Bible Question:
Dear Saints and fellows, Again I ask for help in creating a primer for new Christians and those 'on the brink.' The first class will be Christian-Bible terminology. I would like to give basic definitions pertinent to starting a life in Christ Jesus. Please rememeber that I am living in a country with less than 1 percent Christian population (Japan), and very little knowledge of things many would take for granted. A few terms I would like to bring up are: God, Holy Spirit, Trinity, Messiah-Christ, heaven, hell, salvation, justification, redemption, Bible-Old Testament-New Testament, prophecy, ministry, faith, baptism...etc. Please give me a definition of one or more of the above, with a clear Bible reference (Not too many!) Let me know what you might want to add to the above list. Please, do not 'wax poetic' or philosophize. Also, don't refer me to another book or web-site...tell me what YOU think. Be brief; I want to give a list of basic definitions, explain the basics, then have some free discussion, all in about 90 minutes. Think what is most important to you. Thank you all for you help. I plan on publishing the course outline on my homepage as an 'open source.' I pray that it will be a blessing to many in non-Christian nations, and maybe in some so-called 'Christian nations' as well. Blessing to all in Christ Jesus, charis |
Bible Answer: Christianity in a Nutshell part 1 Dear Charis, My friend, what you ask requires a tremendous amount of work. Perhaps that is why my colleagues (who probably responded more wisely than I) suggest just looking at a catechism. However, I didn't think of that, so instead I spent the whole day putting this together off the top of my head. I very much hope that it is helpful for you. God - a being who is: omnipotent (all-powerful, Jer 32:17), omniscient (all-knowing, Ps 147:4-5), omnipresent (exists everywhere at once, Eph 4:10), transcendant (is distinct from everything else in the universe, Ps 97:9), imminant (is directly and personally involved with the universe, Heb 1:3), and whose primary character traits are love (1 John 4:8) and holiness (Ps 99:9). Trinity - the idea we use to understand the three persons who make up God. They are called the Father (Eph 4:6), the Son Jesus Christ (John 1:1), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). They are all part of one being (God) and work toward the same overall purpose. Yet they also have individual nuances of personality and primary functions in our lives. God the Father - The first part of God who is primarily responsible for the creation and sustaining of the universe (Gen 1:1). His will also determines the words and actions of the overall Trinity (Luke 22:42). God the Son - Also known as Jesus Christ. The second part of God who is primarily responsible for providing a way to reconcile mankind to God (1 Tim 1:15). He did this by the incarnation, His teaching ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection (2 Cor 5:18). Incarnation - A part of God temporarily limited some of His characteristics as God to become completely human (Phil 2:5-7). The Christmas story is the record of this event, when Jesus Christ was born as a baby (Luke 2:11-12). Crucifixion - Jesus Christ was injustly accused, convicted, and punished with death by hanging on a cross (Luke 23:22-24,47). He allowed this to happen so that God?s plan of salvation, justification, and redemption could be completed (Rom 3:24-25). Resurrection - After being dead for parts of three days, Jesus Christ came back to life, and appeared to many people (Luke 24:5-7). He continued to teach for a short time, and prepared the way for the Holy Spirit to come (Acts 1:3). God the Holy Spirit - The third part of God who is primariy responsible for helping Christians to live according to God's will. He assists in understanding of God's messages to mankind both directly to individuals, and through the Bible. (Rom 8:26 and John 14:26) Sin - These are thoughts, words, and actions, which all people have committed that go against the desires of God (Rom 3:23). The punishment deserved for committing even one of these is death and Hell (Jam 2:10 and Rom 6:16). The Fall - This was the effect of the first sin ever committed. The first person to ever live (Adam) chose to commit a sin (disobedience) against God (Gen 3:11-12). As a result there was both immediate punishment (banishment from the Garden of Eden, Gen 3:23) and punishment for the rest of time (the beginning of the Sinful Nature, Rom 5:12). Sinful Nature - This describes how after "the Fall" mankind has had a natural instinct to commit sins (Rom 7:18). Salvation - This is the idea that God has provided a way for individuals to be "saved" from, or to escape the punishment that they deserve for the sin in their life (John 3:16). However, God cannot just ignore their sin, there must be a compensation. Justification - This is the idea describing the compensation that God made. Instead of all individuals having to be eternally punished for their sins, one perfect individual (Jesus Christ) suffered in their place (1 Pet 3:18). Redemption - This is the idea that God has provided a way to not only take care of sins, but to also "redeem", or restore mankind to their state before "the Fall" (Gal 2:20). The old self, with the sinful nature, is killed, and a person becomes a new creation that can once again commune with God (2 Cor 5:17). |