Sometimes the road to the Good Way seems a bit dark in places and today we want to kind of take time to look at a little bit of Christian terminology to help us understand how to stay on the Good Way. In Christian terminology light is a powerful metaphor, symbolizing God’s nature and presence, as well as spiritual concepts, like truth, goodness, wisdom, and salvation. The absence of that light in our life is referred to in biblical writings as darkness, and it represents sin, evil, ignorance, and spiritual blindness. When we talk about God, we’re talking about something that is inherently, holy and pure, and Jesus as the light of the world. It is that light of the world that dispels that spiritual darkness, and it leads us as believers to live in truth and good works. Now we will break this down a little bit and see if we can better understand that which gives us light as we travel along the road to the Good Way.

There should be in every Christian’s life, the presence of God, his absolute holiness, moral perfection, and and the undeniable quality of knowing everything. As Christians were familiar with the term “the light of the world”… it refers to Jesus, as being the true light that gives light to everyone, meaning he provides spiritual illumination and salvation. There’s plenty of scripture reference to such, we know that believers who follow Jesus will not walk in darkness, but will have the “light of life”. Because of such Christians are called to walk in the light which means living in truth, holiness, and good works. As believers, we are encouraged to let our light shine before others so that our good deeds may be seen. In a simplistic way, we are looking at good versus evil. The Bible consistently contrasts light with darkness. Light represents God’s truth, goodness and life and darkness represents sin, evil, and death. When we hear the terminology telling us the following, “walking with God in the light” it implies a state of fellowship, purity, and a departure from darkness and sin. It also provides for us a well defined path to the “Good Way”.

I had not intended to include the following segment in this blog this week. While it may sound strange to some people, the fact that Christian terminology can be excessive at times and may be a little confusing. So I’m simply going to attach a list that has been gathered from various sources of Christian writings and share with you the terminology that often is used within the Christian community. We can be certain most of us have been exposed to the following theological terms like grace, gospel, salvation… key figures, such as Jesus Christ, the apostles, significant symbols, like the cross and practices such as a baptism and repentance. We find these words are used to discuss the beliefs, stories, and commands central to the Christian faith, which are based and found within the Bible. With that said below is the list.

Key terms and concepts 

  • Apostle: A person sent out to preach the gospel. Jesus called twelve apostles to follow him. 
  • Baptism: A ceremony involving immersion in water, symbolizing a new Christian life and the washing away of sins. 
  • Covenant: A sacred agreement or promise, used throughout the Bible to describe God’s relationship with people. 
  • Christ: From the Greek word Christós, meaning “The Anointed One.” It is a title for Jesus, who is also called the Messiah. 
  • Cross: The central symbol of Christianity, representing the crucifixion of Jesus. 
  • Faith: Belief and trust in God. 
  • Forgiveness: The act of pardoning someone for their wrongdoings, which is central to Christian teaching. 
  • Gospel: The “good news” about Jesus Christ, especially his life, death, and resurrection. 
  • Grace: The unmerited favor and love of God towards people. 
  • Heaven and Hell: The afterlife destinations as described in the Bible. 
  • Holiness: A state of being set apart for God and of being morally pure. 
  • Jesus Christ: The central figure of Christianity, believed to be the Son of God. 
  • Justification: The act of being declared righteous in the eyes of God, often through faith in Jesus. 
  • Mercy: Compassion shown by God to people. 
  • Redemption: The act of being saved from sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 
  • Repentance: To turn away from sin and toward God. 
  • Salvation: The act of being saved from sin and death through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Thanks for joining us in the pew this week. Please come back next week as we continue moving along the good way.

Life is Good

jk