A STUDY on MORE BIBLICAL WORDS Part 3 – by James Fire and Sonny Islas

A STUDY on MORE  VARIOUS BIBLICAL WORDS  Part 3 – by James Fire & Sonny Islas

We began to examine biblical words and their meanings some time ago; pastor Sonny Islas started it all in Part One; I continued in Part Two, and now we have Part Three - in which we both share a few words in this article.

You can watch the FB video on this teaching as it was presented at ETERNAL LIVING WORD Church on 10/23/2019 here.

Note: all biblical words are hyper-linked so you can read these definitions for yourselves. So, without further ado, let's dig in!

Hermaneutics is the principles that determines how we interpret Scripture; some take an allegorical approach, others a literal. Some favor a personal perspective and others an historical. Still others see interpretation based on the vitality of the Scriptures as a living book, that is, the Word of GOD that speaks to our generation as well as all others.
How we interpret Scripture therefore will influence the interpretation itself.

From GOTQUESTIONS.org (click on the link above for the full article) we have the following definition on this word:

"The most important law of biblical hermeneutics is that the Bible should be interpreted literally. We are to understand the Bible in its normal or plain meaning, unless the passage is obviously intended to be symbolic or if figures of speech are employed. . . . A second crucial law of biblical hermeneutics is that passages must be interpreted historically, grammatically, and contextually . . . A third law of biblical hermeneutics is that Scripture is always the best interpreter of Scripture."

To understand the various dispensations of the Scriptures (which are not man-made designations [though the titles themselves are, and used to encapsulate the meanings of these different time periods]) one must become familiar with them and what the LORD required in each of these periods, and this will affect our hermaneutical view point.

Dispensation – This word dispensation is used in the following New Testament verses: 1 COR 9:17; EPH 1:10; 3:2; COL 1:25. The Greek word is oikonomía (from oikonoméō, "a steward, managing a household") – properly, a stewardship, management (administration), i.e. where a person looks after another's affairs (resources). A "dispensation" can also refer to a special period of time (management). But this is a secondary (not primary) meaning of (oikonomía).

The idea of stewardship runs throughout the Bible; the LORD Jesus spoke of those in stewardship, who, if they are faithful in little, the LORD would then grant them more responsibility, and if they handled that well, still more responsibility and with each promotion, greater honor. 

LUKE 19:15-17
¹⁵ And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶ Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. ¹⁷ And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

From the very beginning, GOD created Adam and Eve in innocence; they had no sin nature, they didn’t know what it meant to sin, other than this was something GOD forbid to them, in His single command, Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were given stewardship over their innocence, to maintain it in purity as GOD desired. So, from the time that they were created, to the time when they lost their innocence, this is known as:

The Dispensation of Innocence.

This dispensation covers the time from the creation of man to the fall of man (GEN 1:28-30; GEN 2:15-17)

The word "dispensation" means "a system of order, government, or organization of a nation, community, etc., especially as existing at a particular time." Looking through the Bible, we can find seven distinct dispensations, or "ways of doing things" that were God-ordered and God-ordained. Each dispensation has a purpose in the overall story.

The Dispensation of Conscience

The expulsion from the garden led to a time when man was left to rule himself by his own will and conscience, both of which had been tainted by sin. It was a disaster and ended in disaster—the worldwide flood (GEN 3:8—8:22). During this dispensation, man became so wicked that "every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" and God regretted making man and was "grieved to his heart" (GEN 6:5-6). This was also the time when fallen angels married human women and produced giant, evil offspring called Nephilim (GEN 6:1-4). God chose to end humanity with a flood and begin again with Noah and his family (GEN 6:11-18).

The Dispensation of Human Government

The dispensation of human government began just after the flood. God made promises and gave commands to Noah and his family. God promised not to curse the earth again, and never to flood it again. He commanded Noah and his sons to repopulate the world and scatter across the earth. God also established the law of capital punishment (GEN 8:1-9:7). Noah's descendants failed to "fill the earth" as was commanded, and instead they worked together to build the tower of Babel (GEN 11:1-9). God countered this action by confusing their languages, creating different nations and cultures that later spread to different areas. This was the beginning of human government.

The Dispensation of Promise

The dispensation of human government lasted until the call of Abraham. The call of Abraham, the lives of the patriarchs, and the enslavement of the Jewish people to Egypt all fall under the dispensation of promise. This was the time when Abraham's descendants waited for the promise that was given to Abraham: that God would make Abraham's descendants a great nation and give them their own land (GEN 12:1-7). This dispensation ended with the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Once they left Egypt, they were officially a nation, led by God into the wilderness toward the Promised Land.

The Dispensation of Law

The dispensation of law lasted almost 1,500 years, beginning with the Exodus and ending with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The delivery of the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law, found in EXOD 19-23, outlined the standard of perfection that God required from His people, and included the instructions about temple worship and sacrifices. 

This was the age of priests, prophets and kings, both good and evil. The people of Yahweh repeatedly broke His commands and wandered off after other gods. 

It is important to note that strict following of commandments was never as important to God as mercy and faithfulness (HOS 6:6). The law was given to show the people that they needed to depend on God and trust Him to save them, rather than trusting themselves, their own goodness, or other gods for salvation. He has never expected perfection—if He did, He would not have provided the sacrificial system as a way for man to say "yes, I have sinned; here is a symbol of my need for forgiveness and atonement." The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin—they are a symbol, looking forward to the One whose blood could take away sin (HEB 9:11-14; HEB 10:3-10).

The Dispensation of Grace/Church

The dispensation of grace started at the resurrection of Jesus Christ and continues today. It is the new covenant in Christ's blood (LUKE 22:20). This is also called the "age of grace" or the "church age," and scholars believe that the entire dispensation—more than 2,000 years—occurs between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel's prophecy in DAN 9:24. 

Atonement was provided on the cross, once for all, for any who would believe: Abraham's children are all those who have faith, including Gentiles (or non-Jews) (HEB 10:10,14; ROM 5:1; ROM 3:29-30; GAL 3:7,29). 

During this dispensation, we also have a Comforter with us, the Holy Spirit of God, who indwells believers (JOHN 14:16-26). 

The Church Age will end with the rapture of the Church (1 THESS 4:13-18; REV 3:10) and then the tribulation, the seven years when those who dwell on the earth will experience God's judgment, will begin (DAN 12:1-4; MATT 24:21-27). The exact timing of the rapture is a subject of great debate, but dispensationalists believe it will happen at the beginning of the seven years. We do know that some people will be saved during the tribulation (REV 7:14-17) and that it will end with the battle of Armageddon, when Jesus Christ will return and defeat Satan and any who would follow him into battle (REV 19:11-20:3).

The Millennial Kingdom of Christ

The Millennial Kingdom begins with the defeat of Satan (REV 20:1-3) and ushers in 1,000 years of peace, where Christ will reign on the Earth (REV 20:4). This is the fulfillment of many prophecies, declaring that Christ will return and be King. After the 1,000 years are ended, Satan will be released. People will again follow him in a battle against God, and they will be defeated again (REV 20:7-10). 

There will be a final judgment of all people, great and small (REV 20:11-15), the old earth and heaven will be destroyed by fire, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, and this will begin the Eternal Kingdom, the new heaven and the new earth (REV 21; REV 22). "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (REV 21:4).

Treatment of dispensationalism taken from www.compellingtruth.org 

Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of all that GOD required during each of the dispensations: He is absolutely innocent, a spotless Lamb with no mar or taint anywhere in His holy character. His conscience is flawless and upright in all of His thinking, motivations, desires and objectives. His government will be one of perfection, without any instance of abuse of power, infidelity towards GOD the Father – as King, His rule will be perfectly just, and yet also merciful and gracious. 

He Himself is the fulfillment of all the promises made, both to Abraham and to David in their respective covenants – both of those covenants are unconditional in that these saints had only to believe in them, and GOD fulfilled all aspects of those promises – in giving the land and the kingdom to the people of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Christ Himself is the fulfillment of the Holy Law as given to Moses. The LORD Jesus is full of grace and truth, and the author of these. Christ will manifest His glory in the coming Kingdom and display His fulfillment of all the requirements of these dispensations.

Iniquity – Hebrew word: avon – guilt, punishment for iniquity, perverse (desire and, or behavior that is unreasonable, unacceptable, a nature that is corrupted from its original state, ‘wrong-headed’); willful disobedience; depraved (morally corrupt, wicked). Based on avah, which means to twist from somethings original state: ‘That’s twisted!’ as we say today.

GENESIS 15:16
¹⁶ But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

EXODUS 20:5
⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Greek word: ponera – depravity, malice, plots, sins, wickedness, the active exercise of a vicious disposition. There is the Greek word anomian – which means lawlessness, disobedience, violation of the law as one who doesn’t have law but opposes it and intentionally acts contrary to the law; we would use the term anarchy – a total disregard of authority other than oneself.

The LORD Jesus stated:

MATTHEW 24:11-12
¹¹ And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. ¹² And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Paul the apostle declared:

2 THESSALONIANS 2:7-8
⁷ For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. ⁸ And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

GOD created us to have relationship with Him, and to know Him as the One, the only One worthy of worship. Our expression of worship is a heart of loving relationship and obedience. When Satan tempted Adam and Eve to take the forbidden fruit, so that they may become ‘gods’ – this was against everything that the LORD created them (and us!) for! This is iniquity – lawlessness; rebelling against the will of GOD knowingly. That’s why this ‘mystery of iniquity’ involves the worship of a man, the anti-Christ as ‘god’.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:4
⁴ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Iniquity or lawlessness is also rebellion against “the law of the LORD” – essentially willful disobedience to the Word of GOD with no intentions or inclinations to repent.

A STUDY on MORE  VARIOUS BIBLICAL WORDS  Part 3 – by Sonny Islas

Sin – The Greek word for sin is: hamartano. Strong’s definition is: To miss the mark. To err. To be at fault. To offend (God). Thayer’s definition of sin is: To miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong. To violate God’s law.

1 JOHN 3:4 gives us the definition for sin,
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Since sin is lawlessness then sin is breaking the moral (good, right and just) laws of God both - outwardly and inwardly.

We can’t deeply understand the nature of sin without knowing the 10 Commandments. God has revealed His moral law in the 10 Commandments a.k.a. the Decalogue (EXOD 20:1-17). 

In short form:

    1. Do not place any other gods (false – only One True) before Me.
    2. Do not make for yourself any graven image to worship it. In other words, don’t created or design anything with your hands, heart or mind to worship it in place of God.
    3. Do not take the LORD your God’s Name in vain. As a cuss word or to say or use it flippantly.
    4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy (a worshipful time set apart for God – Sunday worship service – also to remember always that we find rest and salvation in Jesus alone).
    5. Honor your father and mother.
    6. Do not murder (not with a knife, club or a rock like Cain or with the heart with hatred and ill words like the Pharisees).
    7. Do not commit adultery (do not have sexual intercourse with anyone other than your spouse) (Nor cheat on your spouse with your heart and mind or in any way – fornication is included here in that this command teaches sexual purity).
    8. Do not steal. (many people read this and say, “now that’s one sin I don’t commit!” But did you know that when we don’t give faithfully (whenever we get paid) of our hard-earned money to God through the local church – we’re robbing from God? This is the principle found in MAL 3:9,10)
    9. Do not lie.
    10. Do not covet. (Do not greedily desire what others have)

 After reading these 10 unloving actions called sin, we can clearly see that we’re all guilty of sin – of being lawless - which points to being unloving and godless. 

ROMANS 3:23 
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

In other words, we’ve all sinned in that we have all failed to glorify God through genuine love and obedience. We’ve all failed to see God as He is – all glorious, awesome and matchless – and have magnified other things including ourselves above Him).

The good news is that sin has been dealt with by Jesus on the cross! 

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 
For He (God the Father) made Him (God the Son) who knew no sin (sinless – perfectly loving and obedient to His Father) to be sin for us (to be treated as though He committed all our sin though being perfectly innocent), that we might (if we choose to believe and submit to Him) become the righteousness of God in Him. (In other words, so that we would become perfectly right standing with God through faith in what Jesus did on the cross for us!)

The very first sin ever committed was covetousness by Lucifer who became Satan (Isaiah 14). Satan greedily wanted God’s glory and was rightfully cast down for it. So, then the birthplace of sin was Satan’s heart.

The second sin ever committed was by Eve (really it was by the angels that followed Satan) and if we analyze her sin it was very much like Satan’s sin of covetousness (Satan said, “you will be like God if you eat and crunch!”) She disobeyed God’s one command

Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat of it you will surely die (be separated from God due to her sin)” – GENESIS 2:17

If sin is so vile and damning then sin is by far man’s worst enemy and we’re called to overcome it by prayer, the power of the HS and loving obedience to God’s Word.

In short, sin is anything we say, think and do that is contrary to God’s thrice holy nature.

Unless a person comes to an understanding of their sin sickness, they will never come to Jesus for the cure. One will never see their need for faith and repentance.

Repent – Jesus uses this word,

Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

By the way, this is still the Church’s loving message to a fallen world. And when a fellowship has lost its message it becomes the salt that’s lost its saltiness and is good for nothing.”

The Greek word for repent is metanoeo (where we get the word metanoia from). Strong’s definition: to think differently. To reconsider. Morally, to feel shame and guilt. Thayer’s definition:  To change one’s mind for the better, heartily to make changes with disgust of one’s past (to hate and be broken hearted over the evil they’ve done). Thayer goes on to say that when a sinner comes to hate their sin. It’s only then that they’re ready for God’s forgiveness.

So then to repent is to have a renewed mind, which is only possible through faith, through believing biblical truth, it’s a fresh heavenly way of thinking about Jesus and all that God desires for our lives which then leads to a change of heart and a change of life. Repentance is a willingness to turn from sin and to Jesus because He’s way better.

Repentance is also an emotional response to the gospel message. When we hear biblical truth about our wicked condition, and God’s holy standard, and what Jesus did on the cross to fix our problem, we feel dirty, needy, guilty, helpless and shameful so much so that we begin to desperately desire to be forgiven and cleansed of sin, by Jesus.

For the Born-Again Christian, repentance is a way of life. We started with repentance, but we also continue repenting because sin is never fully conquered until we’re in glory. So, when we sin, we must repent asap – that is feel guilt, run to God, renew the mind and turn from sin.

Why must everyone repent? Because Jesus commanded it in order to be saved from eternal damnation. And because Jesus said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is here.” In other words “The Earth’s kingdom is evil and is passing, My spiritual kingdom has come and I’m the King – so do life My way, through My power because I’m far better than this world and it’s godless ways and ways of thinking.”

Note to reader: For a full treatment on "repentance" check out this TTUF article:
A TTUF Look at REPENTANCE: What Is It and Is It Necessary?

Holiness – The Greek word for Holiness is hagiasmos - Strong’s definition: Purification, the state of purity (both physical and spiritual purity). Thayer’s definition is consecration (which points to dedicating one’s self to the LORD), sanctification of heart and life.

One way in which God makes us holy is through His Word.
In JOHN 17:17 Jesus prays to the Father for us saying “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” The ongoing reading, meditating, hearing, understanding and applying of God’s Holy Word has a purifying effect on our lives – starting with the mind.

King David understood this. 

In PSALM 119:11, the Psalmist says,
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You 

That I may be pure and pleasing. In other words, “I made my heart a vault for your valuable Word!”) God washes away lies with truth from our minds and hearts which then produces holy thinking and holy conduct.

Another way in which I like to define holiness is simply to be set apart for God (His use and good pleasure). i.e. In the OT, the Tabernacle and the Temple (which were holy places of worship) there were holy instruments, vessels, furniture and clothing that was used. And what made these things holy was that they were specifically set apart and only used in the Tabernacle and the Temple for worship. These things were set apart for the service of God alone. And we are too!

Paul Washer illustrated holiness like this: "Holiness is like taking a carrot and chopping in into pieces with a knife then separating those pieces. You cut then you separate.

This is what the LORD has done spiritually speaking. He has cut us away from this world’s ways and has separated us - unto Himself".

Listen to how this verse illustrates holiness in such a beautiful way:

DEUTERONOMY 7:6 
For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 

We read the same thing regarding the Church (1 PET 2:9).

Holiness is something we grow in i.e. 2019 Sonny is far more set apart for God than 1996 Sonny. Also, holiness is something we pursue and live out or we will not see the LORD. 

HEBREWS 12:14 (speaking of practical holiness) says, 
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:” 

To be holy is a command from God: 

1 PETER1:15,16
…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy" 

Here Peter quotes The Book of Leviticus). God is simply saying – “Be like Me.” Live heavenly on earth for Me. Q: Does God lie? Steal? Cheat? Gossip? Or Enjoy evil? A: No!

And as we become more and more set apart for God let’s beware that we don’t become snobby with a holier than thou attitude. Because God doesn’t throw His holiness around like a bully. Holiness is not a license to treat others as lesser. True holiness treats others as more.

Holiness has to do with our usefulness. The more set apart for God you are the more He will use you.

2 TIMOTHY 2:20-21 
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

For more about holiness, see this FROM The MIND Of FIRE article:
HOLY LIFE or Hypocritical Legalism?