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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
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"The collection of writings constituting the Jewish civil and religious law. It consists of two parts, the Mishnah (text) and the Gemara (commentary). (Webster's New World Dictionary) The term means "to test, to prove, or to experiment with." In the general sense, God sometimes tempts men. God tests man to show him what is in his own heart. Since only God knows our heart, He may test us to reveal what He wants us to know about ourselves. God also tests us to show Himself to us. It is by God's test that we realize the extent of His love and grace. In the specific sense, Satan also temps us. Satan's purpose in tempting is to lead us into evil. It must be recognized that God can not, by virtue of His holiness, tempt anyone to do evil (James 1:13-15). (Owen, p.97) Testimony - see Witness Sees God as a personal God, in immediate control of the world He has made. Theism sees God as having a plan for His creation and interacting within His creation on a personal level. Unlike Deism, which relies on the law for structure and order, Theism believes God is in immediate control, which delivers us from the law and places us in the immediate hands of a person. (Enns, p.15) The view first presented by James Dana and Asa Gray. Dana, a Yale geologist, and Gray, a Harvard botanist, did not believe in the literal six-day creation of Genesis 1. But, neither did they fully accept the theories of evolution. They developed a comprise theory that wedded Christian faith with evolutionary theory. Though woefully short on specifics, theistic evolution theorizes that under the control of God, over a vast period of time, man evolved from a primitive creature to the one that exists today. (Sarles, Anthropology, p.6-4) For a comparison, see Evolution and Creationism The system of theology that properly focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity and places in proper emphasis the working of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Sarles, Christology, p.3-6) The doctrine of the origin of evil. A proper view of theodicy recognizes that evil is privative. That is, evil is the absence of God's goodness, just as darkness is the result of the absence of light. "Therefore, by definition, evil has always existed potentially as the privation of God's righteousness. This is not dualism because evil is only potential, not actual." (Sarles, Angelology, p.4-5) also see Evil, Dualism, and Monism Derived from the Greek words theos, meaning "God," and logos, meaning "word" or "discourse." Thus the word theology means "discourse about God." (Enns, p.147) From the definition of theology, Theology Proper is the specific study of the existence and attributes of God the Father. (Ibid., p.183) From the Greek words theos (God) and nomos (law), theonomy is the legalistic and narrow view that Christians are obligated to keep the whole Law of God as a pattern of sanctification. The proponents of this view believe that there are only two possible courses of action in regards to adherence to God's Law: complete adherence (theonomy), or complete non-adherence to the law (antinomianism). Also known as a Christophany, it is a visible manifestation of God in the person of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. Theophanies occur several times in the Old Testament. Because the Old Testament is of Jewish origin, and because the Jewish religion does not accept the doctrine of the Trinity, theophanies in the Old Testament use various descriptions, such as "the angel of the Lord" (Genesis 16:7,9,10,11), "the Lord" (Gen. 17:1), "a certain man" described in Daniel 10:5. Though "the angel of the Lord" is used of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, all such occurrences of this phrase do not mean Christ. Some occasions indicate angels who are sent on behalf of God. Context determines meaning. For example, in Genesis 16:10 the angel of the Lord says "I will greatly multiply your descendants..." indicating that it is God is speaking rather than an angel representing God. The anthropological view that both the body and soul of every individual within the human race has been propagated down from Adam. The Traducian view holds that not only is the physical dimension of humanity (the body) handed down from Adam, but that our spiritual dimension (the soul and/or spirit) is also received directly from Adam. This view in contrary to creationism, which accepts our physical propagation from Adam, but holds that the soul of each individual is created and given by God. (Sarles, Anthropology, p.1-9) A theological term referring to the relationship of God to creation. Transcendence refers to the fact that God is separated from man and above man. God is transcendent in that He is holy and man is sinful; He is transcendent because He is infinite and man is finite. God is "wholly other" than man. (Enns, p.649) From the Greek metamorphoo, to "change into another form." This refers to the mysterious change in appearance of Jesus on the mount (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2) The gospel writers speak of His face becoming bright like the sun, and of His clothes being dazzling white. Moses and Elijah also appeared and were transfigured at the same time as the Lord. Transubstantiation - see Lord's Supper Also known as Daniel's Seventieth Week, the Tribulation is a period of seven years when God pours out His wrath and judgment on the unbelieving world. The events of the Tribulation are detailed in Revelation 6-19. It is a series of judgments on the earth and those who live on the earth. These judgments are described in Revelation as seals, trumpets and bowl judgments. The Tribulation climaxes with the triumphant second coming of Christ to the earth. The purpose for the Tribulation is to bring about the conversion of Israel while at the same time judging the unbelieving peoples and nations of the earth (2 Thes.2:12). The Tribulation begins with signing of a 7 year covenant by the Beast who promises to protects Israel (Dan. 9:27). But during the middle of that 7 year covenant the Beast breaks his covenant, desecrates the Jewish Temple, and begins to persecute and destroy the nation of Israel. Through the Tribulation those who come to believing faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be persecuted and killed for their faith and their testimony (Rev. 6:9). At the same time, two-thirds of the people of Israel will be killed while one-third will be supernaturally protected and preserved by God (Zech. 13:8) The anthropological view that man is composed of three distinct elements: body, soul and spirit. Where the dichotomist sees no distinction between soul and spirit, the trichotomist sees the spirit as existing distinctly from the soul. The trichotomist sees the soul as being on the horizontal plane (how men relate to other men) and believes the soul is "that immaterial part of man which is primarily associated with the personality of the individual, and as such encompasses the mind, emotion, and will." On the other hand, the trichotomist see the spirit as being on the vertical plane (how we relate to God) and views the spirit as "the seat of moral and spiritual powers sustaining a mediating position between God and the soul." (Sarles, Anthropology, p. 2-3) The doctrine of the Trinity. see Trinity The monotheistic doctrine of three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) existing as one God. Though the human mind is unable to fully comprehend the mystery of the existence of three persons as God, biblical evidence of the Trinity is without contradiction. The Ontological Trinity is the inter-relationship that exists between the members of the Godhead. Each member of the Trinity exists as a co-equal member of the Godhead. The Economic Trinity speaks of the roles each member of the Godhead plays. God the Father is responsible for electing (1 Peter 1:2), loving (John 3:16), and giving (James 1:17). God the Son is responsible for suffering (Mark 8:31), redeeming (1 Peter 1:18), and upholding (Hebrews 1:3). God the Holy Spirit is responsible for regenerating (Titus 3:5), energizing (Ephesians 1:12-14; Acts 1:8), and sanctifying (Galatians 5:22-23). (Sarles, Christology, p.3-1) The doctrine of the Trinity is the basis of our Christian faith. Because the doctrine of the Trinity cannot be fully understood, it requires the Holy Spirit of God to direct our minds to believe. "You can not be saved if you don't believe in the Trinity." (Ibid.) A heretical doctrine from early church history concerning the doctrine of the Trinity. Tritheism declares that there are three independent Gods instead of the correct view that there are three Persons within one Godhead. Tritheism sees the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as being three separate Gods. (Ibid. 1-10) From the Greek word typos, meaning "a person, thing, or event that represents or symbolizes another." (Webster's) Typology is primarily concerned with application of an historical fact as an illustration of a spiritual truth. Typology is concerned with 1) typical persons; 2) typical events; 3) typical things; 4) typical institutions; and 5) typical ceremonies. Old Testament persons who are types of Christ include Aaron, whose intercession for the Israelites is a picture of the intercession of Christ; Abel, whose life as a shepherd, his blood offering, and his death are types of Christ's life, offering and death; David, who was first a shepherd, then king, is a type of Christ; Joseph, whose example is perhaps the best type of Christ. Joseph, like Christ, was born by special intervention of God, was the object of special love by his father, was hated by brethren, was robbed of his robes, was conspired against and placed in the pit of death, was sold for silver, became a servant, was condemned though innocent. Typical events in Christology include the clothing of Adam and Eve, representing the fact that God would supply that which would cover the nakedness of sin and provide the righteous covering through the death of Christ; Preservation in the Ark; Deliverance from Egypt. Typical things in Christology include the Old Testament sacrifices; the tabernacle; the budding of Aaron's rod. Typical institutions and ceremonies in Typology include the sacrifices, the Old Testament priesthoods, the Feasts of Jehovah. (Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord, p.62) While a type is concerned with application of an historical fact as an illustration of a spiritual truth, the type can never be greater than the anti-type, or the person or thing being illustrated. For example, while Joseph is a type of Christ, he is not greater than Christ.
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