I would like to mention a few
terms; some of which aren’t often used anymore, but
every Christian should be
knowledgeable of their meaning. Depending on the Bible translation you are
using, you may see some of these terms, and as I said, it’s good to know their
meaning.
Obviously, I am not a
theologian. I’m just an “ordinary Joe” like most everyone else, but I am aware
that many Christians haven’t a clue what some of these words mean, and that is
unfortunate. So let’s take a look at some words that will help us in our
understanding of the Bible.
An “APOSTATE” is “one with
full knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, perhaps even professing a belief in
the Gospel at one time, but ultimately turns against it and rejects it.”
When Christians use the word
“UNREGENERATE”
to describe others, what do we mean? We are saying that those in question are
not born again. They have not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Savior. In other words, the unregenerate are those who are not true believers,
or true Christians, in Jesus Christ.
Only the NET Bible uses this
particular word and it only uses it in one location, which is 1 Corinthians
3:3.
Everyone has heard the word “GRACE.”
It occurs 179 times in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. Probably the
most familiar verse related to this word is Ephesians 2:8.
“For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
I have heard it called,
“God’s unmerited favor,” and that it is. I heard a pastor years ago say, “It is
all God can do for us on the basis of the cross.” That too, is a very good
definition.
Another person defines it as
being, “the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon
souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian
faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian
virtues.”
In my opinion, it is the most
beautiful word in the Bible for a Christian, because without it we have nothing
and lose even that, but with it, we have nothing prior to knowing Jesus, and
gain everything in Christ Jesus our Lord as a child of God. By God’s grace we
are freely given what we do not deserve, and not given what we do deserve.
The next word is “REDEMPTION.”
The word means, “freeing procured by the payment of a ransom.”
“In whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)
When sin entered the world
via Adam and Eve, they, and we, lost the right to rule over the earth. That
privilege went to Satan. He is the ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30;
16:11). Prior to our being saved by our faith in Jesus Christ, we were nothing
more than a slave in Satan’s slave market. Here’s the thing. All who call out
for Jesus to save them are bought (redeemed) with His own blood from Satan’s
slave market. We no longer belong to Satan. We belong to God, because He bought
us. He redeemed us.
Another word you have
probably heard is “RETRIBUTION.”
“And David says: “May their
table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.”
(Romans 11:9 NIV)
This word is not in the KJV
but is listed six times in the NIV. It means to “repay another person in kind,”
or “give them their just deserts.”
If it weren’t for the cross
we would all receive “our comeuppance.” We would be recompensed in other words.
Thankfully, the day will eventually arrive when Satan gets his retribution from
God.
Praise the Lord for “ATONEMENT.”
“And not only so, but we also
joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
atonement.” (Romans 5:11)
Atonement in the New Testament
means, “The restoring of the favor of God to sinners that repent and put their
trust in the death and resurrection of Christ.” We could say that it is the
restoration between two people, from what separated them in the first place.
Also, this doesn’t mean God
passes over the sin; but that He provides a substitution for the offender and
the offense to reconcile (reunite) him/her to Himself.
“Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25-26)
So this leads us to the words,
“PROPITIATION,”
and “EXPIATION.”
Propitiation refers to a
blood sacrifice that turns aside the wrath of God, taking away our sins. In
other words, God turns His anger away from the guilty (us) because of the atoning
blood of the sacrifice (the Lamb of God).
Expiation is the part of
propitiation that deals with taking away our sins. It focuses on man and the
removing of his guilt.
“Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans
3:25)
The violation of sin has been
paid by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
“And he is the propitiation
for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
(1 John 2:2) Jesus is our propitiation,
our substitute.
Propitiation focuses on God
and the appeasement of His wrath. The liberal minded folks of today cannot
accept the teaching of God’s wrath. They see Him as a humble, loving God up in
Heaven that turns a blind eye to sin. “God would never send anyone to hell.”
Regardless, Romans chapter one and elsewhere is very clear concerning God’s
wrath and judgment toward sin.
Propitiation is a part of JUSTIFICATION,
so let’s talk about that next. One definition of “justification” I have heard
over the years is, “just as if I had never sinned.”
Justification is being
absolved from sin for all those who come to Jesus and are born again. As Jesus
told Nicodemus we all must be “born again.”
The unregenerate unredeemed
sinner comes to Jesus with nothing but faith … nothing else. (God even helps
supply the faith.) The sinner that uses that faith to respond to Jesus and
believe is rewarded by God and absolved from sin and its penalty. He is then positioned
by God, in a right relationship with Himself. He is also provided the
righteousness of God the Son, Jesus Christ, and declared “righteous.” We who
are saved are blameless in God’s sight because of all Jesus has done for us;
because of His righteousness.
“Therefore as by the offence
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness
of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” (Romans
5:18)
Jesus provided all this by
the combination of His death on the cross and His resurrection. This is made
clear by Paul in Romans 4:25.
We are seen as righteous in
God’s eyes, even though we still have the old sin nature within us. We have not
yet put on the image of Christ, since this is the work of “SANCTIFICATION.”
At the same time the sinner
is saved and justified, he/she is also sanctified. Sanctification means
basically “separation.” We are separated, or dedicated, TO God, and we are
separated FROM evil things and evil ways. It is a process of growing in the
Christian life by turning away from anything offensive toward God and living
our lives, led by the Holy Spirit to glorify God. Also, synonyms for “sanctify”
are “holy” and “hallow.”
In salvation, justification
and sanctification we are purified by Christ’s work in us. Then the Holy Spirit
begins His work in us to cause us to grow in our lives to glorify Christ.
When we were saved, we were
sanctified, and we are being sanctified daily by the
Holy Spirit working in us.
“IMPUTED” is an accounting
term. When Paul says, “And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness,”
(Romans 4:22) he is saying that Christ’s righteousness has been credited to our
account.
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
