Appendix: Glossary of Terms

The following pages contain some of the terms as used by the author in these discipleship materials. They may or may not be terms that are defined in the same way in other writings.

Definition Of Terms

1. ABSOLUTE - All or nothing.

2. ARMINIANISM - A system of theological thought that is built around the teachings of Arminius who was an early student of John Calvin. There is more emphasis on human freedom and works in Arminianism.

3. ASSURANCE - Used in connection with the personal knowledge of the reality of my salvation and the possession of eternal life. To be able to say “I have assurance” is one of the foundational aspects of the Christian life. The effective life is lived when one knows he has eternal life.

4. BEMA - The Bema is literally the “award seat” at the Corinthian Olympics. Paul used the term in 2 Corinthians 5:10 to describe a future day when each child of God will come before the Savior and present the works for which he would logically expect reward. This event is called the Judgment Seat of Christ. Everyone will receive something.

5. BRETHREN - A term used to describe the relationship of those who know Christ and are members of the family of God. The term does not have gender implications.

6. CALVINISM - A system of theological thought that comes from the teachings of John Calvin and Reformed theology. The emphasis of Calvinism is on the sovereignty of God, rather than human freedom and works. The five points of Calvinism are (1) total depravity of man, (2) unconditional election, (3) limited atonement, (4) irresistible grace, and (5) the perseverance of the saints.

7. CANON - The basic meaning of the word is “measure” or “measuring rod”. “Canonicity” refers to the ability of writings to meet the criteria in choosing books for the completed canon. “Canonical” is an adjective used to describe a book that is included in the sacred writings. “Canon” refers to the complete text of the authoritative Word of God.

8. CONFESS - A term that means simply to “admit”. In the original text, it conveys the idea of “agreeing with” something. The words homo and logeo combine to make the word “confess” from the original text. When I confess a sin, I am agreeing with God that a behavior is sin. Confession should always be with a heart for obedience.

9. CONFESSING ON THE RUN - This means to confess immediately when I realize I have sinned. I do not wait until a later time to confess, but I do it as soon as I recognize the behavior for what it is.

10. CONFIDENTIALITY - The grace or behavior of not telling anyone something you have heard about another person. It involves controlling one’s tongue.

11. DEATH - The basic meaning of “death” is separation. Various kinds of death are described in the Lifestyle Discipleship material.

12. DISCIPLE - One who is a disciplined learner. To disciple also refers to helping another become a disciplined learner, as well as helping another become a discipler themselves. There is a biblical description of a disciple in the course of this ministry.

13. DISCIPLINE - The term is always used in a proactive way. God disciplines His children because he loves them. This is never punishment although it might seem as such.

14. ETERNAL DEATH - When one dies physically when he is spiritually dead, eternal death takes place. This does not imply the loss of consciousness.

15. ETERNAL FELLOWSHIP - The position I have in Christ’s favor from which nothing can separate me, Romans 8:38,39.

16. EXPERIENTIAL - That which relates to experience in contrast with what the Father says in His Word.

17. EVANGELICAL - An approach that is relatively open but adheres strictly to the Scriptures as the rule for faith and doctrine.

18. EVANGELISM - The act or practice of carrying the Gospel to another. Evangelist is also one of the gifts of Christ to the church.

19. FELLOWSHIP - The significant sharing of my life with others who are members of the Body of Christ. This is from the word koinonia in the Greek text.

20. FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - Christian graces that are generated by the Holy Spirit’s control of my life, Galatians 5:22,23.

21. GLORIFICATION - The ultimate position I will have when practical sanctification is complete. The end process of conforming me into the image of the Lord Jesus. I will no longer sin when I am glorified. This is accomplished when I am changed at the coming of Christ, if we are alive when He returns. Total glorification is complete for the dead when He returns and dead bodies of believers are resurrected. Glorification includes a new body that is perfect and is like Christ’s post-resurrection body.

22. GODHEAD - A term used in describing God in His tri-personal existence. The Trinity. The members of the Godhead are God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

23. GRACE - Grace is an extremely important term or doctrine. We are given eternal life by the grace of God. Grace basically comes from the word “gift”, and means “unmerited favor”. There is nothing one can do to deserve grace. Grace is only obvious in the face of the undeserving. Nothing can undo grace. It is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything, Ephesians 2:8-9.

24. GRIEVING THE SPIRIT - A term used in Scripture having to do with disobeying or breaking a commandment of Scripture. This usually involves moral or ethical issues.

25. HOLY SPIRIT - The third person of the Trinity. The person who does the “mothering” work in the Godhead. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer today. He baptizes them into the Body of Christ, calls men, regenerates, renews, gives gifts, empowers, and controls the believer. His purpose in the world is to point men to Christ and bring glory to Him.

26. HUMAN GOODNESSES -Any good work that is not generated by the Holy Spirit and His control. The work of God at the Bema seat will be to separate human goodness from the fruit of the Spirit. Human goodness will be destroyed at that time.

27. HYPOSTATIC UNION - The doctrine of the two natures of Christ. In the incarnation (Christ becoming man), Jesus had two natures. He was God and He was man. He was as much God as if He had never been man, and as much man as if He had never been God, and yet both in vital union — He was the God-man. Not half God and half man, nor man plus God or God plus man. He was fully God and fully man in eternal union.

28. INCARNATION - A term used in connection with the coming of Christ into the world as a man. Christ, who was God, became the God-man in the incarnation.

29. INERRANCY - A view that considers all of Scripture to be true and equally inspired, including the historical, geographical, and scientific teachings.

30. INSPIRATION - The means by which God has communicated to us His Word. Plenary Verbal Inspiration means that the Scriptures are wholly inspired and God-breathed. The Spirit of God has guarded the communication of Scripture through man so that we have the precise meaning the Father has wanted us to have in our possession. Yet He used the personalities of men through whom He spoke. An example are the writings of Luke when compared with John. Luke was a physician and used medical terms.

31. JUSTIFICATION - A legal declaration involving God’s free grace in which He pardons the sinner, making him innocent, and reckons the believing sinner righteous. Justification gives the believing sinner perfect permanent standing before the Father.

32. KENOSIS - A term referring to the emptying of Christ in the incarnation, Phil 2:5-11. In the Kenosis, Christ surrendered the independent use of His divine attributes to the Holy Spirit. This He did perfectly during the years of His humiliation as a man. Today He exercises these attributes independently, though in concert with the Holy Spirit and the Father.

33. NATURAL MAN - A term used to describe man in his natural condition and state as he is from Adam in his unregenerated state.

34. OIKOS - The unique group of people around each individual who represent those to whom the individual can witness on a daily basis.

35. OMNIPOTENT - A term applied only to God. An attribute of God that means that He is all powerful. God can do anything that is consistent with His perfect character.

36. OMNIPRESENT - A term applied to God. An attribute of God that has to do with His being ever-present in every place. Not simply His influence, but God Himself is everywhere on earth and in heaven equally at the same time.

37. OMNISCIENT - An attribute of God that means that He is all-knowing. There is nothing that is not known to Him if He chooses to remember. It is also possible for this all-knowing One to choose to not remember when it concerns a sinner who confesses a sin. For both the confessing believer and the sinner who trusts Christ there is perfect non-remembrance by an act of His will.

38. PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE - A life statement that involves direction for daily behavior.

39. PLENARY - A word denoting the fullness of something. In this manual, it is used to denote the extent of inspiration when applied to Scripture.

40. PRACTICING SPIRITUALITY - Learning to live with my life controlled by the Holy Spirit. The term is used as it concerns a believers relationship with the Holy Spirit.

41. QUENCHING THE SPIRIT - A term used in Scripture that refers to not following the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit in my daily life. It is saying “no” to Him and His direction. It is like throwing water on fire — He is quenched.

42. RECONCILIATION - Often used synonymously with atonement. Reconciliation is accomplished through the death of Christ and the acceptance of the work of Christ by the Christian as his own. God is reconciled to man through the death of Jesus. Man is reconciled to God through the new birth. There is no enmity between God and man when reconciliation is fully accomplished.

43. REPENTANCE - Meaning literally a change of mind or thinking. Implied is the fact that such change of thinking will result in a change of behavior going in a different direction. “Godly sorrow” will accompany true repentance.

44. RESISTING THE SPIRIT - A sin that is committed only by unbelievers. It refers to not responding to the Holy Spirit’s dealing with an individual and his need for salvation. This is the unpardonable sin— resistance to the overt movement of God in man by man himself.

45. SAINT - One who has made a covenant with God by sacrifice, Psalm 50:5. Every child of God has positional relationship with the Father and is a saint the moment He believes in Jesus.

46. SANCTIFICATION - Sanctification has two basic meanings. The first is positional sanctification which means “to be set apart.” In this sense, every Christian is a saint. I am set apart by the Father for His unique possession. The second meaning deals with practical aspects of my life, as I learn to live effectively and grow as a child of God. Practical sanctification is the process of growing and learning to “walk in the Spirit”. My state or temporal fellowship is involved with sanctification.

47. SOTERIOLOGY - An area of theology that relates to the doctrine of salvation. It includes all areas of salvation — past, present and future.

48. SOUL-SLEEPING - A teaching that there is no consciousness experience by the dead until the resurrection day.

49. SPIRITUAL GIFT - A spiritual gift is a unique ability given to a Christian by the Holy Spirit at conversion (when we are placed into the body of Christ). Spiritual gifts are distinct from natural abilities or talents and they have the unique purpose of enabling the body of Christ to function efficiently.

50. SPIRITUAL MAN - A term used to describe a man who is controlled by the Holy Spirit. It is an absolute, as is carnality, which is its opposite. When the Holy Spirit controls my life, I am spiritual.

51. STANDING - A term that has to do with my position as a child of God. My standing is permanent and something that is fixed as far as the Father is concerned. Standing is closely related to and is a vital part of the doctrine of justification.

52. STATE - A term that describes my everyday walk or condition which is always imperfect. State is transient (up and down) and varies from day to day. The goal for every Christian is to bring one’s state more in line with his standing. State is related to the doctrine of sanctification.

53. TEMPORAL DEATH - “Temporal death” is the opposite of temporal fellowship. It means being out of fellowship with the Father because of unconfessed sin. The basic meaning of the word “death” is separation. When fellowship is broken, there is separation that takes place as far as fellowship is concerned. This does not mean that I have lost my salvation. David prayed, “restore unto me the joy of my salvation.” He was in a state of temporal death when he prayed this prayer. See also James 1:15 which refers to temporal death.

54. VOLITION - Taking action. An act of one’s will.

55. WEAKER BROTHER - A brother who doesn’t understand liberty. Usually he is a relatively new believer or one who is quite immature in the faith. He should not be considered a legalist who knows truth but adds his own interpretation to a situation which is not a Scriptural prohibition. One who is tabooistic is a legalist. Both “legalists” and “weaker brothers” live by external standards rather than by an inward life controlled by the Holy Spirit.