|ˈkämən - grās|

The benevolence and goodness of God that is poured out on ALL men and women regardless of their love for Him…

“The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” [Psalm 145:9]

“For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” [Matthew 5:45]

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” [2 Peter 3:9]

Every aspect of the day from luxury to the ability to breathe is an act of God’s common grace upon humanity. Everything good comes from God, regardless of whether we give him credit.

However, if people refuse to give Him credit, He passively turns them over to their own soul-dehydrating desire for self-worship (Romans 1:24,26,28).

When God intervenes in the life of a chronic idolater, God is then performing an act of saving grace in addition to common grace.

A working definition of glorious:

1. “completely enjoyable”

A working definition of blessed:

1. “blissfully happy”

Consider then what Paul taught Timothy…

“It was according to the [completely enjoyable] good news of the [blissfully happy] God,” with which Paul had been entrusted” (1 Timothy 1:11)

We have been entrusted with this too. Be happy!

glory

|ˈglôrē|

noun ( pl. -ries)

1. Common understanding: a pillar of fire around God!
2. Christianese explained: If holiness spoke of the inherent worth and otherness of God, glory can be thought of as the palpable display of that holiness. If His holiness was to be felt, you might say “The Glory of God is in this place!”

[Acts 7:55] “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God”

Love

|ləv|

verb

1. (theology) God is love, and loves us a lot.
2. (christianese explained) … GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS ‘AGAPE’

There are different flavors of love in the Bible…

• Storge (family affection)
• Philia (brotherly/companion)
• Eros (sexual)
• Agape (divine)

Agape (love) is expensive:

• “But God demonstrates His own (agape) love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” [Romans 5:8]

Agape (love) is extravagant:

• “and hope does not disappoint, because (agape) the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Agape (love) is tenacious:

• “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the (agape) love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” [Romans 8:38-39]

Spiritual Gift |gift|
noun

• (misconception #1) Weird things Christians do

• (misconception #2) Things Christians should not do —> aka cessationism

• (misconception #3) Things that all Christians should do at all times because that’s the sign of Christ’s kingdom, and if they don’t they’re not as cool as those of us that do —> aka “Word of Faith/Prosperity ‘Gospel’”

• (Christianese explained) Spiritual gifts are special/supernatural abilities that are given to all Christians for the good of others, and are to be exercised in line with God’s Word whenever the Holy Spirit gives them.

—> 1 Corinthians 12:7,11; 14:26; Romans 12:6

Humility
noun
a modest opinion of your own importance

Common belief: humility means having a low view of yourself

Christianese explained:

• In a situation where self-promoting is king (blogs/business/ads/fashion/trends/resumes/etc), humility means attributing more credit to God than to your ability

• In a situation where self-effacing is king (depression/addiction/cutting/etc), humility means attributing more credit to God than to your weakness

“Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.” [Romans 12:3]

cause to stumble

|ˈstəmbəl|
verb

• (common misunderstanding) to cause someone to be offended; to be confused

• (christianese explained) to do something that you are free to do, that will cause a weaker Christian to return to their sin.

(Anytime ‘stumble’ is used in the NT, the second definition is always what is meant by the context: 1 John 2:9-10; Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8)

It does not mean “don’t do anything that someone else might not like.”

So how do you cause someone to stumble? By flaunting your freedom in front of a weaker brother/sister who might not have the same freedom as you.

Sanctified

|ˈsa ng (k)təˌfī|

verb

1. (theology) set apart as or declare holy; consecrate
2. (christianese explained) …

• Justification = declared by God to be right by the work of Christ’s payment on the cross for you (God does all the work)

• Sanctification = practicing what you have been declared to be (You do all the work, as God works in you to do it, Philippians 2:12-13)

Both of these things are still entirely dependent on grace.

The Lord’s Supper

1. (Theology) the Eucharist; Holy Communion (esp. in Protestant use).


2. (Christianese explained) “As the preached gospel is good news heard, the Lord’s Supper is good news visibly demonstrated for the rest of our senses.” -Michael Horton

Justified

|ˈjəstəˌfīd|

adjective

1. (generally) having, done for, or marked by a good or legitimate reason: the doctors were justified in treating her.


2. (theology) declared or made righteous in the sight of God.


3. (christianese explained) When we are completely absolved by God from a lifetime of treason, without which every person remains on death row awaiting eternal separation from Him.