A Layman's Reference Guide to Selected  

Theological "-ism"s, "-ology"s, "-tion"s and Other Terms

by Randy Smith

Infralapsarianism

                Also known as Sublapsarianism, this term pertains to the doctrine of salvation and specifically the election of the saints.  The term comes from the Latin words infra, "below" and lapsus, "fall," hence, it is the view that God decreed election after the Fall. (Enns, p.628)

                According to the infralapsarian view the order of events was as follows: God proposed 1) to create; 2) to permit the fall; 3) to elect to eternal life and blessedness a great multitude out of this mass of fallen men, and to leave the others, as He left the Devil and the fallen angels, to suffer the just punishment of their sins; 4) to give His Son, Jesus Christ, for the redemption of the elect; and 5) to send the Holy Spirit to apply to the elect the redemption which was purchased by Christ.

                The Scriptures are practically infralapsarian, and lapsarianism is free from the Arminian objection that God simply creates some men in order to damn them.  Augustine and the great majority of those who have held the doctrine of election since that time have been and are infralapsarians, that is, they believe that it was from the mass of fallen men that some were elected to eternal life while others were passed over and sentenced to eternal death for their sins. (Boettner, p.126-128)

                The infralapsarian view differs from supralapsarianism in its view of the timing of God's election.  In viewing God's election as occurring after the Fall, the infralapsarian view sees God's election as an direct action taken on behalf of the elect, while His passing over of the non-elect and their resultant damnation is a resultant consequence of their fallen state.  For a comparison, see Supralapsarianism and Double Predestination

Inspiration

                The English word in the King James Bible is the translation of the Greek word theopneustos, meaning "God breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16).  Inspiration is the act of the Holy Spirit in which He superintended the writers of Scripture so that, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, they produced God's Word written, authoritative, trustworthy, and free from error in the original writings. (Enns, 638)

Intercession

                From the Hebrew paga, meaning "to prevail upon with petitions."  The Greek verb entygchano means "to make intercession." (Harrison, p.290)  The concept of intercession is one which all Christians are told to practice in their prayers.  We are to place our intercessory prayers before God on behalf of others, just as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit intercede with God the Father on our behalf.  And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. - Romans 8:26-27

Justice

                The justice of God is taken together with His righteousness.  Because God is perfect, righteous and just, His justice is also perfectly correct.  He is just in all His dealings with humanity.  Indeed, God's justice is in accordance with the Law He has given us.  Since the Law reflects God's standard, God is righteous and just when He judges man for violating His revealed Law.

                God's justice is divided into several categories.  The Rectoral Justice of God recognizes God as moral ruler.  In imposing His moral Law in the world, God promises reward for the obedient and punishment for the disobedient.  The Distributive Justice of God relates to the execution of the Law in terms of both reward and punishment.  It is both positive and negative.  On the positive side  God's Remunerative Justice dispenses reward to the obedient (Deut. 7:9; Ps. 58:11; Rom. 2:7).  On the negative side, God's Retributive Justice is an expression of His divine wrath which punishes the wicked for their disobedience (Gen. 2:17; Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10; Rom. 6:23).  Since God is just and righteous, the punishment of evildoers is fair because they receive the just penalty due them for their sin. (Enns, p.196)

Justification

                 God's gracious declaration that all the demands of the Law are fulfilled on behalf of the believing sinner through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. (MacArthur, Faith Works, p.76)  The basic meaning of justification is "to declare righteous."  also see Death of Christ