13;
Matt. 6:10; John 14:30; Acts 13:48; 2:23;
Rom. 8:28
Over
people Gen. 25:23; 50:20; Exod. 11:3; Num. 23:11, 25;
Judg. 14:4; 1 Sam. 2:25; 19:20;
2 Chron. 10:15; 33:13; Job 3:23; 13:15; 40:8-14;
Ps. 33:10; 93:1-5; 118:6;
Prov. 16:1-9; Eccl. 3:14; 7:13-14; Isa. 28:11; 53:10;
Lam. 5:21; Ezek. 22:30; 38:16; John 1:10;
Rom. 4:17; 8:29-30; 9:8-33;
Eph. 1:4-5
Over
nations Gen. 36:31; Deut. 9:4; Josh. 8:3-19; 1 Sam. 8:21-22;
2 Kings 19:25;
1 Chron. 17:9; 2 Chron. 20:22-23; 28:5; Job 25:3;
Ps. 60:8; 108:7-9; Isa. 10:5-6; 33:17-19;
Jer. 21:5; 51:24; Matt. 23:37
Over
rulers Gen. 41:16; Exod. 10:1; 2 Kings 18:25; 1 Chron. 5:26;
Ezra 7:12-15; Job 34:29-30; Ps. 82:6; Isa. 37:7; 44:28;
Jer. 27:6; Ezek. 29:20; Dan. 5:18
God’s emotions
Hate
Mal. 1:2-3
Jealousy
Hosea 2:13-14; Joel 2:18; Nah. 1:2; Zech. 8:2
Joy
Zeph. 3:17
Pain
Isa. 5:1; 63:10; Ezek. 7:22; John 11:35; Eph. 4:30
God’s faithfulness
Exod. 16:34; Ps. 18:31; 71:9-18; Lam. 2:6
God’s glory
Exod. 24:9-11; Lev. 9:23; 1 Kings 8:10-13; 2 Chron. 5:13-14;
Job 37:21; Ps. 26:8; Ezek. 9:3; John 9:3; 17:1, 5;
1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Pet. 1:17
God’s guidance
Exod. 14:1-4; Ps. 23:4; 25:12; 100:3; Zech. 1:8;
John 16:13; Acts 16:6-10
God’s holiness
Exod. 13:13; 30:20-21; Num. 1:51-53; 4:20; 17:12; 20:12-13;
Deut. 4:24; 9:4;
Ezek. 25:3-7; 28:25; 40:22, 26, 34, 37
God’s honor
Num. 14:13-16; Judg. 11:23-24; 2 Sam. 12:14; 2 Chron. 2:1;
Ne. 2:17; Job 1:8; Ps. 74:20-23; Isa. 5:15-16; 63:12, 14;
Jer. 32:20-33; Ezek. 36:20
God’s house
Exod. 35:4-37:29; 1 Kings 8:27, 29; 2 Chron. 3:3-17;
Ps. 114:2; Isa. 57:15; Lam. 2:1; Ezek. 43:9;
Mic. 1:3;
Eph. 2:22
God’s image
Gen. 1:27; 9:6; Deut. 19:13; Job 33:16-17;
Ps. 51:4; 103:14;
Prov. 19:17;
Eccl. 7:29; 1 Cor. 11:7
God’s judgment
Num. 33:52-53; Deut. 2:34; 3:2; Josh. 6:21; 2 Kings 24:4;
Job 20:23-29; Ps. 98:9; Isa. 24:1-6; 26:9-10; 66:15-16;
Jer. 9:25-26; Ezek. 7:2; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 11:22;
Luke 10:14;
Rev. 6:12-17
God’s law
2 Kings 11:12; 22:8; Ne. 8:3; Ps. 78:5-7; 93:5; 119:1-176;
Isa. 13:9-11;
Matt. 23:23; Rom. 5:20; 6:14; 7:10
After
Christ Deut. 12:32; Matt. 8:3; Luke 16:16-17; Rom. 10:4;
1 Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 2:15
Keeping
Matt. 5:17-18; Gal. 2:19
Misuse
of Isa. 29:13
Reason
for Lev. 19:18-28; Deut. 30:11; Ps. 11:3; 19:7-9; 107:11;
2 Cor. 3:6;
Gal. 3:1-25; 1 Tim. 1:9
Jesus came to fulfill. Matt. 5:17
Explained. Matt. 7:12; 22:37-40
Magnified. Isa. 42:21
Gives the knowledge of sin. Rom. 3:20; 7:7
Humans by nature not in subjection to. Rom. 7:5; 8:7
Humans cannot be justified by. Acts 13:39;
Rom. 3:20, 28; Gal. 2:16; 3:11
Humans cannot render perfect obedience to. 1 Kings 8:46; Eccles. 7:20;
Rom. 3:10
Love of, produces peace. Ps. 119:165
Love the fulfilling of. Rom. 13:8, 10; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8
Requires:
Obedience of the heart. Ps. 51:6; Matt. 5:28; 22:37
Perfect obedience. Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10 James 2:10
The rule of life to believers. 1 Cor. 9:21;
Gal. 5:13-14
The rule of the judgment. Rom. 2:12
Sin is a transgression of. 1 Jn. 3:4
To be used lawfully. 1 Tim. 1:8
God’s love
Exod. 34:14; Deut. 4:24; 1 Chron. 21:15; Ezra 2:2-61; Job 19:11; 23:14-15; 25:6;
Ps. 5:5; 33:5; 107:33-43;
Isa. 59:2; Jer. 12:7-8; Matt. 18:12; Luke 15:3-7
God’s name
Gen. 4:26; 17:1; Exod. 3:14;
Num. 6:27; Deut. 12:5; Josh. 22:22;
Ps. 20:1; 25:11;
Jer. 14:7; Luke 1:31; 2 Pet. 1:17
God’s patience
Isa. 54:7; Jer. 22:2-5;
Ezek. 6:14; 14:20; Mic. 3:4
God’s presence
Everywhere
Lev. 15:31; 1 Sam. 16:18; Job 26:6;
Ps. 100:4; Ezek. 11:16; Ps. 22:1-2
Hidden
Job 9:13; 23:8-9; Ps. 10:1; 32:6; Isa. 45:15; Jer. 14:8-9;
Lam. 2:1;
Dan. 1:2; Hosea 5:6; Mic. 5:2; John 12:36
Signs
Gen. 15:17;
Exod. 13:21-22; Lev. 6:12-13; Num. 9:15-16;
1 Chron. 13:10, 14; Ps. 18:7-15; Isa. 33:14; Jer. 3:16;
Amos 4:13; Matt. 27:51; Mark 9:2-3; 15:38
Within
people Ps. 26:8; Ezek. 43:9; Matt. 28:20; Col. 1:27;
Heb. 1:3
God’s promises
Gen. 22:16-17; Deut. 4:40;
Josh. 1:8; 1:9; 2 Chron. 7:14; 7:18; Ne. 9:15; Ps. 25:6; 89:39;
Isa. 54:1-17; 59:21;
Jer. 14:21; 2 Cor. 1:20
Fulfilled
Josh. 14-21;
Ps. 138:2; Isa. 40:3-9;
Jer. 31:33-34; Hab. 2:3
God’s protection
Deut. 2:7; Ps. 20:1; 37:3-25; 54:7; 57:1; 91:10; 97:10;
Mark 16:18; Luke 21:18; John 17:11-12;
Rev. 7:2; 11:7
Using
angels Gen. 32:1-2; 2 Kings 6:17; Ezek. 9:1-2
God’s record keeping
Ps. 56:8; 130:3-4; Dan. 7:10; 10:21; Mal. 3:16; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 20:12
God’s silence
1 Sam. 14:37; Job 19:7; 34:29; 42:2; Ps. 10:1; 22:1-2; 74:9; 83:1;
Isa. 42:14
God’s timing
Gen. 40:23; Exod. 12:40;
Deut. 4:33;
2 Chron. 33:1-2; 34:27-28; Ps. 70:1, 5; Hag. 2:6;
Luke 21:32; John 2:4; Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:10
God’s will
Accepting
2 Kings 20:16-19; Job 1:20; 10:2; 23:2; 41:11;
Ps. 37:4; 88:10-12; Isa. 39:5-8
Asking
for signs Gen. 24:14; 44:5, 15; Judg. 6:37-40; 1 Sam. 14:10-12;
2 Kings 20:8-11; Isa. 7:11;
Isa. 38:7-8
Changing
Exod. 32:14; Num. 23:19; Deut. 9:19; 1 Sam. 15:29;
2 Kings 20:5-6; Ps. 106:23; Isa. 38:1-5; Jer. 26:3;
Dan. 9:3; Hosea 11:8; Amos 7:3, 6; Matt. 6:8
Resisting
Exod. 10:1; Deut. 2:30; Eccl. 3:14; Isa. 22:14;
Jer. 13:23; Luke 8:13; John 12:39; Rom. 1:24, 26, 28;
2 Thess. 2:11
Ways
to know Gen. 24:14; Num. 34:13; Judg. 7:15; 1 Sam. 6:9;
1 Chron. 14:10, 14; Ps. 95:7; Jer. 21:1-2;
Ezek. 1:1; Acts 10:10-20; Rom. 12:2;
1 Tim. 4:1
God’s word
1 Chron. 28:19
Direction
Ps. 95:7; 119:11; 119:105;
Prov. 14:12; Acts 10:10-20; Eph. 3:5; 5:26
Love
for Ps. 119:1-176
Recognize
Exod. 29:42-43; 2 Sam. 2:1; 21:1; 1 Chron. 28:12, 19;
2 Chron. 33:10; Dan. 1:17; John 1:1; John 1:1;
Acts 10:10-20; 1 Thess. 2:13;
Heb. 2:3-4
Godhead is the unity of the triune
God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit (See: Trinity)
Golgotha which is a transliteration
of an Aramaic word meaning ‘skull’, was the
name of the hill just outside Jerusalem
where Jesus was crucified (Matt. 27:33; Luke 23:33; John 19:17). (The name Calvary is not
in the original New Testament, but has been
taken from the Vulgate, a fourth century
Latin translation. It comes from the Latin
word for ‘skull’.) There is no certainty
about which of several possible sites is
Golgotha or how the hill got its name. But
it was on a main road not far from one of
Jerusalem’s city gates, and a garden
containing a tomb was nearby (Matt. 27:39;
John 19:20; John 19:41).
Good works
only spring from a believing heart, can only
be wrought by one reconciled to God (Eph. 2:10; James 2:18, 22). (2.) Good works have
the glory of God as their object; and (3)
they have the revealed will of God as their
only rule (Deut. 12:32; Rev. 22:18, 19).
Christ, an example of. John 10:32; Acts 10:38.
Good
fruits. James 3:17.
Fruits
meet for repentance. Matt. 3:8.
Wrought
by God in us. Isa. 26:12; Phil. 2:13.
The
Scripture designed to lead us to. 2 Tim. 3:16,17;
James 1:25.
To be
performed in Christ’s name. Col. 3:17.
Justification unattainable by.
Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16.
Salvation
unattainable by. Eph. 2:8,9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5.
General.
Ne. 13:10; Matt. 25:35-36; Luke 14:12-14; 16:9;
Phil. 2:12-13; 3:6-8; Col. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 4:11;
2 Pet. 1:5; 3 John. 1:11
Gospel
in Christianity, the gospel, or the Good
News, is the news of the imminent coming of
the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). This
message is expounded upon as a narrative in
the four canonical gospels, and as theology
in many of the New Testament epistles.
Acts 8:1-4; Rom. 1:16-17; 15:14-16; Gal. 1:6-9; Eph. 2:1-10;
Col. 1:3-23; 2 Cor. 12:20; 1 Tim. 5:13
Gossip
Ps. 94:20-23; 122:5; 125:3; Prov. 10:18-21; 29:18;
Eccl. 8:2-6; 10:6; Acts 4:19; Rom. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1-2
Grace There is much in the
Bible about grace, partly because there is
much in the Bible about sin. Grace is the
undeserved favour of God. People repeatedly
sin and rebel against God, yet God in his
grace is still ready to forgive them when
they repent (Exod. 34:6; Rom. 5:20).
Gen. 48:20;
Exod. 6:14-27; 1 Kings 8:58; Isa. 26:9-10; Jer. 12:14-16;
Ezek. 36:26;
Luke 17:7-10; Acts 4:12; Rom. 6:14; 2 Cor. 8:1, 7; 9:8;
Eph. 4:7; Titus 2:11
overcomes sin Gen. 4:7; Exod. 33:12; 2 Sam. 12:13;
Isa. 65:1;
Amos 4:11; Rom. 3:8; 5:18-19
source of, Eph. 3:7; Heb. 4:14-16
saved by, Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:5-8; 2 Tim. 1:9
misuse of, Rom. 6; Gal. 5:4; Jude 1:4
Greed
Num. 11:33; 2 Sam. 12:8; 1 Kings 20:34; Mic. 2:1-2;
Hab. 2:5;
Prov. 28:25; Matt. 23:25; Eph. 5:3; Eph. 5:5; Titus 1:7
Grief
Lev. 10:6; Deut. 34:8; Josh. 7:6-10; 2 Sam. 13:19;
Esther 4:1-2; Ezek. 27:30
Friends should comfort each other Job 2:12-13
God comforts us in our darkest times Job 35:9-10
God comforts us
Isa. 40
God promises to comfort those who grieve
Matt. 5:4
God’s Holy Spirit is our Comforter John 14:16
Jesus has overcome the world’s troubles John 16:33
The Holy Spirit comforts us Acts 9:31
The Bible comforts us
Rom. 15:4
God comforts those who grieve
2 Cor. 1:3-11
All grief will end Rev. 21:3-4
Grudges
2 Sam. 14:24; Ps. 95:10
Guilt
Gen. 44:16; Exod. 20:24;
Lev. 4:2; 16:20-22; Deut. 28:65; Job 25:4; Job 33:9;
Isa. 6:6-7;
1 Cor. 11:27; James 2:10; Heb. 10:22:
Conviction of: Gen. 4:13; Deut. 28:65-67; Job 40:4; Job 40:5;
Ps. 31:10; Ps. 38:1-22; Ps. 51:1-4; Ps. 51:7-17;
Isa. 6:5;
Lam. 1:20;
Ezek. 7:16; Ezek. 7:17; Ezek. 7:25; Ezek. 7:26;
Ezek. 33:10; Mic. 7:17; Luke 5:8; Acts 2:37; Acts 9:6; Acts 16:29; Acts 16:30;
Rom. 2:15; 1 Cor. 14:24; 1 Cor. 14:25
H
The Book
of Habakkuk 1-3
Habakkuk was
probably written about 640-615 B.C., just before
the fall of Assyria and the rise of Babylon
(Chaldea). God used Assyria to punish Israel
(722); now he would use Babylon to punish
Assyria and Judah. This prophecy would be
fulfilled several decades after Habakkuk, in
586. The "theme question" of Habakkuk is, how
can God use a wicked nation such as Babylon for
his divine purpose? God judges all nations, said
Habakkuk, and even Babylon would eventually be
judged (Babylon fell to Persia in 539). Though
God's ways are sometimes mysterious, "the
righteous shall live by his faith" (Hab. 2:4) while awaiting salvation. These words are
quoted three times in the New Testament (Rom. 1:17;
Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38).
Hades
The abode of the dead thought by some to be
distinguishable from hell, the final state of
the wicked.
Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27; Eph. 4:9; 1 Pet. 3:19; Rev. 1:18; 6:8
Hands, Laying on
for
healing, Mark 5:23; Mark 6:5; Luke 4:40
to receive the Holy Spirit, Acts 8:17-19; Acts 19:6
for blessing,
Mark 10:16; Acts 13:3
Happiness
Ps. 100:2; Eccl. 7:3; Acts 17:18
Harlot
(Prostitute)
Shamelessness of Prov. 2:16; Prov. 7:11-27;
Prov. 9:13-18
Machinations of Prov. 7:10; Prov. 9:14-17; Isa. 23:15;
Isa. 23:16;
Hosea 2:13
To be shunned Prov. 5:3-20; Prov. 7:25-27
Hire of, not to be received at the temple Deut. 23:18
Hasty Generalization Fallacy
is sometimes called the over-generalization
fallacy. It is basically making a claim based on
evidence that it just too small. Essentially,
you can’t make a claim and say that something is
true if you have only an example or two as
evidence.
Hate
Ps. 31:6; 139:21-22
The Book of Haggai 1-2
When
the first wave of Jewish exiles returned from
Babylon to Jerusalem in 538 B.C., they began to
rebuild the temple but soon gave up. Inspired by
the prophetic ministries of Haggai and
Zechariah, they finally completed the task in
516. Haggai rebuked the people for living in
"paneled houses" while the house of God remained
in ruins (Hag. 1:4). He warned that, despite
their best efforts, their wealth would never
suffice, because the Lord was not pleased with
their neglect of his temple (see Lev. 26:2-20).
He called them to repent and renew their
covenant with the God of their fathers. He
assured them that God would achieve his purposes
for his people and for all other nations. The
rebuilding of the temple symbolized God's
restored presence among his people.
Healing
By God
(faith) Num. 21:8; Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34-36; 6:13;
Luke 4:39; 8:48; Acts 5:15; James 5:15-16
Relationships
Gen. 42:7;
Mark 9:12
Heart
1 Sam. 16:1-13; Ps. 51; Prov. 4:23; Jer. 17:9-10;
Matt. 12:33-37
Heaven
is the dwelling place not only of God, but also
of the angelic beings who worship him (Ne. 9:6;
Matt. 18:10; Matt. 28:2; Mark 13:32; Luke 2:15). Jesus
Christ came from heaven (John 3:31; 6:38),
returned to heaven after his death and
resurrection (Acts 1:11; Eph. 1:20), at present
appears in heaven on behalf of his people (Col. 3:1;
Heb. 8:1; Heb. 9:24) and will one day return
from heaven to save his people and judge his
enemies (Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). Job 36:7; Matt. 22:30;
Mark 12:25; John 14:2; Eph. 2:6; 4:10; 1 Thess. 4:14, 16; Heb. 1:3;
Rev. 4:1; 21:16
the home of God, Matt. 5:34; Mark 16:19; John 3:13;
Rev. 4
angel
spoke from, Gen. 21:17; Gen. 22:11
opened, Matt. 3:16; Acts 7:56; Acts 10:11
fire from, 2 Kings 1:10-14; 1 Chron. 21:26
third heaven, 2 Cor. 12:2
the new heaven, Rev. 21:1-4
kingdom of, Matt. 3:2; Matt. 5:3, 19, 20
Hebrew Calendar
Records from the time of Solomon show that the
Israelites followed a calendar of twelve months
to the year (1 Kings 4:7). The successive
months, however, do not correspond to the twelve
successive months of the calendar used
throughout most of the world today.
The
Israelite year began with the new moon of
mid-spring, which was some time during the
second half of March on our calendar. Some of
the names that the Israelites originally gave to
the various months were changed in later times.
The list below contains both old and new names,
depending on which is mentioned in the Bible. A
common practice was to refer to a month by its
number rather than by its name; for example,
‘the fourth month’ rather than ‘Tammuz’ (2 Kings 25:3).
The above table follows the calendar used for
religious festivals, most of which were
regulated according to the new moon and the full
moon (Lev. 23:6, 24, 39; Num. 28:11). It seems
that there was also a secular calendar, which
differed from the religious calendar by six
months. This meant that the first day of the
seventh month of the religious calendar was New
Year’s Day on the secular calendar. In everyday
speech people often referred to the time of the
year not according to the number or name of the
month, but according to the festival season
(John 2:13; 5:1; 6:4; 7:2; Acts 2:1; 12:3; 20:6, 16).
(From:
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: See also: Feasts and
Festivals of the Old Testament)
The Book of Hebrews 1-13
The letter to the Hebrews was written to
encourage Christians in a time of trial. It does
so by focusing on the absolute supremacy and
sufficiency of Jesus Christ. While God spoke in
the past "many times and in many ways," he has
now spoken to us "by his Son," Jesus Christ, who
is the "exact imprint" of God's nature and who
"upholds the universe by the word of his power"
(Heb. 1:1-3). Jesus accomplished complete
salvation for all who trust in him (Heb. 1:1-10:18). We dare not "neglect such a great
salvation" (Heb. 2:3; 5:12-6:20; 10:19-39).
Rather, in our faith and in our everyday living,
we should imitate the example of Christ and of
those on the honor roll of faith (Heb. 11-13). This letter, whose author is unknown,
was probably written between A.D. 60 and 70.
Hell
It is unfortunate that many of the older
versions of the English Bible use the one word
‘hell’ to translate several words in the
original languages. In the minds of most
English-speaking people, hell is a place of
terrible torment where the wicked dead are sent
for final punishment. Although this idea of hell
may be true for the word gehenna, it is not true
for other biblical words translated ‘hell’. The
Hebrew sheol and its Greek equivalent hades mean
simply the place of the dead or the state of the
dead.
Isa. 66:24; Matt. 5:22; Phil. 2:10; 1 Thess. 4:14, 16; 2 Pet. 2:4;
Rev. 19:20
home of the devil and his angels, 2 Pet. 2:4
future home of sinners, Matt. 10:28; Matt. 23:33;
Rev. 21:8
descriptions of, Matt. 13:42; Mark 9:47-48; James 3:6;
Rev. 14:10-11
Heresy A doctrinal view that
deviates from the truth, a false teaching. We
are warned against it in Acts 20:29-32 and Phil. 3:2.
Hermeneutics The study of the
principles of interpreting the Bible.
Herod
Matt. 2; 14:1-12; Acts 12:1-23
High places:
public sites where offerings were made to
God or to false gods. Worshiping the Lord at
a high place was legitimate before the time
of the temple (1 Kings 3:2, 4). Later “high
places,” even those where the Lord was
worshiped, were forbidden (2 Kings 23:15).
High Priest
The chief religious official for Israel and
Judaism appointed as the only person allowed to
enter the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifice on
the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16); applied to Jesus
(Heb. 4:13-5:10).
Holiness (reasons
for) Lev. 19:2;
Job 12:4; John 17:17, 19; Rom. 1:4; 3:8; 1 Thess. 4:3-12;
2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:15
Personal
Lev. 5:2; 11:4-41; 2 Cor. 7:1
Priestly
Lev. 22:32
Holy Days (See: Feasts and
Festivals of the Old Testament)
Holy of Holies The innermost
and most sacred area of the Tabernacle and
Temple, where God was present and where on the
Day of Atonement sacrifices were made by the
high priest.
Holy Spirit
is referred to as the Lord and Giver of Life in
the Nicene creed. He is The Creator Spirit,
present before the creation of the universe and
through his power everything was made in Jesus
Christ, by God the Father. He is the third
person of the Godhead. He is completely God. He
is called God (Acts 5:3-4), has a will (1 Cor. 12:11), speaks (Acts 8:29; 13:2), and knows
all things (John 14:17). He is not an "active
force" as the Jehovah's Witnesses mistakenly
teach. The Holy Spirit is alive and is fully and
completely God. He is called the Spirit of God
(Gen. 1:2), Holy Spirit (Ps. 51:1), the Helper
(John 14:16; 14:26), and Eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14). He knows all things (1 Cor. 2:10-11), is
all powerful (Luke 1:35), and is everywhere (Ps. 139:7-13).
Gen. 1:2; Matt. 7:7-8;
Mark 1:8; 3:29; John 14:16, 26; 16:13; 16:8;
Acts 19:2;
Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19; 1 Pet. 1:15
Filling
Eph. 5:18
Fruit
of Luke 8:15; Gal. 5:22-26; Heb. 12:14
Gifts
of Acts 21:9; Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 14:2-4; 14:20-25
Praying
Rom. 8:27;
Eph. 6:18; Jude 1:20
Homiletics The art and study of
preaching.
Homosexuality was
any sexual activity between members of the
same sex. Explicitly condemned in both the
OT (Lev. 18:22; 20:13) and the NT (Rom. 1:24-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
Honesty
Lev. 19:35; Lev. 19:36;
Deut. 16:20; Deut. 25:13-16; Job 27:6; Ps. 7:3;
Ps. 7:4; Ps. 15:5; Ps. 24:4; Prov. 4:25;
Prov. 11:1;
Prov. 12:22; Prov. 16:11; Prov. 20:10; Prov. 20:23;
Prov. 24:26; Isa. 33:15; Isa. 33:16; Ezek. 45:10;
Matt. 7:12; Mark 10:19; Luke 3:12; Luke 3:13; Luke 6:31; Acts 24:16;
2 Cor. 4:1; 2 Cor. 4:2; 2 Cor. 7:2; 2 Cor. 8:21;
Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:22; 1 Thess. 4:11; 1 Thess. 4:12; Heb. 13:18;
1 Pet. 2:12
Honor
for
the old, Lev. 19:32
from God, 1 Sam. 2:30
comes from humility, Prov. 15:33
to the deserving, Rom. 13:7
shown to parents, Exod. 20:12; Matt. 15:4
shown to God, Prov. 3:9; John 5:23;
Rev. 4:9
not shown to a prophet in his own town, Matt. 13:57
Hope
Job 17:15; Isa. 8:9-10; 40:31; Lam. 3:21-24;
Mic. 7:8;
Zech. 9:12;
Rom. 5:3-5; Rom. 15:4; 2 Thess. 2:16;
1 Pet. 1:3-9;
1 Pet. 1:13; Rom. 8:24-25; Col. 1:5; Heb. 6:18
The Book of Hosea 1-14
Hosea has been called the "death-bed prophet of
Israel" because he was the last to prophesy
before the northern kingdom fell to Assyria
(about 722 b.c.). His ministry followed a golden
age in the northern kingdom, with a peace and
prosperity not seen since the days of Solomon.
Unfortunately, with this prosperity came moral
decay, and Israel forsook God to worship idols.
So God instructed Hosea to marry a "wife of
whoredom" (Hosea 1:2), whose unfaithfulness to
her husband would serve as an example of
Israel's unfaithfulness to God. Hosea then
explained God's complaint against Israel and
warned of the punishment that would come unless
the people returned to the Lord and remained
faithful to him. The book shows the depth of
God's love for his people, a love that tolerates
no rivals.
Hospitality
Gen. 18:4-5; 19:2; 19:8; 24:20; Lev. 3:1;
Judg. 19:5-10; 1 Sam. 25:8; 2 Sam. 9:7;
Ps. 23:5; Luke 7:44-46; 10:38-41;
Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 3:2; 1 Tim. 5:9-10; Heb. 13:2;
1 Pet. 4:9
Historical Theology
is the discipline that studies the
interpretation of Scripture and the theological
formulation of the church in the past. In other
words, it asks: how has the church in the past
interpreted the Bible? How has the church
formulated and expressed its theology?
Human nature
Originally, human nature was perfect by virtue
of having been created so by God. The Bible
teaches that human beings were created “very
good” by a loving God (Gen. 1:31), but that
goodness was marred by the sin of Adam and Eve.
Subsequently, the entire human race fell victim
to the sin nature. The good news is that at the
moment a person trusts in Christ, he receives a
new nature. 2 Cor. 5:17;
See also: Gen. 8:21;
Josh. 4:14;
Ps. 53:3; Eccl. 1:9-10; Isa. 64:6;
Jer. 24:7; 43:2; Zech. 10:2; Mark 9:33-37;
Luke 9:48; Acts 15:39
Is Corrupt Job 25:4; Ps. 146:3-4; Rom. 7:5-8; Eph. 4:22;
Col. 3:5
Human sacrifice
Gen. 22:2; Lev. 18:21;
Deut. 12:31; 2 Kings 3:27; 16:3; 21:16; Jer. 19:5;
Hosea 13:2
Humility
1 Sam. 15:22; 2 Kings 17:14; Ps. 25:9; 131:1-2; Prov. 30:2-3;
Mark 9:33-37; Luke 2:9-12; 9:48; 14:11; John 13:14-15
Hunger and thirst
(spiritual)
Deut. 8:3;
Amos 8:11-12; Isa. 55:1-3;
Matt. 4:4; 5:6; John 4:13-14; 6:35; 48-58; 7:37-38;
1 Cor. 10:16
Hyperbole, a rhetorical
device for expressing ideas in intentionally
exaggerated form for emphasis, where the
exaggerated expressions are not intended to
be taken literally. An example is Jesus’
condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees
for straining out a gnat and swallowing a
camel (Matt. 23:24).
Hypocrisy
Ps. 26:4-5; 66:18; Prov. 15:8; Isa. 5:18-19; Jer. 17:10; 42:20;
Amos 5:21-23;
Matt. 23:15; 23:33;
Mark 7:11; Luke 12:1; John 8:7; Acts 5:5, 10;
1 Pet. 2:1
Hypocrite
“A
person who claims or pretends to have
certain beliefs about what is right but who
behaves in a way that disagrees with those
beliefs.”
1) a person who puts on
a false appearance of virtue or religion. 2)
a person who acts in contradiction to his or
her stated beliefs or feelings. Matt. 6:2, 5, 16;
Matt. 7:3-5; Luke 13:15-17; Matt. 15:1-9;
Matt. 23:13-32
Hypostatic Union is the term
used to describe how God the Son, Jesus Christ,
took on a human nature, yet remained fully God
at the same time.
Jesus always had been God
(John 8:58; 10:30), but at the incarnation Jesus
became a human being (John 1:14; John 4:6; John 19:28; John 11:43;
Matt. 14:18-21). Jesus’
actions were from His one Person. Jesus had two
natures, but only one personality.
I
I Am (that I Am)
Old Testament usage Exod. 3:14
New
Testament
usage (applied to Christ)
John 8:58 (cf. John 8:24, 28); see also John 6:35, 41, 48, 51; 8:12; 9:5;
John 10:7, 9, 11, 14;
John 11:25; 13:13, 19;
John 14:6; 15:1, 5; Rev. 1:8, 11, 17, 18;
Rev. 21:6; 22:13
Icon is an image used in the
Orthodox churches as windows into a spiritual
world.
Idiom an expression,
often of several words that together have a
figurative meaning different from the
literal meanings of the words themselves.
For example, the expression “take it with a
grain of salt” means not to take something
seriously.
Idol
worship of 2 Kings 17:12-17; Acts 17:16-23; Acts 19:24;
Rom. 1:25
warnings against worship of Lev. 19:4; Deut. 6:14-15; 1 Cor. 5:10-11; 1 Cor. 6:9-10
Baal, 1 Kings 18:17-40
Chemosh, Num. 21:29
Molech, Jer. 32:35
Idolatry
Deut. 32:17; Judg. 16:23;
2 Kings 8:18; Isa. 44:16-17; Jer. 23:9-14
Destruction
2 Chron. 15:16; Ps. 115:4-7
God’s
power over Judg. 18:17; 1 Sam. 5:6; 2 Chron. 25:14;
Isa. 41:7; 43:10; 46:1
Modern
Ps. 97:7; Hosea 4:12
Political reasons
2 Kings 10:29;
Jer. 44:8
Punished
1 Kings 11:10-12;
2 Chron. 10:14-16; Lam. 1:8
Results
2 Chron. 27:2; Ps. 115:8; Isa. 65:5;
Jer. 17:1;
Amos 2:4; 9:4
Illness
2 Kings 5:1; 7:3; 2 Chron. 16:12; 21:15; Job 2:7-8;
Ps. 38:3; 103:3
Image of God
Gen. 1:26-28; 5:1; 9:6;
Exod. 20:4; Ps. 8:5-8; John 1:18; 12:45; 14:9;
Acts 17:29;
1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15;
Heb. 1:3; James 3:9
(cf. Phil. 2:6)
mankind as
image
created
according to image Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7; James 3:9
in
image after fall Gen. 9:6; James 3:9
restored to image in salvation Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; (cf.
Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18); 1 Jn. 3:1-3
images of God prohibited Exod. 20:4; Deut. 4:15-18; 5:8;
Isa. 40:12-19
Immorality 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5
Immortality Life without death
anytime in the future. God is immortal. The
souls of people are immortal though their bodies
are not. All people can die in a physical sense
but they continue on after death. Therefore, it
is the soul that is immortal. However, after the
return of Christ and the resurrection, the
Christians' bodies will also become glorified
and immortal (1 Cor. 15:50-58). The wicked will
likewise be resurrected to immortality but they
will be cast into hell for eternity. Job 14:1-14;
Dan. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 15:12-58; 2 Tim. 1:10; Mark 10:17-31; John 3:14-15; John 12:25; John 17:3; Galatians 6:7-8;
John 6:27-29; John 10:28; Titus 1:2; 1 Jn. 5:11-12
Imputed righteousness is a
concept in Christian theology proposing that
the righteousness of Christ is imputed to
believers. In Christ we are treated as if it
were ours through faith. It is on the basis
of Jesus' righteousness that God accepts us.
This acceptance is also referred to as
justification (Rom. 3:22; 5:9; 2 Cor. 5:21).
Incarnation
The act of the divine Son Jesus becoming human
and enduring all the experiences which tempt us
and cause us to suffer. The addition of human
nature to the nature of God the second person of
the Trinity. It is where God became a man (John 1:1,14;
Phil. 2:58). It was the voluntary act of
Jesus to humble Himself so that He might die for
our sins (1 Pet. 3:18).
Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1; 2; John 1:1-18
Incest
Gen. 4:17; 19:31-32; 35:22; Lev. 20:17;
Deut. 27:22; 2 Sam. 13:13;
Amos 2:7
Incomprehensibility of God: Scripture
teaches that we can have a true and personal
knowledge of God, but this does not mean we will
ever understand him exhaustively. The Bible is
clear that God is ultimately incomprehensible to
us; that is, we can never fully comprehend his
whole being. The following passages show this:
Ps. 145:3; Job 26:14; Isa. 55:8-9; Rom. 11:33-34; cf. Job 42:1-6;
Ps. 139:6; 139:17-18; 147:5; Isa. 57:15; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 1 Tim. 6:13-16).
Indwelling in
Scripture, refers to the presence of Christ
and the Holy Spirit within believers (Rom. 8:9-11;
Eph. 3:16-18). This presence enables
Christians to love (1 Jn. 4:8-12) and to
overcome sin, which also indwells believers
(Rom. 8:4-11).
Inerrancy is the quality of
freedom from error which is possessed by the
Bible. This applies to all that it affirms,
including statements on history and science as
well as those on morals and theology. The nature
of the Bible, as consisting of God-breathed
words (2 Tim. 3:16), ensures this accuracy.
Infallibility (1) The
trustworthiness of the Bible in what it teaches
and promises. (2) Used by Roman Catholics to
describe the church and/or the pope in his
teaching function, a claim not accepted by
non-Catholics.
Infant Baptism
The practice of baptizing infant children of
believing parents. In the Roman Catholic Church
infant baptism washes away original sin and is
regenerative. In Reformed circles, infant
baptism is not regenerative but covenantal and
validated through the believing parent(s). There
are no explicit accounts of infant baptism in
the Bible. However, it cannot be completely
excluded as a possibility given that entire
households were baptized Acts 16:15, 33; 18:8.
Infertility
Gen. 16:2; 25:2; 29:31;
Num. 5:28; 1 Sam. 1:5; Ps. 113:7-9
Infralapsarianism An issue within
Reformed theology dealing with what may have
happened in God's mind regarding the logical
order of His considering whom to elect into
salvation before the foundation of the world.
Iniquity
immoral or grossly unfair behavior.
Ps. 32:5; Is 53; Is 53:6. Sixteen Hebrew and
Greek words are translated “iniquity” in the
KJV. The more important are as follows: Hebrew .
. . “perversity, perverseness”; . . . , “that
which is crooked, perversity (most common),
depravity, sin.. . . “unrighteousness”; . . .
“lawlessness.” The Hebrew refers primarily to
the character of an action, as seen in (Isa. 64:6) where iniquities are paralleled to
self-righteous deeds that are like filthy rags.
From this it expands to express the idea of
guilt (Gen. 15:16: Num. 15:31; 2 Sam. 14:32; Ps. 32:5;
Jer. 2:22; 30:14-15 RSV), followed by
punishment for guilt.
Ignorance
Prov. 12:2;
Jer. 4:22; Acts 17:30;
Rom. 10:3; Isa. 5:13; Rom. 10:3;
2 Pet. 3:5
Immanence is God’s presence in
His creation; shown most clearly by the
incarnation in Jesus Christ.
Injustice
Job 24:1-12; Ps. 140:12; Eccl. 8:14; Amos 1:1-9;
Obad. 1:1-21;
Luke 3:14; Luke 16:10; 1 Thess. 4:7; Rev. 22:11
In-laws
Gen. 26:35; 31:2
Inspiration Exod. 19:6; Exod. 25:21-22;
Num. 11:16-29; Luke 12:11-12;
2 Tim. 3:16; Rev. 1:10; Rev. 1:10-11
Inspiration as special
revelation
Word of God Exod. 19:7-8; Deut. 18:18; 2 Kings 19:20;
Jer. 1:9; Ezek. 33:1-2; Amos 2:6;
Rev. 1:2
Scripture as the work of God Matt. 1:22; 2 Tim. 3:16;
2 Pet. 1:21
Scripture as God’s word written Exod. 17:14; Matt. 4:4;
1 Cor. 1:31
role
of the Spirit in 2 Sam. 23:2 (Matt. 22:43; Acts 4:25);
Heb. 3:7;
1 Pet. 1:10-11; 2 Pet. 1:21
human agency in Exod. 17:14; Matt. 1:22; Acts 28:25;
1 Pet. 1:21
through
God’s words conveyed to His messengers Deut. 18:18-19;
Jer. 1:9; 1 Thess. 2:13
through an inward divine working in the writer
Jer. 20:9; 2 Pet. 1:20-21
through careful investigation by compilers Luke 1:1-4
through
accounts from eyewitnesses Luke 1:2; Acts 1:3; 2 Pet. 1:16-17
Integrity
Exod. 8:28-32; Lev. 19:36; Deut. 25:15; 1 Kings 9:4-5;
Ps. 25:21;
Prov. 2:7; 10:9; 11:3; 16:11-13; 20:7; 28:6;
Titus 2:7
Intercede Exod. 32:11;
1 Sam. 2:25; Is 53:12; Rom. 8:26; Heb. 7:25
Intercession
a prayer presenting one person’s needs to
another as Christians presenting the needs of
others to God, or as Christ, or the Holy Spirit
representing believers before God. 1 Tim. 2:1;
Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:26-27.
See also: Gen. 18:23-32; 1 Kings 8:33-51; Ezra 9:5-15;
Dan. 9:3-19; John 17; Rom. 8:26-27;
Rom. 8:31-34; Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; James 5:16;
Heb. 7:24-25; 1 Jn. 2:1
Interpret Gen. 41:15; Dan. 5:12;
1 Cor. 12:30; 1 Cor. 14:5; 1 Cor. 14:27
Interpretation Gen. 40:8; Dan. 2:5;
Dan. 5:16; 1 Cor. 12:10; 2 Pet. 1:20
Interpreter 1 Cor. 14:28
Isaac
Gen. 18:1-15; 22:1-19; 24; 27; 35:16-29;
Rom. 9:6-9;
Gal. 4:21-31
The Book of Isaiah 1-66
Isaiah lived during the decline of Israel in the
shadow of Assyria. He spoke the word of God to a
people who were "deaf and blind" (see Isaiah 6:10), who refused to listen to his warnings of
looming disaster. He warned that the sin of the
people of Judah would bring God's judgment, yet
he also declared that God is sovereign and would
use Cyrus the Persian to return them from exile.
The book speaks of a "servant," a "man of
sorrows," who would be "wounded for our
transgressions," accomplishing God's purposes of
salvation (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). The final
chapters give a beautiful description of a new
creation in which God will rule as King, judging
the wicked and establishing eternal peace.
Isaiah prophesied about 740-700 B.C. (possibly
till the 680s).
Israel
Num. 26:51; Jer. 31:36, 40; Ezek. 36:35-38; 47:15-20;
Amos 9:15; Rom. 11:22-32
beginning of 1 Kings 11:27-12:33
fall of 2 Kings 17:1-18
rulers of 1 Kings 15:25-16:34; 1 Kings 22:51-53;
2 Kings 13; 2 Kings 14:23-17:6
Name given to Jacob. Gen. 32:24-82; Gen. 35:10
A name of Christ in prophecy. Isa. 49:3
A name given to Jacob’s descendants Exod. 1:1-5;
Exod. 3:16; 1 Sam. 13:19; 15:35; 1 Kings 4:1;
Matt. 2:6,20; Phil. 3:5
J
Jacob
Gen. 25:19-34; Gen. 27;
Gen. 28:10-22; Gen. 29; 30; Gen. 32
James,
son of Alphaeus, an apostle, Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13
James, brother of Jesus,
Matthew 13:55; Acts 12:17; Acts 15; Acts 21:18. later an
apostle, Galatians 1:19; Wrote James 1-5
James, son of Zebedee, an
apostle of Jesus and a brother of the apostle
John. He was the first Apostle to be executed. Matthew 10:2; Mark 10:35; Acts 12:1-2
The Book of James 1-5
Sometimes called "the Proverbs of the New
Testament," the book of James practically and
faithfully reminds Christians how to live. From
perseverance to true faith to controlling one's
tongue, submitting to God's will, and having
patience, this book aids readers in living
authentically and wisely for Christ. Many have
claimed that James and the apostle Paul differed
on the question of faith versus works, but in
reality the spiritual fruit that James talks
about simply demonstrates the true faith of
which Paul wrote. Their writings are
complementary rather than contradictory.
Possibly one of the earliest of the New
Testament writings (A.D. 40-50), the book is
believed to have been written by Jesus' brother
James (Gal. 1:19).
Jealousy
Gen. 43:34; Num. 12:1; 16:3;
1 Sam. 18:12; Ps. 73:22;
Prov. 6:34; Prov. 27:4; Song 8:6 Eccl. 4:4-6; Luke 15:25-32
Jehovah,
the Only True God (Yahweh) The meaning of the word appears from
Exod. 3:14 to be “the unchanging, eternal,
self-existent God,” the “I am that I am,” a
convenant-keeping God. (Comp. Mal. 3:6; Hosea 12:5;
Rev. 1:4, 8.)
Jehovah is "Alpha and Omega" and "the First and
the Last" Rev. 1:7-8; Rev. 22:12-13; Rev. 22:20;
Isaiah 48:12-13
Death and life of "the First and the Last" Rev. 2:8;
Rev. 1:17-18; Matt. 28:5-6
There is only one true God, Jehovah Isaiah 43:10-11; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 44:8; John 1:1;
Heb. 1:3; Col. 2:9
The Book of Jeremiah 1-52
Jeremiah, often called the "weeping prophet"
because of his sorrow over the persistent
message of God's judgment, prophesied to the
nation of Judah from the reign of King Josiah in
627 B.C. until sometime after the destruction of
Jerusalem in 586. He dictated his prophecies to
a scribe named Baruch (Jer.h 36:4, 32).
Jeremiah's task as a prophet was to declare the
coming judgment of God. However, throughout the
book we also see God's concern for repentance
and righteousness in individuals as well as
nations. This dual focus is seen in God's
instructions to Jeremiah: he was "to pluck up
and to break down" but also "to build and to
plant" (Jer. 1:10). Jeremiah sees a future
day when God will write his law on human hearts,
and "they shall all know me," and "I will
remember their sin no more" (Jer. 31:33-34).
Jerusalem
Importance of
2 Sam. 5:9;
2 Chron. 1:4; Ne. 11:1-2; Ps. 3:4; 46:4; 48:8; 76:2; 137:5-6;
Isa. 35:8; 58:12;
Ezek. 16:8; 48:35; Joel 3:17; Mic. 1:13; 4:2; 7:8
New
Rev. 21:2; 21:22-27
Jesus Christ
The proper, as Christ is the official, name of
our Lord. To distinguish him from others so
called, he is spoken of as “Jesus of Nazareth”
(John 18:7), and “Jesus the son of Joseph” (John 6:42). This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name
Joshua, which was originally Hoshea (Num. 13:8,
Num. 13:16), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Num. 13:16; 1 Chron. 7:27), or Joshua. After the Exile
it assumed the form Jeshua, whence the Greek
form Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote
the object of his mission, to save (Matt. 1:21).
Blood
John 6:56; Eph. 1:7
Divinity
John 5:18; 6:46, 57; 8:58-59; 10:33; 14:9-28;
Acts 1:9; Rom. 1:4;
1 Cor. 15:28; Col. 1:19;
Heb. 1:3
Enemies
Luke 5:17; Heb. 10:13
Eternal Sonship Heb. 1:5
Glory
Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2-3; John 17:1, 5; 17:5, 24;
2 Cor. 4:17
Humanity
Matt. 4:3-11; 26:38-39;
Mark 13:32; 14:33-35; Luke 4:3-13; 22:42-44;
Rom. 8:29;
Heb. 2:6-8; 4:15; 1 Jn. 5:6; 2 Jn. 1:7
Humility
Phil. 2:6-7
Power
Matt. 14:25; Mark 3:22; 5:11-13; 5:25-29; 6:48;
Luke 5:17; 8:46; John 6:19; 1 Cor. 15:28;
Rev. 9:17-19
Prayers
Matt. 14:23;
Mark 6:46; Heb. 8:2
Purpose
Luke 13:32; Heb. 5:5, 10
Reign
Zech. 14:9;
Eph. 1:10; 1:20; 4:10; Phil. 2:10;
Rev. 5:11-14
Resurrection Matt. 28:4; Luke 24:1; Eph. 1:20
Second
coming Isa. 35:1-2; Jer. 23:5-8; Hosea 14:5-7;
Matt. 24:29;
Mark 13:24; Luke 17:22-37; Acts 1:11; Rom. 13:11-12;
1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-12;
2 Pet. 3:12;
Rev. 22:6, 10
The Book of Job 1-42
Considered both a theological and a literary
masterpiece, the book of Job is an honest
portrayal of God allowing a good man to suffer.
The test of Job's faith, allowed by God in
response to a challenge from Satan, revealed
God's loving sovereignty and the supremacy of
divine wisdom over human wisdom (personified by
Job's friends). Believing that God is good
despite the apparent evidence to the contrary,
Job rested in faith alone. In the depths of
agony he could still proclaim, "I know that my
Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25). In the end God
silenced all discussion with the truth that he
alone is wise (Job 38-41). Yet he vindicated
Job's trust in him (Job 42), proving that
genuine faith cannot be destroyed. The unknown
author was probably an Israelite writing
sometime between 1500 and 500 b.c.
Jobs
(attitude toward) Prov. 18:9; 24:30-34; 28:19;
2 Thess. 3:10
The Book of Joel 1-3
Little is known about the prophet Joel, although
his concern for Judah and Jerusalem suggests
that he ministered in Judah. Joel told of a
locust plague that had struck Israel and which,
he said, foreshadowed the "day of the Lord." The
day of the Lord was a time greatly anticipated
by the Israelites because they believed that God
would then judge the nations and restore Israel
to her former glory. Yet, said Joel, God would
punish not only the nations but unfaithful
Israel as well. Joel urged everyone to repent,
and told of a day when God would "pour out [his]
Spirit on all flesh" (Joel 2:28). That day
arrived on the first Christian Pentecost (Acts 2:17). While the date of the book is uncertain
(ninth to sixth century b.c.), its message is
valid for all time.
John the apostle, one of the
sons of Zebedee. called by Jesus, Mark 1:19-20.
at Jesus' transfiguration, Mark 9:2. with Jesus
in Gethsemane, Mark 14:33-42. in the early
church, Acts 3-4. writer of Revelation, Rev. 1:1-4; 1:9. Author of Gospel, three epistles, and the
Revelation, John 21:23-25; 1 Jn. 1-5; 2 Jn. 1; 3 John 1;
Rev. 1:1
The Book of John 1-21
The Gospel of John was written to persuade
people to believe in Jesus (John 20:30-31). The
opening verses declare that Jesus is God,
stressing his unique relationship with God the
Father. The book focuses on seven of Jesus'
signs (miracles), to show his divinity. Jesus
called people to believe in him, promising
eternal life. He proved he could give life by
raising Lazarus (John 11) and by his own death
and resurrection. John features Christ's seven
"I am" statements, his encounters with Nicodemus
and the Samaritan woman, his Upper Room
teachings and washing of the disciples' feet
(John 13-16), and his high priestly prayer (John 17). It includes the most well-known summary of
the gospel (John 3:16). The author was probably the
apostle John, writing about A.D. 85.
The Book of 1 John 1-5
This apostolic letter speaks authoritatively
about the truth of the incarnation-a message his
doubting readers needed after hearing false
teachers deny the full divinity and humanity of
Christ. It reaffirms the core of Christianity,
saying that either we exhibit the sound
doctrine, obedience, and love that characterize
all Christians, or else we are not true
Christians. When all the basics of faith are in
operation, we not only know joy but can live a
holy life and be assured of salvation (1 Jn. 3:19, 24)-even though we are still far from
perfect (1 Jn. 1:9). This assurance comes
especially as we find ourselves learning to
"love one another" as brothers and sisters in
Christ (1 Jn. 4:7-8). This general letter to
congregations across Asia Minor (now Turkey) was
probably written by the apostle John in the late
first century a.d.
The Book of 2 John 1
2 John warns against the same false
teaching mentioned in 1 John.. This letter,
however, was addressed to "the elect lady and
her children" (perhaps a local congregation),
and focused on Christian hospitality. False
teachers were using the kindness of Christians
to gain influence within John's congregations.
John's letter spoke of this danger and warned
against opening one's home to these destroyers
of the faith. While the basic themes of 1 Jn.-holding fast to truth, love, and
obedience-are evident, there is the additional
focus on what Christian hospitality is all
about. Only when you find agreement on sound
doctrine will you find meaningful fellowship.
The letter was probably written by the apostle
John in the late first century A.D.
The Book of 3 John 1
3 John supplements statements on Christian
hospitality in 2 Jn. It applauds a Christian
named Gaius for living out the teachings of the
apostles-he had welcomed traveling Christian
missionaries into his home-while condemning
Diotrephes, a selfish church leader who not only
refused to help these itinerant, godly teachers
but also had slandered and opposed those who
disagreed with him. This book demonstrates that
pride can divide Christians if they are not
living by God's Word. To avoid the dual dangers
of false teaching and division within the
church, believers should practice the dual
virtues of love and discernment. The letter was
probably written by the apostle John in the late
first century a.d.
The Book of Jonah 1-4
Because it tells of a fish swallowing a man,
many have dismissed the book of Jonah as
fiction. But 2 Kings 14:25 mentions Jonah as
living during the time of Jeroboam II (about
793-753 B.C.), and Jesus referred to Jonah as a
historical person (Matt. 12:39-41). Unlike other
prophetic books, Jonah focuses on the prophet
himself rather than on his message. When God
sent Jonah to Nineveh he rebelled, was swallowed
by a fish, repented, and fulfilled his mission
after all. When Nineveh repented, the reason for
Jonah's rebellion became clear: he had feared
that God would forgive the Ninevites; and when
God did forgive them, Jonah resented it (Jonah 4:1-3). The book lists no author, but only Jonah
himself could have known all the facts it
records.
The Book
of Joshua 1-24
The five books of Moses anticipated the
fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham
regarding the Promised Land. Now (either about
1400 or 1220 b.c.), through a string of military
victories under Joshua, Israel conquered the
land and divided it among the twelve tribes. In
these battles it became evident that God fights
for his people when they are "strong and
courageous" (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18; 10:25) and
put their full trust in him. At the close of the
book, Joshua charged the people to remain
faithful to God and to obey his commands, and
the people agreed to do so. "As for me and my
house," said Joshua, "we will serve the Lord"
(Joshua 24:15). Although anonymous, the book
appears to contain eyewitness testimony, some of
which may have been written by Joshua himself.
Joy
Ps. 100:2; Isa. 12; 35; Matt. 5:1-12; Luke 15;
John 13:1-17;
Gal. 5:16-26; Phil. 4:4-9; Col. 1:24; James 1:2-18;
1 Pet. 1:1-9; 4:12-19
Judah
Deut. 33:7;
Num. 1:27; 26:22; Josh. 15; Judg. 1:1-20; 2 Sam. 2:1-4; 1 Kings 12:21-22; 14:21-22;
2 Kings 24:1-16;
1 Chron. 28:2-4;
Ezra 1:1-5; Ezek. 48:7; Matt. 1:2-6; Rev. 7:5
Judas Iscariot (apostle who handed Jesus
over to be killed)
chosen by Jesus Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:19
apostles' treasure John 12:4-6;
John 13:27-29
betrayed Jesus
Matt. 26:14-16; Matt. 24:47-50; Luke 22:1-6; John 6:70-71; John 13:2; 21-30
death of Matt. 27:3-5
Jude
brother of James, He wrote Jude 1
Jude (Thaddaeus) one of the
twelve apostles, Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18
The Book of Jude 1
The letter of Jude warns against those who,
having gained admission to the church, were
perverting the grace of God, denying "our only
Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (Jude 4). Jude
used Old Testament examples to warn of these
"blemishes" on the church He wrote multiple
denunciations of these ungodly people who
"defile the flesh" and "reject authority" (Jude 8). He urged Christians to continue in godliness
and love toward such people, in some cases
reasoning with them, in other cases "snatching
them out of the fire" (Jude 23). Jude closes
with one of the most beautiful doxologies in all
of Scripture (Jude 24-25). Jude was the brother
of James (probably "James the Lord's brother,"
Gal. 1:19). He likely wrote sometime between
A.D. 65 and 80.
The Book of Judges 1-21
Judges is named after an interesting collection
of individuals who led Israel after Joshua's
death until the rise of the monarchy under
Samuel (up to about 1050 b.c.). In this time of
national decline, despite their promise to keep
the covenant (Josh. 24:16-18) the people turned
from the Lord and began to worship other gods.
"Everyone did what was right in his own eyes"
(Judges 17:6; 21:25). A pattern repeats
throughout the book: 1) the people abandoned the
Lord; 2) God punished them by raising up a
foreign power to oppress them; 3) the people
cried out to God for deliverance; and 4) God
raised up a deliverer, or judge, for them. The
author of the book is unknown, although some
Jewish tradition ascribes it to Samuel.
Judging others
Luke 13:3-5; John 5:22; 8:7;
Acts 10:4; Rom. 14:1;
1 Cor. 4:3; James 2:13
Judgment
has many aspects. It may concern legal
procedures and announcements, or it may concern
private acts of examining, discerning or
criticizing. It is something that people do and
something that God does. It takes place in the
lives of people now and will take place in their
encounter with God at the end of the age.
Attitude about
Matt. 7:1-5; 19:28; Luke 22:30; Rom. 14:1-4; 13;
1 Cor. 4:5; 10:29;
Gal. 6:1-4; James 4:11-12
God’s
Gen. 18:26; Deut. 32:4; Job 34:10;
Ps. 94:2; John 5:22;
Acts 10:42; 2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 4:1
(See:
The Judgments to Come)
Judgment day
Isa. 13:10; Joel 2:30-32; Matt. 11:20-24; Matt. 12:33-37;
Rom. 14:10; Heb. 10:25;
2 Pet. 2:9-10; 2 Pet. 3:7-13
Justice
Lev. 24:20; 2 Chron. 19:4-5; Job 24:18; Ps. 122:5;
Ezek. 38:22-23
Delayed Job 27:1-2; 34:19; 36:6; 36:9-11;
Isa. 11:4-5
God’s
Num. 14:20-35; Deut. 28:58-59; 28:63; Job 1:13-19;
Ps. 78:34; Eccl. 3:17;
Jer. 12:1; Ezek. 14:22-23; Nah. 2:13; Zeph. 3:5
Justification
(accounting the guilty just before God) is
a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. To be
justified is to be made righteous. It is a
divine act where God declares the sinner to be
innocent of his sins. It is not that the sinner
is now sinless, but that he is "declared"
sinless. This justification is based on the shed
blood of Jesus, "...having now been justified by
His blood..." (Rom. 5:9). When God sees the
Christian, He sees him through the sacrifice of
Jesus and "sees" him without sin. This
declaration of innocence is not without cost for
it required the satisfaction of God's Law,
"...without shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). By the sacrifice of
Jesus, in the "one act of righteousness there
resulted justification of life to all men" (Rom. 5:18, NASB). In justification, the justice of
God fell upon Himself - Jesus. We receive
mercy - we are not judged according to our sins.
And grace is shed upon us--we receive eternal
life. This justification is a gift of grace (Rom. 3:24), by faith (Rom. 3:28) because Jesus bore
our guilt (Isa. 53:12).
Luke 18:13-14;
Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:22-28; 5:1-21; 9:31-32;
1 Cor. 1:30;
Gal. 2:21; 3:11; James 2:14-26; 1 Pet. 2:22
Justify Job 32:2; Isa. 53:11;
Luke 10:29; Luke 18:14; Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:24;
Rom. 3:28; Rom. 5:1; Rom. 8:30; Rom. 8:33;
Gal. 2:16;
Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:8; Titus 3:7; James 2:24
K
Kenosis is derived from the use
of the Greek verb ekenōsen (he emptied
himself) in Philippians 2:7-11. Kenosis
refers to the self-emptying of Christ in the
incarnation, as well as his conscious
acceptance of obedience to the divine will
that led him to death by crucifixion. Many
theologians see in the term a reference to
Jesus' choice not to exercise the
prerogatives and powers that were his by
virtue of his divine nature. In the
nineteenth century certain thinkers built
this idea into a kenotic Christology, which
spoke of the incarnation as the
self-emptying of the preexistent, eternal
Son to become the human Jesus. This
self-emptying involved the setting aside of
certain divine attributes, or at least the
independent exercise of his divine powers.
Keys of The
Kingdom
Matt. 16:19
Kindness
Gen. 32:10; 39:21; Ruth 2:20; 1 Kings 3:6; Ezra 9:9; Job 10:12;
Isa. 54:8;
Hosea 11:4; Luke 6:35; Acts 4:9; Acts 14:17;
1 Cor. 13:4; 2 Cor. 6:6; Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 4:32;
Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 5:15; 2 Tim. 2:24; Titus 2:5; Titus 3:4; 2 Pet. 1:5-7
King
1 Sam. 8; 12; Ps. 47; 99; Luke 1:26-38; Eph. 1:15-34;
1 Tim. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:1-12
The Book of 1 Kings 1-22
1 Kings begins with the death of King David
(about 970 b.c.) and the reign of his son,
Solomon, who "excelled all the kings of the
earth in riches and in wisdom" (1 Kings 10:23).
Solomon's unfaithfulness later in life set the
stage for general apostasy among the people. The
harsh policies of his son Rehoboam led to the
revolt of the northern tribes and the division
of Israel. The northern tribes would
subsequently be called Israel, while the
southern tribes would be called Judah. 1 Kings describes the construction of the temple
in Jerusalem and shows the importance of proper
worship. God's faithfulness to his people is
shown as he sent prophets, most notably Elijah,
to warn them not to serve other gods. The author
of 1 Kings is unknown.
The Book of 2 Kings 1-25
2 Kings continues the saga of disobedience
begun in 1 Kings, opening about 850 B.C. with
the conclusion of Elijah's prophetic ministry in
Israel and the beginning of the work of his
successor, Elisha. Israel spiraled downward in
faithlessness, ultimately being defeated and
dispersed by the Assyrians in 722. Judah, the
southern kingdom, had several kings who trusted
God and attempted reforms. But after many years
of God's warnings through Isaiah and other
prophets, Judah's sins were punished by
Babylonian conquest starting in 605 and
ultimately in the fall of Jerusalem in 586. The
people were exiled to Babylon for seventy years,
as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 29:10). God
remained faithful to his covenant despite his
people's faithlessness. The author of 2 Kings is
unknown.
Kingdom of God
and the kingdom of heaven seem to be variations
of the same idea. A kingdom implies a king. Our
king is Jesus. Jesus said His kingdom was not of
this world (John 18:36). Jesus' authority did
not come from man but from God (Luke 22:29).
Entrance into the kingdom of God is by a new
birth (John 3:5), repentance (Matt. 3:2), and the
divine call (1 Thess. 2:12). We are told to seek
the kingdom of God first (Matt. 6:33) and to pray
for its arrival (Matt. 6:10). "The kingdom of God
is not eating and drinking, but righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 14:17). It is also a future kingdom where full
ruler-ship in the actual presence of the king
Jesus will occur when He returns to earth.
Kings
Deut. 17:15;
1 Sam. 8:5-9; 10:24; 1 Kings 12:16;
2 Kings 11:12; 23:34; 25:30;
2 Chron. 25:2; Ezek. 28:2;
Dan. 3:13-14
Knowability of God: God can be
known truly, personally, and sufficiently. God
is personal, has definite characteristics, and
has personally revealed himself so that he can
be truly known. The multiplication of grace and
peace in our lives is dependent on knowing God
(2 Pet. 1:2-3), and this knowledge provides
sufficient resources for life and for becoming
the people God wants us to be. (Jer. 9:23-24; 1 Cor. 2:2; Gal. 6:14) It is the basis of
attaining eternal life (John 17:3); it is at the
heart of life in the new covenant (Heb. 8:11-12); it was Paul’s primary goal (Phil. 3:10); and it leads to godly love
(1 Jn. 4:7-8).
Knowledge (of good and evil)
Gen. 2:9; Gen. 2:17; Gen. 3:22
Is power Prov. 3:20; Prov. 24:5
Desire for
1 Kings 3:9; Ps. 119:66; Prov. 2; Prov. 3; Prov. 12:1;
Prov. 15:14; Prov. 18:15
Rejected Hosea 4:6
Those who
reject are destroyed Hosea 4:6
Fools hate
Prov. 1:22; Prov. 1:29
A divine gift
1 Cor. 12:8
Shall be
increased Dan. 12:4
The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of Prov. 1:7
Of salvation
Luke 1:77
Now we know
in part 1 Cor. 13:9-12
Of Christ Phil. 3:8
Koinonia
Greek word for fellowship.
With God, consisting in the knowledge of his
will (Job 22:21; John 17:3); agreement with his
designs (Amos 3:2); mutual affection (Rom. 8:38-39); enjoyment of his presence (Ps. 4:6);
conformity to his image (1 Jn. 2:6; 1:6); and
participation of his felicity (1 Jn. 1:3, 4;
Eph. 3:14-21).
Of
saints with one another, in duties (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:1; 1 Thess. 5:17, 18); in ordinances
(Heb. 10:25; Acts 2:46); in grace, love, joy,
etc. (Mal. 3:16; 2 Cor. 8:4); mutual interest,
spiritual and temporal (Rom. 12:4, 13; Heb. 13:16); in sufferings (Rom. 15:1, 2;
Gal. 6:1-2;
Rom. 12:15; and in glory (Rev. 7:9).
L
Laity The people of God. Acts 15:14;
Rom. 9:25; 1 Peter 2:10. Often used to
refer to Christians who are not ordained
ministers or ministers by profession.
Lamb
as sacrifice, Gen. 4:4; Exo 12:3-10; Lev. 3:6-11;
Lev. 4:32-35; Lev. 5:6; Lev. 14:24-25
Jesus, the lamb of God, John 1:29, 36; 1 Cor. 5:7;
1 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5-7
The Book of
Lamentations 1-5
The book of Lamentations is made up of five
poems, each an expression of grief over the fall
of Jerusalem. Like a eulogy at a funeral, these
laments are intended to mourn a loss-in this
case, the loss of a nation. The latter half of
Lamentations 3 implies that the purpose behind
the book's graphic depictions of sorrow and
suffering was to produce hope in the God whose
compassion is "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23) and whose faithfulness is great even to a
people who have been condemned for their own
unfaithfulness. The author, while not identified
in the book itself, may have been the prophet
Jeremiah, who was said to have "uttered a lament
for Josiah" (2 Chron. 35:25). Lamentations was
probably written shortly after Jerusalem's fall
in 586 b.c.
Language
Unity of Gen. 11:1; Gen. 11:6
Confusion of Gen. 11:1-9; Gen. 10:5; Gen. 10:20;
Gen. 10:31
Dialects
of the Jews Judg. 12:6; Matt. 26:73
Many spoken at Jerusalem John 19:20; Acts 2:8-11
Speaking in
inspired "tongues" forbidden, in religious
assemblies unless there was an inspired
interpreter present 1 Cor. 12:30; 14:2-28
Gift of Mark 16:17; Acts 2:7; Acts 2:8; Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6;
1 Cor. 12:10; 12:30; 1 Cor. 14
Last days
Isa. 2:2; 24:18-20; Joel 2:30-32; Mic. 4:1; Acts 2:19-20;
1 Cor. 7:29; 2 Thess. 2:2; 2 Tim. 3:1;
Heb. 9:26; 1 Pet. 4:7
Law has various
meanings, the OT in general, the Torah
(especially the Pentateuch or first five
books of the Bible), the Ten Commandments or
the several codes of conduct that identified
Israel as set apart and in covenantal
relationship with God. Jesus summarized the
law with two commandments: to love God with
heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love
one's neighbor as oneself. Paul declares
that the law is fulfilled in Jesus, who sets
humans free from the law's penalty of death.
as rules Rom. 4:15; Rom. 6:14-15; Gal. 5:18
as God's rules or teachings Ps. 119; Rom. 7:22;
Rom. 8:7; James 1:25; 1 Jn. 3:4
Law
of Christ is a New Testament phrase.
The related Bible verses are in the Pauline
epistles at Galatians 6:2 and parenthetically "being
under the law to Christ" at 1 Corinthians 9:21.
The Law of Christ is
the covenantal outworking of God’s absolute
law under the New Covenant (Romans 6:14). It
is covenantally binding upon the Church (1 Corinthians 9:20-21) and consists of the law
of love (Matthew 5:44; Galatians 6:2; James 2:8; Romans 13:8-10), the example of the
Lord Jesus Christ (John 13:34; Philippians 2:4-12), Christ’s commands and teaching
(Matthew 28:20; 2 Pet. 3:2), the commands
and teachings of the inspired New Testament
epistles (Acts 1:1-2; 2 Pet. 3:2; Ephesians 2:20; Jude 1:17;
1 Jn. 5:3). All the
scriptures are to be interpreted in light of
Jesus Christ and the work He has done for us
throughout history (Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 24:27,44; John 1:1-3; 5:39, 46; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Mosaic Law was done away in its entirety
as a legal code. It has been replaced by the
Law of Christ. “The law of Christ contains
some new commands (1 Timothy 4:4), some old
ones (Romans 13:9), and some revised ones
(Romans 13:4, with reference to capital
punishment). All the laws of the Mosaic code
have been abolished because the code has.
Specific Mosaic commands that are part of
the Christian code appear there not as a
continuation of part of the Mosaic Law, or
in order to be observed in some deeper
sense, but as specifically incorporated into
that code, and as such they are binding on
believers today. A particular law that was
part of the Mosaic code is done away; that
same law, if part of the law of Christ, is
binding. It is necessary to say both truths
in order not to have to resort to a
nonliteral interpretation of 2 Cor. 3
or Hebrews 7 and in order not to have to
resort to some sort of theological
contortions to retain part of the Mosaic
Law.” [From: Basic Theology - The End of the
Law]
Law
of Moses is God's instructions
concerning the moral, social, and spiritual
behavior of His people found in the first five
books of the Bible. The Law is the very
reflection of the nature of God because God
speaks out of the abundance of what is in Him.
Therefore, since God is pure, the Law is pure.
Since God is holy, the Law is holy. The Law
consists of the 10 commandments Exod. 20:1-26),
rules for social life (Exod. 21:1-36; Exod. 22:1-31;
Exod. 23:1-33), and rules for the worship of God
(Exod. 25:1-40; Exod. 26:1-37; Exod. 27:1-21; Exod. 28:1-43;
Exod. 29:1-46; Exod. 30:1-38; Exod. 31:1-18). It was a
covenant of works between God and man and was
(and is) unable to deliver us into eternal
fellowship with the Lord because of Man's
inability to keep it. The Law is a difficult
taskmaster because it requires that we maintain
a perfect standard of moral behavior. And then
when we fail, the Law condemns us to death. We
deserve death even if we fail to keep just one
point of the law: "For whoever keeps the whole
law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become
guilty of all" (James 2:10). The law made
nothing perfect (Heb. 7:19). That is why the Law
has shown us our need for Jesus and the free
gift we receive through Him (Gal. 3:24). Deut. 31:24-26;
Josh. 23:6; Nehemiah 8
purpose of Rom. 3:20; Rom. 5:20; Gal. 3:21-25
limitations of Rom. 8:3; Gal. 2:19; Heb. 10:1
Law of non-contradiction The
Law of non-contradiction is the law that
something cannot be both true and not true at
the same time when dealing with the same
context.
Laying On of Hands
for healing Mark 5:23; Mark 6:5; Luke 4:40
to receive the Holy Spirit Acts 8:17-19; Acts 19:6
for blessing
Mark 10:16; Acts 13:3
Lazarus
John 11:1-44; Luke 16:19-31
Laziness
Prov. 13:4; Prov. 18:9; 26:13-16; Prov. 6:6-11; 10:26;
Prov. 12:24; 15:19; Prov. 19:15; 20:4; Prov. 21:25; 24:30-34;
Eccl. 10:18; 2 Thess. 3:6-13
Leaders
Ability
Judg. 6:25; 12:8-13; 13:25; 14:6; 1 Sam. 10:9-11; 11:6;
2 Kings 2:9; Isa. 45:1
Choosing
Gen. 49:10-12;
Exod. 6:14-27; Deut. 16:18; 31:3; Judg. 11:4-6; 1 Chron. 5:2; 12:2; Isa. 3:6; Hosea 8:4; 1 Tim. 3:2-7; 5:24-25
Preparation
Exod. 17:9; Deut. 34:9; 1 Kings 3:7; 19:19; Prov. 30:21-23
Responsibility
Jer. 23:1; Ezek. 44:20-23; Mal. 2:3;
James 3:1
Spiritual
Num. 27:18; 2 Kings 4:13; 6:21; 13:14; 16:15-16;
2 Chron. 24:16; Ne. 12:1; 13:28; Isa. 29:9-10; 32:5-6; 56:10;
Jer. 29:21-23; Hosea 6:9;
Zeph. 3:4; Mal. 2:3; Matt. 20:26-28; 23:33; Luke 11:44;
John 21:15-17; 1 Cor. 4:16
Wicked
Job 34:29-30; Ezek. 11:3
Legalism
is the attitude that identifies morality
with the strict observance of laws or that
views adherence to moral codes as defining
the boundaries of a community. Religious
legalism focuses on obedience to laws or
moral codes based on the (misguided)
assumption that such obedience is a means of
gaining divine favor.
Leviathan
a sea monster Job 3:8; Job 41:1; Ps. 74:14; Isa. 27:1
The Book of Leviticus 1-27
Leviticus begins with the people of Israel at
the foot of Mount Sinai. The glory of the Lord
had just filled the tabernacle (Exod. 40:34-38)
and God now tells Moses to instruct the
Levitical priests and the people of Israel
concerning sacrifices, worship, the priesthood,
ceremonial cleanness, the Day of Atonement,
feasts and holy days, and the Year of Jubilee.
The central message is that God is holy and he
requires his people to be holy. The book also
shows that God graciously provides atonement for
sin through the shedding of blood.
Traditionally, Jews and Christians recognize
Moses as the author, writing sometime after the
giving of the Law.
Liberalism
is a movement in nineteenth- and
twentieth-century Protestant circles that
builds from the assumption that Christianity
is reconcilable with the positive human
aspirations, including the quest for
autonomy. Liberalism desires to adapt
religion to modern thought and culture.
Consequently, it views divine love as
realized primarily, if not totally, in love
of one's neighbor and the kingdom of God as
a present reality found especially within an
ethically transformed society. See also
postliberalism.
Liberation
Theology most often refers to a
theological movement developed in the late
1960s in Latin America (where it continues
to hold prominence). In attempting to unite
theology and sociopolitical concerns,
liberation theologians such as Gustavo
Gutiérrez emphasize the scriptural theme of
liberation, understood as the overcoming of
poverty and oppression. Liberation
theologies have also found expression among
representatives of seemingly marginalized
groups in North American society, including
women, African Americans, Hispanics, Native
Americans and Asian Americans.
Life
God is the source and controller of all life. He
brings it into existence, sustains it, and
brings it to an end, all according to his
purposes (Gen. 2:7; Num. 16:22; Deut. 32:39; Job 34:14-15;
Ps. 36:9; Ecc 12:7;
Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:20; 1 Tim. 6:13).
After
death (Old Testament) Num. 20:24; 1 Sam. 28:19;
2 Sam. 12:23;
Ps. 6:5; 17:15; 30:9; 49:15;
Prov. 2:18; Eccl. 9:10; 12:7
breath of, Gen. 2:7
book of, Phil. 4:3;
Rev. 3:5; Rev. 21:27
eternal, John 5:24-29; John 6:35-51
"I am the. . .life." John 14:6
in the blood,
Lev. 17:14
length of, Ps. 90:10
Principles
Prov. 3:1-4
Source
Gen. 2:7; Job 27:3;
Ps. 104:30; Eccl. 12:7
true life, John 12:25
Unfair
Gen. 18:25;
2 Sam. 21:6, 9, 14; Job 1:13-19; 34:19;
Ps. 73:3-5; Eccl. 2:26; 4:13-16
Value
of 2 Kings 11:1-2; Job 3:10-16; Eccl. 12:6
Without God
Eccl. 1:2; 6:12
Light
Gen. 1:14-16; Ps. 13:3; 112:4; 119:105; Isa. 42:6; 58:8, 10; 60:3;
1 Jn. 1:5
creation of Gen. 1:3-4
of the
world Matt. 5:14
God is
1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Jn. 1:5
Jesus
is John 1:4-9; John 3:19-20; John 8:12; John 12:46
God's
word is light Ps. 119:105
symbol
of God's presence 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 5:8-9; 1 Pet. 2:9
Limited Atonement The teaching
held in Calvinist circles of Christianity that
Jesus bore only the sins of the elect, and not
that of the entire world. It maintains that the
sacrifice was sufficient for all, but intended
for the elect.
Logos the
Greek word meaning “word” used to describe the
eternal ministry of Christ in creation and His
appearance as the Son of God who became flesh.
John 1:1-18.
Loneliness
Ps. 42:3-4; 102:6-7; 102:16-18
Lord
(See Jehovah) In small letters and with initial
capital "Lord" represents Adonai in KJV
of Old Testament. In capitals "LORD" represents
Jehovah, except Exod. 23:17. The "LORD God",
Adonai Jehovah, where it ought to be "the
Lord Jehovah," and Exod. 34:23. "GOD" in capitals
also represents Jehovah (Gen. 15:2, 'Adonay
Yahweh). "God" in small letters, with
initial capital, represents 'Elohiym.
(See God)
God as Exod. 3:15;
Exod. 7:16; Ps. 31:5; Ps. 106:48
Jesus as Acts 2:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; Phil. 2:11;
1 Peter 3:15
Holy Spirit as 2 Cor. 3:18
Lord's Day Christians in the
early churches met together often (Act 2:46;
Heb. 10:25). Although the frequency of meetings
varied from place to place, the common practice
seems to have been that all the Christians in a
church met together at least on the first day of
each week (Act 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:20; 1 Cor. 16:2). By
the end of the first century, Christians
commonly referred to the first day of the week
as the Lord’s day, probably because it was the
day on which Jesus rose from the dead as the
triumphant Lord (John 20:1; John 20:19; Acts 2:36;
Rom. 1:4; Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 1:10).
Lord's Supper, Communion, Eucharist:
Fellowship with
God. The Lord's Supper is so
called (1 Cor. 10:16-17), because in it there
is fellowship between Christ and his
disciples, and of the disciples with one
another. (Matt. 6:29; 26:26-28; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:51-56; 21:13; Acts 1:4; 2:42;
Act 46-47; 20:7, 11; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:20-26; 24:30-43)
Love
Where the Bible gives teaching about love, the
centre of love is usually the will, not the
emotions. Such love is a deliberate attitude,
not an uncontrollable feeling (Matt. 5:44-46).
This characteristic is seen in both divine love
and human love. The Bible commands people to
love; it commands them to act in a certain way,
regardless of how they feel (Deut. 11:13; 22:37-39; John 13:34; John 15:17;
Eph. 5:25;
Titus 2:4; 1 Jn. 4:20-21).
For
God Num. 30:2; Ps. 37:4; 69:9; 112:2-8; 130:5-6;
Luke 14:26; John 21:15-17; Rom. 13:10; Heb. 10:6, 8;
Rev. 2:4
For
others Matt. 5:48; John 13:34-35; 15:12-17; Rom. 12:18; 12:20; 13:10;
1 Cor. 1:7; 3:2; 13:1-3;
1 Jn. 4:16
Loyalty
1 Kings 11:17-19; 2 Chron. 11:13-14; 11:16; Ps. 16:4; 84:11;
Prov. 17:17
Luke, a non-Jewish doctor who
often traveled with the apostle Paul, Col. 4:14;
2 Tim. 4:11. He wrote Acts 1-28; Luke 1-24
The Book of Luke 1-24
The Gospel of Luke is in the form of a letter to
a man named Theophilus. Luke wrote after having
carefully investigated all the facts about
Christ (Luke 1:1-4). Luke documents Christ's
life from before his birth through his ministry,
death, and resurrection. Jesus carried out his
ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit,
announcing the good news of salvation. He showed
numerous times his compassion for the poor and
the outcast. He fulfilled prophecy and carried
out his purpose: to seek and save the lost. Luke
gives the fullest account of Christ's birth, and
only Luke records the parables of the Good
Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Luke, a
physician and a colleague of Paul, probably
wrote this account in the early 60s A.D. He also
wrote Acts.
Lutheran Churches that
developed under the influence of Martin Luther
and accept the Augsburg Confession as their
basic statement of beliefs; noted for emphasis
on justification by faith alone and for
Consubstantiation view of Lord’s Supper.
Lying
Exod. 1:19-20; 1 Sam. 21:2; 27:8-10; 2 Kings 8:10; 10:19;
2 Chron. 18:22; Ps. 62:4; Jer. 38:27; Acts 5:5-10
A characteristic of unbelief 1 Thess. 2:9; 1 Tim. 4:2;
1 Jn. 2:4
The
Devil is the father of John 8:44
Forbidden Lev. 19:11; Prov. 12:22; Zech. 1:16;
Col. 3:9
Punished
Ps. 5:6; 120:3-4; Prov. 19:5;
Rev. 21:8
Lutheranism is the
theological and ecclesiastical tradition
based on the teachings of Martin Luther
(1483-1546), who is credited with launching
the Reformation in Germany. Luther's “tower
experience” convinced him that the essence
of the gospel is that justification comes
only by the gift of God's grace appropriated
by faith. According to Luther, God declares
the sinner righteous through Jesus' death
rather than through human merit or works.
Faith entails trust in and acceptance of
God's gift of salvation through the “merits”
of Christ.
M
Maccabees a Jewish family
who led a successful revolt against the
rulers who controlled Israel during the
second century B.C. Their story is told in
the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees.
Magic, Witchcraft,
and Sorcery
Exod. 2:18; Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:6, 27; Deut. 18:10-12; 20-21;
Isa. 2:6; 47:10-14;
Jer. 27:9; Mic. 5:12;
Mal. 3:5; Acts 8:9-24; 13:6-12; 16:16-18; 19:13-19;
Gal. 5:20
The Book of Malachi 1-4
Although the urging of Haggai and Zechariah had
brought the completion of the temple (516 B.C.),
this had not produced the messianic age many
expected. The warm response to Zechariah's call
to repentance had grown cold, because God
apparently had not restored the covenant
blessings. Malachi, writing a short time later,
called the people to repentance with respect to:
the priesthood, which had become corrupt;
worship, which had become routine; divorce,
which was widespread; social justice, which was
being ignored; and tithing, which was neglected.
"Will man rob God?" the Lord asked through
Malachi (Mal. 3:8), and he promised to "open
the windows of heaven" (Mal. 3:10) for those
who pay their full tithe. Malachi predicted the
coming of both John the Baptist and Jesus,
referring to each as a "messenger" of God
(Mal. 3:1).
Male and Female
Equally saved in Christ
Gal. 3:28
Mutual
love 1 Cor. 7:3-4; Col. 3:19; Titus 2:4
Different role.
Gen. 3:16-19; 1 Cor. 14:34-35; Eph. 5:22-33;
Col. 3:18-19;
1 Tim. 2:11; Titus 2:2-5;
1 Pet. 3:1-7
Mankind (the Human
race)
Made
in God's image Gen. 1:26-27; James 3:9
More
valuable than animals Gen. 1:28; 9:3-6; Ps. 8:4-8;
Matt. 10:31; 12:11-12
Object
of God's love John 3:16
Marduk,
also called Bel is one of the names of the
chief god of the city of Babylon (Jer. 51:44). Marduk was the god of Babylon who
became supreme among the older Sumerian gods
as creator and ruler—a position formerly
enjoyed by Enlil but affirmed for Marduk in
the Code of Hammurabi and the Creation Epic
and retained until the end of indigenous
Mesopotamian religion (A.D. 100-200).
Jeremiah prophesied that Marduk, also called
Bêl, "lord," would be put to shame (Jer. 50:2).
The divine name Marduk can be seen in the royal
names Merodach-baladan (2 Kings 20:12; Isa. 39:1; Marduk-apal-iddin, "Marduk has
given a son") and Evil-merodach (2 Kings 25:27 par. Jer. 52:31; amel-Marduk, "man
of Marduk"), and possibly in the name
Mordecai (see: ISBE).
Mark, John
Mark; a cousin to Barnabas; traveled
with Paul and Barnabas and wrote the Gospel of
Mark 1-13; Acts 12:12, 25; Acts 13:5; Col. 4:10;
2 Tim. 4:11 Left Paul in Acts 13:13; Traveled
with Barnabas, Acts 15:36-41
The Book
of Mark 1-16
The Gospel of Mark emphasizes that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God. Jesus announced the
Kingdom of God, healed the sick, and died as a
ransom for sinners. In addition to Jesus, Mark
features three main groups of people: the
disciples, the crowds, and the religious
leaders, none of whom understood Jesus. When the
time came for Jesus to go to the cross, the
religious leaders arrested him, the disciples
abandoned him, and the crowds jeered him. Only
when he died alone on the cross did a Roman
centurion recognize that he was the Son of God.
Though the book is anonymous, tradition
identifies John Mark (Acts 12:12) as the author.
He may have based his Gospel on Peter's
preaching, writing sometime in the 50s or 60s A.D.
Marriage
Choosing a spouse
Ruth 3:10;
2 Chron. 21:6;
Prov. 21:9
Customs
Gen. 24:50-51; 24:67; 29:18; 29:23-25; 29:27; 31:15; 34:4; Ruth 3:7-8; 13-14;
1 Chron. 2:21; 2:34-35
Interfaith
Gen. 38:2; Deut. 7:3-4; Judg. 12:9; 1 Kings 7:8; 11:1-4; 16:31;
2 Chron. 8:11; 21:6; Ne. 13:26; 13:28;
1 Cor. 7:14
Interracial
Lev. 24:10; Ruth 1:4;
Jer. 31:8
Political
Gen. 20:2; 41:45; 1 Kings 3:1;
2 Chron. 18:1
Relationship
Gen. 2:24; 3:16;
Prov. 31:23; Jer. 16:2;
Mark 10:8
Remarriage
Deut. 24:4;
Matt. 19:9
Martyr
One who bears witness to Jesus Christ and
consequently suffers or dies rather than deny
Christ.
1 Kings 18:4, 13; 2 Kings 21:16; Ps. 37:3-25; Isa. 57:1-2;
Dan. 6:22-23; Luke 21:18; Acts 7; Phil. 3:10;
1 Pet. 1:6;
Rev. 6:9; 11:7; 20:4-5
Mary, mother of Jesus Engaged
to marry Joseph, Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:4-5.
Angel appeared to, Luke 1:26-45. Birth of Jesus,
Luke 2:6-21. With Jesus in Jerusalem, Luke 2:41-52. at wedding in Cana, John 2:1-10. at
Jesus' death, John 19:25-27. with the apostles,
Acts 1:14.
Mary Magdalene a
follower of Jesus from the town of Magdala; the
first person to see Jesus after he came back to
life. at Jesus' death, Matthew 27:55-56; 61. saw
Jesus after his resurrection, Matthew 28:1-10;
Mark 16:1-11; John 20:10-18.
Mary of
Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus,
and a friend of Jesus. sat at Jesus' feet, Luke 10:38-42. at death of Lazarus, John 11:1-45.
poured oil on Jesus' feet, John 12:1-8.
Marxism, also called
dialectical materialism, the political,
social and economic principles espoused by
Karl Marx, who held that the socioeconomic
structures of a given society condition its
basic values, laws, customs and beliefs. The
theory and practice of Marxism include the
labor theory of value and the goal of the
establishment of a classless society.
Marxism has influenced certain strands of
contemporary theology, particularly
liberation theology.
Materialism
Matt. 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-22 1 Cor. 3:3; Eph. 4:13
Matthew also called Levi; a tax
collector; wrote the Gospel of Matthew 1-28,
Matthew 9:9-10; Matthew 10:3; Acts 1:13
The Book of Matthew 1-28
The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as Israel's
Messiah. The account alternates between Jesus'
activities of healing and casting out demons,
and major blocks of his teaching, including the
Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), the Parables
of the Kingdom (Matt. 13), and the Olivet
Discourse (Matt. 24-25). The Sermon on the
Mount includes the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12)
and the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:5-15). The book
closes with the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). A recurring theme is the conflict
between Jesus and the religious leaders,
culminating in his pronouncement of "seven woes"
upon them (Matt. 23). As do all four Gospel
accounts, Matthew focuses on Christ's three-year
ministry and his death and resurrection. Matthew probably wrote his Gospel in the 50s or 60s
A.D.
Matthias chosen to be an
apostle after Judas Iscariot killed himself in
Acts 1:15-26
Meaning of life
Ps. 73:13; 90:17; 102:9-10; Prov. 1:7; Eccl. 1:2; 2:3-11; 2:13-16; 8:16-17; 11:8;
2 Cor. 5:10
Mediator is one who seeks to
settle disputes between other persons, or Jesus
as the One who brought together God and
believers through His death and resurrection. 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24.
Meditation (Biblically, dwelling on God's
Word) Ps. 1:1-2; Ps. 63:6-7; 119:148; 143:5; Phil. 4:8
Mennonites, originally the
followers of Menno Simons (1496-1561), a
leader among the so-called Anabaptists in
the sixteenth century. In keeping with the
believers'-church tradition of which they
are a part, Mennonite communities recognize
no elaborate statements of common doctrine
and reject the idea of a national church,
infant baptism and the theory of the real
presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They
uphold personal and corporate piety through
strict adherence to the NT. Generally,
Mennonites are pacifists.
Mercy
Ps. 7:11; 25:11; 39:13; 51:1; 78:39; 139:19; 143:1-2;
Isa. 30:18;
Jer. 3:1; 22:2-5; 24:7; Ezek. 3:7; 39:25;
Hosea 11:8; Nah. 2:13; James 2:13
Messiah
the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation
prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew term
meaning “anointed one.” The OT people of God
came to anticipate a person anointed by the
Spirit who would function once again as king
and priest over Israel. Hence in Jewish (OT
and intertestamental) theology, the Messiah
was the person, whether supernatural or
earthly, endowed with special powers and
functions by God, who would appear as the
divinely appointed, eschatological deliverer
and ruler of Israel. Although Jesus rarely
used the title specifically for himself, the
NT designation of Messiah (Greek Christos)
belongs only to Jesus, both as a title and
as a personal name. Jesus was the one who
was truly anointed by the Holy Spirit, and
as the bearer of the Spirit he has the
prerogative to pour out the Spirit on his
followers.
Revealed in
Jesus, the Christ.
Ps. 110:4; Isa. 16:5; 32:3; Jer. 33:16; Nah. 1:15;
Zech. 11:7; Matt. 16:20; 17:2; 20:30; Mark 8:30; 10:47; 11:8;
Luke 2:32; 18:34; 20:41-44; John 1:46
Other
names for Ps. 2:2; 110:1; Zech. 3:8; 10:4; Luke 2:25;
John 10:1-15; Rev. 5:5-6
Prophecy about
Isa. 7:14-16; 9:4-6; 32:1; 53:2;
Ezek. 34:11;
Dan. 9:24-27; Zech. 6:13; 12:10; Luke 3:4-6
Son of
David Ps. 72:5; 132:12; Isa. 11:1; Ezek. 17:22-24; 34:23-24;
Hag. 2:23;
Mark 12:35-37; Luke 18:38
Metaphor is a figure of
speech that draws an analogy between two
objects by equating them, even though they
are not actually the same thing. An example
is Ps. 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my
feet and a light to my path.” See also
simile.
Metaphysics is
the philosophical exploration into the
ultimate nature of reality lying beyond the
merely physical (meta = beyond).
Meta-physics deals with ontological
concerns, that is, with questions about what
constitutes something as “real” or as having
“being.”
Methodist Christian churches
that developed under the influence of John and
Charles Wesley.
The Book of Micah 1-7
Micah prophesied in Judah during the reigns of
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (about 750-700 b.c.),
at about the same time as Isaiah. It was a time
of prosperity, and Micah denounced the wealthy,
who were oppressing the poor, and warned of
impending judgment. The northern kingdom
actually fell during Micah's ministry, in 722,
and Judah almost fell in 701 (2 Kings 18-20).
The book contains three sections, which
alternate between words of warning and messages
of hope. Micah told of a day when there would be
peace among all nations, who would then be able
to "beat their swords into plowshares" (Micah 4:3), and of a royal deliverer who would save
God's people from all her enemies. This
deliverer would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
Middle Knowledge
That knowledge of God dealing with what
individuals will do in a given set of
circumstances. God has an infinite set of
potential circumstances that could exist and
knows all actual choices that would be made by
individuals in each set.
Midtribulationalism Some
premillennialists believe that the taking away
of the church will take place at the midpoint of
the Great Tribulation, before the most awesome
aspect of the Tribulation period begins.
Millennium the thousand year
period (Rev. 20:3-4) when the righteous will
reign on earth. In the study of end time
doctrines (eschatology) the millennium is the
period of time of Christ's rulership. Arising
from the Latin word for “thousand,” the
millennium refers to the thousand-year reign
of Christ mentioned in Revelation 20:1-8.
There are basically three understandings as
to what this text teaches: premillennialism,
postmillennialism and amillennialism. In
contrast to amillennialists, who do not see
the millennium as a specific period of
history, both post- and premillennialists
are technically millennialists in that both
anticipate that the millennium will occur at
some future time (or arrived in the recent
past). Millennialism also goes by the term
chiliasm, arising out of the biblical Greek
word chilias, meaning “one thousand.” In
contemporary theology, chiliasm is often
used in the narrower sense of referring to
belief in the premillennial return of Christ.
Mind
Blinded Luke 24:16;
2 Cor.3:14
Discouraged Heb. 12:3
Hardened Isa. 5:13;
Dan. 5:20
Opened
Luke 24:31; Eph. 1:18
Power
of Prov. 23:7; 4:23; Rom. 8:6; 1 Pet. 1:13
Protection of
Phil. 4:7
Renewed Rom. 12:1-2;
Eph. 4:23
Minister
Rom. 15:15-16; Col. 4:7
Miracle
is an act of God beyond human understanding that
inspires wonder, displays God’s greatness, and
leads people to recognize God at work in the
world. A miracle is an out-of-the ordinary
direct and divine intervention in the world.
Exod. 4:1-9; 14:21; 16:31; Josh. 3:16; 10:13-14;
2 Kings 20:11; John 1:17; Mark 8:12; Luke 11:29
Mission is a God-given
responsibility of the church and each believer
to bring God’s love and the Christian gospel to
all people through evangelism, education, and
ministry. Missions is used especially to refer
to work done by Christians outside their own
culture.
Modalism is "the
theological doctrine that the members of the
Trinity are not three distinct persons but
rather three modes or forms of activity (the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) under which
God manifests himself" - Merriam-Webster
Modalism teaches that
God is successively Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit; he is not simultaneously Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. Modalism is a heresy
that does not view the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit as three particular persons in
relation but merely as three modes or
manifestations of the one divine person of
God. God revealed himself successively in
salvation history, first as Father (creator
and lawgiver), then as Son (redeemer), and
finally as Spirit (sustainer and giver of
grace).
Moderation
Prov. 25:16; Eccl. 10:16-17
Monergism comes from a
combination of the Greek terms for “one” and
“energy.” Combined, they mean “a single
force.” When applied to salvation, monergism
implies that God is entirely, completely,
and solely responsible for any person’s
salvation. This view contrasts with
synergism (“a combined force”). Synergism
suggests salvation is accomplished through a
cooperative act of God and man. (Eph. 1:4-5; 2:8-9; Rom. 9:16; Titus 3:5; John 11:43-44;
1 Jn. 3:14)
Money
Deut. 8; Ps. 24; 62:10;
Matt. 6:19-34; Luke 16:13; 1 Tim. 3:3; 1 Tim. 6:3-19; Heb. 13:5; James 5:1-5
Monotheism
is the belief that
there is only one God in all places at all
times. There were none before God and there will
be none after Him.
Deut. 4:39; 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4,6; Eph. 4:5-6.
Christ and His Father are one John 10:30.
The
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and of Christ
Rom. 8:9,14; 1 Cor. 3:16.
Moon, New
From early times people
recognized the importance of the moon, as well
as the sun, in helping to produce a variety of
weather and a cycle of regular seasons (Gen. 1:14-18;
Ps. 104:19). Early calendars were based
on the phases of the moon, and so were Israel’s
annual religious festivals. The new moon marked
the beginning of the month, and the full moon
the middle of the month (Lev. 23:24; Lev. 23:39).
The day of each new moon was a holy day on which
the Israelite people offered sacrifices and held
a feast. Like other holy days, it was announced
by the blowing of trumpets (Num. 10:10; Num. 28:11;
1 Sam. 20:5; Ezra 3:5; Ps. 81:3; Ezek. 46:1). The Israelites were guilty of the same
wrong attitudes towards the ceremonies of the
new moon as towards other religious ceremonies,
and as a result God’s prophets condemned them
(Isa. 1:13-14; Hosea 2:11; Amos 8:5; cf. Col. 2:16). God strictly prohibited any worshipping
of the moon. Again there were times when the
Israelites broke his commandment (Deu 4:19; 2 Kings 23:4-5;
Jer. 8:1-2).
(From: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary)
Morality
Exalts
a nation Prov. 14:34.
Sermon
on the Mount Matt. 5-7
The
heart of religion Amos 5:21,24; Mic. 6:6-8; Titus 2:7;
1 Jn. 2:29
Mortal Sin in Roman
Catholicism, a serious and willful transgression
of God's Law. It involves full knowledge and
intent of the will to commit the sin.
Moses
The life of Moses divides conveniently into
three periods of forty years each. The first
period ended with his flight from Egypt to
Midian (Acts 7:23-29), the second with his return
from Midian to liberate his people from Egyptian
power (Acts 7:30-36; Exod. 7:7), and the third
with his death just before Israel entered Canaan
(Deut. 34:7). As the leader God chose to establish
Israel as a nation, Moses had absolute rule over
Israel. God spoke to the people through him (Exod. 3:10-12;
Exod. 24:12; Exod. 25:22). Moses’ position
was unique. No other person of his time, and no
leader after him, had the face-to-face
relationship with God that Moses had (Exod. 24:1-2;
Exod. 33:11; Num. 12:6-8; Deut. 34:10). Exod. 2-40;
Num. 1-36; Deut. 1-34;
Matt. 17:1-13; Heb. 11:24-28
The Mosaic Covenant (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Mount of
Olives or Mount Olivet
is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to
Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the
olive groves that once covered its slopes.
Murder
Gen. 9:6; Exod. 2:12; Num. 35:24-25; Deut. 19:13; 21:1-9;
2 Sam. 20:10;
2 Kings 11:1-2;
2 Chron. 22:10
Music
to the Lord Judges 5:3; Eph. 5:19;
Ps. 150
Used in the temple 1 Chron. 16:4-6;
1 Chron. 23:5-6; 25:1; 1 Chron. 25:6-7; 2 Chron. 29:25
Used by Christian
Eph. 5:19
Mystery
(in Theology) is a hidden reality
or secret. More specifically, in the
theology of revelation, a truth that human
beings cannot discover except from
revelation and that, even after revelation,
exceeds their comprehension.
1 Cor. 15:50-58; Eph. 3; Col. 1:24-2:5; 1 Tim. 3:16
Mysticism is the belief and
practice that seeks a personal, experiential
(sometimes referred to as contemplative)
knowledge of God by means of a direct,
nonabstract and loving encounter or union
with God. Although a psychophysical
dimension (including visions, dreams or
special revelation) may be part of the
mystical experience, this dimension is not
necessary. Instead, Christian mystics
generally teach that the true test of the
experience is the resulting fruit of the
Spirit in the mystic's life.
N
The Book of Nahum 1-3
When
Jonah preached repentance on the streets of
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, the people
responded and were spared. A century later,
sometime between 663 and 612 B.C., Nahum
preached in a time when Nineveh would not
repent. Nineveh, which had destroyed Israel's
northern kingdom in 722, itself fell to Babylon
in 612-just a few years after Nahum's warning.
The Assyrians were notorious for the brutality
of their treatment of other nations. Nahum
declared, however, that God is sovereign: he
punishes whom he will, and they are powerless to
stop him. Much of Nahum's prophecy was directed
to the people of Judah, who could rejoice at the
good news (Nah. 1:15) of Nineveh's impending
fall.
Nathanael one of Jesus' twelve
apostles; probably called "Bartholomew." John 1:43-51
Natural disasters
Gen. 7:11; 19:24;
Isa. 24:1-6;
Jer. 27:8-15; 36:3; Amos 4:6-11
God’s
control Gen. 9:13; Deut. 3:22; 4:26; Josh. 10:11; 2 Kings 3:20; 20:11;
Ps. 148:1-10; Isa. 38:7-8; John 1:10; Zech. 10:1; Luke 4:39; 24:31
Lessons from
Ps. 29:10;
Prov. 30:24-28
Naturalism is the belief that
all of human experience can be described through
natural law. It asserts that biological
evolution is true and that there are no
supernatural realities.
Nazareth This city is not
mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the home
of Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:39), and here the
angel announced to the Virgin the birth of the
Messiah (Luke 1:26-28). Here Jesus grew up from
his infancy to manhood (Luke 4:16); and here he
began his public ministry in the synagogue (Matt. 13:54), at which the people were so offended
that they sought to cast him down from the
precipice whereon their city was built (Luke 4:29). Twice they expelled him from their
borders (Luke 4:16-29; Matt. 13:54-58); and he
finally retired from the city, where he did not
many mighty works because of their unbelief
(Matt. 13:58), and took up his residence in
Capernaum. Matt. 2:21-23; Luke 4:16-30; John 1:45-46
Necromancy The attempt to
communicate with the dead. God so abhors this
practice that He commanded the children of
Israel to execute any who had a familiar spirit
or who acted as a medium (Lev. 20:27; 1 Chron. 10:13, 14).
Needs (spiritual)
Ps. 40:17; 63:1; 70:5; 86:1; Matt. 5:20
The Book of Nehemiah 1-13
In 445 B.C. the Persian King Artaxerxes sent
Nehemiah, an Israelite who was a trusted
official, to help rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem. With Nehemiah went the third wave of
returning Jewish exiles. There was intense
opposition from the other peoples in the land
and disunity within Jerusalem. Despite this
opposition, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls. He
overcame these threats by taking wise defensive
measures, by personal example, and by his
obvious courage. Nehemiah did what God had put
into his heart (Nehemiah 2:12; 7:5) and found
that the joy of the Lord was his strength
(Nehemiah 8:10). When the people began once
again to fall into sin, Nehemiah had Ezra read
to them from the Law. Nehemiah served twice as
governor. The author is unknown, although parts
come from Nehemiah's own writings.
Neighbor
Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37-40; Luke 10:25-37;
Rom. 13:8-10
Neo-orthodoxy focuses on
existential and psychological aspects of
religious experience and denounces the
literalism of the Bible. Experience with the
divine is what makes scripture real, not
biblical revelation, not reason. Neo orthodoxy
is subjective and selective in its "orthodox"
positions.
Nephilim This
word, translated “giants” in the King James
Version, but retained in the Revised Version
(British and American), is found in two
passages of the Old Testament - one in
Genesis 6:4, relating to the antediluvians;
the other in Numbers 13:33, relating to the
sons of Anak in Canaan. In the former place
the Nephilim are not necessarily to be
identified with the children said to be
borne “the daughters of men” to “the sons of
God” (Genesis 6:2, Genesis 6:4); indeed,
they seem to be distinguished from the
latter as upon the earth before this unholy
commingling took place (See: Sons of God).
But it is not easy to be certain as to the
interpretation of this strange passage. In
the second case they clearly represent men
of gigantic stature, in comparison with whom
the Israelites felt as if they were
“grasshoppers.” This agrees with Genesis 6:4, “the mighty men that were of old, the
men of renown.” Septuagint, therefore, was
warranted in translating by gı́gantes.
(ISBE)
New Birth
(see: Regeneration)
Described as:
One heart
Ezek. 11:19
Resurrection
Rom. 6:4-10
New creature
2 Cor. 5:17
Circumcision
Deut. 30:6
Holy seed
1 Jn. 3:9
Begotten
1 Pet. 1:3
Name written in heaven Luke 10:20
Productive of:
Growth
1 Pet. 2:1, 2
Knowledge 1 Cor. 2:12-16
Change
2 Cor. 3:18
Fruitfulness John 15:1-8
Victory
1 Jn. 5:4
Discipline
Heb. 12:3-11
New Covenant Jer. 31:31-34;
Ezek. 34:25; Ezek. 36:25-28;
Matt. 26:28; 2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:6
The New Covenant Fulfills the OT
Covenants
with Noah Isa. 54:9-10;
Hosea 2:18
with Abraham Luke 1:72-73;
Acts 3:25-26; Gal. 3:14-16
at Sinai Ezek. 16:60, 62; 20:37
with David Isa. 55:3;
Ezek. 34:24-26; 37:25-26; Luke 1:69
Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the
New Covenant
fulfilled in the Messiah
Mal. 3:1 See also Isa. 42:6; 49:8
effected through Jesus
Christ's death Heb. 9:15 See also Heb. 9:16-17
sealed in Jesus Christ's
blood Luke 22:20 pp Matt. 26:28 pp Mark 14:24 See also
Exod. 24:8 Blood was an important element in
sealing the Sinaitic covenant, John 6:54; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:25;
Heb. 10:29 (From: Dictionary of Bible
Themes)
The New Covenant
(See:
Covenants in the Bible)
New Creation Everyone who truly
believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
becomes a new creation. When we trust in
Christ completely for our salvation and in
his work for us by grace through faith we
are born again and made new spiritually
(Galatians 2:20).
Christ brings about
Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:14-17; Gal. 6:14-15
Will transform the entire universe
Rom. 8:18-21; 2 Pet. 3:7-13; Rev. 21:1-8
New Jerusalem This name occurs
in Rev. 21:2; 21:10.
New Moon The significance of
the new moon in Bible times is that it
marked the beginning of a new month (the
Hebrew calendar is lunar-based), and it was
a time when the Israelites were to bring an
offering to God. The beginning of the month
was known not by astronomical calculations
but by the testimony of messengers appointed
to watch for the first visible appearance of
the new moon. As soon as the first sliver
was seen, the fact was announced throughout
the whole country by signal fires on the
mountaintops and the blowing of trumpets.
The Hebrew word for “month” (hodesh)
literally means “new moon.” (See:
https://www.gotquestions.org/new-moon-Bible.html)
See: Num. 10:10; 2 Chron. 2:4; 2 Chron. 8:13;
Ps. 81:3; Isa. 1:11-17
From the time of the
institution of the Mosaic law the month
among the Jews was lunar. The cycle of
religious feasts depended on the moon. The
commencement of a month was determined by
the observation of the new moon. The number
of months in the year was usually twelve (1 Kings 4:7; 1 Chron. 27:1-15); but every third
year an additional month (ve-Adar) was
inserted, so as to make the months coincide
with the seasons. The Sabbath observance was
linked to the New Moon.
Nihilism,
in general, the complete rejection of (and
in the extreme, the destruction of) beliefs
and values associated with moral and
traditional social structures.
Philosophically, nihilism represents an
attitude of total skepticism regarding
objective truth claims. Nihilism views
knowledge as dependent on sensory experience
alone, so that moral and theological claims
are meaningless.
Noah The early history of the
human race is one of rebellion against God and
rejection of the revelation that God had given
(Gen. 6:5-6; Rom. 1:20-25). Conditions became so
morally corrupt that God decided to destroy the
rebellious people and to make a new beginning.
The new ‘father’ for the human race would be the
one man who had remained faithful to God, Noah.
When all the people around him were ungodly,
Noah remained blameless. He was a righteous man
who lived in unbroken fellowship with God (Gen. 6:8-11).Gen. 6:8-22;
Gen. 7-8; Gen. 9:1-17; Ezek. 14:14; Heb. 11:7;
2 Pet. 2:5; 2 Pet. 3:6
The Noahic Covenant (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
The Book of Numbers 1-36
The English title "Numbers" comes from the two
censuses that are central features of this book.
However the Hebrew title, "In the Wilderness,"
is more descriptive of the book. Numbers tells
how God's people traveled from Mount Sinai to
the border of the Promised Land. But when they
refused to take possession of the Land, God made
them wander in the wilderness for nearly forty
years. Throughout the book, God is seen as a
holy God who cannot ignore rebellion or
unbelief, but also as the one who faithfully
keeps his covenant and patiently provides for
the needs of his people. Numbers ends with a new
generation preparing for the conquest of Canaan.
Traditionally, Jews and Christians recognize
Moses as the author, writing during the final
year of his life.
O
The Book of Obadiah 1
Obadiah wrote this shortest book of the Old
Testament probably soon after the armies of
Babylon destroyed Jerusalem (586 b.c.). During
this conquest, the people of Edom helped capture
fleeing Israelites and turn them over to the
Babylonians. They even took up residence in some
Judean villages. This angered the Lord, for the
Edomites, as descendants of Esau, were related
to the Israelites (Gen. 25:21-30) and
therefore should have helped them. Obadiah
prophesied that Edom would be repaid for
mistreating God's people. Obadiah also asserted
that God is sovereign over the nations and that
the house of Jacob would be restored because of
God's covenant love for his people.
Obedience
To God
Exod. 4:13; Num. 15:3; Deut. 6:3; Judg. 2:22; 1 Sam. 15:22;
1 Kings 17:3; Prov. 1:7; 10:27; Jer. 36:8-9; Mic. 6:8;
Hag. 1; 2; John 13:34-35; Heb. 5:8
To the
law Deut. 30:11; Mark 2:27; Acts 16:21; Titus 3:1-2
To
leaders 2 Kings 4:2-7; Jer. 38:2-3; Dan. 3:13-14;
Acts 4:19; Titus 3:1-2;
1 Pet. 2:13-17
To
parents Gen. 22:9; Jer. 35:8-16; Eph. 6:1
Rewards of
Gen. 22:2; Lev. 26:3-39; Josh. 6:3; 1 Kings 11:4-8;
2 Kings 24:4;
2 Chron. 25:2; Matt. 6:10
Old Self and New Self describes
the change that takes place we accept Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Savior. Rom. 6:6; Col. 3:5-10;
Gal. 5:17; 5:19-21; Eph. 2:2
Occult
means "hidden". It covers practices that are not
approved of by God e.g., astrology (Isa. 47:13),
casting spells (Deut. 18:11), consulting with
spirits (Deut. 18:11), magic (Gen. 41:8), sorcery
(Exod. 22:8), witchcraft (Deut. 18:10), and
spiritism (Deut. 18:11). Occult practices such as
Ouija boards, tarot cards, astrology charts,
contacting the dead, séances, etc. are to be
avoided by the Christian and Jews alike. 1 Sam. 28:12; Job 31:24-28; Dan. 5:11;
Mic. 5:12;
Matt. 2:2; Acts 16:17-18; 19:18-19
Astrology
2 Kings 17:16; Isa. 47:9-13;
Jer. 10:1-2; Matt. 2:1
Black
magic Gen. 41:8; Exod. 7:11-12; 22; 8:7; Ezek. 13:18;
Rev. 9:21
Fortune telling (divination)
Gen. 30:27; 44:5, 15;
Num. 22:7; Deut. 18:14-15; 2 Kings 16:15; Ezek. 13:17; 21:21
Sorcery
Exod. 22:18; 2 Kings 9:22; Job 3:8; Isa. 8:19;
Acts 8:9-11; 19:13
Denounced by God.
Lev. 19:26,31;
Deut. 18:9-14
Severe punishment for.
Exod. 22:18;
Lev. 20:27; Deut. 13:5; Gal. 5:20-21
Saul and the medium.
1 Sam. 28:7-25
Offerings
Exod. 23:15; 35:21; Lev. 1:14; 3:3-5; 3:16;
Deut. 26:2;
1 Chron. 21:26; Ezra 1:4-6; Ps. 96:8; Prov. 3:9-10;
Ezek. 45:13-25; Mal. 1:10;
Matt. 26:10; 2 Cor. 8:1, 7
Oil
Lev. 8:10; Deut. 33:24; 1 Kings 1:39; Ps. 45:7; 133:2;
Isa. 21:5; Mark 6:13; James 5:14
Omnipotent God’s unlimited power to do
that which is within His holy and righteous
character.
Omnipresence
God’s unlimited presence in all places at all
times.
Omniscience God’s
unlimited knowing.
Ontological
Having to do with the essential nature of things
or beings; used to argue God’s existence as the
One with perfect existence.
Ontological Argument An attempt to
prove God’s existence first postulated by
Anselm. In brief, it states that God is a being
of which no greater thing exists or can be
thought of. Therefore, since we can conceive of
God as the greatest of all things that exist,
then God must exist.
Ordination
Lev. 8:22; 1 Kings 19:19; 2 Tim. 1:6
Original
Sin This is a term used to describe the
effect of Adam's sin on his descendants.
Specifically, it is our inheritance of a sinful
nature from Adam. The sinful nature originated
with Adam and is passed down from parent to
child. We are by nature children of wrath. Rom. 5:12-23;
Eph. 2:3
Orthodoxy
literally, “right praise” or “right belief”
(as opposed to heresy). Being orthodox
implies being characterized by consistency
in belief and worship with the Christian
faith (in the Catholic tradition,
consistency with the church) as witnessed to
in Scripture, the early Christian writers
and the official teachings, creeds and
liturgy of the church. Orthodoxy is
sometimes used in a narrower sense to refer
to the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
P
Pain
Job 16:6; 33:19; Jer. 15:15-21; Hab. 1-3; Rom. 5:1-5; 8:28-39;
Rev. 21:1-4
Panentheism the belief that
God's being includes and permeates the
entire universe so that everything exists in
God. In contrast to pantheism, panentheists
declare that God's being is greater than and
not exhausted by the universe. God is
affected by each event in the universe, and
thus God's knowledge must change and grow.
However, God simultaneously retains personal
integrity and complete reality.
Pantheism tends to equate God
with the process of the universe and states that
the universe is God and God is the universe.
This is not true because God is the creator of
the universe (Isaiah 44:24) and therefore
separate from it.
Papyrus A
plant growing along the Nile in Egypt during
biblical times. It was used as writing material.
Parables
From ancient times people have used pictures and
stories from nature, history and everyday life
to teach moral and spiritual truth. Broadly
speaking, these pictures and stories are called
parables. The Old Testament contains a number of
stories that may be considered parables (Judges 9:8-15;
2 Sam. 12:1-4;
2 Kings 14:9), but by far the
majority of parables in the Bible were spoken by
Jesus.
2 Sam. 14:2-3; 1 Kings 22:19-20; 2 Chron. 18:18-21; 25:18-19;
Matt. 13:11-13;
Mark 4:10-12; 4:21-25; Luke 8:4-10
Paraclete the Greek word for
Helper and Counselor as promised by Jesus
looking to coming of Holy Spirit.
John 14:16, 26
Parousia the Greek word meaning
coming or presence used to refer to Christ’s
coming, especially the second coming. 1 Cor. 1:8; 15:23; 2 Thess. 2:8; 2 Pe 1:16.
Partial
Rapture This version of
pretribulationism holds that only part of the
church will be taken out of the world before the
Tribulation and that the rest who have not been
faithful will suffer the trials of the
Tribulation.
Parenting
Judg. 13:8; 2 Sam. 18:33;
Prov. 19:18; 22:6; 31:1; Luke 2:44; Eph. 6:4
Passion the suffering of Christ
during His time of trial and death on the cross.
Acts 1:3
Passover
The name given to the chief of the three great
historical annual festivals of the Jews. It was
kept in remembrance of the Lord's passing over
the houses of the Israelites (Exod. 12:13) when the
first born of all the Egyptians were destroyed.
It is called also the “feast of unleavened
bread” (Exod. 23:15; Mark 14:1; Acts 12:3), because
during its celebration no leavened bread was to
be eaten or even kept in the household (Exod. 12:15). The word afterwards came to denote the
lamb that was slain at the feast (Mark 14:12-14;
1 Cor. 5:7).
Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20
Patience
Gen. 40:23; 1 Sam. 13:11;
Ps. 27:14; Prov. 14:29; 21:12; James 5:7-11
Paul,
the Roman name for "Saul." Saul was a Jew, born
in the city of Tarsus. He became an apostle and
a great servant of God.
Acts 9:1-31; 13:1-14:28; 15:36-19:41; 27:1-28:31;
Rom. 1
Peace
Ps. 85:10-11; 147:14; Eccl. 11:10; Isa. 11:6-9;
Nah. 1:15;
Rom. 12:18
Pelagianism was the
teaching of British monk Pelagius (c.
354-415), who supposedly declared that human
effort and merit could bring about salvation
without divine grace. Pelagius was
vigorously opposed by the church father
Augustine.
The Palestinian Covenant (See:
Covenants in the Bible)
Pentateuch This word is from
the Greek penta, "five" and teuchos, "a tool".
It refers to the first five books of the Bible
known as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy. All five were authored by Moses
and are also known as "the Law".
Pentecost The word comes from the Greek
which means fifty. So, Pentecost was a
celebration on the fiftieth day after Passover.
It was a culmination of the feast of weeks
(Exodus 34:22,23). Pentecost in the NT is the
arrival of the Holy Spirit for the church (Acts 2). At Pentecost the disciples of Jesus were
gathered and upon the filling of the Holy
Spirit, they heard a great wind and spoke in
tongues as tongues of fire that settled upon
them. The significance of the fire can be found
in recognizing it as a symbol of the dwelling of
the Spirit of God (Exodus 19:18; 1 Pet. 4:14).
Pentecostalism is a movement
that began in the early twentieth century
that emphasizes a postconversion “baptism in
the Holy Spirit” for all believers, with
glossolalia (speaking in tongues) as the
initial evidence of such baptism.
Historically, Pentecostals have been a
missionary-minded people, due in part to the
fact that the first Pentecostals taught that
one central purpose of baptism in the Spirit
was to endow the believer with power for
evangelism.
Perfectionism The erroneous
view that a Christian can live without sin in
this life. 1 Jn. 1:8,10.
Persecution
Ps. 118:6; Dan. 11:35; Matt. 5:11-12; Luke 6:29-30; 10:3;
Acts 7:51-53; 14:22; 28:22; Phil. 3:10;
2 Thess. 1:4-5;
1 Pet. 1:6;
Rev. 7:14; 13:17
Forms
of Ps. 119:86; Luke 21:18; Gal. 6:17; Phil. 1:29;
2 Tim. 3:12
Perseverance
John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:31-39;
Eph. 6:10-20; Phil. 1:1-11; Heb. 6:1-6; 10:26-39;
James 1:1-12;
Rev. 2; 3
Perseverance of the saints,
the mandate in Scripture to remain steadfast
in the love of God and to patiently endure
hardship, particularly in the face of
persecution. In Calvinist theology the
perseverance (or preservation) of the saints
refers to the belief that those who are
truly among the elect will remain faithful
to the end. In recent evangelical theology a
discussion has emerged as to how to balance
the doctrine of eternal security (everyone
who has accepted Christ as Savior will enjoy
eternity with God regardless of
postconversion personal conduct) with the
biblical call to believers to persevere,
that is, not to disobey or fall away from
faith.
Personification is a
rhetorical device attributing human
characteristics to non-human things, such as
animals, plants, or objects. An example is
Isa. 55:12: “The mountains and the hills
before you shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap
their hands.”
Perspective
God’s
Ps. 90:5-6; Hag. 2:6; Acts 5:38-39; Rom. 8:37; 1 Cor. 1:2
Human
Prov. 21:17; Eccl. 6:12; 9:11-12; Zech. 4:10;
Matt. 6:22;
Acts 2:12-13
Pessimism
Eccl. 1:2
Peter
a fisherman; he and his brother, Andrew, were
the first two apostles Jesus chose. First called
"Simon" or "Peter," Jesus changed his name to "Cephas,"
which means "rock."Matt. 4:18-22; 26:31-75; John 21;
Acts 2:1-5:42; 10:1-11:18
The Book of 1 Peter 1-5
The readers of the apostle Peter's letter were
confused and discouraged by the persecution they
were encountering because of their faith. Peter
exhorted them to stand strong, repeatedly
reminding them of Christ's example, the riches
of their inheritance in him, and the hope of his
returning again to take them to heaven. Peter
explained how Christians should respond when
they suffer because of their beliefs. Called the
"apostle of hope," Peter's primary message is to
trust the Lord, live obediently no matter what
your circumstances, and keep your hope fixed on
God's ultimate promise of deliverance. Suffering
is to be expected, but it is temporary and
yields great blessings for those who remain
steadfast. Peter probably wrote this letter in
the mid-60s a.d.
The Book of 2 Pet. 1-3
In this
second letter, Peter describes (2 Pet. 2) some
twisted versions of Christian truth being
taught. Recalling his experience of Christ's
glory at the transfiguration (2 Pet. 1:17-18),
Peter explains the "more sure" truth of the
gospel as an antidote to heresy. The gospel is
like "a lamp shining in a dark place" 2 Pet. 1:19. In chapter 3 Peter focuses on those who
scoff at the idea of Christ's triumphant return
and the final judgment. Just as God once
destroyed the world with water, he will one day
bring his fire to it. In light of this, we
should live in "holiness and godliness" as we
await his return and the salvation he has
promised to all believers. Peter probably wrote
this letter about A.D. 67-68, shortly before his
death.
Pharisees
Matt. 16:1-4; 22:15-45; 23; Mark 7:1-23;
Luke 11:37-54; 18:9-14; Acts 23:6-11; Phil. 3
Platonism is the
philosophical system of the Greek
philosopher Plato, which has immeasurably
influenced Western (including Christian)
thought. Plato's philosophy rests primarily
on his concept of forms, cosmology and
immortality. According to Plato, actual
created things are imperfect copies of
transcendent, objective and eternal “forms,”
the highest of which is the form of the
Good. Human knowledge is innate and can be
apprehended by rational reflection and
Socratic “extraction.” At death the body
releases the imprisoned soul, which is then
able to contemplate truth in its pure form.
The Book of Philemon 1
Philemon is about reconciliation and
relationships between Christians. Onesimus
(which means "useful") was a slave of a believer
named Philemon in Colossae. Apparently Onesimus
had stolen from Philemon and fled. At some time
while Paul was under arrest, Onesimus met him
and became a Christian. Paul apparently wrote
this letter at the same time as Colossians and
gave it to Onesimus to carry back to Philemon
(see Col. 4:9). Paul appealed to Philemon to
accept Onesimus back into his household, but as
a brother in the Lord rather than a slave. In
Paul's estimation, Onesimus was far more
"useful" (Philemon 11) now that he was a
Christian. Paul even promised to pay whatever
debt Onesimus might owe Philemon.
Philip the Apostle, friend of
Peter and Andrew. called by Jesus, John 1:43.
brought Nathanael to Jesus, John 1:44-50.
brought Greeks to Jesus, John 12:21-22
Philip the Evangelist, a
Greek-speaking Jew chosen to serve in the church
in Jerusalem. preached in Samaria, Acts 8:5-13.
preached to the Ethiopian, Acts 8:26-39. his
daughters prophesied, Acts 21:8-9
The
Book of Philippians 1-4
Philippians overflows with joy and thanksgiving.
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi to thank
them for a gift. He reported the joyful news
that Epaphroditus, who had brought their gift to
Paul, had recovered from his illness and was
returning to Philippi. Paul said that he had
learned the secret of being content in any
situation, and he told them about his situation
in prison. He expressed joy that more people
were hearing about Christ even if some were
proclaiming the gospel with bad motives. Wanting
the Christians in Philippi to be unified, he
challenged them to be servants just as Jesus was
when he "made himself nothing" and became a man
rather than clinging to the rights of his divine
nature (Philippians 2:1-11). Paul wrote this
letter while in prison, probably in Rome about
A.D. 60.
Philosophy is
the study of the fundamental questions and
principles of any subject or discipline. It
is often specifically concerned with topics
regarding existence, knowledge, values, and
reason and is typically characterized by
rational, systematic analysis of its subject
of inquiry.
Philosophical Theology
The study of theological topics primarily
through the use of the tools and methods of
philosophical reasoning and information gained
from nature and reason (“general revelation”)
apart from the Bible.
Phylacteries were small
boxes containing Bible passages that were
worn on the forehead or arm. This custom was
based on Exod. 13:9, 16; Deut. 6:8; 11:18. But
from such passages as Prov. 3:3; 6:21; 7:3,
the scribes should have known that Lord
intended more than merely outward adornment.
Plagues
Exod. 7:20-21; 8:18-19; 9:8-9; 9:19; 11:9-10;
Num. 11:33; Josh. 22:17; 2 Kings 19:35; Isa. 37:36;
Rev. 16:2-4
Pleasure
Eccl. 2:1-2; Isa. 5:8
Pneumatology
is the study of the Holy Spirit, His person,
works, relation to the Father and Son, relation
to man, ministry in salvation and
sanctification, conviction, and indwelling.
Politicians
Exod. 7:7; 2 Sam. 19:13; 2 Chron. 10:8-11; Ezra 1:1-2;
Ps. 26:4-5; 39:1; 82:1;
Jer. 10:21; 22:24; Hosea 5:10;
Rom. 13:1-7
Ambition
2 Kings 10:16; 25:25;
1 Chron. 14:1-2; 2 Chron. 21:4; 22:10; Ezra 4:1-2;
Hosea 7:6; 8:4
Polygamy
Judg. 8:30; 2 Sam. 5:13;
1 Kings 11:1-4; 1 Chron. 14:3; 2 Chron. 24:3; Prov. 5:18-19; 31:3
Polytheism is the belief in
more than one god, a heresy prevalent in
biblical times.
Poor (people)
God’s
love for Ps. 113:7-9; Prov. 19:17
Helping
Lev. 25:36-37; Deut. 15:1-11; Ruth 2:2; 1 Sam. 25:8;
Ne. 5:7;
Ps. 10:18;
Mark 10:21; 14:7; Luke 16:19-31; John 12:8;
1 Cor. 16:1-4
Mistreated
Jer. 5:27; Ezek. 24:7
Postliberalism is the
late-twentieth-century theological movement
that refutes the reliance on human
experience displayed by the older liberalism
and restores the idea of a community's
tradition as a controlling influence in
theology. Postliberalism was initially
associated with thinkers such as George
Lindbeck, who rejected both the
fundamentalist and liberal understandings of
the nature of doctrine (as either
objectively true propositions or expressions
of subjective religious experience) in favor
of the view that sees doctrine as the
“ground rules” of a religious community. See
also: Liberalism.
Postmillennialism: the view that
Christ's second coming will follow the
millennium; that is, his return is
postmillennial. Postmillennialists assert
that the millennium will come by the
spiritual and moral influence of Christian
preaching and teaching in the world. This
will result in increased conversions, a more
important role of the church in the world,
earthly prosperity, the resolution of social
ills and a general adoption of Christian
values. Evil will diminish until the time of
Christ's second coming, which will mark as
well the resurrection of the dead and the
last judgment.
Postmodernism
is a term used to designate a variety of
intellectual and cultural developments in
late-twentieth-century Western society. The
postmodern ethos is characterized by a
rejection of modernist values and a mistrust
of the supposedly universal rational
principles developed in the Enlightenment
era. Postmoderns generally embrace pluralism
and place value in the diversity of
worldviews and religions that characterizes
contemporary society.
Power
Abuse
of 1 Sam. 13:14; Dan. 4:27; Mic. 2:9
God’s
Exod. 10:7; 17:11-12; Num. 24:1; Deut. 2:25;
Judg. 16:29-30; 1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 2:11;
1 Chron. 4:9-10; 13:10, 14; 2 Chron. 14:14-15; Job 26:7-14; 41:10;
Ps. 46:8; 77:10; 93:1-5; Isa. 41:7; 52:10; 64:1-3;
Jer. 46:25; 49:38; Mark 11:22-24; Acts 5:15; 8:39-40;
1 Cor. 2:4
Human
Ps. 82:1; Dan. 4:35
Of
words Ps. 64:3-6; Prov. 10:18-21; 25:11; Eccl. 6:10-11;
Matt. 5:22; 12:36-37; James 3:8
Over
others Ps. 101:4; Hag. 2:13-14; Matt. 16:11-12; Mark 8:15;
Luke 11:44; Acts 27:36
Spiritual
Exod. 15:6; 2 Kings 2:9; 2:23-24; Job 1:6; Matt. 21:21;
1 Thess. 1:5
Struggle
Ne. 2:10, 19; 6:17-18
Practical Theology examines the
intersection of faith and culture. The impact of
public theology and the outworking of Christian
ethics. It is the study of theology in a way
that is intended to make it useful or
applicable. Another way of saying it is that it
is the study of theology so that it can be used
and is relevant to everyday concerns.
Praise (of God)
Ps. 3:1; 54:6-7; 63:4; 76:10; 96:1-3; 96:7-8; 150:1-2;
Prov. 27:2; 27:21
Nature
Ps. 148:1-10; 150:6; Isa. 55:13
People
Ps. 22:30-31; 111:1; 112:2-8; 145:10; Isa. 24:14-16;
Hosea 14:2;
Rev. 4:9-10
Prayer
Gen. 4:26; Judg. 3:15;
2 Kings 20:5-6; Ne. 1:5-11; Ps. 83:1; Isa. 38:1-5; Jer. 11:11;
Matt. 6:8; John 15:7; Acts 7:60; Rom. 15:31
Attitude
1 Sam. 12:23;
2 Chron. 6:13; 30:27; Ne. 4:4-5;
Job 16:17; 27:7; Jer. 10:23-24; Matt. 6:7; John 15:7;
James 4:3; 1 Pet. 3:7
Confession
Ps. 19:12
Delayed answers Job 13:20-22; 30:20;
Ps. 10:1; 27:14; 102:1-2; Isa. 62:7; 64:4;
Hab. 1:2;
3 John. 1:2
Effects
Exod. 32:14; Deut. 9:19; 1 Sam. 30:6; Ps. 106:23;
Isa. 37:21; Jer. 15:1; Amos 7:3, 6; Matt. 7:7-8; 21:21-22; 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 11:9-13; 22:40;
Rev. 8:3
For
others Gen. 18:17-19; 18:27-32; Esther 4:16; Job 1:5; 42:8;
Ps. 20:9;
Jer. 29:7; 37:3; Ezek. 14:14; Rom. 8:27;
Group
Matt. 18:19-20
Honest
1 Sam. 1:13; Job 13:3; 34:12; 35:12-13; Ps. 6:8; 83:13-16; 88:5; 10-12; 88:14;
Isa. 45:9; Hab. 2:1
Ignored by God Job 35:12-13;
Ps. 66:18; 102:1-2;
Isa. 59:2; Jer. 11:11; 11:14; Lam. 3:8; Mic. 3:4;
Zech. 7:13; James 1:7-8; 4:3; 1 Jn. 5:14
Need
for Luke 5:16; Rom. 8:27; 15:31; Col. 4:18
Proper
form 2 Chron. 6:13; Matt. 6:7; Acts 13:3; 1 Tim. 2:8
Public
2 Chron. 20:5-12; Ezra 9:6; Ne. 9:5-38
Thanks
John 2:2
Preaching
Ps. 119:43; Ezek. 3:1; John 3:5; Matt. 13:3-23; 16:19;
Mark 4:13-20; Luke 4:15-20; Acts 16:6-10;
1 Thess. 2:13;
2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 2:1
False
Ezek. 11:1; 12:24;
Amos 5:18; Mic. 2:11; Zeph. 3:4; 2 Cor. 6:14-15, 17;
1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 Pet. 1; 2; 3
Preachers
Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6; Acts 18:3; 1 Cor. 9:15; Gal. 2:2;
Phil. 1:18;
1 Tim. 5:17
Predestination God’s eternal
plan to provide salvation for His sinful
creatures and establish His kingdom. In
Calvinist theology the doctrine of
predestination more specifically holds that
God has from all eternity chosen specific
people to bring into eternal communion with
himself. Some Calvinists add that God has
also predestined (or ordained) the rest of
humankind for damnation. John 1:13;
Acts 4:27-28; 13:48; Rom. 8:29-30; 9; 1 Cor. 2:7;
Eph. 1:4-5;
Gen. 21:12;
Exod. 9:16; 33:19;
Deut. 10:15; 32:8; Josh. 11:20; 1 Sam. 12:22;
2 Chron. 6:6;
Ps. 33:12; 65:4; 78:68; 135:4; Isa. 41:1-10;
Jer. 1:5; Mark 13:20; Luke 22:22; John 6:37; 15:16; 17:2, 6, 9; Acts 2:28; 3:18; 4:28; 13:48; 17:26;
Rom. 9:11, 18, 21; 11:5; Eph. 3:11; 1 Thess. 1:4;
2 Thess. 2:13;
2 Tim. 1:9;
Titus 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:2.
Preeminence
Christ’s place of priority in God’s plan for the
universe. Col. 1:18.
Preexistence
Existing always and before the creation of the
universe; a characteristic of the Trinitarian
God alone. Gen. 1:1-2; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16.
Prejudice
Gen. 43:32; 46:34;
Esther 2:10; Amos 1:13; John 4:3;
Matt. 2:23; Luke 9:53; 20:16; John 4:9; Acts 6:1;
1 Thess. 2:16
Premillennialism is a teaching
concerning the end times (eschatology). It says
that there is a future millennium (1000 years)
where Christ will rule and reign over the earth.
At the beginning of the millennium Satan and his
angels will be bound and peace will exist on the
entire earth. At the end of the 1000 years Satan
will be released in order to raise an army
against Jesus. Jesus will destroy them and then
the final judgment will take place with the new
heavens and the new earth being made.
Prevenient grace is the
designation of the priority of God's
gracious initiative on behalf of humans.
Hence the term refers to the gracious action
of God, displayed in the person and work of
Christ but present in the lives of human
beings through the agency of the Holy
Spirit, which precedes all human response to
God's initiative. Calvinists view prevenient
grace as that aspect of special grace by
which God redeems, sanctifies and glorifies
the believer; hence, it is bestowed only on
those whom God elects to eternal life
through faith in Jesus Christ. For Wesley
(and consequently for many Arminians)
prevenient grace is the Holy Spirit's work
in the hearts of all people, which gives
them the freedom to say yes to the gospel;
thus prevenient grace can be accepted or
rejected, but justification cannot be
achieved without it.
Presbyter a transliteration of
Greek word for elder.
Presbyterian
Christian churches led by presbyters, growing
out of the work of John Calvin and John Knox;
accept the 1645 Westminster Confession of Faith.
Pride
(boasting) 2 Kings 17:14; 20:13; 2 Chron. 32:25-26; Job 18:2;
Ps. 18:44-45; 25:9;
Prov. 21:4; Isa. 16:6; Obad. 1:10-11; Luke 17:7-10;
1 Cor. 5:2; 14:18;
Gal. 6:4
Examples of 2 Kings 5:10-12; 20:13; 2 Chron. 12:14;
Prov. 27:2; Luke 14:11; 15:25-32; John 5:16;
Gal. 6:1
Priests
Believers as
Isa. 66:21;
Jer. 33:18; Ezek. 44:20-25
Role
of Exod. 28:12; 1 Chron. 16:2; Heb. 5:5, 10
Salaries
Num. 5:10; 18:8; 2 Kings 12:6-8;
2 Chron. 31:4; Ezek. 44:28
Priorities
1 Kings 7:1; Ne. 10:36; Job 37:7; Ps. 1:3-4; Matt. 19:21;
Luke 10:38-41; 14:18-20; 18:22-30; John 12:8;
1 Cor. 7:29; Col. 3:2; 1 Tim. 6:9-11
Progressive revelation is
the belief that God's self-disclosure forms
a progression from the OT era to the NT era.
Hence what is known about God on the basis
of Jesus Christ is more complete than what
was given through the Law and the Prophets.
Progressive revelation implies that the OT
ought to be understood in the light of the
fuller teaching found in the NT.
Promised Land Num. 21:1-3; 33:50-56;
Josh. 1:2; Judg 11:12-28
Promises
Gen. 42:37; Lev. 5:4;
Josh. 9:19; Job 31; Isa. 48:1; Jer. 22:5; Matt. 5:34-37; 23:16-22;
Acts 23:14;
Heb. 6:13; James 5:12
Oaths
and vows Gen. 28:20-22; Num. 6:2; 30:2; Josh. 24:19;
Judg. 11:29-31; 11:39; 13:5; 16:20; Ps. 22:25; 116:14-18; Eccl. 5:4-6
Prophecy
Ezra 1:1; Isa. 42:1; Mark 2:10
About
Christ Matt. 17:10; 21:7; 1 Pet. 1:10-11
About
Christ’s birth Isa. 9:2; 40:3-9; Mic. 5:2
About
Christ’s death Ps. 22:16; Isa. 52:14; 53:1-12
Examples of
1 Chron. 12:18; 25:1-7; 2 Chron. 18:9; Isa. 12:1-6;
Jer. 13:1-11; 28:10; 29:26; Hosea 1:2; Mic. 1:8
Fulfilled
Isa. 49:22;
Jer. 31:8; 31:15; Ezek. 17:22-24; Dan. 2:31-45; 11:2-45;
Obad. 1:18-20;
Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:4-6; 19:41-44
Future
2 Chron. 7:14; Isa. 41:18; Jer. 7:30-34;
Ezek. 3:25; 4:3-6; 38:2-6;
Dan. 7:24
Purpose today
Isa. 15:1-9; 21:1;
Dan. 12:9-10; Hosea 1:11; Amos 9:11; Zech. 1:8;
Acts 11:27-30;
1 Cor. 14:1
Understanding
Jer. 23:5-8; Dan. 7:1; 8:27; Zeph. 1:2;
Zech. 6:6; Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:5-25; Luke 18:34; 24:45;
Rev. 1:19-20; 17:9-14
Warning
Jer. 25:15-17; John 3:4; Acts 21:4; 11-12
Prophets
In present-day language the words ‘prophecy’ and
‘prophet’ are usually used in relation to
foretelling events; a prophet is one who
predicts (for example, a weather prophet). This
was not the basic idea associated with the work
of a prophet in Old Testament times. In those
times prophecy meant making known the will of
God; a prophet was God’s spokesman.
This definition of a prophet was well
illustrated in the case of Aaron, who was Moses’
prophet, or spokesman (Exod. 4:10-16; Exod. 7:1-2).
Moses was the leader of Israel, but Aaron was
the person who announced Moses’ instructions to
the people. In the same way the prophet
announced God’s will to the people of his time
(1 Kings 22:8; 2 Kings 22:14-20; Jer. 1:7; Jer. 1:9;
Ezek. 3:4; Ezek. 3:27; Amos 3:7).
A true prophet could be appointed only by God (Jer. 1:5;
Ezek. 2:3-7; Amos 7:15). He was therefore
known as a man of God (1 Sam. 2:27; 1 Sam. 9:6;
1 Kings 13:1-2), a messenger of God (Hag. 1:13), or a
servant of God (2 Kings 17:23; 2 Kings 21:10; Jer. 7:25).
Sometimes he was called a seer (meaning ‘one who
sees’) because he may have seen God’s message in
a vision (1 Sam. 9:9; 1 Sam. 9:18-19; Zech. 1:7-8).
1 Sam. 10:5; 1 Cor. 12:28
Mistreated
Jer. 11:21; 20:1-2; 26:20-23; 32:3; 36:5; 37:16;
Hosea 9:7
Reliable
Deut. 18:21;
2 Chron. 18:5-6
Role
2 Sam. 12:1; 1 Kings 1:9-10; 12:24; 2 Kings 4:13; Jer. 1:10;
John 1:6
Test
1 Kings 12:24; 22:6-7; Jer. 23:18; 26:8-9; 28:8-9; 28:15-16;
Dan. 1:17; Matt. 7:15-16; 1 Thess. 5:20-21
Prophets, False 1 Kings 13:18; Ne. 6:12;
Jer. 23:25-27; Jer. 23:30-32; Lam. 2:14;
Admonitions to: Deut13:1-3;
Denunciations against: Deut18:20; Jer. 14:15;
Punishment of: Jer. 14:13-16; Jer. 20:6; Jer. 28:16-17;
Jer. 29:32; Zech. 13:3
Propitiation, an offering
that turns away the wrath of God directed
against sin. According to the NT, God has
provided the offering that removes the
divine wrath, for in love the Father sent
the Son to be the propitiation (or atoning
sacrifice) for human sin (1 Jn. 4:10). See
also expiation.
Proselyte a person converted to
Judaism from another religion; or currently used
to describe one who changes from one
denomination to another.
Prostitutes
Gen. 19:4-5; 38:15; 38:21;
1 Kings 14:24;
2 Kings 23:7;
Prov. 7:4-5; 23:28; James 2:25
Protestants are Christians who
protested against the practices of the Roman
Catholic church and developed as separate
denominations beginning with the Protestant
Reformation.
Protestantism
is the product of the “protestation”
movement within Christianity that originated
in the sixteenth-century Reformation and was
later focused in the main Protestant
traditions (Lutheran, Calvinist/Presbyterian
and Anglican/Episcopalian). Because
Protestants emphasized the primacy of
Scripture against the Roman Catholic
elevation of tradition alongside the Bible,
the Protestant principle suggests that
believers ought to read and seek to
understand the Scriptures, and that church
practice ought to be continually subjected
to the scrutiny of Scripture.
The Protestant principle declares
that the final authority in the church is
the Holy Spirit speaking through the
Scriptures.
The Book of Proverbs 1-31
Practical wisdom for living is the central
concern of the book of Proverbs. We are told
that the beginning and essence of wisdom is the
fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Proverbs often contrasts the benefits of seeking wisdom
and the pitfalls of living a fool's life. While
the wicked stumble in "deep darkness" (Proverbs 4:19), "the path of the righteous is like the
light of dawn, which shines brighter and
brighter until full day" (Proverbs 18). Proverbs
is a collection of Israelite wisdom literature,
including an introductory section (Proverbs 1-9)
that gives readers a framework for understanding
the rest of the book. The book includes the work
of various authors, but much of it is attributed
to King Solomon. It dates from between the tenth
and sixth centuries b.c.
Providence of God
Ps. 104; Matt. 10:29-30; Acts 14:14-17
The
Book of Psalms 1-150
The book of Psalms is filled with the songs and
prayers offered to God by the nation of Israel.
Their expressions of praise, faith, sorrow, and
frustration cover the range of human emotions.
Some of the Psalms dwell on the treasure of
wisdom and God's Word. Others reveal the
troubled heart of a mourner. Still others
explode with praise to God and invite others to
join in song. This diversity is unified by one
element: they are centered upon the one and only
living God. This Creator God is King of all the
earth and a refuge to all who trust in him. Many
of the Psalms are attributed to King David. The
writing and collection of the Psalms into their
present form spans the fifteenth to the third
centuries b.c.
Punishment
Gen. 20:16; Exod. 34:6-7;
Num. 14:20-35; Matt. 12:31-32; Acts 13:46;
Rom. 11:8; 2 Thess. 1:8
Delayed
Num. 33:52-53; 2 Kings 23:24-26;
2 Chron. 34:27-28; Ps. 140:12
Limits
Deut. 25:3;
Zech. 1:15; 9:1-6
Physical
Prov. 26:3
Substitute
Isa. 53:5; 53:10; Rom. 9:3;
Gal. 3:13
Purgatory the incorrect
doctrine taught by the Roman Catholic Church.
Purgatory is the belief that there exists a
place after death where some of the sins of
people are purged through suffering. After a
period of time corresponding to the suffering
necessary for the sins committed, the person is
then set free and enters heaven.
Puritanism is a reform movement
that originally sought to “purify” the
Church of England after the English
Reformation. Eventually Puritanism focused
on purification of both individuals and
society through the reform of church and
state according to biblical principles. The
Puritans held to a covenantal theology and
the conviction that Scripture was
authoritative for personal behavior and
church organization.
Purity
Lev. 6:10; Josh. 5:15; Mal. 3:2; 1 Jn. 3:3
Q
Questions to God
God may
not always answer our questions (Job 42:1-3)
God welcomes our sincere questions (Luke 7:18-23)
Questions from others
We need not be afraid when questioned about
our faith (Luke 21:12-15)
We should be
ready with answers when questioned about our
faith (1 Peter 3:15)
Quiet time
Ps. 1:2; 16:7; 77:12; 119:11; 119:15; Matt. 6:23
Quickening to “revive or make
alive.”
By the Father Ps. 71:20;
Ps. 80:18;
Rom. 4:17; Rom. 8:11; Eph. 2:1; 1 Tim. 6:13
By the Son John 5:21;
1 Cor. 15:45
By the Holy Spirit John 6:63;
Rom. 8:11; 2 Cor. 3:6; 1 Pet. 3:18
R
Rabbi
my master. A doctor,
teacher, master; a title of honor in the
Jewish schools which continues until modern
times (Matt. 23:7, 8; 26:25, 49; Mark 9:5; 11:21; 14:45; John 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 4:31;
John 6:25; 9:2; 11:8).
Racism
Exod. 1:9-10; Esther 2:10; Amos 1:13
Ransom
the price or payment made for our redemption, as
when it is said that the Son of man “gave his
life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28; Acts 20:28;
Rom. 3:23, 24; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Gal. 3:13; 4:4, 5:
Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Tim. 2:6;
Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19.
Rape
Gen. 19:8; 34:26;
Deut. 22:19, 29;
Judg. 19:24; 2 Sam. 13:13
Rapture The carrying away of
believers alive at Christ’s return, a view based
on an interpretation of 1 Thess. 4:17; 1 Cor. 15:52;
2 Cor. 12:2-4;
Rev. 4:1) There is much
debate over the time of the rapture. Does it
occur at the beginning, in the middle, or at the
end of the tribulation period?
Rebellion
(against God) Num. 15:30; Ps. 85:4; 107:11;
Isa. 1:24; 57:17;
Hosea 4:4; Acts 26:14;
Rev. 16:6; 17:3
Reconciliation
is a change from enmity to friendship. It is
mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought in both
parties who have been at enmity.
Matt. 5:23-26; Phil. 4:2-3; 2 Cor. 5:11-6:2; Eph. 2:11-22;
Col. 1:15-23
Red Herring argument
uses confusion or distraction to shift
attention away from a topic and toward a
false conclusion. Red herrings usually
contain an unimportant fact, idea, or event
that has little relevance to the real issue.
Redemption
The purchase back of something that had been
lost, by the payment of a ransom. The Greek
word always have the idea of a ransom or
price paid, i.e., redemption by a lutron
(see God (Num. 3:49; Num. 18:15).
There
are many passages in the New Testament which
represent Christ's sufferings under the idea
of a ransom or price, and the result thereby
secured is a purchase or redemption (Compare
Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Gal. 3:13; Gal. 4:4, 5;
Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Tim. 2:5, 6; Titus 2:14;
Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Rev. 5:9).
deliverance by sacrifice
Exod. 12:29; Num. 35:19; Ruth 2:20; 3:12; 4:3-6; Job 19:25;
Ps. 54:7; 90:11-14; 130:7-8; Isa. 35:10;
Jer. 17:9; Hosea 13:14; Col. 1:17
Defined as
deliverance from:
Curse of the Law
Gal. 3:13
Bondage of the Law
Gal. 4:5
Iniquity Titus 2:14
Destruction
Ps. 103:4
Death
Hosea 13:14
Grave
Ps. 49:15
Aimless conduct
1 Pet. 1:18
Present evil world
Gal. 1:4
Accomplished by:
God’s power
Deut. 7:8
Christ’s blood
Eph. 1:7
God’s grace
Rom. 3:24-25
Benefits of:
Forgiveness
Col. 1:14
Justification
Rom. 3:24
Adoption
Gal. 4:4-5
God’s Possession
1 Cor. 6:20
God’s People Titus 2:14
Purification Titus 2:14
Sealing
Eph. 4:30
Inheritance
Heb. 9:15
Heaven’s glory
Rev. 14:3-4
Regeneration
(New Birth) Regeneration is only found
in Matt. 19:28 and Titus 3:5. This word literally
means a “new birth.” The Greek word so rendered
(palingenesia) is used by classical writers with
reference to the changes produced by the return
of spring. In Matt. 19:28 the word is equivalent
to the “restitution of all things” (Act 3:21).
In Titus 3:5 it denotes that change of heart
elsewhere spoken of as a passing from death to
life (1 Jn 3:14); becoming a new creature in
Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17); being born again (John 3:5); a renewal of the mind (Rom. 12:2); a
resurrection from the dead (Eph. 2:6); a being
quickened (Eph. 2:1, Eph. 2:5).
This change is
ascribed to the Holy Spirit. It originates not
with man but with God (John 1:12,
John 1:13; 1 Jn 2:29; 1 Jn 5:1, 1 Jn 5:4).
As to
the nature of the change, it consists in the
implanting of a new principle or disposition in
the soul; the impartation of spiritual life to
those who are by nature “dead in trespasses and
sins.” The necessity of such a change is
emphatically affirmed in Scripture (John 3:3;
Rom. 7:18; Rom. 8:7-9; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1;
Eph. 4:21-24).
Reincarnation The belief in the birth and
rebirth of a person's soul over and over again
in different human bodies throughout history.
Some forms of reincarnation include incarnations
into animals, plants, or inanimate objects.
Reincarnation is closely tied to Karma.
Relativism The view that truth is relative and
not absolute. Truth varies from people to
people, time to time and there are no absolutes.
Rejection
Ps. 88:14; John 9:22
Relationship (to God)
Ps. 5:5; 50:16; Eccl. 12:13-14; Ezek. 43:10;
Acts 17:30; Rom. 5:1
National
Isa. 43:3; 59:18;
Jer. 18:7-10
Personal
Ps. 32:9; 107:33-43; Isa. 37:14; 64:8;
Jer. 22:16; Hag. 1:8; Luke 18:22-30; Matt. 19:21
Remnant Although the nation
Israel as a whole was God’s people, only a
minority of the people ever truly believed.
While the majority carried out their rituals
without any attitude of genuine repentance or
faith, there were always the few who were truly
devoted to God. This faithful minority is
consistently referred to as the remnant. Israel
may have been God’s people in the national
sense, but the remnant were God’s people in the
spiritual sense. They were the true Israel (Rom. 9:6-7;
Rom. 9:27). Ezra 9:8-15;
Ne. 10:28; Isa. 1:9; 10:20; 40:9; 65:1; Jer. 3:14
Repentance
is a turning from sin to God (Deu 30:1-2;
2 Chron. 6:26-27; 2 Chron. 7:14; Ne. 1:9; Ps. 78:34;
Isa. 55:7;
Jer. 8:6; Jer. 31:18-19; Ezek. 18:21; Mal. 3:7; Matt. 11:20-21;
Luke 15:7; Luke 16:30; Act 3:19; Act 8:22; Act 14:15; Act 26:19-20;
Rev. 9:20-21). The
open demonstration of this turning to God is
sometimes called conversion (Act 15:3; cf. Act 26:17-18;
1 Thess. 1:9-10). Jesus and the New
Testament preachers commanded people to repent,
because without repentance there can be no
salvation (Matt. 3:2; Matt. 4:17; Mark 6:12;
Luke 5:32; Luke 13:3; Luke 24:47; Act 2:38; Act 11:18;
Act 17:30).Lev. 26:41; 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 6:30; 2 Chron. 33:1-2; Ps. 79:8; Joel 2:12-14
National
Judg. 3:15; 1 Sam. 7:6; Ne. 8:9-11; Lam. 5:21;
Dan. 9:3; Hosea 6:1-3
Personal
Ps. 38:4; 39:13; 143:1-2; Ezek. 11:19; Zech. 1:3;
Matt. 3:11; Luke 7:29-30; John 1:6; Philem. 1:12;
Rev. 22:11
Respect
Elderly Job 33:2-7
God
Exod. 3:5; 30:20-21; Lev. 16:2; 1 Chron. 13:9-10; 15:29;
2 Chron. 27:2; Job 9:9; 28:28; Ps. 103:11;
Eccl. 5:1;
Isa. 6:1-8; 54:5; Zech. 2:13; Mal. 2:17;
John 12:3; 2 Cor. 7:1
Leaders
1 Sam. 26:9; 2 Sam. 1:6-10;
2 Chron. 24:15-16; Eccl. 10:20; Rom. 13:4;
1 Thess. 5:12
Parents
Exod. 21:17; Prov. 13:1; Jer. 9:13-16; Matt. 8:22; 12:46-50;
Mark 3:31-35; John 2:4; Eph. 6:1
Responsibility
2 Kings 21:9; 1 Tim. 4:14
Accepting
2 Kings 6:5;
Ps. 104:14-15; 139:16; Isa. 4:4; 2 Thess. 3:6-13
Resurrection:
The impartation of new, eternal life to a
dead person at the end of time (or in the
case of Jesus, on the third day after his
death). This new life is not a mere
resuscitation of the body (as in the case of
Lazarus; John 11:1-44) but a transformation
of the body to an eternal state (1 Cor. 15:35-58). Both the righteous and the wicked
will be resurrected, the former to eternal
life and the latter to judgment (John 5:29).
Resurrection is an entirely new order of
existence, where death has no more power: (Rom. 6:9;
1 Cor. 15:54; 2 Cor. 5:4).
Ezek. 37:10;
Dan. 12:2, 13; Matt. 28:17; Luke 24:5-6; 24:31; 24:37-39;
Acts 10:41; 23:9; Rom. 1:4;
1 Cor. 15:2
Last
days Isa. 26:19; John 20:17; 1 Cor. 15:35-57; Heb. 11:35;
Rev. 20:4-5
See:
The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ (and all the
rest)
Resurrection of Jesus Christ is
one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the
gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is
vain (1 Cor. 15:14). The whole of the New Testament
revelation rests on this as an historical fact.
On the day of Pentecost Peter argued the
necessity of Christ's resurrection from the
prediction in Ps. 16:1-11 (Act 2:24-28). In his
own discourses, also, our Lord clearly intimates
his resurrection (Matt. 20:19; Mark 9:9; Mark 14:28;
Luke 18:33; John 2:19-22; 1 Cor. 15).
Rhetoric the use of language to
communicate effectively.
Retribution is punishment of
evil for the sake of justice.
Revelation
making known that which has been hidden; God
making known His nature and purpose through the
natural world, history, prophets, and most
completely through Jesus Christ.
Ps. 19:1-6; John 1:1-18; Rom. 1:18-23; Heb. 1;
2 Tim. 3:14-17;
2 Pet. 1:19-21
The Book of Revelation 1-22
"The revelation of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 1:1) was probably written by the apostle John
while in exile on the island of Patmos, off the
coast of present-day Turkey. It was addressed to
seven actual churches. Revelation begins with
letters from Christ himself to these churches,
letters that include commendation, criticism,
and comfort. Then comes a long series of visions
of judgment on the wicked, all in highly
symbolic language. The church is depicted under
great distress, but is assured of the final
triumph of Jesus as "King of kings and Lord of
lords" (Revelation 19:16), bringing to an end
the rebellion of humanity and ushering in "a new
heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1), where
God himself will reign forever and ever
(Revelation 11:15). Revelation was probably
written A.D. 95-96.
Revenge
Exod. 21:23-25; Lev. 24:20; 2 Sam. 19:22;
1 Kings 2:6;
Ps. 58:6-8; 94:1-3; 149:6-9;
Jer. 46:10; Ezek. 25:3-7; Matt. 5:39; 2 Tim. 4:14
Revival
2 Kings 23:24-26; 2 Chron. 15:12; 19:4-5;
Ne. 1:6;
Ps. 19:7; 80:18; Isa. 19:19-25; Ezek. 37:10
Rich and Poor
Exod. 35:4-9; Deut. 8:18; 1 Chron. 29:3, 12; Ps. 62:10; 82:3-4;
Hosea 2:8; Mal. 3:8-10;
Matt. 6:19-25; 19:16-21; Eph. 4:28; 5:3;
Col. 3:5;
1 Tim. 6:17-18; 1 Pet. 5:2
Righteousness
is the quality of being morally right and
without sin. One of God’s distinctive
attributes. God imputes righteousness to
(justifies) those who trust in Jesus Christ.
Perfect righteousness is found in God alone.
He is perfect in goodness and has a perfect
knowledge of what is right and what is wrong
(Deut. 32:4; Ps. 145:17; Isa. 45:21; Rom. 9:14;
Heb. 6:18). Since God made human beings in
his image, they also have a sense of
righteousness. If they are characterized by
proper behavior and moral uprightness, the
Bible may speak of them as righteous (Gen. 7:1;
Ps. 15:2; Prov. 12:3-10; Luke 1:6; 2 Cor. 9:9-10). Ps. 7; Jer. 23:1-6; Matt. 6:25-34;
Rom. 4:6-8;
Gal. 2:15-21; Phil. 3:7-11; 1 Tim. 6:11-16;
1 Pet. 2:24-25 (see Justification)
Ritual is asymbolic action that
points to a spiritual truth.
Role models
Esther 4:16; Job 15:4;
2 Cor. 8:8; Eph. 5:1; Phil. 4:9; Heb. 12:1
Roman Catholic The name of the largest
group of churches in today’s world, centered in
Rome and offering allegiance to the pope as the
earthly head of the church, a claim disputed by
other Christian groups.
The Book of
Romans 1-16
Romans is the longest and most systematically
reasoned of Paul's letters. Paul announces its
theme in Romans 1:16-17: the gospel is God's
power for salvation, because it shows us that
the righteousness of God is through faith for
all who believe. Paul explains the need for
justification through faith because of sin
(Romans 1:16-4:25). He then spells out the
results of justification by faith in terms of
both present experience and future hope (Romans 5:1-8:39). In the next three chapters, he
expresses his sorrow that many of his fellow
Israelites have not embraced the gospel, and he
wrestles with the theological implications of
this (Romans 9-11). He concludes by describing
how the gospel should affect one's everyday life
(Romans 12-16). Paul wrote his letter to Rome in
about A.D. 57.
The Book of Ruth 1-4
The book of Ruth tells of a young Moabite widow
who, out of love for her widowed Israelite
mother-in-law, abandoned her own culture,
declaring, "Your people shall be my people, and
your God my God" (Ruth 1:16). Though she was
destitute and needing to rely on the kindness of
others, Ruth's disposition and character
captured the attention of Boaz, a close relative
of her deceased husband. Boaz fulfilled the role
of kinsman-redeemer and took Ruth as his wife.
Ruth serves as a wonderful example of God's
providential care of his people, and of his
willingness to accept Gentiles who seek him.
Ruth was an ancestor of Christ. The author is
unknown, but the genealogy at the end suggests
that it was written during or after the time of
David.
S
Sabbath: When God formally
established Israel as his people and gave them
his laws, one of the laws was that they had to
rest from their work every seventh day. The day
was set apart especially for God and was, in
fact, a sign that the people were bound to God
by covenant. Anyone who did his work on that day
was to be put to death (Exod. 20:8-11; Exod. 31:13-17;
Num. 15:32-36; Deut. 5:15). Among the religious
exercises of the Sabbath were the offering of
sacrifices and the renewing of the ‘presence
bread’ in the tabernacle (Lev. 24:5-9; Num. 28:9-10).
The first time God commanded Sabbath-keeping was
after the exodus (Exod. 16: Deut. 5:2-3; Ne. 9:13-14).
Working animals, such as oxen and donkeys, also
had rest one day in seven (Deut. 5:14; cf. Ne. 13:15-21), and the land had rest one year in
seven. A festival day on which people were to do
no work was also called a Sabbath, though it may
not have coincided with the usual weekly Sabbath
(Lev. 16:29-31; Lev. 23:30-32; John 19:31).
From the time of the institution of the Mosaic
law the month among the Jews was lunar. The
cycle of religious feasts depended on the moon.
The commencement of a month was determined by
the observation of the new moon. The number of
months in the year was usually twelve (1 Kings 4:7;
1 Chron. 27:1-15); but every third year an
additional month (ve-Adar) was inserted, so as
to make the months coincide with the seasons.
The Sabbath observance was linked to the New
Moon.
The seventh day of the week corresponding to the seventh day of creation when people in the Old Testament were called on to rest from work and reflect on God;
Deut. 5:12-15.
It is observed on Saturday by contemporary Jews, Adventists, and others. Most Christian groups celebrate the Lord’s Day.
Commands about: Exod. 20:8-11;
Exod. 31:12-17; Deut. 6
A
sign of the Old Covenant:
Exod. 31:16, 17
Jesus is Lord of: Matt. 12:1-13; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11
Was
not commanded
under New Covenant: Gal. 4:10-11; Eph. 2:15;
Col. 2:16-17
(See:
The Sabbath In the Old and New Covenants)
Sacrament is a visible
manifestation of the word. The bread and wine in
the Lord's Supper are considered sacraments in
that they are visible manifestations of the
covenant promise of our Lord: "In the same way,
after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This
cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is
poured out for you,' (Luke 22:20). God, in the
OT, used visible signs along with His spoken
word. These visible signs, then, were considered
to have significance. "Among the OT sacraments
the rites of circumcision and the Passover were
stressed as being the OT counterparts of baptism
(Col. 1:10-12) and the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 5:7).
Sacrifices
Exod. 20:24; 29:11-21; Lev. 1:1; 17:11; Num. 7:41-80;
Ps. 40:6; 50:5; 50:8-15; 50:23; 51:19; 1 Pet. 2:5
Sadducees
were a group of religious leaders in the Jewish
religion from the second century B.C. to the
first century A.D. In Hebrew their names mean
"the righteous ones." They were smaller in size
than the group of the Pharisees. The Sadducees
were generally on the upper class, often in a
priestly line, and the Pharisees in the middle
class, usually merchants and tradesmen. The
Sadducees accepted only the Torah, the first
five books of the old Testament, as
authoritative. They held rigidly to the old
Testament law and a denying the life after
death, reward and punishment after death, the
resurrection, and the existence of angels and
demons. They controlled the temple and its
services and were unpopular with the majority of
the Jewish population.
Matt. 16:1-12; Mark 12:18-23; Acts 4:1-22; 5:17-42; 23:1-11
Saint is one separated from the
world and consecrated to God; one holy by
profession and by covenant; a believer in Christ
(Ps. 16:3; Rom. 1:7; 8:27; Phil. 1:1; Heb. 6:10). The “saints” spoken of in Jude 1:14 are
probably not the disciples of Christ, but the
“innumerable company of angels” (Heb. 12:22; Ps. 68:17), with reference to
Deut. 33:2. This word
is also used of the holy dead (Matt. 27:52; Rev. 18:24). It was not used as a distinctive title
of the apostles and evangelists and of a
“spiritual nobility” till the fourth century. In
that sense it is not a scriptural title. Rom. 1:7;
Rom. 15:25; 1 Cor. 6:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:18;
Phil. 1:1
Salvation is
the "saving" of a sinner from the righteous
judgment of God. When someone appeals to God and
seeks forgiveness in Jesus, his sins are
forgiven. He is cleansed. His relationship with
God is restored, and he is made a new creature
(2 Cor. 5:17). All of this is the work of God,
not man. Salvation is a free gift (Rom. 6:23).
We are saved from damnation. When anyone sins,
and we all have (Rom. 3:23; 6:23), he deserves
eternal separation from God (Isaiah 59:2). Yet,
because of His love and mercy, God became a man
(John 1:1,14) and bore the sins of the world in
His body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Jn. 2:2).
We are forgiven when we realize that there is
nothing, we can do to earn the favor of God and
we put our trust in what Jesus did for us on the
cross (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). Only God
saves. The only thing we bring to the cross is
our sin. Both God the Father (Isaiah 14:21) and
Jesus (John 4:42) are called Savior; that is, it
was the Father who sent the Son (1 Jn. 4:10) to
be the Savior.
"One who saves from any form or degree of evil".
In its highest sense the word indicates the
relation sustained by our Lord to his redeemed
ones, he is their Savior. The great message of
the gospel is about salvation and the Savior. It
is the “gospel of salvation.” Faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ secures to the sinner a personal
interest in the work of redemption. Salvation is
redemption made effectual to the individual by
the power of the Holy Spirit.
Belief
in Christ John 3:16-18; 6:29; 8:37, 40; 8:51; 13:8; 17:2, 6, 9;
Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Tim. 2:19
By
faith Gen. 15:6; Ps. 106:31; 127:1-2; Isa. 26:2;
Ezek. 33:13;
Matt. 5:20; 25:35-36; Luke 19:9; Acts 15:20;
Rom. 10:3-7;
Heb. 4:11; James 2:14-24
For
all people Gen. 35:11; Deut. 4:33; Ruth 4:22; 2
Chron. 6:33;
Esther 13:1-3; Ps. 22:27; 86:9; Isa. 42:6; Jer. 31:31; 48:47;
Amos 9:12; John 2:7-9; Zeph. 2:11; Zech. 9:7;
Matt. 2:2; 15:23-26; Luke 2:32; John 10:16;
Acts 10:45;
1 Tim. 2:4
God’s
promise to Abraham Gen. 12:3; Deut. 26:18; 1
Kings 8:43;
Ps. 47:9; Isa. 19:19-25; Eph. 3:3-9
Losing
Rom. 11:21-22; 1 Cor. 9:27; Heb. 6:6; 2 Pet. 2:20-22
Understanding
Ps. 67:2; 87:4; 98:2-3;
Prov. 10:16;
Isa. 52:15; Jer. 22:16; Matt. 10:5; 19:17; Acts 4:12;
Rom. 1:16; Phil. 2:12-13
The Book of 1 Samuel 1-31
1 Samuel records the establishment of
Israel's monarchy, about 1050 B.C. Samuel led
Israel for many years in the combined roles of
prophet, priest, and judge. After the people
demanded a king like those of the other nations
(1 Samuel 8), God directed Samuel to anoint Saul
as Israel's first king. When Saul turned from
God, David was anointed by Samuel to succeed
him. After David killed the giant Goliath, he
was brought to Saul's court, eventually becoming
the leader of Saul's armies. Saul's subsequent
violent jealousy forced David to flee. The book
closes with Saul's death in battle, and looks
forward to David's reign. 1 Samuel's author
is unknown, but Samuel himself may have written
portions of the book (see 1 Chron. 29:29).
The Book of 2 Samuel 1-24
2 Samuel recounts David's reign as king of
Israel (about 1010-970 B.C.). As promised to
Abraham, during David's reign Israel's borders
were extended roughly from Egypt to the
Euphrates. While David had many successes, after
his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11) both his kingdom and his own family fell
into chaos. His son Absalom led a bloody
rebellion against him. Nevertheless David,
author of many of the Psalms, was a man after
God's own heart (Acts 13:22), a model of deep,
heartfelt prayer and repentance. The Davidic
Covenant of chapter 7 establishes the eternal
rule of David's line, with its ultimate
fulfillment in the coming of Jesus Christ. The
author of 2 Samuel is unknown.
Sanctification
is the process in salvation by which God
conforms the believer’s life and character to
the life and character of Jesus Christ through
the Holy Spirit. Sanctification follows
justification. In justification our sins are
completely forgiven in Christ. Sanctification is
the process by which the Holy Spirit makes us
more like Christ in all that we do, think, and
desire. True sanctification is impossible apart
from the atoning work of Christ on the cross
because only after our sins are forgiven can we
begin to lead a holy life. John 17:17-19; Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Pet. 1:2.
Our Sanctification is
produced by:
God: 1 Thess. 5:23
Christ:
Heb. 2:11
Holy Spirit:
1 Pet. 1:2
Truth: John 17:17-19
Christ’s blood:
Heb. 9:14
Prayer: 1 Tim. 4:4, 5
Sanctify
To set apart for Holy use.
John 17:17, 19; 1 Cor. 1:2; Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 4:3-12
Sanctuary: The Holy of Holies
A sanctuary was a sanctified place, a place
set apart for God and therefore considered
to be holy. Heaven, being God’s dwelling
place, could be called God’s sanctuary (Ps. 102:19;
Ps. 150:1). Usually, however, the
sanctuary referred to God’s earthly dwelling
place, the tabernacle, and later the temple
(Exod. 25:8; 1 Chron. 28:10; Ps. 68:24-26). The
inner shrine, or Most Holy Place, was in
particular known as the sanctuary; for
there, over the ark of the covenant, God
symbolically dwelt (Lev. 4:6; Ps. 96:6; Heb. 13:11). Since Israel trusted in God and God
dwelt in the sanctuary, to trust in God was
to trust in the sanctuary. A sanctuary
therefore came to have a secondary meaning
as a place of refuge (Isa. 8:14; Ezek. 11:16;
cf. Exod. 21:12-14; 1 Kings 2:29; Num. 35:6).
In the tabernacle
Heb. 9:2
Divine dwelling place
Exod. 25:8
Reverence for
Lev. 19:30; Lev. 26:2
In the charge of high priest
Exod. 27:21;
Lev. 24:3; Num. 18:5
The Holy Place in the temple
Lam. 2:7; Lam. 2:20;
Ezek. 42:20
Figurative Ezek. 11:16
Symbolical Heb. 8:2; Heb. 8:5
(See also: Temple, Tabernacle)
Sanhedrin was either a local Jewish
tribunal (“council,” Matt. 5:22; “courts,”
Matt. 10:17) or the supreme ecclesiastical
court in Jerusalem (Matt. 26:59). These
Jewish leaders included elders, chief
priests, and scribes.
Satan
the word itself, the Hebrew, Satan, is simply an
"adversary", and is so used in 1 Sam. 29:4; 2
Sam. 19:22; 1 Kings 6:4; 1 Kings 11:14; 1
Kings 11:23; 1 Kings 11:25;
Num. 22:22-23; Ps. 109:6. This original sense is
still found in our Lord's application of the
name to St. Peter in Matt. 16:23. It is used as a
proper name or title only four times in the Old
Testament, namely, (with the article), in Job 1:6; Job 1:12; Job 2:1;
Zech. 2:1, and without the
article in 1 Chron. 21:1. It is with the scriptural
revelation on the subject, that we are here
concerned; and it is clear, from this simple
enumeration of passages, that it is to be sought
in the New Testament, rather than in the Old
Testament.
Limited by God Job 1:12; 19:8-12;
Luke 10:18; Rom. 16:20; Col. 2:15; 1 Jn. 5:18
Names
for 2 Sam. 24:1; 2 Kings 1:2; Job 31:35; Zech. 3:1; Matt. 4:1; 4:1; 4:3-4; 10:25;
Mark 1:12-13; 8:33; Luke 4:3; John 12:31;
Col. 1:13;
James 4:7;
Rev. 12:11
Power
of Job 1:13-19; Matt. 4:8-9; 7:22-23; Luke 4:6; 22:3;
John 13:27; Acts 19:19; 2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 2:2; 6:12;
1 Thess. 2:18;
1 Pet. 5:8;
1 Jn. 1:8;
Rev. 6:1-17
Scapegoat
Lev. 16:8-26 “the goat for Azazel” the name
given to the goat which was taken away into the
wilderness on the day of Atonement (Lev. 16:20-22). The priest made atonement over the
scapegoat, laying Israel's guilt upon it, and
then sent it away, the goat bearing “upon him
all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited.” 2 Kings 6:32-33; 1 Peter 1:6
Jesus is the Lamb that
was slain from the creation of the world.
Jesus was sacrificed for our sins and Jesus
is our scapegoat. (Hebrews 4:14; Revelation 13:8;
2 Cor. 5:21; c.f. Isaiah 53:3, 12).
Scribe A Jewish teacher of the law, who
studied and copied Scripture.
Scripture The Bible, the
divinely-inspired record of God’s revelation of
Himself and the authoritative source for
Christian doctrine and teaching. 2 Tim. 3:15-17;
2 Pet. 1:19-21
Second chances
Lam. 5:22
Second Coming
is return in power and glory to consummate His
work of redemption. Matt. 24-25; John 14:1-4; John 14:18; John 21:22; Acts 1:6-8;
1 Cor. 15:12-28; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; 2 Thess. 2;
2 Tim. 4:8; Titus 2:13; Heb. 10:25; 2 Pet. 3; Rev. 19-20
Security of the
Believer
The doctrine that true believers are eternally
saved and, therefore, secure in salvation. John 10:27-29 See Perseverance of the saints.
Self
Confidence 1 Sam. 10:22;
Ps. 22:6-7;
Prov. 12:9; Rom. 12:3; 1 Cor. 2:3; Gal. 6:4
Control Prov. 6:6-11; 25:28;
Titus 2:2
Defense Exod. 22:3;
2 Sam. 20:10
Denial
Matt. 7:13-14
Esteem
Exod. 30:15; 1 Chron. 4:9-10; Ezra 2:2-61; Job 25:6;
Ps. 8:5; 103:14; 139:13-16;
Prov. 22:2; Isa. 41:14; 1 Pet. 2:18-21
Reliance 2 Chron. 12:14;
Isa. 2:7-8; 26:18; 50:10-11
Will Judg. 16:17
Self-righteousness is the
belief that one is righteous because of
moral uprightness or human effort, rather
than depending on the grace of God.
Self-righteousness is typically accompanied
by pride and a judgmental attitude toward
others.
Septuagint is the Greek
translation of the Old Testament. The Old
Testament was originally written in Hebrew. It
was during the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus
(285-246 B.C.) that the Pentateuch, the first
five books of the Bible, were translated into
Greek. Shortly afterwards the rest of the Old
Testament was also translated. This translation
was done by approximately 70 translators. Hence,
the Septuagint is known by the letters LXX, the
Roman numerals for seventy.
Seventy
Weeks a prophetic period mentioned in
Daniel 9:24-27, literally, "seventy sevens" and
could mean days or years. "Sevens" or
"weeks" is a reference to a period of seven
years. So seventy weeks means 490 years. This is
generally regarded as the period which
would elapse till the time of the coming of the
Messiah, dating “from the going forth of the
commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem”
i.e., from the close of the Captivity.
One question is whether we should take the
490 years literally or symbolically.
Service
(to God and others) Num. 35:2; 1 Chron. 23:7-23;
Matt. 25:26-27; John 13:14-15; 1 Tim. 3:13
Servant
Isa. 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12; Mark 10:35-45;
John 13:1-17; 1 Cor. 9:19-23;
Gal. 5:13-26; Phil. 2:6-11; 1 Pet. 2:18-25
Sex
In
marriage Gen. 1:27, 28; 2:24, 25; Prov. 5:15-20;
Song 1:12-15; 3:1-5; 1 Cor. 6:20; 7:3-5
Pleasure Prov. 5:18-19
Homosexuality
Gen. 13:13; 19:4-5; Lev. 18:22; Judg. 19:24;
2 Kings 23:7; Rom. 1:26-27
Religious rituals
Num. 25:1; Josh. 22:17; 1 Kings 14:24; 16:32;
Hosea 4:12; 4:14
Rules
about Exod. 19:15; 2 Sam. 11:11
Temptation 2 Sam. 11:2-3;
Prov. 5:3-10; 9:17; 23:28;
1 Cor. 6:18
Shame
Ezra 9:6-15; Ps. 25; 34:1-7; Rom. 1:16-17; 2
Tim. 1:8-14
Sheol (Heb.., “the all-demanding
world” = Gr. Hades, “the unknown region”), the
invisible world of departed souls. (See: Hell)
Sheshach is probably a
cipher code for Babylon, written in what the
Hebrews called atbash, where letters of the
Hebrew alphabet are substituted for their
opposite (Jeremiah 25:26; 51:1). Here the
letters bet-bet-lamed of Babylon are changed
to shin-shin-khet. Leb-qamai (lit “the heart
of those who rise against me”) is a figure
of speech called atbash, a Jewish device
where letters are substituted for their
opposites in the alphabet. In the English
equivalent, the letter A would be changed to
Z, B to Y, and so on. “Leb-qamai” is
therefore a cipher for Kasdim or Chaldea
(Babylonia), just as “Zimri” in Jeremiah 25:25 might be a cipher for Elam, and
“Sheshach” in Jeremiah 25:26; 51:41 is an
atbash cipher for Babylon. It is not clear
why Jeremiah used atbash in these cases
since elsewhere he clearly points to
Babylon. The spirit or breath or wind of a
destroyer is known elsewhere in the Old
Testament as the east wind or sirocco. This
wind is an apt figure for the winnowing
(Jeremiah 51:2) that God will perform on
Babylon (See: CSB Study Bible).
Simile a figure of speech, often
seen in poetry, that compares two objects,
often using “like” or “as,” even though they
are not actually the same thing. A biblical
example is in Ps. 1:3: “He is like a tree
planted by streams of water.” See also
metaphor.
Simon Peter
a fisherman; he and his brother, Andrew, were
the first two apostles Jesus chose. First called
"Simon" or "Peter," Jesus changed his name to "Cephas,"
which means "rock."Matt. 4:18-22; 26:31-75; John 21;
Acts 2:1-5:42; 10:1-11:18
Simon the Zealot, an apostle of
Jesus, Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13
Sin
is the universal human condition of broken
relationship with God involving missing the mark
or falling short of God’s intention for human
life and breaking God’s instructions for life;
remedied by belief in Jesus Christ as Savior
from sin and Lord of life.
Acceptance Lev. 26:41;
Ps. 38:4; John 9:41
Communal Josh. 7:11;
2 Sam. 24:15; Ezra 9:6;
Isa. 59:12;
Ezek. 21:4;
Dan. 9:3; 9:5; Mal. 4:6
Defeating Rom. 6:2-14; 7:14-25
Development 2 Kings 18:4
Hated
by God Ps. 5:5
Individual Lev. 20:9;
Num. 14:18; Deut. 5:9; 23:2; Ezek. 18:2
Punished 1 Chron. 21:14;
1 Thess. 4:6
Secret
2 Kings 17:9; Ps. 90:8
Unforgivable
Matt. 12:31-32;
Mark 3:29
Unintentional Ps. 19:12;
Acts 3:14-17; James 4:17
Sin’s effects
Gen. 12:17; 1 Sam. 2:31-33; 2 Sam. 12:9-10; 21:6, 9, 14;
1 Chron. 21:14;
Job 5:7; 15:20; Ps. 7:13, 16; 51:4; 103:10; Jer. 17:9;
Ezek. 7:27; 18:24;
Matt. 5:29-30; Rom. 1:24, 26, 28; 5:13-14; 6:1;
2 Cor. 7:9
Church
1 Cor. 5:7; 8:12
Creation Gen. 9:2;
Ps. 107:33-34;
Jer. 7:20; John 9:2; 9:3; Rom. 8:20-21;
Rev. 8:7-11
Families Ps. 79:8;
Jer. 2:9; 31:29; 32:18; Lam. 2:11-12; Ezek. 18:19-20; 18:19-20;
Hosea 2:4-5
God
Job 35:6; Jer. 12:7-8; Ezek. 33:11; John 11:35
Health Gen. 3:16;
John 5:14
Nations Ne. 1:6;
Ps. 51:18;
Jer. 9; 18; Lam. 2:11-12; Ezek. 21:4; 22:30;
Dan. 9:5
Removed Rev. 22:2
Slander
Ps. 12:5; Prov. 10:18-21; James 4:11
Slavery
Exod. 10:27-28; Lev. 22:6, 11; 25:44-46; Josh. 16:10;
Judg. 1:28; 1 Kings 12:18; 1 Chron. 5:21; Matt. 20:26-28; Mark 10:43-45;
1 Cor. 7:21-24; 1 Pet. 2:18-21
Son of God the title for Jesus
stressing His divinity as co-existent with the
Father. It implies His deity (John 5:18) because
the title is one of equality with God. In the OT
it was figuratively applied to Israel (Exod. 4:22).
In the NT it is applied to Christ (Luke 1:35).
It has many facets, for example: It shows that
He is to be honored equally with the Father
(John 5:22-23). That He is to be worshiped
(Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; 16:18; Luke 22:70-71; John 1:18; 9:35-38;
Heb. 1:6; 7:11); called God (John 20:28;
Col. 2:9;
Heb. 1:8); prayed to (Acts 7:55-60; 1
Cor. 1:1-2).
Slippery Slope argument
assumes that a certain course of action will
necessarily lead to a chain of future
events. The slippery slope fallacy takes a
benign premise or starting point and
suggests that it will lead to unlikely or
ridiculous outcomes with no supporting
evidence.
Son of man
is title Jesus most frequently used for Himself
stressing both His divinity as the prophesied
One in the Old Testament and His identification
with humans. Ps. 80:17; Ezek. 2:1; Dan. 7:13; 8:17;
Matt. 8:20; Mark 2:10; Heb. 2:6-8; Rev. 1:13; 14:14.
The Book of The Song 1-8 (of
Solomon)
According to the most common interpretation, the
Song of Solomon is a collection of love poems
between a man and a woman, celebrating the
sexual relationship God intended for marriage.
God established marriage, including the physical
union of a husband and wife (Gen. 2:18-25), and
Israelite wisdom literature treasures this
aspect of marriage as the appropriate expression
of human sexuality (Prov. 5:15-20). The Song of
Solomon has also been understood as an
illustration of the mutual love of Christ and
his church It is possible that Solomon (tenth
century b.c.) is the author (Song 1:1). However,
this verse could mean that the Song was
dedicated to Solomon or was written about him,
and therefore many scholars regard the book as
anonymous.
Sons of God in
Gen. 6:2,4 have been interpreted in several
ways. The oldest recorded interpretation is
that these were heavenly beings or angels.
Evidence is cited from Job 1:6 and Job 2:1,
ancient texts that recount pagan deities
having sexual relations with humans, and NT
passages that some consider allusions to
Gen. 6:1-4 (1 Pet. 3:19-20; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6). However, several difficulties make this
interpretation less than certain: (1) the
context of Gen. 6 offers no clue that
heavenly beings are intended; (2) the flood
is portrayed as judgment against the sins of
man, not heavenly creatures; (3) there is no
evidence that angels have sexual
capabilities (see Matt. 22:30; Heb. 1:7,14);
and (4) the NT passages are problematic and
open to alternative interpretation. (HIBD)
Divine beings associated with God in the
heavens in what can be called the “divine
council” (Ps. 82:1 NRSV) or the “council of
the holy ones” (Ps. 89:7 NAS). In Job, the
earliest Greek translation translated “sons
of God” as “angels of God” (Job 1:6; 2:1)
and “my angels” (Job 38:7). The phrase “sons
of the living God” in Hosea 1:10, however,
refers to Israel.
The expression sons of God employs a Hebrew
idiom in which “son(s)” refers to
participants in a class or in a state of
being, and the second word describes the
class or state of being. Thus, in Genesis 5:32, Noah is said to be a “son of five
hundred years,” meaning he was 500 years
old. In English an adjective often best
translates the second term, so that “divine
beings” rather than “sons of God” would be a
better rendition of the Hebrew. This accords
with the NRSV’s translation “heavenly
beings” for “sons of gods” in Psalms 29:1; 89:6.
In the New
Testament, “sons of God” always refers to
human beings who do God’s will (Matt. 5:9;
Rom. 8:14,19). Similar expressions with the
same meaning are to be found in Matthew 5:45; John 1:12; Romans 9:26 (Hosea 1:10),
and 2 Cor. 6:18. The usual
designation of the heavenly beings in the
New Testament is “angels.” (HBD) (See:
Who Are the Sons of God in Genesis 6?)
Sorrow
Exod. 3:1-9; Matt. 26:36-46
Soteriology
The study of the doctrine of salvation. It is
derived from the Greek word "soterious"
which means salvation. Some of the subjects of
soteriology are the atonement, imputation, and
regeneration.
Soul
Like the word ‘spirit’, the word ‘soul’ has a
variety of meanings in English. There is some
variety also in the usages of the original words
from which ‘soul’ has been translated. In the
Hebrew of the Old Testament the word is
nephesh. In the Greek of the New Testament
the word is psyche.
Deut. 6:1-5; 30:6; Ps. 25:1; 42; 103; 130;
Eccl. 12:7; 1 Thess. 5:23;
Heb. 4:12;
Rev. 6:9-10
Soul Sleep The teaching that
when a person dies his soul ceases to exist. On
the final judgment day he is brought back to
life and judged. There are scriptures that
strongly suggest man's continued self-awareness
and continued existence after death (Luke 16:19-31;
2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 1:21-23). And
those that seem to support death is like a
sleep. Acts 2:29-36. Here we read "For David IS
NOT ascended into the heavens". This is plain to
understand! David IS NOT in heaven! He is in the
grave unconscious! Eccl. 9:5-10; Isa. 26:19;
Dan. 12:2; Hosea 13:14; Luke 8:52; John 5:28-29; 6:53; 11:11-14;
1 Cor. 15:21-22; 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 Tim. 6:13-16 (See:
Death as Sleep in the Bible)
Spirit is used in a number of
ways. (Hebrews ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind
or breath. In 2 Thess. 2:8 it means "breath," and
in Eccl. 8:8 the vital principle in man. It also
denotes the rational, immortal soul by which man
is distinguished (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 5:5; 6:20; 7:34), and the soul in its separate state (Heb. 12:23), and hence also an apparition (Job 4:15;
Luke 24:37, 39), an angel (Heb. 1:14), and a
demon (Luke 4:36; 10:20). This word is used also
metaphorically as denoting a tendency (Zech. 12:10; Luke 13:11). In
Rom. 1:4; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Cor. 3:17;
1 Pet. 3:18, it designates the divine
nature. The quality, power, or force within
persons that makes them open to relationship
with God;
Spirit of God (The Holy
Spirit)
Old Testament: Gen. 1:2; 6:3;
Exod. 31:3; 35:31; Num. 11:25; Judges 13:25; 1
Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 23:2; 1 Chron. 12:18; 28:12, 19;
2 Chron. 20:14; Ps. 104:30; Prov. 20:27;
Isa. 11:2;
Joel 2:28-32; Zech. 4:6
New Testament: Matt. 3:11; 12:31, 32; Mark 1:10; 3:28-30; Luke 1:15; 1:35;
Luke 2:25; 3:16-17; Luke 11:13; John 14:12; 14:17; 16:7; 16:12; 20:22; Acts 1:5; 2:3; 2:4; 4:8-10;
2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 1:14
Spiritual Gifts are given
to every believer to promote “the common
good” of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7), to build up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12), and to prepare us each for “works of
service . . . until we all reach unity in
the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of
God and become mature, attaining to the
whole measure of the fullness of Christ”
(Ephesians 4:12-13). Each person upon
accepting the gift of salvation through
Jesus Christ receives the Holy Spirit inside
as a seal of salvation (Ephesians 1:12-14).
The Spirit then gives to each believer
certain gifts from God to do the work of God
(1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
Scripture contains several passages about
spiritual gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 1 Corinthians 14:1-33; Romans 12:1-8;
Ephesians 4:1-13; Hebrews 2:3-4, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. No matter what the gift, its
purpose is to edify and mature the church
and to glorify God in serving others. (See:
What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?)
Stealing
When you steal, you’re taking something that
doesn’t belong to you. In the Bible, God
tells us that it’s wrong to steal.
Exod. 20:15; 22:1-15; Lev. 19:11-13; Mal. 3:8-10;
Eph. 4:28
Stewardship
Christians are God’s stewards, appointed by him
to look after his interests in the world. This
applies to their responsibilities in looking
after the material things God has given them,
and to their responsibilities in preaching the
gospel and caring for God’s people. They are
answerable to God for the way they carry out
these responsibilities (Gen. 1:28-30; 1 Cor. 4:1-5; 1
Cor. 9:17; Col. 1:25; 1 Thess. 2:4; 2 Tim. 1:14; 2
Tim. 2:15; 1 Peter 4:10;
Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 12:35-48; 16:10-12;
Eph. 5:15-16)
Stoicism a Hellenistic
philosophy that valued logic, asserted that
emotions arose from false judgments, and
held that the truly wise person would not be
subject to such emotions. In modern times it
has come to mean being unaffected by either
pain or pleasure.
Straw man
argument an intentionally
misrepresented proposition that is set up
because it is easier to defeat than an
opponent's real argument.
Stubbornness
Prov. 29:1
Submission
We are all called to be in submission to God
as addressed in James 4:7. James conveys the
idea that only when we submit to God will
the devil "flee from you" as we are then
committed to God and will be able to
withstand the temptations of the devil.
Regarding marriage, nowhere in the Bible is
it said that a woman must submit to anyone
other than her own husband. This doesn’t
imply that she is anything less than her
husband, they are equals in Christ as Jesus
submitted to the Father but both were
equally God in all regards.
(See:
Submission in the Bible)
In
marriage Eph. 5:24-33; 1 Pet. 3:5-6
To God
Isa. 18:7; 19:18; Jer. 27:8-15; 29:7
To
authority Col. 3:18-4:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-17
To
others Eph. 5:21
Success
Deut. 28:2-6; 2 Chron. 26:5;
Job 22:21-25; Ps. 1:3-4; 90:17; Prov. 6:6-11
Suffering
refers to pain, physical or emotional; it is
also translated sorrow. It depicts pain and
suffering born by the Servant of the Lord
(Isa. 53:4), who was literally a “man of
pain” (Isa. 53:3); of pain inflicted on him.
It indicates the pain placed on the Hebrews
by the Egyptians and noted by God (Exod. 3:7).
Israel brought great pain on herself through
her sin (Jer. 30:15; 45:3). Pain and
suffering is the lot of humankind (Job 33:19;
Ps. 38:17; Eccl. 2:23), but the wicked
are especially prone to pain and suffering
(Ps. 32:10; Jer. 51:8). Even great knowledge
may lead to pain in this age (Eccl. 1:18).
(From: AMG's Comprehensive Dictionary of Old
Testament Words) See also: Job 5:7; 6:24; 11:16; 34:37;
Ps. 88:3;
Mark 8:34; 15:23; Acts 5:41;
Rev. 13:10
Alone
Job 19:13-20; Ps. 10:1; 12:1; 22:1; 88:6; 102:3-5;
Lam. 3:3;
Matt. 26:41; 27:46;
Mark 14:38; 14:51-52; 15:34; Luke 22:40; 2 Tim. 1:15
God’s
role 2 Sam. 12:14-15; 2 Kings 5:1; Ps. 34:17; 71:20; 97:10;
Rev. 13:8
Purpose of Job 32:14; 33:19;
Ps. 22:30-31; 102:9-10;
Prov. 22:4; Isa. 45:7; 48:10; Lam. 3:38;
Ezek. 24:16-18; John 9:3; 1 Thess. 3:3
Results Job 3:10-16; 23:10;
Ps. 119:67-75;
Prov. 17:3; Eccl. 11:8; Lam. 3:38; John 11:4;
Rom. 5:3;
2 Cor. 4:12;
Rev. 9:20-21
Understanding Job 5:27; 9:22-24; 17:7-8; 23:10; 42:8;
Isa. 13:16; 53:9; Rom. 8:17;
2 Cor. 1:5;
1 Pet. 4:1
Sufficiency of Scripture:
Scripture provides all the words from God that
we need in order to know God truly and
personally, and everything we need him to tell
us in order for us to live an abundant, godly
life (Ps. 19:7-9; 2 Tim. 3:15).
Suicide
1 Sam. 31:5; 2 Sam. 17:23; Isa. 57:1-2; Acts 1:18-19;
Acts 16:22-36
Sunk Cost Fallacy is when
someone continues doing something because of
the effort they already put in it,
regardless of whether the additional costs
outweigh the potential benefits. "Sunk cost"
is an economic term for any past expenses
that can no longer be recovered.
Supralapsarianism An issue
within Reformed theology dealing with what may
have happened in God's mind regarding the
logical order of His considering whom to elect
into salvation before the foundation of the
world. The word means "before the fall." This
position holds that God first decided that he
would save some people and then second that he
would allow sin into the world. By contrast, the
infralapsarian ("after the fall") position is
the reverse in that it holds that God first
decided he would allow sin into the world and
second that he would then save people from it.
Symbolic Presence the belief of
many evangelical Christians that the bread and
wine of the Lord’s Supper symbolize Christ’s
presence but that they do not actually contain
His body and blood in any real way. See
Consubstantiation; Transubstantiation.
Symbolism the use of
natural objects and actions to represent
something other than what they actually are.
For example, Ps. 23:4: “your rod and your
staff, they comfort me.” See also metaphor.
Synagogue During the time of
the Jews’ captivity in Babylon, they were unable
to carry out sacrificial rituals. Not only were
they in a foreign land, but their place of
sacrifice, the Jerusalem temple, had been
destroyed in 587 BC. The Jewish religious
leaders therefore placed greater emphasis on
teaching the moral commandments of the law than
on teaching temple rituals. When the Jews
returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple
(completed in 516 BC), they maintained this
emphasis on teaching and explaining the law (Ne. 8:1-4;
Ne. 8:7-8; Ne. 9:1-3). This teaching
activity was a contributing factor in the
emergence of local meeting places known as
synagogues (from a Greek word meaning ‘to gather
or bring together’). Wherever the Jews went they
built synagogues, with the result that there
were synagogues in many countries of the ancient
world (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:16; Acts 9:1; 13:5, 14;
Acts 17:1, 10; Acts 18:1; Acts 18:4; Acts 19:8).
Synergism comes from a
combination of the Greek terms for
“cooperating” and “energy.” Put together,
they mean “a combined force.” When applied
to salvation, the term synergism implies
that salvation is accomplished through the
combined act of God and man. This contrasts
with the term monergism, which comes from
Greek terms for “one” and “energy” and means
“a single force.” Monergism suggests God is
entirely, completely, and solely responsible
for any person’s salvation. (Matt. 23:37;
John 5:39-40; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:3-4;
Rev. 22:17; Matt. 22:1-14, John 4:10, John 6:44; 1 Pet. 2:7)
Systematic Theology is the
study and organization of Christian doctrines by
their individual meanings and in their
relationships to each other within the whole
doctrinal system. Another way of saying it is,
It deals with the doctrinal truth of Scripture
in a systematic way, and more particularly with
that truth as it is confessed by the Church.
T
Tabernacle was the structure
ordered built by God so that He might dwell
among His people (Exod. 25:8). It was to be mobile
and constructed to exacting specifications. It
is referred to in Exodus 25-27; 30-31; 35-40;
Num. 3; 4; 7; The tabernacle was a place of
sacrifice. The holy place contained three
things: first, a table on which was placed the shewbread, the bread of the presence (Exod. 25:23-30), second, a golden lampstand (Exod. 25:31-40) and third, an altar of incense (Exod. 30:1-7). In the Holy of Holies was the ark of
the covenant which contained the Ten
Commandments (Exod. 25:16). The holy of holies was
entered only once a year by the high priest who
offered sacrifice for the nation of Israel. See
Heb. 8-10 (See:
Temple, Tabernacle)
Talents
1 Chron. 22:8; Matt. 25:26-27; 1 Tim. 4:14
Talking
(with God) Gen. 12:1; 18:10; Num. 1:1; 7:89;
Josh. 1:1; 1 Sam. 3:21; 30:6; Job 38:1;
Ps. 95:7; Hab. 2:1;
Mal. 2:17
Tax Collector The
Roman taxation system operated on a plan where
each state was divided into a number of regions,
in each of which an appointed person was to
provide Rome with an agreed amount of tax for
that region. This person then had to arrange for
others to help him collect the taxes. These
taxes included both direct personal taxes and
taxes on goods that people transported from one
district to another (Matt. 9:9). There were
various grades of tax collectors (Luke 19:2).
All these tax collectors had to collect enough
money to send to Rome the amount required, yet
have enough left over as wages for themselves.
The system gave much scope for corrupt practices
(Luke 3:12-13; Luke 19:8). As a result tax
collectors had a bad reputation, and were
usually associated with the most despised people
in society (Matt. 5:46; 9:10; 11:19; 18:17; Mark 2:15-17).
Teleological Argument
is an attempted proof of God's existence based
upon the premise that the universe is designed
and therefore needs a designer: God.
Temple, Tabernacle: First
used of the tabernacle, which is called “the
temple of the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:9). In the New
Testament the word is used figuratively of
Christ's human body (John 2:19, John 2:21).
Believers are called “the temple of God” (1 Cor. 3:16-17). The Church is
designated “an holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2:21). Heaven is also called a temple (Rev. 7:5). We read also of the heathen “temple of
the great goddess Diana” (Acts 19:27).
This word is generally used in Scripture of
the sacred house erected on the summit of
Mount Moriah for the worship
of God. It is called “the temple” (1 Kings 6:17); “the temple [R.V., 'house'] of the
Lord” (2 Kings 11:10); “thy holy temple” (Ps. 79:1); “the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 23:5;
2 Chron. 23:12); “the house of the God of
Jacob” (Isa. 2:3); “the house of my glory”
(Isa. 60:7); an “house of prayer” (Isa. 56:7;
Matt. 21:13); “an house of sacrifice” (2 Chron. 7:12); “the house of their sanctuary”
(2 Chron. 36:17); “the mountain of the Lord's house”
(Isa. 2:2); “our holy and our beautiful
house” (Isa. 64:11); “the holy mount” (Isa. 27:13); “the palace for the Lord God”
(1 Chron. 29:1); “the tabernacle of witness” (2 Chron. 24:6); “Zion” (Ps. 74:2;
Ps. 84:7). Christ
calls it “my Father's house” (John 2:16).
(See also: Sanctuary: The Holy of Holies)
(See:
Tabernacle, Temple, Synagogue: What’s the
Difference?;
Tabernacle: Called The: Temple of the Lord
and
What Was the Purpose and Meaning of the
Tabernacle in Exodus?)
Temptation
God may allow people to meet temptations and
trials in order to test their faith, but he will
never tempt them to do evil. Rather he wants to
deliver them from evil.
Deut. 13:3; 1 Chron. 21:1;
Job 29:2; 31:1; Ps. 81:7; Matt. 4:1; 4:3-4; Mark 1:12-13;
Luke 4:3; 1 Cor. 10:13; Eph. 6:14-17; Heb. 4:15;
James 1:13;
1 Jn. 5:4
Ten Commandments
Exod. 20:1-17; 31:18; Lev. 16:13; Deut. 9:10;
Josh. 8:32;
Mark 2:27; Rom. 10:4
Terrorism
2 Kings 25:7-9; Jer. 39:7
Testing
By God Deut. 8:2; 13:3;
1 Chron. 29:17; 2 Chron. 32:31; Job 1:8; 7:18; 16:9; 23:10;
Ps. 66:10; 81:7; Matt. 4:1; 15:23-26;
Mark 7:26-27; Rom. 16:10; 1 Thess. 3:3; James 1:13; 1
Pet. 1:7
Of God
Ps. 78:18
Tetragrammaton
(YHWH) This is a term applied to the four Hebrew
letters that make up the name of God as revealed
to Moses in Exod. 3:14. God said to Moses, "And God
said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM; and He said, Thus
you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has
sent me to you." In John 8:58 Jesus’ made his
identity known to everyone when he said, “I am”
(e.g., John 6:35; 9:5; 11:25). Jesus is claiming
to be the one who was alive before Abraham was.
When he said this, the Jews "picked up stones to
throw at him" for blasphemy. (See: John 10:31-33; 11:8)
Thaddaeus (Jude)
one of the twelve apostles, Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18
Thanksgiving
Exod. 23:15; 1 Sam. 31:12; Ps. 116:13; 116:17;
Eph. 5:20
Theism is the philosophical
worldview that perceives the orders of
existence (physical things, organisms,
persons) as dependent for their being and
continuance on one self-existent God, who
alone is worthy of worship. Theists differ
among themselves about the nature of God and
the relation of God to these orders, but
they close ranks against deists, who, in
principle, exclude revelation and divine
intervention in world order, and against
pantheists, who identify God with these
orders. Theists hold that God, transcendent
creator of the orders, remains an
indivisible unity as he sustains them in
accordance with their capacities and his
ultimate purposes. In Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam, this ultimate reality is often
called God.
The
difference between Christianity and theism
is that theism is belief in the existence of
one or more deities (gods). That's all it
is. Christianity is a monotheistic religion,
which preaches the existence of a single
deity (God).
Theocracy
is a form of government in which God is
recognized as the supreme ruler of a nation
or people. Though the Bible never uses the
term, it is the form of government that
characterized Israel before the time of the
kings (see 1 Sam. 10:19).
Theophany is a visible
manifestation of God usually restricted to the
Old Testament. God has appeared in dreams (Gen. 20:3-7;
Gen. 28:12-17), visions (Gen. 15:1-21;
Isaiah 6:1-13), as an angel (Gen. 16:7-13; 18:1-33), etc. There is a manifestation known as
the Angel of the Lord (Judges 6:20f.) and seems
to have characteristics of God Himself (Gen. 16:7-9; 18:1-2; Exodus 3:2-6; Joshua 5:14;
Judges 2:1-5; 6:11). Such characteristics as
having the name of God, being worshiped, and
recognized as God has led many scholars to
conclude that the angel of the Lord is really
Jesus manifested in the Old Testament. This does
not mean that Jesus is an angel. The word
"angel" means messenger. Other scriptures that
describe more vivid manifestations of God are
Gen. 17:1; 18:1; Exod. 6:2-3; 24:9-11; 33:20;
Num. 12:6-8; Acts 7:2.
(Compare: Angel of the Lord and Anthropomorphism)
The Book of 1 Thessalonians 1-5
Paul wrote this letter to encourage new
believers in their faith, to give them assurance
about the eternal state of believers who had
died, to remind them of "the coming of the Lord"
(1 Thessalonians 4:15), and to exhort them to
godly living. He urged them to be at peace, and
to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Thessalonica (present-day
Thessaloniki, Greece) was the capital of Roman
Macedonia. It was on important trade routes.
Paul, twice identified as the author (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:18), visited Thessalonica
on his second missionary journey but was forced
to flee because of Jewish opposition. He sent
Timothy to work with the largely Gentile church
there, and Timothy brought him good news of
their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:6). This is one
of Paul's first letters, probably written in
A.D. 51.
The Book of 2 Thessalonians 1-3
This letter from the apostle Paul was probably
written shortly after his first letter to the
church in Thessalonica. He had been boasting of
them to other churches, telling of their faith
and their love for each other in the face of
persecution. Paul reminded them that God will
repay their persecutors. He also addressed two
recurring problems in this church First, as seen
in 1 Thessalonians, they were concerned that the
Lord had already returned. Paul urged them not
to become "shaken in mind or alarmed," fearing
that "the day of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 2:2)
had already come. Second, he admonished them not
to be idle, commanding them that, "If anyone is
not willing to work, let him not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Thomas Didymus, one of the
twelve apostles, Matthew 10:2-3. Questioned
Jesus, John 14:5-7. Saw Jesus after
resurrection, John 20:24-29; John 21:2.
Tiberius Caesar
I.e., as known in Roman history, Tiberius
Claudius Nero, only mentioned in Luke 3:1. He
was the stepson of Augustus, whom he
succeeded on the throne, A.D. 14. He was
noted for his vicious and infamous life. In
the fifteenth year of his reign John the
Baptist entered on his public ministry, and
under him also our Lord taught and suffered.
He died A.D.37. He is frequently referred to
simply as “Caesar” (Matt. 22:17; 22:21; Mark 12:14; Luke 20:22; 20:24; 20:25; 23:2; John 19:12-15).
Tithe (Give, Receive) means to give a
tenth part, to take a tenth part, to give
the tithe, to receive the tithe. This
pivotal Hebrew word first appears in
reference to a vow made by Jacob (Gen. 28:22). He promised to return one-tenth of
his possessions to the Lord if the Lord
would go with him. Under the Law given by
Moses, this tithe was made mandatory on all
increase (Deut. 14:22; see also Deut. 26:12).
It was the duty of the priest to receive
these tithes (Ne. 10:37, 38). Samuel also
used this word to describe the taxes imposed
by a king (1 Sam. 8:15, 17). Genesis 14:20
records that Abraham gave king/priest
Melchizedek “a tenth of all,” the word
“tenth” being rooted in the same Hebrew word
as “tithe.”
Under the Old Testament law, tithing was
mandatory. However, there is no set amount
given in the New Testament. The Scriptures
encourage giving on a regular basis. (Acts 2:43-47; Acts 4:32-37; Acts 11:27-30;
Gal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1-9:15).
Time The concept of time was
created for humanity by God in Genesis 1:14-19... This concept of time is
understood quantitatively and measured by
successive objects, events or moments (Zodhiates
1992:1487). (Ps. 90:12; Eccl. 3:1-8; 2 Cor. 6:2;
2 Pet. 3:8; James 4:13-15; Eph. 1:10; Eph. 5:15-16;
Col. 4:5)
The
Book of 1 Timothy 1-6
1 Timothy is one of three pastoral letters
(including 2 Timothy and Titus) that the aging
apostle Paul sent to those who would continue
his work. Timothy was, in every way, Paul's
spiritual son. Young but gifted, Timothy had
been assigned to lead the church at Ephesus-a
church needing order in worship as well as
doctrinal correction, plagued as it was by false
teachers. Paul's letter, likely written about
A.D. 62-66, counseled the young man on matters
of church leadership-from proper worship, to
qualifications for overseers (elders) and
deacons, to advice on confronting false teaching
and how to treat various individuals within a
congregation. Paul charged Timothy to live a
life beyond reproach, giving believers a
standard to emulate.
The Book of 2 Timothy 1-4
Paul wrote this letter as he awaited execution.
Despite all that Paul was facing-death, the end
of his ministry, abandonment by most of his
friends for fear of persecution-he faithfully
directed his spiritual son Timothy to the hope
that is in Christ. As he exhorted Timothy to
boldness, endurance, and faithfulness in the
face of false teaching, Paul showed his
customary concern for sound doctrine. Scripture,
said Paul, is "breathed out by God" and is
sufficient in all things pertaining to the faith
and practice of Christians (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Older believers, therefore, should be eager to
pass on their knowledge of Scripture to those
who are younger in the faith (2 Timothy 2:2). Paul
probably wrote from Rome, A.D. 67 or 68.
Tithes
Gen. 14:20; 28:22; Lev. 27:30; Deut. 12:17; 26:12;
1 Chron. 6:54; 2 Chron. 31:5;
Prov. 3:9-10; Mal. 3:9-10; 2 Cor. 9:7
The Book of Titus 1-3
This pastoral letter from Paul to Titus was
intended to offer encouragement and wisdom as
Titus endured ongoing opposition from the
ungodly and from legalists within his
congregations. Paul instructed Titus to complete
his assigned job of establishing overseers
(elders) for the churches under his care. He
described what sort of people these leaders
should be, and how all believers should live in
relation to each other as well as in their
interactions with nonbelievers. Proper Christian
behavior is based on the fact that "the grace of
God has appeared, bringing salvation for all
people," and therefore those who believe in
Christ are to "live self-controlled, upright,
and godly lives" as they await his return (Titus 2:11-13). Paul probably wrote this letter in the
60s a.d.
Tongues
(Greek: glōssa) means “languages”. When the
early believers were empowered with the Holy
Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they were
given the ability to speak in many different
“languages,” so that those visiting from all
around the Greco-Roman world could hear the
glories of God being uttered in their native
tongue (Acts 2:4-11). The household of
Cornelius also spoke in different languages
when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit
(Acts 10:46). The same phenomenon happened
with the new disciples from Ephesus (Acts 19:6). Nothing but known human languages
were spoken. Some Christians believe that
tongues can be unintelligible, ecstatic
utterances because of how they understand 1 Corinthians 12-14 and from their own
personal experiences. Since the tongues
spoken on the Day of Pentecost were clearly
recognizable human languages (Acts 2:4; 6; 8; 11), those who interpret tongues as
ecstatic speech have the burden of proof to
show why that is the case from scripture
alone. We should always interpret the
difficult and less than clear passages of
scripture by what is clearly revealed in
God’s word. Acts 2:1-13; 10:44-48; 19:1-7; 1 Cor. 12-14
(See:
The Gift of Tongues and the Sign Gifts
and
Speaking in Tongues in the New Testament)
Transfiguration Jesus’
transfiguration took place on a high mountain,
possibly Matt. Hermon, not far from Caesarea
Philippi in northern Palestine. The event was a
revelation of Christ’s glory, witnessed by only
three chosen disciples. In coming into the
world, Jesus had laid that glory aside, but now
it reappeared briefly, displayed through a human
body. It was also a foretaste of the glory that
Christ would receive after he had completed the
work that he had come to do. Only Peter, James, and
John were with Jesus when it happened. Matt. 16:28; 17:10; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:29
Transubstantiation The
belief of the Roman Catholic church that the
bread and wine used in mass miraculously becomes
the actual body and blood of Jesus.
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
is one of two specific trees in the story of
the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2-3, along
with the tree of life. Alternatively, some
scholars have argued that the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil is just another
name for the tree of life.
Gen. 2:17
Tree of Life
is mentioned three times in Genesis 2, in
Eden, and again four times in Revelation,
three of those in the final chapter. These
instances seem to refer to Eden’s literal
tree of life. We’re told the tree of life is
presently in Paradise, the intermediate
Heaven (Revelation 2:7). The New Jerusalem
itself, also in the present Heaven, will be
brought down, the tree of life and all, and
placed on the New Earth (Revelation 21:2).
Just as the tree was apparently relocated
from Eden to the present Heaven, it will be
relocated again to the New Earth. Gen. 2:9; 2:10-14; 3:22; 3:24;
Rev. 22:2; 22:14-15
Trials, trouble or affliction of
any kind (Deut. 4:30; Matt. 13:21;
2 Cor. 7:4). In Rom. 2:9 “tribulation and anguish”
are the penal sufferings that shall overtake the
wicked. In Matt. 24:21, Matt. 24:29, the word
denotes the calamities that were to attend the
destruction of Jerusalem. John 16:33; 1 Thess. 2:19; James 1:2;
1 Pet. 1:6; 1:7; 2:21.
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of God is distinguished
by its emphasis on divine three-in-oneness, that
is, the eternal coexistence of the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit in the inner personal life of
the Godhead. Evangelical theology affirms that
the living, speaking, and acting God is a
personal divine trinity of Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit in the eternal unity of God Himself, and
in His work. The one God, the subject of all
divine revelation, is self-disclosed—as the
Bible authoritatively teaches—as the invisible
Father (from whom all revelation proceeds), the
Son (who mediates and objectively incarnates
that revelation in a historical manifestation)
and the Holy Spirit (who is divinely outpoured
and subjectively applies that revelation to
men). Gen. 1:26; 11:7; Deut. 6:4; John 14:9-28;
2 Cor. 13:13-14;
Titus 3:3-8; Jude 20-21
Reference to Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:3-6; Eph. 4:4-6; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:2
Evident at Jesus' baptism Matt. 3:16-17
To be baptized in the name of Matt. 28:18-20
The apostolic benediction 2 Cor. 13:13-14
See: The
Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity
by Robert Bowman
Tritheism is the teaching that
the Godhead is really three separate beings
forming three separate gods. This erring view is
often misplaced for the doctrine of the Trinity
which states that there is but one God in three
persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Tritheism
stresses the plurality of the Godhead. Many
human analogies for the Trinity actually
convey Tritheism instead. Examples include
the erroneous analogy that the Trinity is
like an egg with the three parts of yolk,
white, and shell.
Trust
according to Google, is defined as a firm
belief in the reliability, truth, ability,
or strength of someone or something. Trust
in God does NOT mean that you believe
everything will go the way you want it to,
and it does.
Deut. 28:65; Ps. 77:2;
Eccl. 11:10; Matt. 6:25; Luke 12:22
In God Gen. 22:2;
Exod. 30:12; Josh. 11:6; Judg. 7:5-6; 2 Kings 4:2-7; 18:14;
1 Chron. 18:4; 2 Chron. 28:5; Ne. 6:13; Job 2:10; 12:15-23; 19:25; 23:14-15;
Ps. 11:1; 91:16; 112:6-7; 116:10; 142:6;
Isa. 30:18; Mic. 7:7; Hab. 3:17;
James 1:2; 1:7-8
In
Idols 2 Chron. 25:14; Isa. 27:10-11
In
military power Josh. 11:6; 1 Sam. 12:12; 2 Sam. 24:3, 10;
1 Chron. 21:1, 6-7; Isa. 20:5-6; 22:8-11; 30:1-2; 31:1; 34:1-3;
Jer. 2:36; Ezek. 16:26-29; 29:6-7; Hosea 7:11;
Hab. 1:16
In
money Job 36:19; Ps. 12:8; 97:7; Isa. 2:7-8; 39:1-2
In
people Ps. 146:3-4
Learning to Exod. 16:4;
Ps. 78:5-7; Isa. 43:2
Truth
Prov. 22:17; 23:23; Isa. 45:23; Jer. 22:5; 38:2-3;
Matt. 5:34-37; Acts 16:18; 2 Tim. 3:7; James 5:12;
2 Jn. 1:1;
Rev. 1:19-20
Type, Typology is a Christian
form of biblical interpretation that
proceeds on the assumption that God placed
anticipations of Christ in the laws, events,
and people of the Old Testament. A type is a
representation by one thing of another. Adam was
a type of Christ (Rom. 5:14) and so was Isaac
(Heb. 11:19). The Passover was a type of Christ
(1 Cor. 5:7). There are many types in the Bible
and most of them are too extensive and deep to
be listed. An example of a typology follows:
Isaac was a type of Jesus.
U
Unbelief
Num. 20:12; Deut. 1:34; Ps. 78:32; 95:11; 115:2;
Isa. 29:9-10;
Matt. 12:39;
Mark 6:5-6; Luke 11:29; John 6:29; 10:26
Unbelievers 2 Cor. 6:14; 1 Pet 2:8, 12, 15; 3:14-5;
1 Jn. 3:8
Unclean Spirits The most
frequent mention of unclean spirits in the Bible
is in relation to the ministry of Jesus.
Elsewhere in the Bible evil spirits are called
demons. Satan is their leader, and he used them
in an exceptional way to oppose Jesus’ ministry
(Mark 1:21-27; 3:11; 5:2; Mark 5:7; 6:7; 7:25).
Jesus’ victory over evil spirits was a sign that
the kingdom of God had come and Satan was being
conquered (Matt. 4:23-24; 12:28;
Understanding God
Gen. 14:18; 41:37-39; Exod. 5:1-3; Deut. 10:17; 29:4;
1 Kings 5:7; 10:1;
2 Chron. 32:16-19; Ezra 6:10; Job 10:2; 41:11;
Ps. 65:8; 97:2-5; Prov. 25:2; 30:2-3; Eccl. 11:5;
Ezek. 20:9; John 2:7-9;
Luke 15:25-32; John 6:46, 57
Unity
Ps. 133; John 17; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor. 1; 2; 3; 4; 10:16-17; 11:17-34;
Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 4:1-16
Unity of believers
Ps. 133:1; John 17:21-23; Acts 15:20; Rom. 15:5-7;
Eph. 4:13; 5:21; Phil. 2:2-5
Universalism is the teaching
that all people will eventually be saved through
the universal redemption of Jesus. Some
universalists teach that even the devil, after a
time of punishment, will be redeemed. It is an
aberrant theological system.
Unpardonable Sin is persistence
in refusing to accept Christ as Lord and Savior
which prevents one from receiving God’s
forgiveness; blasphemy that reflects such a
condition. Mark 3:29-30; 2 Thess. 1:8-9; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-31;
1 Jn. 5:10-17.
V
Values
(spiritual) Matt. 5:3-10; 5:19
Venial
Sin in Roman Catholicism, a sin but not
as bad as mortal Sin which is a serious and
willful transgression of God's Law and can
result in eternal damnation. It lessens the
grace of God within a person's soul.
Vicarious
Atonement is the teaching that the
atonement which states that Christ's death was
"legal." It satisfied the legal justice of God.
Jesus bore the penalty of sin when he died on
the cross. His death was a substitution for the
believers. In other words, he substituted
himself for them upon the cross. Jesus hung in
our place as He bore our sin in his body on the
cross. Isa. 53:5; Mark 10:45; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18
Vineyard
1 Kings 21; Matt. 20:1-16; Matt. 21:28-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19
Virgin Deut. 22:13-29; Isa. 7:14
Virgin birth
Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:34
Vows
were voluntary promises which, when once made,
were to be kept if the thing vowed was right.
They were made under a great variety of
circumstances Gen. 28:18-22; Lev. 7:16; Num. 30:2-13;
Deut. 23:18; Judg. 11:30, 39;
1 Sam. 1:11; Jonah 1:16; Acts 18:18; 21:23.
W
Wait
(for God) Isa. 64:4; Amos 5:13; Hab. 2:1
Wars
Gen. 49:24; Josh. 11:23;
Judg. 20:8-43
Atrocities Josh. 10:24-26;
1 Sam. 27:9;
2 Kings 15:16;
Ps. 137:8-9; Isa. 21:3-4
Destruction 2 Kings 3:25
Spiritual Job 1:13-19;
Ps. 70:2; 83:2-8; Isa. 24:21-22; Dan. 10:12;
Matt. 11:12; 2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:14-17; 6:12;
2 Tim. 2:3
Warning
(others) Ezek. 3:17; 33:6-9
Water
John 4:10-14; 7:37-38;
Rev. 22:1-2
Wealth
Num. 7:26-80; Ps. 12:8; Prov. 8:10-11; 11:25-28; 19:10; 22:2;
Eccl. 5:11; 10:19;
Amos 3:12;
Luke 6:24-26; 16:19-31; 18:25; 1 Tim. 6:9-11;
James 5:1-6
Widows
Deut. 25:5-9; Isa. 4:1; 54:1-6; Mic. 2:9; 1 Tim. 5:9
Will of God
Matt. 26:36-46; John 4:34; 6:38; Rom. 12:1-8;
Eph. 1:3-14; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; James 4:13-15
1 Pet. 4:12-19
Wine several types of wine were
consumed. “New” or “sweet” wine was likely wine
from the first drippings of juice before the
grapes had been trodden. Some interpreters argue
that new wine was unfermented. Some texts in
which it is mentioned, however, allude to its
intoxicating effects (Hosea 4:11; Acts 2:13). In
a hot climate before the invention of
refrigeration, it was not possible to keep wine
many months past the harvest before fermentation
began. Sour wine, perhaps vinegar mixed with
oil, was a common drink of day laborers (Ruth 2:14; Luke 23:36). Wine was considered a luxury
item which could both gladden the heart (Ps. 104:15) or cloud the mind (Isa. 28:7;
Hosea 4:11).
Wisdom
Num. 27:18; Job 28:12-28; Prov. 1:2; 8:10-11; 21:5; 24:27;
Eccl. 1:18;
Rom. 1:22; 16:27; James 4:13-15
God’s
1 Kings 4:29-34; Job 2:10; 28:1-23; 1 Cor. 1:17-21; 2:6-8; 2:13; 4:6;
James 1:5
Using
1 Kings 11:4-8; Prov. 21:22
Witchcraft
Lev. 20:6-7;
Deut. 18:10-12;
1 Sam. 15:23; 1 Sam. 28; 2 Kings 9:22; 2
Chron. 33:6; Isa. 8:19-22; 47:10-14;
Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Acts 8:9-24; 13:6-12; 19:13-19;
Gal. 5:19-21
Women
As
property Gen. 19:8; 30:3; 31:15; 38:14; Exod. 21:7-11;
Deut. 20:14;
Judg. 19:24; 2 Sam. 3:7; 20:3; 1 Kings 2:22-23;
Isa. 13:16
Godly Esther 2:8;
Prov. 31:1; 31:10-31; 1 Tim. 2:11
Leadership Exod. 15:20;
Judg. 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14;
1 Chron. 7:24; 2 Chron. 22:10; Acts 18:26;
Rom. 16:1-2
Roles
of Judg. 1:12-13; 2 Sam. 20:16, 22; Ne. 3:12
Status Gen. 2:18-22;
Exod. 22:16-17; Num. 30:3-16; Ruth 2:9; 2 Sam. 11:4;
Jer. 44:19; John 4:7
Word of God
Gen. 1; Ps. 33:6-9; Matt. 4:1-11; John 1:1-18; Eph. 6:10-17;
Heb. 4:12-13; 11:1-3; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:22-25;
Rev. 9:13-16
Work
Daily
Ne. 4:6-9; Ps. 90:17; 127:1-2; Isa. 26:12; 1 Cor. 10:31; 15:58;
Col. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:10
Nature
of Gen. 1:28; 2:15; 19-20; 3:17-19; Exod. 20:9;
Eccl. 1:14; 2:11-17; 3:9-10;
Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11
God’s
relationship to Deut. 5:13; Ps. 104:23; Prov. 6:6-11; 10:4-5; 14:23; 27:23-27
Works Righteousness or the
ability to earn salvation through good works.
The New Testament is clear about the nature
of saving faith. (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:4-5). According to Scripture,
salvation is by faith in Christ alone
through God’s grace alone. When you put your
trust in Jesus Christ, He declares you
righteous—not because you are, but because
He imputes His righteousness to you, and
because He paid the penalty for your sin.
Christ bears our sin, and we receive His
righteousness. That is the indescribable
glory of the doctrine of justification (2 Cor. 5:21).
World in the Bible, as in
ordinary speech, ‘the world’ may refer to the
physical world of God’s creation or to the
people who inhabit that world (Ps. 90:2; Ps. 98:7;
Ps. 98:9; Matt. 25:34; John 3:16; Rom. 10:18).
Because of sin, the world has become a place
where Satan rules in people’s lives (John 12:31;
Rom. 5:12; 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Jn. 5:19). Therefore,
the Bible frequently speaks of the present
world, or present age, as something that is evil
and that is opposed to God (John 7:7; John 17:25; James 4:4;
1 Jn. 2:15). The world in
this sense is the subject of the present article
- the world of sinful human beings along with
all the wrong attitudes that characterize them.
Worldly
(Carnal) in the Greek means
flesh, which is a reference to your sinful
nature. (1 Corinthians 3:1-4; 1 Jn. 2:15-16).
Carnality is lust, which is an unhealthy
attraction or desire for something. Usually,
when lust grips your heart or mind it
becomes all-consuming. In this case, this
lust of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride
of life form the foundation or basis for
developing a carnal mind. Human nature (the
flesh) is directed and controlled by sin,
and rebels against God’s law. It is
incapable of being reformed and produces all
the evil in the world. Like a deadly disease
it cannot be cured, and leads only to moral
decay and death (Romans 7:5; Romans 8:6-8;
Galatians 6:8; Colossians 2:23). The evil
results of the flesh affect every part of
human life and activity (Galatians 5:19-21;
cf. Matthew 7:18). 1 Kings 4:29-34; Rom. 7:8-10; 7:18-23;
2 Pet. 1:9;
Heb. 10:26-39; 1 Jn. 2:1-3; 1 Cor. 3:1-3;
Gal. 5:16-18
Wrath of God Biblically, it is
the divine judgment upon sin and sinners. It
does not merely mean that it is a casual
response by God to ungodliness, but carries the
meaning of hatred, revulsion, and indignation.
God is by nature love (1 Jn. 4:16), however, in
His justice He must punish sin. The punishment
is called the wrath of God. It will occur on the
final Day of Judgment when those who are unsaved
will incur the wrath of God. It is, though,
presently being released upon the ungodly (Rom. 1:18-32) in the hardening of their hearts. Wrath
is described as God's anger (Num. 32:10-13), as
stored up (Rom. 2:5-8), and as great (Zech. 7:12). The believer's deliverance from God's
wrath is through the atonement (Rom. 5:810).
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for
obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ," (1 Thess. 5:9).
X
Xanthicus The name of a
month which occurs in 2 Macc 11:30, 33, 38.
It corresponds to Nisan (April) of the
Jewish calendar.
Xerxes
was king of Persia in 485-465 BC. The first
part of his reign was marked by the famous
campaign into Greece, beginning in 483.
After the defeat at Salamis in 480 Xerxes
himself withdrew from the expedition and it
was finally discontinued in the next year.
During the remainder of his reign, Xerxes
seems to have spent a listless existence,
absorbed in intrigues of the harem, and
leaving the government to be carried on by
his ministers and favorites (often slaves).
He was finally murdered by his vizier and
left an unenviable reputation for caprice
and cruelty.
Y
Yahweh The Hebrew personal name
of God revealed to Moses; came to be thought too
holy to pronounce by Jews; often translated LORD
or Jehovah from the “Tetragrammaton”. This is
from four Hebrew letters (YHWH). The four
characters are the four Hebrew letters that
correspond to YHWH and are transliterated IAUE
or Yahweh. Yahweh is the name of the Almighty
Father in Heaven that people commonly call "The
LORD" or "God". Exod. 3:13-15; 6:2-3.
Yeast Mark 8:15; Luke 13:21
Yin and Yang
A dualistic philosophy of passive and active,
good and bad, light and dark, positive and
negative, male and female, etc., and that they
are in opposition, each is part of the whole and
works together.
Yoga
(eastern) is a philosophical as well as physical
way of life emphasizing harmony of body, mind,
and self-enlightenment. It uses meditation,
breathing exercises, and concentration
techniques. The philosophy of yoga is based in
Eastern Metaphysical beliefs.
Yoke
Deut. 21:3; 1 Kings 19:19-21
Youth
Eccl. 11:7-12:7; Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:13-36; 1 Tim. 4:11-16
Z
Zeal:
Zeal for God: 1 Kings 19:9-10;
Num. 25:1-13; 1 Kings 19:13-14; 2 Kings 10:15-28;
Prov. 23:17;
Exod. 20:5; Exod. 34:14; Deut. 4:24; 5:9; Josh. 24:19; Nah 1:2
Zeal for God's House: Ps. 69:7-9; John 2:13-17
Zeal for God's Service: Rom. 12:11;
Ne. 3:20;
2 Cor. 8:16-22
Zeal for God's Law: Acts 21:20; ; Ps. 119:137-144
Zeal for the Nation 2 Sam. 21:2
Zeal, God's
wrath against sin: Isa. 42:13; Num. 25:10-11;
Deut. 29:18-21;
Isa. 59:12-19;
Ezek. 5:8-13; 36:5-7; 38:18-23
for his people: Isa. 26:11; 2 Kings 19:29-31;
Isa. 37:30-32; Isa. 9:1-7; 63:15;
Ezek. 39:25
(From: Dictionary of Bible Themes: Zeal)
The Book of Zechariah 1-14
As Haggai encouraged the returned Jewish exiles
to rebuild the temple, Zechariah encouraged them
to repent and renew their covenant with God.
Such spiritual renewal would be necessary for
the people to be ready to worship God once the
temple was rebuilt (about 516 b.c.). He accused
them of doing the very things their ancestors
had done before the exile. He was concerned
about social justice for widows, orphans, and
foreigners. But as the people endured opposition
from the non-Jewish inhabitants of Judea,
Zechariah reassured them of God's abiding
comfort and care. God would continue his
covenant with Israel. Messianic hope was
rekindled during Zechariah's ministry, and the
book ends with the promise that the Lord would
establish his rule over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9).
The Book of Zephaniah 1-3
Zephaniah prophesied during the reforms of King
Josiah (640-609 b.c.), who brought spiritual
revival to Judah after the long and disastrous
reign of Manasseh. Zephaniah pronounced God's
judgment on corruption and wickedness but also
his plan to restore Judah. He spoke of the
coming "day of the Lord," when sin would be
punished, justice would prevail, and a "remnant"
of the faithful would be saved. The term "day of
the Lord" occurs throughout the Bible referring
both to impending historical judgments from God
and to his final judgment at the end of time.
Though Zephaniah does not give details about
this day, he speaks of its fearsome consequences
(Zephaniah 1:18) and calls people to seek the
Lord (Zephaniah 2:3).
Zion
2 Sam. 5:6-7; 2 Kings 19:31; 2 Chron. 5:2; Ps. 2:6; 9:7, 11; 20:2; 48:1-2; 74:2; 78:68; 110:2;
Isa. 18:7; 28:16; 33:20; 51:16; 59:20; Joel 3:17, 21;
Amos 1:2; Mic. 4:7;
Heb. 12:22;
Rev. 14:1
Zodiac The stars in the heavens
divided into twelve main groups. Imaginary
patterns are imposed upon various star patterns
as an aid to remember the stars. In Astrology,
the Zodiac signs signify personality types for
the people born under them. The Zodiac signs are
determined by durations of time in the calendar.
The twelve signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini,
Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius,
Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
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Bible
Introductions, Outlines, People, Places and
Maps
Introductions to the All the
Books of the Bible
https://www.blueletterbible.org/resources/intros.cfm
(We use these book introductions on this
page)
The Alphabetical List of All the
Men Named in The Bible:
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/all-men-bible/toc
The Alphabetical List of All the
Women Named in The Bible:
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/all-women-bible/Introduction
Dictionary of Bible Themes
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionary-of-bible-themes/toc
Places in the Bible:
ChristianAnswers.net
https://christiananswers.net/dictionary/places.html
Bible Maps: Bible History Online:
https://www.bible-history.com/maps
Encyclopedia of The Bible
The contents of this encyclopedia derive
from a previously published
work known as
The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the
Bible, 5 Volume Set.
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/toc
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