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The role of the Christian teacher is sobering indeed, for those who presume to "teach" will receive a "heavier judgment" (Jas. 3:1). This warning is not designed to discourage teaching (a divine obligation -- Mt. 28:20); rather, it emphasizes that the responsibility must be taken very seriously. ...
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul stated that the Scriptures are "inspired of God" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Greek is one word, theopneustos, literally "God breathed." It is an affirmation that God is the ultimate author of the Bible. Inspiration cannot be explained precisely in a way that human ...
The Greek word diakonos comes into the English language as "deacon." The term basically means to serve. It is used of ordinary servants in a secular sense (Jn. 2:5, 9) or of those who serve generally in the cause of Christ (rendered "minister" in 1 Cor. 3:5; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 3:7). It can even be ...
"Predestination" is the idea that God determined something beforehand. The noun itself does not appear in the Bible, but the verb behind it does. The Greek term is proorizo (pro — "before" and horizo — "to mark out, to set a boundary"). It is found six times in the New Testament (Acts 4:28; Roman...
The Scriptures emphatically teach that the Second Person of the Godhead, the Word (Jn. 1:1), actually became a flesh and blood human being (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 2:14). One partakes of the spirit of antichrist who denies such (2 Jn. 7). See ANTICHRIST. The humanity of Jesus was essential in order that h...
The term "heaven" is used in different ways in the Bible. The expression may refer to the atmospheric region just above the earth where the birds fly, the rain forms, and the wind blows (Gen. 1:10; 7:11; Dan. 8:8). The outer space region that houses the stars, the sun, and the planets is also des...
The Greek word krino means to render a verdict (Lk. 7:43; Acts 15:9). Prepositions may be attached as prefixes to provide some direction to the term. For example, diakrino suggests the idea of distinguishing between objects (1 Cor. 6:5; 11:31; 14:19); anakrino means to investigate or thoroughly s...
Woman was fashioned from flesh and bone taken from the side of man (Gen. 2:21-24). Male and female qualities were designed by God (Mt. 19:4); these characteristics are not accidental developments of an imagined "evolutionary" process. The Hebrew term for "woman" is ishsha, thought to derive from ...
This English term is related to the Latin conscientia, literally, "to know together" or "joint knowledge." It corresponds to the Greek suneidesis (found thirty times in the New Testament), which essentially has the same meaning. The conscience is an inward faculty, unique to human beings, that ei...
The concept of eternal life is outlined in an abbreviated form in the Old Testament (cf. Dan. 12:2). However, it comes into full bloom in the New Testament revelation. Life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10). Many believe that eternal life, as the glorious promi...
The Christian commitment is biblically designated as a "calling." The divine calling (Eph. 4:1) is not a direct communication from God or his Holy Spirit, as some today allege. No one on earth knows anything about Jesus Christ and his way of redemption except what they have learned either directl...
A number of terms, both in the O.T. and the N.T., suggest the idea of a "path" or "way" of travel. The words come to be employed of a "course of conduct," whether for good (Ex. 18:20; 32:8; Dt. 31:29; Jer. 6:16) or evil (Num. 22:32; Psa. 139:24; Isa. 65:2; Acts 14:16). (a) Jesus declared that he ...
From the Greek word eschatos ("last") comes "eschatology," a study of "last things" (e.g., the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment day, the end of the world, heaven, and hell). Eschatology has to do with the consummation of God's redemptive scheme. The following el...
Blood is a prominent theme in the Bible. Because blood is the life stream of a person (Lev. 17:11), it becomes the biblical representation of life. Because of sin, man has forfeited the right to live (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1). To satisfy the justice of God, a blood-offering was required (H...
The name "Jesus" means "savior." "Christ" means "anointed." These names suggest that this noble person was "anointed" of God (Acts 10:38) to be prophet, priest, and king, and indeed, the Savior of the world (Matthew 1:21). The following facts about Jesus are paramount: • He existed eternally as t...
References to "worship" are common in both the O.T. and the N.T. The Hebrew term shachah (about 100 times) refers to "bowing" before an object of religious devotion. Similarly, proskuneo (59 times) in the N.T. means to prostrate oneself, do obeisance. Worship can be offered to the true God (Gen. ...
The term "evangelist" is an Anglicized form of the Greek euanglistes, derived from eu ("well") and angelos ("messenger"). An evangelist is someone who proclaims the good news, serving as a gospel herald. In a broader sense, all Christians are evangelists. However, the term is used in the New Test...
The word "Trinity" does not occur in the Scriptures. The term combines the dual concepts of "three" and "unity," and thus it does convey a biblical idea, namely that the Godhead is composed of three distinct personalities that share one, identical essence, the nature of deity. God is "one" as to ...
A priest is one who offers sacrifice and ministers in services pertaining thereto (cf. Heb. 5:1). This term implies recognition of sin and the need for atonement, in some fashion or another. (a) The term is used of pagan priests who sacrificed to false gods (Acts 14:13). (b) In the earliest age o...
The title "Christ" was applied to Jesus of Nazareth because he fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah. The prophets previewed Jesus as the Messiah (Psa. 2:1ff; Dan. 9:25-27). He affirmed that he was the promised Christ (Jn. 4:25-26; Mk. 14:61-62). Because of his miracles and ...