Biblical Theology

Original Sin

Sin Nature – Man is born with the sin nature of Adam. It is sown in the flesh and in the natural mind. It is in constant war with the Spirit. The sin nature of Adam has been passed to all men through the flesh. This is why Christ had to be born of a virgin. This “Sin Nature” gene was not passed to Him.

Age of Accountability

Day of visitation – This is the day when the Holy Spirit speaks to a person and he becomes accountable for his sin (unbelief and unrepentant). Man has ability at this time to either follow or reject the Spirit. When this day comes, man has come to know good and evil. Those that reject the Spirit, has trespassed against God, died a spiritual death, and are cut off from God and the tree of life.

Total Depravity

Free Will – Those that reject the Holy Spirit when they reach the Age of Accountability, become lost and completely unable and unwilling, on their own, to seek forgiveness from the Lord. Man will always choose what is agreeable to his nature. An unrepentant man will never seek God. Only when the Spirit visits and draws can a man truly exercise free will and choose to accept or reject Christ as their personal Savior.

Atonement

Extent – Christ is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe. The blood of Christ reached everyman and took the accountability of the original sin of Adam. When man willfully transgresses on the day of visitation, he becomes accountable for his own unbelief (sin) and needs to be born again.

Application – For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Sovereignty of God

Election – The process by which God chose to save the world from their sins. Before the foundation of the world, Christ was to be the Savior of the world, the only way men and women could be saved.

Predestination – Those that put their faith in Jesus Christ and have been born again are preordained to be with Christ in heaven for all eternity.

Responsibility of Man

Repent – Having a natural sinful mind, man must think differently. Man must turn from his ways and what he feels is right. Man must completely surrender himself and the ways that seem correct according to the world and turn towards the teachings of scripture and the ways of Jesus, humbling himself to complete submission to Christ.

Believe – This is more than just an acknowledging that God exists. It is believing from the heart that Christ is the Son of God, died for our sins, resurrected on third and appointed morning and is alive today and on the right hand of the Father and is the only way one can be saved. It is placing complete trust in Christ and His work (Birth, life, death, burial and resurrection), for salvation and His assured return. True belief causes action. It causes a person to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer.

Grace of God

Common Grace – God gave grace to everyone. He not only saved us from original sin but He also gave all of us His love and mercy. He gives us food, clothing, sunshine, rain, etc…we are all given God’s common grace. This includes a chance to repent.

Divine Grace – It is the divine influence upon the heart. This grace is given to those that believe and trust in Jesus Christ. Like common grace, it can’t be deserved, earned or returned.

Faith

Common Faith – Every man has been dealt the measure of faith. Every man uses their faith and directs it to something.

Saving Faith – This is when man directs all his faith towards Christ. It is the believing unto the saving of the soul.

Born Again

Invitation – Also known as the day of visitation. This is when the Spirit convicts the soul. Christ opens the eyes of a man and draws him with His love. It is at this point, a person has the ability to choose Christ.

Travail – This is the time I refer to as “Conviction to Conversion”. This is when one has the ability to exercise free will by repenting (Surrendering completely to Christ) and accepting (Completely trusting Christ) the gospel of Jesus Christ. The travail begins when the Spirit convicts a person and ends when the person either falls away or is saved. There is no time frame for this. It can be instantly or thru stubbornness of the person, it could take a very long time.

Regeneration – The new birth. This happens upon receiving salvation. The Lord births you with His Spirit and makes you a alive in Christ.

Perseverance of the Saints

True Christians – Those that have been born again are kept by the power of the Lord. God owns them and cares for them. They cannot fall away or be lost.

Nominal Christians – These have never been born of the Spirit. It is a false conversion and after a while may appear to have back slid or to have fallen away.