Our Glossary of Christian Terms

(becoming a Christ-follower context) – When a person becomes a Christ-follower, they are adopted as a child of God, co-heir with Jesus, and join a forever family.  This is why you may hear people referring to other males as brothers and females as sisters.  Galatians 4:5, Romans 8:15-16, Ephesians 1:5

a place of sacrifice and worship, a meeting place between God and humans.  The last altar used for atoning sacrifice was the Cross of Jesus.  The altar we are expected to sacrifice ourselves on is internal and spiritual. Hebrews 13:10

being relieved of the sin debt by the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Romans 5:11, Hebrews 9:22.

A critical step of obedience representing the spiritual act of dying, being buried with Christ, and resurrecting into a new life. Romans 6:4

Has many contexts in the Bible.  Some of them include:

• To ask God for favor for someone, something, or an endeavor. Numbers 6:24-26 

• God to bless an individual or group directly. Genesis 1:22 

• To bless (praise) the Lord. Psalm 103:1

• To bestow favor and possibly inheritance to someone.  Genesis 49

(atonement context) while in the Old Testament, blood was a symbol of atonement when Jesus sacrificed Himself. His precious blood cleanses the sins of Christ-followers and reconciles them with God. Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22

a way of referring to a Christ-Follower from John 3, similar to ‘Saved’ from Romans 10:9.  The second birth is spiritual.

The Church and the church have different contexts, biblically and non-biblically. Some of them include:

• The universal Church, the Body of Christ, comprises all believers still here and those who have left.  This is also referred to as the Catholic church, but it is not to be confused with the Roman Catholic religion. Galatians 1:13, Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22-23

•  The local church or an assembly of believers.  1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 12:28

• The word church has also gained non-biblical definitions over time, such as the building where people meet, leadership as in “the church has decided to serve coffee,” and legal identity as in a non-profit organization.

a command given by God. Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Matthew 22:36-40

(aka The Lord's Supper) time spent reflecting on Jesus and what He did for us.  The bread represents His Body, which was broken for us.  The juice/wine represents His Blood that was shed for the cleansing of our sins. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

an act of contrition and admission of sin committed against God or other people.  This is not to be confused with repentance. Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9

the process of setting something, someone, or oneself aside for God’s use. Exodus 13:2, Leviticus 21:8, Exodus 29:1-4, Exodus 40:9-11, Exodus 29:36-37

the major covenants of the Bible are like marriage contracts.  They are meant to unite God’s people with God in an exclusive relationship.  While God will always live up to His part of the contract, it is similar to adultery when His people don’t.  Exodus 6:7, Exodus 19-20, Leviticus 26:12, Ezekiel 16, Hebrews 8, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 19:6-8 (this is only a sampling of the verses to explain the relational aspect of covenants)

A devoted student or apprentice who aims to become like Christ and participate in His mission. A disciple is synonymous with a Christ-follower. The relationship between teacher and student is also seen as familial.   Matthew 4:19, Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 14:26-27, 2 Timothy 1:1-2, Galatians 4:19

Satan and the forces of darkness whose goal is to promote lies, tempt, exploit vulnerabilities, obscure truth, steal, kill, and destroy. Genesis 3:1-6, Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 10:1, John 8:44, John 10:10, Ephesians 6:12, James 1:14-15, Revelation 12:10

best defined in Hebrews 11:1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

the state of the world after sin and death entered. Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 5:12

active participation in the Christian community. John 13:34-35, Acts 2:42-47, Romans 10:12, Hebrews 10:24-25

refers to our tendencies, thoughts, and feelings corrupted by sin after the fall.   Romans 7:17-24, Romans 8:7-8, Galatians 5:10-21

not a biblical or accurate term.  No one can do anything they want without limits.  Your freedom is to choose who you will serve and attempt to live accordingly. Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Joshua 24:14-15

When a person becomes a Christ-follower, they are given gifts to help them fulfill their role as a member of the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:1-13, Romans 12:3-8

Bringing recognition and honor to someone.  A Christ-follower should make every attempt to give and bring glory to God in everything they do. Exodus 15:11, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Peter 4:11

It is the story of how humans destroyed our relationship with God and God’s plan to reconcile them through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

God’s favor, kindness, and mercy that we do not deserve, nor can we earn or merit. Romans 3:23-24, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Philippians 1:1-11, Philippians 4:13

(symbolic context as in how God evaluates a person) your core beliefs and loves that drive actions and responses.  When we pray for ourselves and others to have a soft heart, it is so lies can be overwritten with truth. 1 Samuel 16:7, Mark 7:21-23

(eternal destination context) a place of communion with God, the only source of goodness such as joy, peace, and love. Isaiah 25:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 21:4

(eternal destination context) a place of total separation from God where there will never be joy, peace, or love.  Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46, Romans 2:5-6

separation from darkness and dedication to God.  God’s holiness is infinite and absolute purity and goodness, and we are to pursue holiness.  Isaiah 6:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

unlike animals, humans were made in God’s image.  Humans reflect something of God’s nature.  One example is the desire to build or create for reasons outside of necessity/survival.  Genesis 1:27, Genesis 11:1-9

Descendants of Abraham who became God’s chosen race of people. Genesis 12

(salvation context) Before salvation, we are guilty in God’s law and sentenced to death.  When we become Christ-followers, what He did on the cross pays our sin debt, and we receive a full pardon. Romans 3:21-24

(of God, of darkness context) everyone is born into the kingdom of darkness.  This is also called the fallen world (see fallen world).  Evil spiritual forces rule over it. When a person becomes a Christ-follower, their citizenship changes to the Kingdom of God, ruled by King Jesus.  They remain in the dark kingdom as ambassadors for as long as God needs. 1 Peter 2:9-10, Ephesians 5:8-14, 1 John 1:5-7, 2 Corinthians 5:20

(Christian context) Helping others see Christ in your life and words. Philippians 1:20-21, Romans 13:14

is not receiving the punishment that you deserve. Luke 15:11-32, Ephesians 2:4-5

doing what God asks us to do through His Word and The Holy Spirit.  Partial obedience is complete disobedience.  1 Samuel 15, Romans 6:16, James 1:22

a short narrative that may or may not include fictional elements designed to teach a spiritual lesson.  The parable might provoke an emotional response to emphasize the point or obscure the point slightly so that the hearer needs to contemplate.

any activity that brags/boasts about what God has done for a person or people. Psalm 99:3, Psalm 100:4

see atonement

turning from sin and clinging to Christ.  A mental shift in which you love God and hate the darkness of the world and of your flesh, including parts that bring temporary pleasure or satisfaction. Luke 15:11-32,  Romans 13:14, 1 John 2:15-17

(personal or corporate context) returning to God or God’s service the best portion of what He has blessed you with.  This can be money, time, possessions, and yourself.  If this is done as a religious requirement, it is not pleasing to God.  It is a sweet aroma to Him if it is done out of love. Genesis 4:3-5, Leviticus 3:5, Psalm 141:2, Philippians 4:18, Romans 12:1-2, 1 Samuel 15:22, Luke 21:1-4

taking something or someone that is not holy and making it or them holy.  This can be done instantly or over a very long time.  Examples are holy ground or the process of making a Christ-follower more Christ-like.  Exodus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Philippians 1:6, Romans 13:14

A failure to follow God completely. Sin, lack of faith, human wisdom, and looking for horizontal answers will always result in falling short of getting or keeping the bigger prize. The Bible is overflowing with examples, but the death of Moses is very straightforward. He got to see but not experience the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 32:48-52, so he settled for less.

an act of betrayal, treason, or criminal offense that is contrary to God’s design, intent, or instructions.  Everything that is wrong with our world is a result of sin. Each sin committed adds darkness to the world.  Sin victimizes the person committing it and almost always affects other people.  Its dark effect can ripple outward in location and time, impacting people far away and for years, including generations genetically.  It can also mix with other sins (snowballing effect), intensifying the destruction. Read the stories of Amnon, Tamar, Absalom, and David in 2 Samuel 13-18.  What started as a sin of lust resulted in rape, murder, lies, property damage, a distant unforgiving father, a political rebellion, more deceit, more rape, and more death.  This all happened in about 13 years, and we only know what is recorded.  We do know the story doesn’t stop there because of 2 Kings 2.

the essence of life within a person.  When the mortal body dies, the soul, the person's life, leaves instead of ends. Genesis 2:7, Matthew 10:28

stubbornly refusing to turn from worldly and or selfish choices and be guided by God. Act 7:48-51, Deuteronomy 31:24-27

making God the center and unchallenged authority in your life.  James 4:7, Romans 12:1-2

a temporary and mobile structure used as a Temple (see Temple) by the Israelites after they left Egypt and wandered the desert for ~40 years before they entered the land promised to them.  Exodus 25:8-9

(House of the Lord) a fixed structure, first built by Solomon, which was a central place of meeting, sacrifice, worship, and praise. They were built as a copy of Heavenly things. 1 Kings 5-7, Hebrews 9:23

A part of the Tabernacle where people would seek guidance from God.  Exodus 33:7, Exodus 40:24

A way of dividing the Bible into two major sections.  The Old Testament represents the time before and during the original covenants.  The New Testament represents the time just before and the early days of the new covenant.

One of the most powerful tools in a Christian’s toolbox is their testimony of how God changed their life.  It is a statement of what we were before Christ made us a new person and what we are after. Because of sanctification (see sanctification), we are always in a state of before and after as we become more and more like Christ.  In a court of law, it would serve as evidence. 1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 3:18

The Bible has been translated many times into many languages (over 700, and more are added each year) in an effort to allow more people to read it in their native tongue. There are also newer and reworked translations for major language groups like English, Spanish, and French. Some of these are available online or through a downloadable Bible app.

a word that describes the three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, of a single God.  While there is some helpful information to study on the Trinity, as in all cases with God, He is infinitely beyond our ability to understand fully. Matthew 28:19, John 14:26, John 15:26

(Temple and New Testament context) A veil is a barrier between man and God.  The physical separation in the Temple was to caution and protect anyone from God's Holiness.  Entering without preparation and permission was instant death.  For the Christ-follower, entering God’s presence can be done because our sins are pardoned, and Jesus has transferred His righteousness to us. Exodus 26:33, Leviticus 21:23, Mark 15:38

Delighting in God for who He is. Offering gifts of sacrifice (see sacrifice). While worship can include some praise, they are not the same thing. Psalm 27:4, Romans 12:1