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A Layman's Reference Guide to Selected |
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Theological "-ism"s, "-ology"s, "-tion"s
and Other Terms |
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by Randy Smith |
A B C D E F G H I-J K-L M N O P-Q R S T U-Z
Title Page Acknowledgments Bibliography Scripture Index
This term comes from the Greek ekenosen meaning "to empty." The term centers around Philippians 2:7 which says that Christ emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. The controversy with this verse is whether Christ lost any of His deity when He became a man. The preceding verse serves to show that Christ did NOT lose any of His deity. Instead, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped - Phil. 2:6. The term "grasped" is used to mean that Christ did not use His omnipotent power as God to save himself from being killed by His own creation. Instead, Christ was obedient to His Father and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross - Phil. 2:8. The controversy surrounds whether Christ lost any of His deity while taking His human form. Liberal theologians argue this was the case, but the hermeneutics of Scripture show us that Christ lost nothing of His deity. He simply obeyed God the Father and did nothing to save Himself from that horrible death on a cross. (Enns, p.228) also see Hypostatic Union The term kingdom comes from the Hebrew word malkut and the Greek word basileia. Both words signify the authority and rule of God, the heavenly King. The terms kingdom (e.g. Matt. 25:34), kingdom of God (e.g. Matt. 19:24), kingdom of heaven (e.g. Matt. 19:23) and other references to kingdom are synonymous. It is an idiom of the Jewish language to substitute a suitable term of deity with kingdom. Thus we see the kingdom of Christ (Eph. 5:5), the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col. 1:13), etc., as variations of the same idea. In the Old Testament the concept of God's kingdom was that of God's sovereign control over His creation as the heavenly King. In the New Testament the use of kingdom refers to the messianic authority the Father gives to the Son over the world. As 1 Cor. 15:24-28 reveals, Christ exercises authority over His kingdom until all enemies have been subdued. At that time Christ will return the kingdom to the Father. The kingdom also has a soteriological implication. The kingdom of God is the redemptive power of God over death and Satan. Entrance into the kingdom is deliverance from the power of darkness and the gift of eternal life in His light. For this reason, even while believers continue live here on the earth, we have gained admission into the kingdom. The kingdom is supernatural. Unless God reveals it, men will not find it or see it. While they can reject it and despise it, they cannot destroy it. The kingdom is not the church. It is an error to equate the kingdom of God with the church. Certainly God saves men and brings them to fellowship in the church, but the church is not the kingdom. (Harrison, p.311-315) One of the attributes of God. God is omniscient. He knows everything. There is nothing that can be concealed from Him. To the unbeliever and the unrepentant sinner, God's omniscience should be disconcerting. There is not a thought of ours He does not know. But to the repentant believer, His omniscience is of such comfort. Nothing has, or ever will, come to pass that God does not know about. (Pink, p.17) From the Greek word anomia. The general sense of this term has to do with rebellion or revolt against God, or alienation from Him. It is never used in the New Testament for the condition of one living without law, but always the condition or deed of one who acts contrary to the law. Though this term can be used to repudiate antinomianism, it is better used to repudiate the teaching of the Gnostics who saw themselves being free to obey or disobey moral law because of the special knowledge or enlightenment they had received. Law without grace. All the non-Christian religions of the world (and even much of Christendom) are tangled in the web of legalism because they teach that man must gain worthiness by keeping the law - either the law of their religion or the law of God. By keeping the law, the legalist believes he can make himself acceptable to God by his own merit, without God's saving grace. (Heinze, p.32) Adherence to the law is not bad. In fact, we are called to live by God's moral commands. The error of legalism is the mistaken belief that sinful man can make himself worthy of God solely by attempting to live by the law, thereby rejecting the Savior He sent us and the grace He gives to us. The meaning of words. Lexicology is one of the tools used in biblical interpretation. see Hermeneutics Also known as Modernism, the origin of liberal theology can be traced to eighteenth century Germany. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is considered the father of modern religious liberalism. Kant denied the proofs for the existence of God, maintaining that man can know God only through reason. The tenets of liberal theology include: religious beliefs must pass the tests of human reason and the findings of science; Christianity must be adapted to the modern world; the Bible in not infallible; there is no distinction between the natural and supernatural, therefore there is no distinction between God and nature, man and animals. (Enns, p.463) An anti-supernatural approach to Christianity and the Bible that arose because of rationalism. Liberalism denied the miraculous element of the Scriptures, stressing the importance of reason; whatever disagreed with reason and science was rejected. (Ibid., 639) See Liberal Theology above. Also known as definite or particular redemption. The term suggests that the atonement of Christ is limited to a definite or particular number of people. There are a number of passages that emphasize Christ died for a particular group of people and not everyone. As the Good Shepherd, Christ laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:15), but not everyone is included in this flock. If God is sovereign (Eph. 1:11) then His plan cannot be frustrated, but if Christ died for all people and all people are not saved, then God's plan is frustrated. If Christ died for all people, then redemption has been made for all and all are justified. That thinking logically leads to universalism (everyone will be saved). In passages stating that Christ died for the world it means He died for "people from every tribe and nation, not only the Jews." Similarly, when the word "all" is used (2 Cor. 5:15) it means all classes of people but not every person. (Ibid., 326) Literary Criticism - see Criticism From the Hebrew word Adonai and the Greek word Kyrios, the word lord has several meanings. In the human sense it is used as a polite address or title, such as is used by the people of the man Jesus (i.e., teacher, rabbi, master or lord). Theologically, the title Lord is one of the names of God. The Greeks also translated the name of God, Yahweh, as Lord. In the New Testament Jesus is addressed as our Lord as God. (Harrison, p.328) Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" - John 20:28 Christ instituted the Lord's Supper on the eve of His crucifixion, commanding that His followers continue to observe it until His return (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23) There are four distinct views within professing Christianity concerning its meaning. 1. Transubstantiation, meaning "a change of substance." This is the Roman Catholic view concerning the Lord's supper. The Roman Catholic church teaches that a miracle takes place at the Mass and the elements of the bread and wine are actually changed into the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ, although the sensory characteristics (which the Catholics call "accidents") of the elements- touch, smell, taste- remain the same. There are serious problems with this view. Chief among them is the view that the work of Christ on the cross was unfinished, therefore the sacrifice of Christ must continue in the celebration of the Mass. However misguided, this belief fits well with the Catholic works-oriented belief system. 2. Consubstantiation, meaning Jesus' body and blood are actually present in the elements but the bread and wine remain such; they do not change into literal body and blood as taught in Roman Catholic doctrine. This is the Lutheran view. To emphasize the presence of Christ in the elements, Lutherans use the terms "in, with, and under" to express the actual presence of the body and blood of Christ. Lutherans also differ from the Roman Catholic view in reject the notion of the perpetual sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist. The problem with the Lutheran view of the Eucharist is the failure to recognize Jesus' statement, "This is my body" as a figure of speech. 3. Reformed View, also called the Calvinist view because its adherents are from the Reformed churches (and others) who follow Calvin's teaching on the subject. This view rejects the notion of the literal presence of Christ in any sense. Calvin taught that the body and blood of Christ, though absent and locally present only in heaven, communicates a life-giving influence to the believer. Grace is communicated to the participant in the elements. The problem with this view is that there is no explicit statement of inference from Scripture suggesting that grace is imparted to the participant. 4. Memorial View, also known as the Zwinglian view because the Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) is considered a clear exponent of this view. Zwingli taught that there was no real presence of Christ but only a spiritual fellowship with Christ by those who partake in faith. Essential to the memorial view is the notion that the bread and cup are figurative only; they are a memorial to the death of Christ. (Enns, p.360) One of the attributes of God. Love is not merely one of God's attributes, it is His very nature. God's love is uninfluenced, eternal, sovereign, infinite, immutable, holy, and gracious. (Pink, p.77) God is love. - 1 John 4:8 Lower Criticism - see Criticism
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