Theological Definitions

These theological definitions are (mostly) from a value system perspective - applying it to life, spiritual life and relationships:

 

Belief Being convinced of the truth of a statement, and that the proposition correctly and accurately corresponds to reality.

Blasphemy Rejecting the value system of God by living selfishly. (James 2:7)

Christianity God's spiritual solution to the problem of broken relationship relationship between man and God, and between humans.

Death Separation or breaking of relationship. Usually we think of this only as applying to physical death. Humanly speaking, a physical death is the ultimate terminator of human relationships. However, even in common culture, parents that disown relationship to a living child will call that child dead. Hell is called the second death (Rev 20) because it is the place of complete relationship separation from God.

Disciple (of Jesus) Someone who follows Jesus by adopting his value system of sacrificial love for the benefit of others.

Disciple Making Helping others to grow to be like Christ in their value system.

Election God's choice to save people into relationship with himself.

Exploitation Putting into action our native value system of selfishness for the benefit of me. The opposite putting into practice the value system of God.

Faith Trusting in that which you have good reason to believe is truth. Believing that someone with whom you have relationship is telling you the truth. Faith in God is believing God's promises to you. Faith will have effect in life. If "faith" does not change a person's life, it is not faith.

Glory Glory is representing, displaying and living the value system of God, which is sacrificial love for the benefit of others. God is glorious because of his value system. We become glorious as we are transformed from our native value system to having the value system of God.

Gospel The good news of the Kingdom of God.

Heaven A place of perfect relationship with God and with everyone who loves God. It exists with all those who have adopted the value system of God. Heaven exists because of God's value system. God lives there; it is not a physical place.

Hell Hell is the state and place that comes from our own selfish value system (which is the value system of the world, and of the Devil). A place of continued loneliness and selfish regret.

Holy, Holiness God's holiness is that He completely free of, and separated from the value system of the world.     In general, that which is holy is morally excellent, and it is separated for, and dedicated to a purpose. The value system of God is his moral excellence. We are to be holy like God by being separate from the world's selfish value system, and dedicated to the purposes of God's value system.

Idol Any thing you let into your life that diminishes God's values in your living.

Idolatry Allowing a source of a value system that does not come from God, to be in your life in a way that shapes you and your value system away from God's values.

Justification God's declaration that a person is righteous in Christ. This comes at cost of the life and death of Jesus, but is freely given to those who ask. Justification is evidenced by that person’s life changing to look like Jesus. •••

Joy The anticipation and satisfaction that comes from living the value system of God for others, and seeing good outcomes in them.

the Kingdom of God A non-physical, non-earthly Kingdom of all people who have God as their King and father, and have adopted the value system God as their body of law.

Knowing God Knowing, understanding and living the value system of God. This value system was most completely shown by Jesus' demonstration of his love for us by his death on the cross.

Life On-going relationship based on common values.

Love Godly love is seeing someone else's need and meeting it at our own cost.

Lying Attempting to gain the benefits of relationship (through deceit) without having a shared value system.

Mercy Favor that we do not earn. We are to emulate this characteristic of God, especially that the mercy God gives exceeds His justice.

a Pure heart A heart that has had the value system of the world removed, enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit, practiced by the life choices of the individual. Holiness.

Perish To Perish is to move from physical birth on earth, and into eternity without being restored to relationship with God - dwelling in loneliness.

Purification The task that we do of choosing to adopt and then live the value system of God. God does not do this task for us, although we do it by the power He gives us. The measure of our purification is how much we demonstrate God's love for others.

Relationship Shared experiences in the context of a common value system. Having shared experience through shared values.

Religion The expression of a theology. Often strongly guided by traditions. How you live and apply your theology to life.

Repentance Changing your mind about an old value that you held. (It is not an emotional response about an offense.) Instead of holding on to the old value, you adopt a new value. Adopting the value system of God so that your desires and behaviors become like God's.

Righteousness Righteousness is putting into practice the value system of God. Living out God's value system because of love for God.

Sanctification The transformational process by which you adopt the value system of God such that it is fully integrated it into your life, and seen in your actions. It is the demonstrable process of becoming holy. It is accomplished only by the transformational power of God's Holy Spirit.

Saved Being in right relationship with God. Saved from being permanently separated from God.

Sin Choosing a value system other than the value system of God as motivation for our actions.

Spiritual Having qualities like that of God, especially any qualities consistent with His value system and the goals of His Kingdom. That which is spiritual motivates us to bring glory to God.   Anything disconcerted from the motivation of God's values (including behaviors, philosophies, supernatural abilities or powers) is not spiritual (is a thing that is not spiritual).

Spiritual growth Becoming more like Christ in his value system. Repentance in our life from that which God does not value, and replacing it with what He does value. This depends on faith that God is trustworthy to create life in us as we give our life for others.

Spiritual maturity The degree to which a Christian has adopted the value system of God and is living it.     Spiritual maturity is not length of time having been a Christian, faithfulness to perform traditions, rituals or disciplines (such as Bible reading or praying) or expertise in theology because all these can be independent of your values.

Temple The place where God dwells, his house, his people.

Theology The study of the nature of God and of religious belief. God's nature is his revealed by his value system.

Unspiritual Any quality based on a value system that is inconsistent with the value system of God.

Value System A set of moral principles and goals for guidance of a person's actions.

Value System of God Sacrificial love for the benefit of others. ••• The opposite of it is exploitation, which is treating others with selfishness for the benefit of me.

Values Motivating principles and goals.

Worship Bringing honor to God by adopting and acting on his value system. (Rom 12:1) Worship is oriented towards God, and can only be accomplished in community.

 

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The value system perspective used here is based on ideas from the work of Darren Twa.