The incarnation describes the Son of God wrapping himself in human flesh to save humanity from the penalty of sin. Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defined incarnation as, “The act of clothing with flesh. The act of assuming flesh, or of taking a human body and the nature of man; as the incarnation of the Son of God. The apostle Paul explained it like this. “Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us” (Philippians 2:6-7 | CEV). He relinquished for a time his rightful place as the Second Person of the Trinity to take on characteristics he did not previously possess—those of a human being. He did not divest himself of his divinity, rather he became one person with a divine nature who always spoke of himself as a “me” not an “us.” He was one person with two natures, not two persons in one body. In effect, the Creator took on the character of his creation; manifesting the traits of both as a singular entity.

When we speak of the incarnation we begin with the familiar Christmas story. Mary, a virgin, was miraculously impregnated by God and gave birth to Jesus, God’s son. He was born fully human and fully God, yet without sin. He is God-man. Because he did not have an earthly father, he did not become a new, human being—born in sin. Instead he lived and died apart from the covenant of works and free from sin. Even though he was tempted in every respect as other humans he never succombed to sin’s temptation. Because he remained sinless he was able to serve as the atoning sacrifice for all humankind. The death of God’s only begotten son demonstrated God’s mercy and satisfied his judgment. Jesus took the punishment we deserved in order to repair the relationship between God and humankind. “This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God” (1 John 4:10 | MSG).

“The Holy Spirit is the point at which the Trinity becomes personal to the believer.”  That is how author of Christian Theology,  Millard J. Erickson, discribed the role the Holy Spirit plays in the life of a believer. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998, p. 862) Although he is considered the third person of the Trinity, that does not mean he is less important than the Father or the Son. He is equally God.

The last instruction Jesus gave his disciples was, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5 | NIV). When that happened, everyone that was filled with the Holy Spirit spoke in other tongues. You can read all about it in Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts.

God’s Spirit lives inside the true believer. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16 | RSV) His presence marks us as genuine Christ-followers. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit . . .” (Ephesians 1:13 | ESV). We don’t need a list of rules because he guides, teaches and reminds us what it looks like to glorify God by the way we live. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 | NIV).

He opens our eyes to Scripture and facilitates our understanding of what God reveals to us about himself. “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11 | NIV).

Finally, the Holy Spirit prays for us when we are at a loss for words. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” Romans 8:26-27 | ESV).

Sadly, there is a lot of disagreement over whether speaking in tongues, along with the other spiritual gifts, are for the contemporary church. That likely results from lack of experience, rather that solid exegesis. There is no biblical evidence that tongues or the other gifts of the Spirit ceased with the apostles or that they even ceased at all. There is no reason to believe that they are not all available to us today.

The apostle Paul took great pains to explain the importance of spiritual gifts, including tongues, in 1 Corinthians 12. Why would he do that if they were only temporary? In an age when people are too proud to walk to an altar to repent, it is no wonder we do not hear very much about speaking in tongues. It requires complete surrender to God—an abandonment of self-will and self-control. It is a supernatural experience that has no natural equivalent.

There is no Scripture that asserts being filled with the Holy Spirit requires the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues, but that seems to have been the pattern in the 1st century church. Practically every time we read where people received the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues. (Acts 2:4, 10:46, and 19:6) One can’t help but wonder, if it is available and, if the apostle Paul considered it important, “ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18) why wouldn’t we want it, along with the other spiritual gifts? “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1 | ESV).

Jesus is where heaven and earth meet. Most Christians hear about heaven in connection with an evangelistic sermon. We decide it is preferable to the alternative and jump on board the train bound for Glory. Yet, life after life misses the real message of Christianity. We were created to dwell with God, but sin messed that up. So, he devised a plan to reconcile us to him and will eventually make his home in our midst. Dwelling with humankind began with the Exodus tabernacle. Sadly, his people rejected him and he departed for a time. Four hundred years later he took on the form of a man and again made his tabernacle among us. (John 1:14) One day God will again dwell with us. Until that happens, we are expected to reflect heaven on earth. That is the job of true disciples and the real Christian message of heaven.

“How you think about heaven affects everything in life—how you prioritize love, how willing you are to sacrifice for the long term, how you view suffering, what you fear or don’t fear.” (John Burke, Imagine Heaven, (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing, 2015). The writer of Ecclesiastes observed, “He has also set eternity in the human heart . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) According to Randy Alcorn (Heaven, Tyndall House Publishers, 2004), “the unifying testimony of the human heart throughout history is belief in life after death. Anthropological evidence suggests that every culture has a God-given innate sense of the eternal—that this world is not all there is.” (Kindle Location 272)

Don Nix wrote a song entitled, “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, but Nobody Wants to Die;” first recorded by blues artist, Albert King in 1986. There is a lot of truth in that sentiment. If you ask someone if they believe in heaven and hell, there is a chance they will say “no.” But, if you ask those same people where they expect to go when they die, they will likely say, “heaven.” In an article entitled “Next Stop, the Pearly Gates . . . or Hell?” published in the Los Angeles Times on October 24, 2003, K. Connie Kang asserted, “For every American who believes he’s going to Hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to Heaven.”

A Barna Research Group poll, disclosed an overwhelming majority of Americans believe in life after life and that both heaven and hell exist. Perhaps the reason we hear so little about heaven is because the enemy of our souls doesn’t want us living like we are there now. He would prefer we reject Jesus while believing in heaven. The easiest way to do that is by pushing the nearly universal belief that all good people go to heaven. That belief might be widely accepted but it is a gross misconception. It simply provides a false sense of security for those on the wide road to destruction.

The words for heaven (Hebrew: shamim and Greek: ouranos) are translated God’s dwelling place. (Psalm 33:13) Jesus is there now (Acts 1:11) While on this earth he not only believed heaven is a place, he said he was going there and would return to take his followers there, too. (John 14:1-3) According to the apostle Paul, Christians are citizens of heaven and that is where Jesus will be until he returns for his Church. (Philippians 3:20) Revelation 21 describes heaven, but I suspect it will be even better than the apostle John’s description. We will get a new body suited for our eternal home in a new heaven and a new earth. (1 Corinthians 15:40-49) God’s dwelling place will be on earth with his people. Some people interpret 1 Corinthians 13:12 as proof we will know each other in heaven, perhaps as a friends or family members. It also appears that we will be given jobs to do in heaven. There will be no death, pain or tears. (Revelation 21:4) and we will likely eat and drink there. (Matthew 26:29)

Based on the promise Jesus made on the cross, believers will go into the presence of the Lord immediately after they die. (Luke 23:43) Exactly where that will be is uncertain. Some maintain we will sleep until Jesus returns while others hold that we will occupy an “intermediate” heaven, perhaps the “paradise” Jesus promised the thief. According to them the heaven that exists now is not where we will spend eternity, and the body we will be clothed in there will not be our forever body. It would seem, given what the apostle John reported, an intermediate heaven is the most likely place where we will await the Lord’s return. Regardless of whether we go to an intermediate heaven or sleep until the good times roll, when we open our eyes on the other side, it’s going to exceed our wildest imagination.

“Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if he were you,” says Dallas Willard. A disciple has no higher ambition than to glorify God with their life. Jesus instructed all believers to make disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20) But we can’t make disciples unless we are disciples ourselves. The concept of discipleship is what built the church—mature disciples reproducing other disciples who are mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28) A disciple is more than a fan or a Jesus groupie. He or she is one who knows Jesus, not one who simply knows about Jesus. Discipleship is more than showing up on Sunday morning to learn even more, but never putting it into practice. Christianity without discipleship is like a car without an engine. It might look good, but isn’t going anywhere.

Discipleship is characterized by sacrifice. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Like 9:23 | NIV) It takes death to self to walk with Jesus. It requires listening to and obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things, not just those that are convenient. A true disciple surrenders his or her life, every facet of it, every day to follow Jesus.

Jesus did not call any Sunday morning disciples. For those who accepted his invitation it was a 24/7/365 commitment. They left everything to respond to his, “Follow me.” And nothing has changed. We cannot be disciples without faith and we cannot have faith without obedience. The heart of discipleship is obedience. Bonhoeffer said, “For faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience.”

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15 | NIV). In another place he asked his disciples, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 | NIV) He followed up by comparing such people to a man who builds his house on the sand. When the torrent came it was destroyed. People who call themselves Christians, but who have not sold out completely to Jesus have built on a faulty foundation.

It takes more than a hand raised in response to a passionate church “invitation” or being a member of the “cool” church at the top of the hill. A disciple acts and thinks like Jesus. A disciple is a different person from what she or he was before. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That is what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus he must be born again. If we are not being discipled and we are not making disciples, we would be hard pressed to prove that we are, in fact, disciples.

When Christians speak of the “church” we are referring to both people and a building. If that isn’t complicated enough, there are two different churches. The visible or local church and the invisible or universal church. The visible church is the buildings and their members. The invisible or universal church refers to all believers everywhere no matter what local body they attend. All true believers belong to the invisible church, but the same cannot be said about members of the visible church, which is why some churches fall short of Christ’s expectations. Regardless, the role of the church is worship, edification and evangelism. When we speak of “going to church” we are talking about the local church. That concept harkens back to a derivative of a Greek word found in the Old Testament that is translated “the house of the Lord.” In the Septuagint, LXX, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, it referred to Israelites gathered together for religious purposes. Later, it was used for those who gathered to worship the Lord in secret to avoid persecution. Church, as a gathering of God-worshippers, remains a visual bridge between the old and new covenants. 

In the New Testament, a different Greek word, ἐκκλησίᾳ (ekklesia), is translated as church. In the time of Jesus, one of five variations of it, ekklesua, was used to describe people assembled in response to a herald’s summons—essentially a public gathering at the direction of an official. That is appropriate. Jesus is the head of the church (Colossians1:18). He gave himself for it (Ephesians 5:25).  And he expects us to worship as a body (Hebrews 10:25). A form of ekklesia appears 114 times in the New Testament. It only appears in the gospels twice, both times in Matthew. The first time is during a conversation between Jesus and the apostle Peter. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18 | NIV). Close reading of the New Testament reveals the church is the supernatural family of God created by the Holy Spirit; working together to expand the Kingdom of God under Christ’s leadership. As with any family, there will be disagreements over non-essential issues (doctrine), but total agreement on the essentials. Soon that won’t matter. When Jesus returns the universal, invisible church will consist of one people worshipping at God’s throne. Petty differences will have been forgotten. Whether we use it to describe believers or a building, the church stands as a testament to God’s people’s desire to corporately worship him.

Calvinism is a Protestant denominational position that adheres to the theological traditions and teachings of John Calvin (1509-1604), along with other preachers of the Reformation era. Although he was a second generation Protestant Reformer, John Calvin was the first to systematically organize Reformed doctrine. His Institutes of the Christian Religion, contributed significantly to Reformed religious thought. What He wrote from a pastor’s perspective, rather than that of a scholar and has often been misrepresented. The purpose of his hermeneutical writing was to edify the Christian church. Consequently, his influence continues today in most Reformed and Presbyterian churches. 

Like Martin Luther his theologic beliefs were derived from Scripture alone (sola Scriptura). He Believed the Bible meant what it said and and was the final authority for Christians as revealed by the Holy Spirit. He believed in an all powerful, sovereign, triune God with each person of the trinity equal in power and substance. God continues to engage with his creation and, from the beginning, had selected (predestined) a certain number of people (the elect) to be reconciled to himself. 

He sent Jesus to pay the penalty of sin for the elect, to whom the Holy Spirit would be given to open their eyes to the gospel. Then God would grant them the ability to accept the good news by faith, which would save them (sola fidei). From that point on, they would live as God’s covenant people, fulfilling what has been termed the Calvinist covenant of works. Calvin believed the elect could be identified by exhibiting three characteristics: a profession of faith, exemplary moral character and love of the Lord’s Supper. For Calvinists, baptism of both adults and children, which is not to be repeated, signifies entry into the visible body of Christ, the church.

The theological stance for which he is remembered has been called the Five Points of Calvinism and is represented by the acronym, TULIP. Each point builds on the one it follows. Those five points are:

1. Total Depravity. Sin infects all aspects of human life. All are sinners who are unable to save themselves or choose to follow Jesus without divine intervention. God does all the work leading to a person’s salvation.

2. Unconditional Election. God chooses who will be saved (elect) through his sovereign will. Anyone God has not chosen will be damned, destined for an eternity in hell.

3. Limited Atonement. Jesus died for the elect, alone, rather than for the sin of the world.

4. Irresistible Grace. The elect cannot resist the call of the Holy Spirit to come to faith in Jesus.

5. Perseverance of the Saints. Salvation, eternal security, cannot be lost. Once an elect person is saved he or she remains saved.

For a divergent view, see Arminianism.

Virtually every Christian denomination, fellowship or church practices some form of baptism because that is what Jesus told us to do, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20 | NIV) The primary meaning of the word translated as “baptism” is “to dip or plunge under water.”

Baptism of believers demonstrates repentance and entrance into a covenantal relationship with Jesus based on faith. Baptism of infants is based on vicarious faith, the parents’ faith. If it works as designed, the infant is raised in a loving, supportive community of faith until he or she is old enough to make an informed profession of faith. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. Consequently, there are adults walking around thinking they are good with God because they were baptized as babies, but they do not know why they were baptized at all. (As an aside, there is more direct scriptural support for baptism for the dead than there is for infant baptism.)

If we see baptism as a part of the new covenant, baptism may be compared to circumcision under the Abrahamic covenant. It conveys no direct spiritual benefit beyond making a person part of a community of believers. If baptism saved us it would be a “work” and that would dilute grace. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9 | NIV).

Unlike repentance and sanctification, baptism is not indispensable to salvation but whenever possible should be viewed as the act of an obedient disciple. Jesus himself was baptized to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).  “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16 | NIV). Notice failure to believe condemns, not failure to be baptized. It is a symbolic gesture that tells the world one has chosen to follow Jesus. It unites the believer in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

The baptismal “formula” most Christian communities use is drawn from The Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20. It is some version of, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” But that is like ending a prayer by saying “We ask these things in the name. Amen.” Jesus said, “ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14 | NIV) Jesus expects us to use his name, Jesus, not his eternal relationship, Son. Baptizing in the name of Jesus is consistent with the practices of the apostles and the 1st century Church. (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48 and 19:5). The “formula” that directly reflects early church practice would be some version of, “I baptize you in the name of Jesus.”

The dictionary defines atonement as “reparation for wrong or injury.” In other words it is making things right with a person you have injured in some way. Atonement is God’s plan for bringing us back into relationship with him. In a remarkable juxtaposition, biblical atonement is God taking the final step to fix what sin broke. When sin entered the world our intimate connection with him was severed and it was not absolutely restored until Jesus came to make it right himself. Beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation, the entire biblical narrative describes the steps God has taken to reach out to sinful people.

There were two kinds of atonement described in the Old Testament. The first was how one person could make things right when they or their animal injured another. The other was how people could make things right with God. The price paid for sin often resulted in the death of a living creature. The first recorded death of an animal resulting from sin is apparently Genesis 3:21. God clothed a naked and sinful Adam and Eve with animal skins. The first recorded sacrifices to God were those of their sons, Cain and Able. The were probably not to atone for sin, but sin messed that up, too.

With the implementation of the law God gave Moses, sins were typically atoned for through the sacrifice of goats, sheep and birds. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11 | NIV). The atoning sacrifice restored a sinful person or nation to God. The writer of Hebrews described it like this “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22 | NIV). The Jewish Day of Atonement sacrifice was a unique, three-part, national sacrifice requiring two goats. One goat was killed, symbolizing the punishment God exacts for sin. A second goat, a “scapegoat” was sent out into the wilderness to symbolize the actual removal and disappearance of sin. The slaughtered sacrifice was then burned to symbolize the all-consuming power of God over sin.

In the New Testament, ransom, redeem and atone are closely linked. Each word implies a quid pro quo, the giving of something to obtain something. They all describe what Jesus did on our behalf. We get a glimpse of how God’s plan will ultimately play out in terms of the Old Testament Mosaic covenant in the words of John the Baptist. When he saw Jesus he proclaimed, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 | NIV) Jesus fulfilled the law and accomplished what the law could never do by becoming the perfect sacrifice for sin. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The term many Christians used in connection with the price Jesus paid for the sins of the world is substitutionary or vicarious atonement. Jesus is our substitute in God’s eyes. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). He paid the price for our sins and effected the final reconciliation of sinful humankind to a holy God. “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12).

Antinomianism is moral lawlessness. The word antinomianism is derived from two greek words, anti (against) and nomos (law), lawlessness or against the law. In the Old Testament there were three types of laws: ceremonial, civil, and moral. Jesus’s death and resurrection eliminated the requirement for Christians to observe ceremonial law. He was the perfect sacrifice. The establishment of a secular government eliminated the need for biblical civil law. Only the moral law remained as Christianity spread.

Antinomianism is a doctrine that holds salvation is God’s gift of grace, so Christians no longer have to comply with the Old Testament moral law, the Ten Commandments in particular. Otherwise, salvation would entail acts of works. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— (Ephesians 2:8-9 | NIV)

The word was coined by Martin Luther.[1] His work, Against the Antinomians,” sought to put the issue to bed by making the case that moral law is necessary for those who would follow Jesus. “The whole matter was finally settled for Lutheranism, by the formula of Concord, in 1577. It recognized the threefold use of the law: to reveal sin, to establish general decency in society, at large, and to provide a rule of life, for those who have been regenerated through faith in Christ.”[2]

Luther stressed the law’s purpose was to convict of sin and lead to repentance. Today Christians agree the law still serves two purposes; to define sin and provide moral guidelines for Jesus’s followers. This is what the apostle Paul wrote on the matter. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7 | NIV) No one, not even Paul, could live a sin free life, but we have a way to be restored to a relationship with God. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 | NIV)

Those who practice antinomianism misunderstand the distinction between justification and sanctification. We are justified by grace through faith. That grace constitutes judicial forgiveness that wipes the sinner’s slate clean and sets him or her on the narrow path. The second type, parental forgiveness, is how believers tell their heavenly Father they are sorry for letting him down. Justification results from judicial forgiveness. Sanctification, striving to be like Jesus, entails seeking parental forgiveness as often as necessary.

That does not mean Christians should be legalistic. Legalism is the belief that obedience to a code of religious law is necessary for salvation. God’s grace coupled with faith, both gifts from God, are necessary and sufficient for salvation. Antinomianism ignores moral law, altogether. Obeying biblical moral law is not legalism, but evidence we are striving to be like Jesus who followed it completely and perfectly.

[1] R.D. Linder, “Antinomianism,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2^nd ed., Edited by Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), p. 71.

[2] Ibid.