What is Revelation? Divine revelation is the means by which God has communicated with humanity about Himself and his purposes in history. There are two ways this has happened. The first way is known as General Revelation. This means God has revealed himself to all people, in all places at all times through the created universe and through the human conscience. Through creation God gives testimony to His power, beauty, order and purposefulness. Through our consciences God reveals His moral character by stamping upon our hearts the knowledge of moral right and wrong. People can know God in a limited and general way through this type of revelation. However, they cannot know God in a way that will lead to their salvation. For that, they need the second form of divine revelation known as Special Revelation. This means God has revealed himself in a unique and direct way to certain people in certain times and places. During the Old Testament era God began revealing his unfolding plan of redemption for humanity to the prophets of ancient Israel. That plan looked forward to and found its consummation in the person and activity of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and His message is the supreme and central revelation of God because He Himself is God come in human flesh. The prophets and apostles of the early Church were used of God to elaborate upon the message and work of Jesus Christ. God has made sure that His plan of redemption in Christ, both as it was foreshadowed in ancient times and fulfilled by the coming of Christ was written down. Thus, the Special Revelation of God has been put together in the divinely inspired writings of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, 66 individual books in all, written by roughly 40 different authors over the course of 1500 years on 3 different continents.
What is Inspiration? Inspiration is a term used to refer to the divine character of Scripture, the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The word literally means, “God breathed.” The inspiration of Scripture is the process whereby God through the Holy Spirit supernaturally super-intended it’s writing by providentially guiding each human author to write precisely what He purposed them to write without error. In doing this, He did not interfere with the authors’ personalities or cultural manners of expression and so forth. The writing of Scripture paradoxically represents the full intentions of the human authors and simultaneously the full intentions of God, the divine author.
What is Holiness? The term “holy” means literally, “to be set apart.” It refers to an attribute of God’s character, but also refers to people who reflect an aspect of God’s holiness of which there are two. The first aspect speaks of His otherness. He is set apart from all other things because He is the Creator and sovereign Lord of the universe. His magnificent glory and power is completely unlike any other thing in the universe. Thus, there is an unbridgeable distinction between God and His creation. Everything that exists was created by God and is wholly dependent upon God for its existence, whereas God is self-existent and therefore dependent on nothing outside of Himself. God has no beginning and no end. The second aspect of God’s holiness refers to His being set apart from the evil that is in the world. God is absolutely morally perfect (i.e. righteous); without any evil (i.e. sin). It is this sort of holiness that God demands of all people if they are to be accepted by Him. Since humanity falls short of this demand, God provided a plan of redemption to rescue sinners from their moral failure.
What is the Image of God? The Bible says that humanity is uniquely created in the image of God, thus separating us from all the rest of creation. It especially distinguishes human beings from the animal world, giving us a unique dignity. First of all, to be created in the image of God means that humans reflect something of the character of God. God is a personal being and so He created people to be personal beings, creatures with personhood. Humans, like God have an intellect, a will and a set of affections that incline them to desires and passions that do not exist in the animal world. We have incredible powers of imagination and creativity. Combined with our intellect, we are able to invent, make and achieve wonderful things in a vast array of disciplines. Furthermore, we are uniquely moral creatures, created with a moral conscience and a sense of obligation to moral precepts. Humans have a capacity for acting with justice, goodness, kindness, wisdom, love and mercy. We are also endowed with a sense of purpose and meaning that transcends merely meeting and sustaining physical needs. We have an intrinsic impulse to do important things and to pursue a place of significance in the world. Secondly, being created in the image of God has a purpose. Human beings are to reflect the character of God in carrying out God’s purpose for us upon the earth, which is to use all that we are in everything we do to bring glory to God. In other words, we were created to worship God by reflecting His character in the world we live in. However, sin has shattered the image of God within us although it has not been obliterated. Instead of seeking God’s glory in what we do, sinful humans have sought their own glory, thus abdicating the joy they were designed to have and incurring misery instead. God’s plan of redemption is His work of restoring the image of God in His redeemed creatures so that His original purpose for creation and our meaningful and supremely satisfying place in it may be fulfilled.
What is Sin? Sin refers to the moral corruption (i.e. evil) that all human beings suffer from in all places and throughout all of history. It literally means, “To miss the mark.” The Bible speaks of how all people have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The glory of God here refers to the absolute moral perfection of God. Humanity has fallen way short of meeting this mark of perfection. God demands that all people be morally perfect (righteous) as He is perfect. Instead, all people have rebelled against this divine standard. People do not become sinners because they sin; rather they sin because they are already born sinners, having inherited the moral corruption of Adam, the first human being. Adam’s rebellion against God thrust subsequent humanity into the curse of sin. However, all human beings are willfully complicit in the sin of Adam so that each is culpable for his or her own sin. Sin affects every aspect of one’s faculties, the mind, the heart and the will. Although all people are sinful, they are not as sinful as they could be. In fact, the God given conscience allows people to act in ways that are morally good and beneficial although still falling short of divine righteousness. Although other human beings are often the recipients of one another’s sin, sin is ultimately rebellion against a good, just and holy God. Thus, all human beings stand accountable to God for their rebellion and await His judgment unless they trust Christ for salvation from their sin.
What is Righteousness? Righteousness refers to that which is morally just and right. It is the opposite of sin. Righteousness represents the moral or holy character of God in which He is perfect in every manner of justice, goodness, kindness, wisdom, love and mercy. This righteousness is manifested in the law of God as represented in the writing of the 10 commandments, but is also manifested in the divine law written upon all human hearts. Thus, the human conscience is made aware of the rightness of this righteousness and the obligation to uphold it even though people actually suppress the reality of it through their own sinfulness. The righteous standard of God is the basis upon which one is saved from God’s judgment and eternal condemnation. However, since no one is able to meet this standard due to their own sinfulness, another means of meeting it must happen if a person is to avoid divine judgment and condemnation. The work of salvation for sinners is accomplished in the gospel whereby sinners can be justified and declared righteous in God’s sight through the work of Jesus Christ.
What is Salvation? Salvation is what is accomplished for every sinner who trusts in the gospel of Christ to redeem them from their sin and its just condemnation before God. Salvation is entirely the result of God’s grace and cannot be obtained by human merit, whether moral or religious. Salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ alone accompanied by repentance from sin and all self-effort to gain acceptance before God.
What is the Gospel? The gospel is simply a word that means “good news.” If refers to the plan of God’s salvation in which He redeems sinful human beings from their sin through the historic work of Jesus Christ upon the cross and through His bodily resurrection from the grave. The atoning sacrifice of Christ upon the cross pays the penalty for human sins while His resurrection demonstrates His power over sin and its fatal consequence, death. Thus, when the work of Christ’s death and resurrection is spiritually applied to those who believe in Christ, it frees those sinners from the penalty of sin which incurred the just wrath of God. The gospel frees sinners from the power of sin as well, so that they are no longer held in bondage to sin’s grip upon their lives. The gospel eventually frees believing sinners from the very presence of sin when the redemption of the believer in Jesus Christ is complete upon the believer’s bodily resurrection from the grave. They will then be physically transported into the presence of Christ and God’s heavenly kingdom forever. Thus, death has no power over the sinner who trusts in Christ.
What is Grace? Grace is simply unmerited favor bestowed upon sinful human beings. God extends grace to undeserving sinners when He saves them from their sin and just condemnation. This grace is most profoundly understood when we realize that our sin at its essence is rebellion against a good and loving God who desires for us to find our deepest satisfaction and joy in a relationship with Him. Grace is expressed in God pouring out His wrath upon the greatest object of His affections, His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Through death on a cross, Jesus Christ willingly accepted the wrath of His Father that justly rested upon recalcitrant sinners, because He equally loves the sinners God desires to save. Thus, the crucifixion of Christ represents the most intense outpouring of divine wrath, a just anger of cosmic proportions, while at the same time representing the most tender display of love ever conceived. That divine love was directed to sinners who did nothing to earn such love and had nothing by which to attract it. In fact, God has every reason to be utterly repelled by His rebellious creatures, but instead has offered us full pardon for all our sins in order that we might secure an eternal inheritance from Him.
What is Redemption? To redeem something simple means to buy back that which one previously possessed. God created human beings as His own possession designed to carry out His good purposes on earth. However, human beings rebelled against God and found themselves lost and trapped in an evil world of their own making. God desires to repurchase and free human beings from the trap of sin that has separated them from God. But in order to make this liberating purchase God requires that a price be paid for sin in order to meet the demands of his justice. To allow sin to go unpunished is a miscarriage of justice. That price is death. Each human being is under obligation to pay the penalty for his or her own sin, therefore each person is under the sentence of death. However, God sent Jesus Christ, His Son, as a substitute who was willing to pay the price for others instead. He is the only one capable of paying the price for the redemption of others because He Himself is not under the sentence of death, having never sinned. Thus, by His death on the cross Christ is able to vicariously free sinners from the bondage of their sin so that God may repossess them for His glory and for their eternal joy.
What is an Atoning Sacrifice? An atoning sacrifice is that which pays the penalty for sin in order for God to accomplish the redemption of His people. To atone for sin means to divert the just wrath of God against a person’s sin to another who is offered as a substitute sacrifice. Thus the substitute bears the penalty on behalf of the person’s sin. When atonement is completed, God’s wrath is removed from the person and they are cleansed from the corruption of sin which made them guilty before God. Jesus Christ is the only adequate atoning sacrifice because He is perfectly righteous and without sin. Furthermore, in order for atonement to be effective the substitute must be a blood sacrifice. In other words, the sacrifice is death signified by the shedding of blood. This is why Christ died upon the cross and why the cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith. Subsequently, the cross of Christ is a transcendent event. God applies the work of atonement accomplished in that historic event to sinners across time and space when they place their faith in Christ.
What is Justification? In order for redemption or salvation of sinners to be made complete they must be justified before God. To be justified is to be declared completely innocent and fully righteous in God’s sight. This declaration is what is required for entrance into the eternal heavenly kingdom of God. Sin has separated all people from God. Subsequently, God’s just wrath rests upon them because He is the one whom all people have rebelled against. God as our Creator and Possessor has demanded a life of holiness or righteousness from us. We as human beings have rebelled against those morally upright commands of God that promote holiness, seeking to do what we want for ourselves instead of what God wants for us. Little do we realize that what God wants for us and has commanded us is for our total well-being and joy. As we stand before the bar of God’s justice we are justly condemned for the guilt we have incurred by our sin and rebellion against the just Judge. In order for us to be made acceptable before the Judge our guilt must be removed and we must obtain a positive righteousness that meets the demand of God’s holiness. We can either accept our just condemnation or accept another means of being justified before God. Since we do not have the perfect righteousness that God demands in ourselves and have no way to rid ourselves of guilt, we cannot escape condemnation on our own. Thankfully, God justifies sinners not on the basis of their own merits, but on the basis of the merits of Jesus Christ. As the perfect atoning sacrifice, Jesus paid the just penalty for sin and therefore provides the means for reversing the guilty verdict against sinners. Not only that, because Jesus Christ is perfectly righteous, God is willing to accept His righteousness on behalf of sinners as well. Thus, God justifies sinners by placing their sin upon Christ and placing the mantel of Christ’s righteousness upon the sinner. The sinner is then justified and made acceptable to God not because of any righteousness of his own, but because God views Him as having the righteousness of Christ.
What is Regeneration? The Bible says that all people are spiritually dead because of sin that has corrupted us. Though we were born physically alive, we arrived upon the earthly scene spiritually still-born. In order to respond to God’s call upon us for salvation we must be born again spiritually according to the teaching of Jesus (see John 3). This means we must have a new spiritual life implanted within us renewing our hearts and minds that have been corrupted by sin. This implantation of new life is the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit that brings personal conviction of sin and draws sinners to Christ so that they will believe upon Him for salvation. This new life is what gives the believer in Christ the desire to love God and follow Christ, seeking to obey all that He has commanded so that we might bring glory to God and subsequent joy to ourselves.
What is Faith? Faith is simply believing or entrusting one’s self to someone or something that is regarded as trustworthy. Christian faith is entrusting one’s self specifically to Jesus Christ for salvation. True Christian faith is distinguished by 4 important characteristics. First, it is based upon a knowledge of the truth. Truth as contained in the gospel is necessary to be acquired for salvation. However, knowledge of the truth is not enough. One must also assent to the truthfulness of that knowledge. Thirdly, one must also commit themselves to that truth. Finally, Christian faith is not merely entrusting one’s self to a set of propositional truths as contained in the gospel, but ultimately faith is personal; it entrusts one’s very life to the person of Jesus Christ. Thus faith is based upon knowledge of, assent and commitment not just to the truth concerning Jesus Christ, but a personal trust in Christ Himself. Furthermore, true faith is always manifested by a changed life in which one’s heart, mind and will is committed to obeying Christ’s commands for the believer. Thus, the fruit of true faith is a life marked by righteousness and holiness.
What is Repentance? Repentance means primarily “to turn away” from something. Another term for repentance means “a change of mind.” Christian repentance means that a person changes his or her mind about their assessment of sin and evil in their thoughts, words and deeds and the desire to be rid of its power in their life; that is, to turn away from it. However, true repentance cannot be divorced from a second dimension. To abhor sin and turn from it does not necessarily mean that one will go in the right direction. Christian repentance means to turn from sin and to turn specifically towards God. In this regard, repentance is just one aspect of Christian conversion. Conversion is a two-sided coin in which the one side, repentance, represents a turning from sin and the other side, faith, represents a turning toward God. Thus, faith and repentance, though distinct, cannot be separated from one another. True repentance is not merely being sorry for one’s sin. Sorrow for sin can result from fear of shame, fear of and frustration with the consequences of sin, the loss of one’s reputation, self-pity, and so forth. Repentance sees sin primarily as an offense against a holy God whom we have rebelled against. It simultaneously recognizes that one stands condemned before this holy God but at the same time sees the divine hand of mercy in offering full pardon to the sinner who forsakes his or her sin and turns to God for forgiveness. Repentance does not mean that a person changes his behavior before coming to a merciful God; rather it recognizes that one is powerless to change without God. God alone can enable a person to change their behavior, but such a change is preceded by faith and repentance for salvation. Subsequently, the exercise of faith and repentance is an evidence of the invisible work of the Holy Spirit regenerating sinners who desire to come to God for forgiveness via faith in Jesus Christ and then begin to watch their lives and behavior positively change for the glory of God.
What is Worship? Worship comes from an old English word “worth-ship.” It means to give full honor, praise and glory to an object ‘worthy’ of such. In the Christian faith, God alone is worthy of human worship for He alone is the sovereign and gracious Creator and Lord of the Universe. God created human beings to bring Him honor and glory by exercising responsible dominion over His creation. Only the believer in Christ who has received new spiritual life by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit is able to offer God genuine worship. All of life is to be an act of worship in which believers offer all that they are in all that they do for God’s honor and glory while making use of every resource He has provided humanity in creation to its fullest potential. However, there is a narrow category of worship that takes place when believers direct their attention more acutely in honor and praise of God through special times of prayer; singing praises to God’s name; and reading, hearing and meditating upon His Word in the Bible. These special occasions of worship take place privately as well as corporately with other believers during the regular gathering of the local church. Celebrating the Lord’s Table (Communion) is also a regular part of corporate worship.
What is Prayer? Prayer is verbally communicating with God in which believers draw closer to Him spiritually. There are typically 4 aspects of prayer as seen in the Bible. First is adoration in which believers express praise and worship to God for who He is and what He has done. Secondly, thanksgiving is offered to God for His providential work in the world and for His answers to prayer. Thirdly, believers go to God in prayer to confess their sins so that they might experience God’s continuing grace and forgiveness in their lives. And finally, requests and petitions are offered to God on behalf of the needs of others and one’s self so that God may providentially answer those prayers according to His divine will and purpose.
What is Fellowship? Fellowship is the special bond that exists between believers due to the common faith they share in the Lord Jesus Christ. Fellowship is the practice of Christian community in which each believer contributes his or her time, energy and spiritual giftedness to encourage, edify and strengthen the faith and bonds with other believers while seeking to meet one another’s spiritual and physical needs. The community of believers is called the body of Christ, a metaphor that speaks of the unity and common bond of faith in Christ. Christ is present in each believer and is powerfully expressed in the community of believers when they seek to be obedient to His commands to lovingly serve one another by the power of His indwelling Spirit (i.e. the Holy Spirit).
What is the Kingdom of God? The Bible promises that God will establish a glorious kingdom on earth. This promise was initially made to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and involves the establishment of a spiritual, social, cultural, and civil kingdom in the land of promise given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by God. Those descendants, the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel were given an inheritance of land by God as an everlasting possession. The Old Testament also promised that the nation would one day have a divine king to rule over her in the land. This king is known to the Jewish people as the Messiah, meaning “the Anointed One.” The Messiah would establish this kingdom as the rightful heir of David, the greatest of the Old Testament kings of Israel. The New Testament makes clear that Jesus Christ is the one to fulfill these promises. The New Testament also makes clear that the Church in the present age participates in the promises given to Israel. A careful study of the Bible indicates the kingdom has different dimensions and phases of fulfillment. Once Jesus accomplished his work of redemption through his death and resurrection He established the kingdom in its spiritual dimension through the Church which is made up of both a remnant of Jews as well as Gentiles (non-Jews) from every race, language, nation and peoples. The kingdom of God in the present age is the outworking of redemption in the world until the Church is complete and made ready for her Lord’s return. Jesus Christ ascended into heaven to the right hand of the throne of God after He rose from the dead. However, the Bible teaches that Christ will return at which time He will establish the physical dimension of the kingdom upon the earth for a thousand year period. After that period is complete, the present universe will be destroyed by God and a new heaven and earth will be established. At that point the kingdom will enter into its glorious eternal phase where both believing Israel and the Church as the one people of God will enjoy the perfect joy, peace and glory of the kingdom serving and worshipping God without end. Prior to the second coming of Christ, the earth will undergo severe judgments from God for a 7 year period known as the Great Tribulation. It will be a time in which the Jewish people and the nation of Israel will come under severe persecution as well as those who place their faith in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike. God will judge those who persecute His people culminating in the second coming of Christ who brings the final blow of judgment to the earth prior to establishing His thousand year kingdom. The evidence of the Bible indicates that the Church will not be present during the 7 year tribulation, but that she will be raptured to Christ and to heaven during that period of time in order to escape the wrath of God. The Church will then accompany Christ on His return to earth as He establishes the kingdom in its fullest dimension.
