Doctrine

How is theology your direction and source of inspiration?

Most of us will look to our creeds and confessions for that answer and for good reason. But I want to go deeper in our personal responsibility. That is, how do I take my faith so seriously so that it becomes more personal, so it becomes more real, so all my thoughts, ideas, directions, goals, and inspirations are in the direction of serving our Lord? To take your faith to a deeper level, so it is yours and personal and not just because this is what your family is and does, not just because you are part of a good church and school or work. That your faith is solely because of what Christ has done for you and nothing else. This is the work of the Holy Spirit!

But we have a responsibility to respond and to grow and build on what we are given! It takes trust, faith and surrender of your will, surrender of your dreams, surrender of your ideas to the LORDSHIP of Christ. That you acknowledge He is Lord over you by His love for you and that His ways are better then ours: (Heb. 2:14-18; Titus 2:11-14). Christ is our King, so let us live our lives in response to what He did for us! For this to take place, we need to learn about Christ so we can grow in Him. This is why doctrine and theology is important!

Why is Theology Important?

Many Christians today are proclaiming that theology is not important or needed; all we need to do is to love Jesus. We have a big problem in the church today as doctrine disappears from the pulpit and the airways, and is replaced by what "feels good" or what we feel is needed. When theology disappears from the church and its leaders, we will have a "free for all" of what we think is truth. All that will accomplish is...

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 idols, (anything that takes the place of God, from a totem pole to money, is an idol) or ourselves!
 
 
The Essentials of Reformed Theology
 
By the way "Reformed Theology" just means the Bible is being read and adhered too by sound logic and reason. The Reformed part is about reforming the Bible away from the apostasy and corruption that was rampant prior to the Reformation. So we can gain sound doctrine for our understanding of God and for Christian living.
 
The Sovereignty of God

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.

HOLINESS!

How do you feel about your relationship to God at this moment? If you are doing well, or if you are feeling "down," knowing about Holiness will greatly help you!

Justification by Faith Alone

Justification by Faith Alone was the rallying cry of the Reformation. The main point that caused Luther and Calvin to challenge the Catholic Church and it's teachings.

Calvinism From the Critics

Is Calvinism Biblical or just crazy man made doctrine? The Five Points of Calvinism in the acronym of T.U.L.I.P. is system of theology that came a generation after Calvin in the Synod of Dordt in Holland in 1619. This was a response to the five points presented by the Arminians in 1610. Both of these doctrines sought to define how we go to God through salvation. Both claim that the formula of salvation is presented and contained only in the Holy Scriptures. For the most part, in all the essential Doctrines of the Christian faith, there is...

TULIP? What is it all about?

Calvin stated that we cannot please God; it is by what Christ has done through faith that pleases Him. Total depravity Unconditional Election Limited Atonement Irresistible Grace Perseverance of the Saints Think Calvin was wrong? See what the Bible has to say....

Hyper-Calvinism

"Be aware of the misrepresentations," a seminary professor told me years ago. Many people claim to be Calvinists, but few will actually read and adhere to what he taught. They have no concern what Scripture teaches, but only for their bloodlines and suppositions.

Does Calvinism Hinder Missions?

The denomination that believes in predestination has a demonstrated record that it is evangelistic.
 
 
Theology is about Understanding God
 
The Blood of Christ, PI
 
What does the Blood of Christ mean?
 
It has been said by many great people that it is all about the blood; plead the blood of Jesus!
 
The Blood of Christ, PII
 
This is what the Gospel message is about!
 
The question that the Blood demands is this: Do we fully understand that we have been rescued from sin and darkness and from hopeless despair
 
 Christ Our Assurance     What is Assurance?
 
First, there is the assurance of salvation, which feeds into the assurance of hope that gives us trust, which in turn gives us our confidence, purpose, and motive for Christian living. This assurance is our certainty that we are saved because "God calls us;" we do not call on Him for our salvation. We receive it only as an act of undeserving grace that we cannot get on our own by merit or birthright. The Holy Spirit gives us testimony and empowers us; we are then to receive our faith and persevere in it.
 
The Incarnation of Christ  and The "Virgin Birth"
 
The Incarnation simply means God came to be a man. He was fully man while remaining fully God. The Incarnation fulfills God's purpose, as Christ the Creator submitted to the Father in His manifestation into humanity, becoming Fully God and Fully Human, to become and serve humanity, this was His ultimate triumph. He is Holy and as the "incarnate Son," remained loyal and obedient to His own precepts and the challenge of sin and worldliness.
 
The Incarnation of Christ (short ver)
 
 
The Holy Spirit

The Role, Person, and Work of the Holy Spirit
 
The essential topic of who and what the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is, His power, impact, and role in the universe and in our lives, along with why we need to know this has been a hot and abused subject matter during the last several decades. The third Person of the Godhead, the Trinity, has been ignored by some and overly abused and misunderstood by most.
 
The Names 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!

The Names of Jesus

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 Names of the Holy Spirit

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; Spirit of Mercy; Spirit of God; Spirit of Holiness; Spirit of Life. He is symbolized in the OT and NT by (1) breath or wind; (2) fire; (3) water; (4) oil; (5) light; (6) a dove.

The Holy Spirit  (short ver)
 

The Names of SATAN!

"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.

The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is Lord and God!

The Crucifixion of Jesus!

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! 
 
What does the Resurrection Mean? 
 
The Resurrection is the heart of Christianity, the ultimate climax that has come for the Church and for the Christian! It gives us our eternal life, hope for the future, and effectual life for today. It encompasses all of our Lord's life and mission and the incredible undeserved miracle of our redemption! The history of humanity, our fallen state, the move of our Lord through time and history and our lives were interwoven to the finishing point. Jesus Christ lived on our behalf. He has died in our places to absorb God's wrath and pay our debt of sin; Easter, the Resurrection, tells how He rises back to life, conquering death, and giving us new life by His victory and the product of grace for a life of fulfillment and fullness! 
 
Why did Jesus Teach in Parables? 
 
Jesus conceals truth for us, not 'from' us!
 
 
 
More helpful articles on Reformational Theology
 
Predestination
 
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.
 
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.

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...

Communion

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!"

Who is Satan?

Where did Satan come from? What does Satan do? What is Satan's position? What can Satan do to me? What is your response?

Pattern for Prayer

This is a template to understanding the basics of prayer from what Jesus taught.

Definition of Sins

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.

The Reality of Hell!

What is Hell? "Hell" is a name that evokes both fear and contempt. It evokes fear from those who consider it the most heinous place conceivable and where they do not want to go. It raises contempt from those who consider it a figment of someone's distorted imagination, while others will argue that...
 
The Problem of Evil
 
"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

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.
 
What is "Speaking in Tongues?"
 
What does the Bible say about Tongues? This gift is a matter of hot dispute among many theologians in the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Reformed camps. So, all I can do is show you what the Word has to say, not what people think it should say! A biblical definition of tongues is speaking in a language that you do not know, that you have not learned, so that another person can supernaturally hear the Gospel or message from God through you in their language. Thus, Tongues is supposed to verbally articulate and point to the Gospel of Christ.
 
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.

Short essays and Bible passages of key Christian Doctrines

Atonement

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

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...

BLAME SHIFTING

Blaming others is an escape mechanism, which helps us avoid the consequences.

The Bondage of the Will

In a nutshell we have free will to choose, this in reformed theology is called "free agency".

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Christianity is to be a personal team endeavor; it is never just about solitary, or personal agendas.

Election

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...

Faith

We are committed to Christ by faith! Thus, we, as Christians, must live by faith...

The Fall

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

Fate is looking at what must be, what has been decreed by whoever is in charge.

The Final Judgment

The Final Judgment refers to the righteous judgement of God, that is still to come at the end of human history as we know it...

General Revelation

General Revelation means we have no excuse.

Hope

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 Human Conscience

The conscience is our moral center that monitors our actions from preset values instilled by God...

Kingdom of 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 Law

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

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...

Christian Maturity

We must have a firm, forward and moving commitment and trust in His work...

Are the pagans lost?

Here is the answer to the question, Are the pagans lost?

The Paradox

A paradox is an apparent contradiction that under careful study reveals a deeper truth.

Pride and Propitiation

The world may see pride as a sign of respect and dignity, a sign that our worth as human beings is supreme, But....

Providence

What does Providence Mean? 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.

Reconciliation

Are you pleasing God or yourself? Is your heart seeking reconciliation or alienation?

Repentance

Repentance is the result of the acknowledgment of what Christ has done, and not the cause of Christ giving you grace.

Righteousness

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.

Sanctification

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

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.

The Son of Man

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...

Sovereignty of God

The God who ordains the ends (from creation to salvation) and numbers our hairs, also ordains the means to the ends...

Spiritual Gifts Basics

Spiritual Gifts is one of the principle calls of the believer. It is also one of two areas of ministry in the church.

The Trinity

Why is understanding about the Trinity essential for being a Christian?

The Will of God

Seek first the kingdom of God, a general overview of who is the will of God.
 

So do you know why theology is important?

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