The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Richard's Not So Precise Theological Definitions

Heaven: A place where man may directly experience the presence of God.

Hell: A place where man is either unwilling or unable to experience the presence of God.

Grace: The undeserved love of God which is freely extended to all.

Gospel: Good news for ALL mankind.

Salvation: A process of reconciliation which has been completed from God’s point of view, but will not be fully experienced by everyone until time, as we know it, has ended.

Jesus Christ: The one and only Son of God, co-eternal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Addiction: Over-indulgence in anything, good or bad, which hinders us in our service to God and others.

Evil: Something that will eventually be done away with, but which currently serves the purpose of revealing the goodness of God.

Faith or Belief: A door that anyone may open which leads to a saving relationship with Christ.

Predestination: God’s predetermined plan to eventually reconcile all of His created beings to Himself.

Free-Will: The free, but not self-caused, exercise of man’s choices in life.

Atonement: The complete payment that Christ made on the cross of Calvary for the past, present and future sins of all mankind.

Incarnation: A process whereby God directly interacts with mankind and views His created universe from within.

Sovereignty: God’s intention and ability to accomplish all of His loving purposes for mankind.

God’s Elect: Those who are chosen in Christ for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with those who are not yet saved.

Universalism: The belief that Christianity is only one of many different paths which lead to God.

Christian Universalism: The belief that there is only one path or way that leads to God, and that is Jesus Christ, who has already redeemed all mankind and will one day finish drawing them all to Himself.

Calvinism: The belief that God is able to save everyone but is unwilling to do so.

Arminianism: The belief that God is willing to save everyone but is unable to do so.

Verbal Inerrancy: The belief that the words of the Bible, which, although written by men, should be regarded as the actual, inerrant words of God.

Verbal Inspiration: The belief that the words of the Bible should not be regarded as the actual, inerrant words of God, but the words of men who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Perfection: Flawed, but perfectly suited for God’s purposes.

Logos: Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, who speaks to us directly through the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Life: Age-abiding fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.

Eternal Death: Age-abiding separation from Christ and isolation from God.