Terms for ALL of us to know...

Hello everyone, I wanted to go over some very important terms with you. I am hoping to start a consistent format to this blog soon. Working full time and having 3 kids I sometime find it hard to even think! Ha-ha…

Gospel - the “Good News”; this is how Paul refers to the message of forgiveness and eternal life.

Faith – “..faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). The belief or trust in God; faith is the means by which we as sinful people can experience and enjoy the blessings of salvation. (Mark 11:22) Christianity is the only faith-based(not works based)worldview.

Sin - “missing the Mark” or “disobedience to God’s law”. It describes people’s tendency to rebel against God. Basically anything we do or any attitude that opposes the character and will of God. Sin is how we separate ourselves from God. Romans 3:20

Salvation - a gift from God that cannot be earned. It is given freely by God. (1 Thessalonians 1:10, Jonah 2:9).

Grace - Is God's undeserved favor. The New Testament is first and foremost a written testimony of God's grace -- it is by grace we have been saved. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Isaiah 53:3-4) To suggest that God's grace is conditional, or that grace alone is not sufficient, is to insult God.

Justification –Righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24) - Justification is by grace through faith alone. Through Justification we are saved from the penalty of sin.

Sanctification- begins at conversion and continues throughout the earthly life of the believer. It is the process whereby the believer, empowered by the Holy Spirit, becomes increasingly more Christ-like in character. Through Sanctification we are saved from the power of sin. (Romans 5:20-21, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Glorification- Glorification will happen when the sanctification process is fully complete -- our bodies will be changed, the old sin nature will be eliminated, and we will see the risen Christ in all his glory. (1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Corinthians 15:52-53).

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Remember, works plays absolutely no role in justification. This is one element that distinguishes the Christian faith from all other worldviews. Works are the fruit of Justification not the source of it. Living in Sanctification by definition, we will produce good works by working to live out a Christ-life life.

Thanks for checking in and God Bless.