Doctrine
Good Solid Biblical Doctrine is Essential for a Healthy Church!
Why? Because it is all about who God is. We cannot know and build a relationship with someone unless we get to know them first. And to become closer in that relationship, we have to continually strive to communicate, know and grow in the knowledge and sharing of life of one another. Theology is just that, except it is about getting to know God. Thus, good leadership will desire to know and teach the attributes of God, His characters and traits, Who He is and what He has done, so our church can grow closer to Him and to one another. Theology is all about that, knowing God!
It is not for a moment that we can begin to get anywhere until the right doctrines are taught. But the right doctrines mentally assented to are not an end in themselves, but should only be the vestibule to a personal and loving communion with God. - Francis A. Schaeffer, (Letters Of Francis Schaeffer)
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.
Why do we fear Holiness and conviction? Most secular people, and even some Christians, perceive Holiness in the wrong way. They see it as a set of rules and judgments, not the majesty and awe of God.
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...
The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is Lord and God!
"The role and Person and work of the Holy Spirit"
What God has done for us?
The Passion of Jesus! Jesus' Crucifixion From A Medical Point of View! The one thing that kept going through my mind as I researched, wrote, and taught on this subject. Jesus did this for me! He hung on that cross, and went through all this heinous, physical agony of the worst and most intense pain ever devised as torture that a human could conceive and be subjected to. He did this all for me; He took my place; He endured, as an innocent Person, what I deserved as a sinner!
This is the cornerstone of protestant theology that Christ through His work gave us a 'pardon'. And the rallying cry of the Reformation. The main point that caused Luther and Calvin to challenge the Catholic Church and it's teachings.
The incarnation simply means God came to be a man. He was fully man while remaining fully God. That way He could identify with our plight in life. As He lived a normal human existence for over 30 years, He experienced all that we experienced, including all the emotions, relationships, and temptations.
How can we view God?
Is Calvinism Biblical or just crazy man made doctrine? What most people and pastors do not realize is this is plainly taught in Scripture and even Arminius taught this. The Catholic Church and all Christian denominations have this as their core theology, because this is what Scripture clearly teaches.
Does Calvinism Hinder Missions?
The denomination that believes in predestination has a demonstrated the best record that it is truly evangelistic.
What is predestination? The key words of chosen, elect, foreknew, and predestined have been topics of hot debate amongst many Christian groups over the centuries. The principle theme is agreed upon, that God does choose us and makes us holy-to which our eternal destination is preordained.
How we respond to God
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!"
This is a template to understanding the basics of prayer from what Jesus taught
Our Enemies
Where did Satan come from? What does Satan do? What is Satan's position? What can Satan do to me? What is your response?
"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.
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.
"Evil!" When this word is proclaimed, images come to mind of Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, a sadistic serial killer, or the mother who murders her own children. Perhaps Rwanda, Bosnia, the Killing Fields, concentration camps, gang violence, rape, heinous abuse, and murder are all images of evil. There is little dispute that such actions are evil; but, have you considered that evil can also be anything that goes against God? We may not think of ourselves as evil; perhaps sinners, moreover...
Common Theological Misconceptions
The Pelagian Captivity of the Church
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.
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!
A more proper Biblical understanding on what Dispensationalism is trying to communicate can be found in Covenant Theology.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit PI
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
My purpose in this article is to help guide you in a further understanding of how to apply His Spirit in your life for living and ministry. I will also attempt to answer some of the questions that have come forth concerning this subject, and give further clarification from the first article.
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.
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 judgment 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...
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....
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?
Seek first the kingdom of God, a general overview of who is the will of God.
A church without theology is a church without God, as theology is about knowing who God is and what He has done for us! A theology without a Sovereign God is simply not an option for the church or our daily faith, because we will replace Him with ourselves or idols, (anything that takes the place of God, from a totem pole to money, is an idol) or false teachings!
