How is theology your direction and source of inspiration?
Most of us will look to our creeds and confessions for that answer and for good reason. But I want to go deeper in our personal responsibility. That is, how do I take my faith so seriously so that it becomes more personal, so it becomes more real, so all my thoughts, ideas, directions, goals, and inspirations are in the direction of serving our Lord? To take your faith to a deeper level, so it is yours and personal and not just because this is what your family is and does, not just because you are part of a good church and school or work. That your faith is solely because of what Christ has done for you and nothing else. This is the work of the Holy Spirit!
But we have a responsibility to respond and to grow and build on what we are given! It takes trust, faith and surrender of your will, surrender of your dreams, surrender of your ideas to the LORDSHIP of Christ. That you acknowledge He is Lord over you by His love for you and that His ways are better then ours: (Heb. 2:14-18; Titus 2:11-14). Christ is our King, so let us live our lives in response to what He did for us! For this to take place, we need to learn about Christ so we can grow in Him. This is why doctrine and theology is important!
Many Christians today are proclaiming that theology is not important or needed; all we need to do is to love Jesus. We have a big problem in the church today as doctrine disappears from the pulpit and the airways, and is replaced by what "feels good" or what we feel is needed. When theology disappears from the church and its leaders, we will have a "free for all" of what we think is truth. All that will accomplish is...
What comes into our minds when we think about God? The sovereignty of God basically means that God is God, and He is in complete control, He is the Creator, King, and Sustainer of the universe. God can do as He pleases, as He wishes, without constraint; He has no limits or confines. Nothing else in concept or reality can move or exercise power or influence over Him. Nothing can have direction or permission outside of His knowledge and control. God's purpose is all-comprehensive and can never be thwarted.
How do you feel about your relationship to God at this moment? If you are doing well, or if you are feeling "down," knowing about Holiness will greatly help you!
Justification by Faith Alone was the rallying cry of the Reformation. The main point that caused Luther and Calvin to challenge the Catholic Church and it's teachings.
Is Calvinism Biblical or just crazy man made doctrine? The Five Points of Calvinism in the acronym of T.U.L.I.P. is system of theology that came a generation after Calvin in the Synod of Dordt in Holland in 1619. This was a response to the five points presented by the Arminians in 1610. Both of these doctrines sought to define how we go to God through salvation. Both claim that the formula of salvation is presented and contained only in the Holy Scriptures. For the most part, in all the essential Doctrines of the Christian faith, there is...
Calvin stated that we cannot please God; it is by what Christ has done through faith that pleases Him. Total depravity Unconditional Election Limited Atonement Irresistible Grace Perseverance of the Saints Think Calvin was wrong? See what the Bible has to say....
"Be aware of the misrepresentations," a seminary professor told me years ago. Many people claim to be Calvinists, but few will actually read and adhere to what he taught. They have no concern what Scripture teaches, but only for their bloodlines and suppositions.
Does Calvinism Hinder Missions?
The Role, Person, and Work of the Holy Spirit
When you call out God's name what do you mean? Who is God? How do we know who He is and how we should respond to Him? We know by learning His names and titles!
These are the names and titles of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, reflecting who He is, such as Christ which means Messiah. By knowing His Names, we get a glimpse of our Lord and Creator, of how to praise Him, how to know Him, how to emulate His character. Thus, this impacts us in all that we do, in our walk with and in Him and on this earth with each other, enabling us to be all we can be for His glory.
The main names for the Holy Spirit: Counselor; Comforter; Baptizer; Advocate; Strengthener; Sanctifier; Spirit of Christ; Seven-Fold Spirit; Spirit of Truth; Spirit of Grace; Spirit of Mercy; Spirit of God; Spirit of Holiness; Spirit of Life. He is symbolized in the OT and NT by (1) breath or wind; (2) fire; (3) water; (4) oil; (5) light; (6) a dove.
"Who is SATAN and what does he do?" Many do not believe that Satan exists; they think he is just the figment of an over-worked, bygone imagination. Such thinking greatly pleases Satan. The more covert he can be, the more successful he is.
The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is Lord and God!
Shortly after the Reformation began, in the first few years after Martin Luther posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the church door at Wittenburg, he issued some short booklets on a variety of subjects. One of the most provocative was titled The Babylonian Captivity of the Church. In this book Luther was looking back to that period of Old Testament history when Jerusalem was destroyed by the invading armies of Babylon and the elite of the people were carried off into captivity.
Understanding and Applying Faith
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. We are called to learn and develop faith because faith is essential and of the utmost importance for every aspect of the Christian life. Without faith, we can do nothing! As Christians, especially those who are responsible for the education and care of others, we are called to build our spiritual formation from...
Understanding and Implementing Communion. Communion means we are to Celebrate the Lord's Supper/Communion. This was instituted by Jesus on the night before His Crucifixion. He told the Disciples that the cup of wine...
Understanding the Theology of "Being Saved"
Be saved and then repent! "Repent and be saved!" This is a phrase we hear so often, but, have you considered its origins? Is this in the Bible? Surprise...NO, it is not! We may say it with genuine good intentions as both ends of this phrase are very Biblical and essential. We need to repent, and we need to be saved. But, this phrase is actually backwards! It should read, "Be saved and then repent!"
Where did Satan come from? What does Satan do? What is Satan's position? What can Satan do to me? What is your response?
This is a template to understanding the basics of prayer from what Jesus taught.
What is sin and what does it do? We live in a world corrupted by sin, so everything is degraded from what it was meant to do. Man, the land, animals, plants, the air, everything is touched. Thus, the consequences of that fallen nature impact everything.
Common Theological Misconceptions
Are there any hidden codes in the Bible?
One of the foundational qualities of the Bible is its clarity (sometimes called perspicuity). That means Scripture's main teachings are plain enough to be understood without the need of special expertise or church-sanctioned interpretations.
The Problem with Dispensationalism!
Does Jesus call the church to speak in tongues to be saved? Has anyone ever approached you and asked if you have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Or, perhaps they challenged you further by saying that unless you have spoken in tongues, you are not a real Christian.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit Part II
What does that Term Mean?
Theological Terms and Definitions
Some of these are grouped in categories. But most of the terms and explanations are listed in alphabetical order.
Short essays and Bible passages of key Christian Doctrines
Christ's atonement literally is by His shed blood, covers our sin so that God does not see it nor is affected by it, so He can forgive, give us grace, and bring us into the kingdom...
Baptism what is it and what does it mean? Baptism means a ceremonial cleansing and purification: a sign that tells God that we have repented and seek His forgiveness and desire to accept a new life. The word literally means to be...
Blaming others is an escape mechanism, which helps us avoid the consequences.
In a nutshell we have free will to choose, this in reformed theology is called "free agency".
Christianity is to be a personal team endeavor; it is never just about solitary, or personal agendas.
Election means to select or to chose, that God chose us by His purpose, period, by nothing else, either by our means or His foreknowledge. The principle theme is agreed upon, that God does choose us and makes us holy...The debate rages over how He chooses...
We are committed to Christ by faith! Thus, we, as Christians, must live by faith...
Up until the Fall, humanity drew their support and substance directly from God, in perfect relation, and when they fell it was all gone.
Fate is looking at what must be, what has been decreed by whoever is in charge.
The Final Judgment refers to the righteous judgement of God, that is still to come at the end of human history as we know it...
General Revelation means we have no excuse.
Hope is essential! Do you have hope? Do you know what hope is? Hope is our forward outlook to be in Christ forever. This produces Joy. Heb. 11:1, "the substance of things hoped for".
The conscience is our moral center that monitors our actions from preset values instilled by God...
Throughout recorded human history, humanity has gathered with one another for trade, and protection, as well as organization for gathering food, hunting, and relationships within a structure which translates into control and government. Kingdom means government; it is our need to be...
The Reformation and the Protestant church were founded on grace, and a lot of Christians think the law has been voided. However this is not the teaching of Scripture...
Liberation is like driving a car in a strange unfamiliar area, with Christ as a passenger...means God's Law does not enslave us, but rather sets us free...
We must have a firm, forward and moving commitment and trust in His work...
Here is the answer to the question, Are the pagans lost?
A paradox is an apparent contradiction that under careful study reveals a deeper truth.
The world may see pride as a sign of respect and dignity, a sign that our worth as human beings is supreme, But....
What does Providence Mean? Providence is the doctrine that gives us the knowledge and comfort that God is sovereign, and thus, He is in control. We are not mere rats in a meaningless maze, where there is no divine plan or purpose.
Are you pleasing God or yourself? Is your heart seeking reconciliation or alienation?
Repentance is the result of the acknowledgment of what Christ has done, and not the cause of Christ giving you grace.
Righteousness is defined as conformity to God's Law, both from our heart and deeds, inside and outside. Faith is the instrument for Righteousness but not the cause. Christ is the cause.
True Sanctification (His Part) is surrendering ourselves entirely to the Holy Spirit, to have His way working in us. Consecration (our part) is being (Gal. 6:14) dedicated to God's service!
Sin is missing the mark that our Lord has for us. Sin is a violation against God and His people. It was a Greek archery term.
This is Jesus' most common title for Himself. It is used eighty-one times in the Gospels, and it is never used by anyone else but Jesus. It is...
The God who ordains the ends (from creation to salvation) and numbers our hairs, also ordains the means to the ends...
Spiritual Gifts is one of the principle calls of the believer. It is also one of two areas of ministry in the church.
Why is understanding about the Trinity essential for being a Christian?
So do you know why theology is important?