Bible Definitions That Work
Over the years, certain definitions have evolved in our thinking and have come to express our deepest held Scriptural beliefs. Listed below in no particular order of importance, they form the heart of our faith and practical conduct. These definitions will work anywhere in Scripture.
HALLELUJAH: "Praise ye Jah(weh)." To make a show, to boast, to praise God outwardly to the extent that you appear clamorishly foolish. Root meanings include: "to be foolish," "to shew to be foolish," or "to be mad," (according to Gesenius).
RIGHTEOUSNESS: That which conforms to the revealed will of God.
PEACE: Nothing between me and thee; we are capable of being joined. When the resurrected Christ says, "My peace I give unto you," He is saying, "My relationship with the Father I give to you. You and He can now be joined."
JOY: To spin like a top; to romp like a lamb. True spiritual joy moves one to physical expression that surpasses mere emotions.
KINGDOM OF GOD (HEAVEN): Where God dwells; where all your needs are met.
MEEKNESS: Yieldedness; accepting all things from God as good, without resisting, disputing or contending. (This is not to suggest that everything we experience is from God. Never forget—we live in a spiritual war-zone and are targets of God's enemies, fleshly and spiritual. God is sovereign, but His gift of freewill enables us to freely love Him. At the same time, we have the freedom to reject Him. Those who reject His love become willing agents of evil and are responsible for the heinous things done to innocent people. God could intervene and stop bad things from happening to good people, but that would nullify freewill. He chooses to allow the world to take its natural course, good and bad, but He can and will intervene at the request of His children.) "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
COMFORT: To be given what you need to continue, not necessarily by gentle means. Sometimes we need a hug—sometimes we need a kick in the hind parts.
GOODNESS: That which is for your highest benefit, not necessarily by gentle means. What we want is usually more enjoyable than what we need.
ETERNAL LIFE: Knowing God (John 17:3). This is Jesus' definition: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."
WISDOM: Insight into the true nature of things.
TRUTH: The underlying reality at the base of the appearance.
FAITH: Trust in and obedience to God. To obey God you must believe you can hear His voice. "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17).
GRACE: What God does to make us acceptable to Him.
PROPHECY: Speaking forth the mind and counsel of God.
SALVATION: Deliverance from all evil.
MERCY: The active compassion of God. The merciful will always move with active compassion toward hurting people.
(Matthew 5:7)
BLESSED: To be increased and made more of than what you are. To be added to.
LORD: He who has disposition of all things—I give Him the right to tell me what to do and I give up my right to say, "No."
COVENANT: The ongoing process of intimate exchange of all that I am, for all that He is. The process of Christ being formed in us. (Gal. 4:19) True covenant partners say to each other, "All that is mine is yours, and all that is yours...is still yours." Covenant never asks, "What do I get?" Covenant only asks, "What can I give?"
JEHOVAH-JIREH: He who provides what He demands.
POOR IN SPIRIT: Like a crouching beggar, unable to enrich oneself.
PURE IN SPIRIT: Without selfish ambition. The pure in spirit shun the spotlight.
PEACEMAKERS: Those who help others to be joined with God.
PARDON: Old Testament meaning: to go easy, to go light, to excuse from paying the full price of wrongdoing. New Testament meaning: the word and the concept of pardon are not found in the N.T. The New Testament uses the word remission.
REMISSION: An accounting term, it means, "Not put to your account." In other words, "You never did it." It is the New Testament word for forgiveness. In God's economy, there is no record of wrongdoing in the lives of forgiven believers.
*Pardon excuses past sins. Remission erases past sins.
JUSTIFICATION: Related to remission, it means "Not guilty." Those who are justified are treated by God "just-as-if" they never sinned. Pardon means you are guilty, but are excused from further punishment. Remission means you were never guilty. In the mind of God, you never committed sin.
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Last updated February 8, 2010.
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