Creation--a sign and symbol of God's extravagant love. God needs nothing or no one to be happy or content. He exists in a communion of three--Father, Son, and Spirit. Since he needs nothing, he created for no other reason but to share his beauty and love with us.
Sin--"to be curved in on oneself" (Martin Luther), refusing to let God be God. Which means rebellion against God's truth and beauty, refusing to respond to God because we're distracted by the cares of this world, and even religious activity for the wrong reason are all forms of God-avoidance.
Grace--receiving what you did not and cannot ever deserve or earn. At the foundation of our faith is what God has done in Christ. Even our ability to respond to Christ's calls comes from God's prior work. It's all due to God's faithful and unmerited love; he does not treat us as our sins deserve.
Salvation--to be rescued from our self-centered autonomy through Christ's work and his Spirit so that we can serve God by following Jesus with others, while actively waiting for the redemption of all that is.
Faith--an absolute trust and dependence in God's wisdom and truth revealed in Christ, to have a new orientating concern producing a new way of life--the obedience that comes from faith (Romans 1.5).
Church--a community set apart by God to show the world what God envisions for the entire world. We're called to be a new social order shaped by the sacrificial love of the lamb, embodying the faith, hope and truth of Christ's gracious reign.
Mission--what God is doing to reclaim the world. God is at work in creation, Christ, and the church. To embrace God's mission is to live out the hope and love of his reign by sharing and giving in countless ways.
I hope this helps. If you would like to know more about my approach here, you'll have to treat me to coffee. If you would like scriptural references, you'll have to take me to lunch. Peace!
5 comments:
Why can't we call a spade a spade?(Psalm 111:10/Gods word translation):"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Good sense is shown by everyone who follows [God's guiding principles] His praise continues forever".
CREATION: God's action in creating the natural universe out of nothing.
SIN: Lawlessness, disobedience or transgression of Gods will.
GRACE: Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that same person deserves. Grace is one of the key attributes of God. SALVATION: Redemption, deliverance from the power and penalty of sin. FAITH: A belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one's life.
CHURCH: A local assembly of believers as well as the redeemed of all the ages who follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. MISSION: God is relentlessly reclaiming the entire world for himself.
(Definitions provided by Nelson's Bible Dictionary).
Sometimes I think we try to be too politically correct and we (the Church) soil the language with cloudy water ourselves. God's inspired word written in the Bible is perfect and clear. And I believe it is man that dilutes His word and makes it confusing, and even the Church sometimes puffs it up to make it be a "feel good" experience instead of telling it like it is, with a little brimstone and fire. (Remember that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom).
As we try and get our schools back to teaching the basics, reading, writing and arithmetic, because they are failing our children, we as believers, and the Church, need to get back to our biblical basics as well. We owe that, not only to this generation, but to those that shall follow after us.
Anonymous:
Don't forget that CREATION is more than the "natural universe" brought into existance by The Word Of God. That Adam, the first man, was created by The Word in the image of God on the 6th day. His physical and spiritual being was perfect in every way.
The Word of God needs to be read and meditated on every day...even moment by moment. The holy scripture is from the mouth of God. The text...every jot and tittle...will be performed by God. The key for us is to pray for God's mercy upon us so to be given ears to hear and eyes to see God's gift of Grace (The voice and face of Jesus Christ The Lord). Communing with God in and through His Word The BIBLE, in the person of His Word Christ Jesus who is our champion of FAITH unto full redemption's glory when we shall be changed fully through his will into the Holyness of God!
Lord, create in us a clean and contrite heart that we might not sin against you.
Lord, empty us of vanity. Now Fill us with your tender mercy, kindness, love. Love for you and love to those whom you even call brothers! Strenghten our will to stand for you and train our arms to do your will even to fight the good fight Lord Jesus!
I'm not sure what you mean by my definitions being politically correct. Curious and very troubled by that accusation.
Most everything I said will be offensive to the secular person, if that's your concern, because it is derived from the doctrine of the churches' teachings on scripture.
I'm trying to bring our language down to earth.
I have much more to say, but I don't believe these discussions are helpful, outside of a commitment to friendship. Peace,
I think the second Anonymous comment honestly was not trying to offend or trouble anyone, and was not saying that this Church is too politically correct.
I think that person was trying to say that we as Christians and we as the Church, as a whole, "maybe" are sometimes too scholarly in our language and thought, making it over complicated, like a professor to professor discussion.
I am guessing they meant that sometimes over thinking and over evaluating may lead to a language all of its own that is over the heads of most folk that enter the Church doors, and opposite of a down to earth basic level that is more easily understood. And that creating that kind of vocabulary could possibly be unproductive and confusing to a new person or even some of those that are more spiritually mature. Maybe that is why they quoted basic biblical terminology from Creation down to Missions in more or less layman basic bible dictionary terms.
It looks to me like the author may of had the impression that to elevate the language, in a higher scholastic way would do the opposite of bringing it down to earth and lead to even more confusion.
I just sense that the person did not have any malicious intent; but rather wanted to make a simple opinion/observation of the original post.
Let us remember that the written word, as presented in The Bible, is faithful and true because the author is God. That this word is the power, when read or verbally presented (heard), to change lives. To birth, feed, mature, and keep unto perfection the sons (children) of God.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Keep On Keeping On!
Lord, we thank you for how you contend for our hearts minds, bodies, and souls unto the perfection of our knowledge of Your Love, Grace, Power and Authority...Keep On Keeping On Lord Jesus!
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