Fireproof Studies – Biblical & Theological Glossary
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© James Burke. For personal study, teaching, and church use.
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Biblical & Theological Glossary

Clear definitions for words that matter.

Many biblical and theological terms are used often but understood poorly. This glossary exists to define important words clearly, biblically, and usefully.

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Built for the Church

Use these definitions to teach, preach, and disciple with clarity and confidence.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M O P P R S T U W

Adoption

Adoption is God's act of granting those in Christ the recognized standing, inheritance, and full rights of sons within His household.

Adoption emphasizes accepted status and heirship before God. Through Christ, believers are received into God's household as His children and heirs.

See: Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 4:4–7

See also: In Christ, Regeneration, Salvation

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Apostle

An apostle is one sent with delegated authority to represent and carry out the mission of the one who sent him.

The word apostle means "sent one." Scripture uses the term in more than one sense, though always with the idea of authorized representation and mission.

See: Exodus 3:10–15; Luke 6:13; Acts 13:1–4; Hebrews 3:1; Ephesians 2:20

See also: Church, Gospel, Pastor
Related Study: Peter, Pentecost, and the Keys of the Kingdom

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Assurance

Assurance is the settled confidence that one belongs to God through faith in Jesus Christ and the continuing work of the Holy Spirit.

Biblical assurance rests ultimately upon the character and promises of God, not merely upon fluctuating emotions or personal performance.

See: Romans 8:14–16; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Hebrews 10:22; 1 John 5:13

See also: Faith, Salvation, Perseverance

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Atonement

Atonement is the saving work of Jesus Christ by which sin is dealt with, justice is satisfied, and reconciliation with God is made possible.

Through His death and resurrection, Christ bore sin, satisfied divine justice, and brought peace between God and man.

See: Romans 3:25–26; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21

See also: Propitiation, Reconciliation, Redemption

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Baptism

Baptism is the Gospel sign by which a believer publicly identifies with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Baptism visibly proclaims union with Christ and reception into the visible fellowship of the church.

See: Matthew 28:19–20; Romans 6:3–5

See also: Gospel, Church, Communion

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Bishop

A bishop is an overseer entrusted with spiritual leadership, protection, and care within the church of Jesus Christ.

Scripture uses bishop, elder, and pastor in closely related ways, emphasizing different aspects of the same office rather than entirely separate ranks of authority.

See: Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9

See also: Elder, Pastor, Church

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Born Again

Born again refers to the new life given by the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.

The new birth is not merely moral improvement, but the beginning of new spiritual life and origin in Christ.

See: John 3:3–8; 1 Peter 1:23

See also: Regeneration, Salvation, Holy Spirit

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Calling

Calling is God's summons by which He brings people to Himself and appoints them to walk in His purposes.

Scripture speaks of calling both in salvation and in service. Through the Gospel, God calls sinners to repentance, faith, and life in Christ.

See: Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:9

See also: Election, Salvation, Obedience

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Church

The church is the gathered people of God called through the Gospel and ordered under Christ for worship, teaching, fellowship, discipline, and witness.

The New Testament word ekklesia means assembly or congregation. The church is not merely all believers abstractly considered, but a visible gathered people living under the authority of Christ.

See: Acts 2:41–47; 1 Timothy 3:15

See also: Communion, Elder, Gospel
Related Study: The Church at Pentecost Was Not Yet Mature • Did the Church Begin in Matthew, John, or Acts? • What Happened at Pentecost? • Peter, Pentecost, and the Keys of the Kingdom

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Church Discipline

Church discipline is the loving and ordered correction exercised by a local church to call the erring to repentance, protect the congregation, and restore fellowship where possible.

Discipline is not punitive but restorative, reflecting the Father's care for His children.

See: Matthew 18:15–17; 1 Corinthians 5; Galatians 6:1

See also: Church, Church Membership, Holiness

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Church Membership

Church membership is the covenant commitment of a baptized believer to a local church under Christ, involving shared worship, mutual care, faithful service, and loving accountability.

Membership is the practical outworking of belonging to Christ's visible body on earth.

See: Acts 2:41–47; 1 Corinthians 12; Hebrews 13:17

See also: Baptism, Fellowship, Church Discipline

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Communion

Communion is the shared participation and fellowship of believers with Christ and with one another through the New Covenant.

Communion refers both to the spiritual fellowship believers share in Christ and to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, which visibly proclaims that fellowship.

See: Luke 22:19–20; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17

See also: Church, Fellowship, Covenant
Related Study: What Happened at Pentecost?

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Depravity

Depravity is the corruption of human nature through sin, affecting every part of man and leaving him unable to restore himself to right standing before God.

Human beings remain image-bearers of God, yet every aspect of human life has been distorted by sin.

See: Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:10–18; Ephesians 2:1–5

See also: Sin, Salvation, Grace
Related Study: The Rock Beneath the Sand

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Discipline

Discipline is placing oneself under rightful authority for the purpose of growth, correction, and development.

God disciplines His people not for destruction, but for maturity and holiness.

See: Hebrews 12:5–11

See also: Church Discipline, Sanctification

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Elder

An elder is a spiritually mature man recognized by the church to shepherd, teach, oversee, and care for the people of God.

Elders lead through faithful teaching, spiritual oversight, and Christlike example.

See: Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9

See also: Church, Pastor, Discipline

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Election

Election is God's choosing of Christ as the appointed Redeemer, so that those in Him share in His chosen standing and purpose.

Believers are elect in Christ and called to holiness, service, and participation in God's redemptive plan.

See: Ephesians 1:4–5; Isaiah 42:1

See also: Foreknowledge, Predestination, In Christ

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Eschatology

Eschatology is the study of the last things and the fulfillment of God's purposes in history through Jesus Christ.

Eschatology includes the return of Christ, resurrection, judgment, the kingdom of God, and the renewal of creation.

See: 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21–22

See also: Resurrection, Kingdom of God, Salvation

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Expiation

Expiation is the removal and cleansing of sin through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ.

While propitiation emphasizes the satisfaction of God's righteous wrath, expiation emphasizes the removal of guilt and defilement.

See: Leviticus 16:20–22; Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 1:7

See also: Propitiation, Atonement

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Fellowship

Fellowship is the shared participation of believers in Christ and in the life of His church.

Fellowship is not merely social gathering, but spiritual union made visible through shared life in Christ.

See: Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 10:16–21; 1 John 1:3

See also: Church, Church Membership, Worship
Related Study: What Happened at Pentecost?

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Foreknowledge

Foreknowledge is God's perfect knowledge of all things, including His relational knowledge and purpose concerning those who are in Christ.

God's foreknowledge involves more than passive observation of future human actions; it is personal and covenantal.

See: Romans 8:29; Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:1–2

See also: Election, Predestination, Sovereignty

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Glory

Glory is the revealed worth, beauty, and visible display of who God truly is, most fully revealed in Jesus Christ.

The glory of God is most clearly revealed in Christ, where holiness, truth, justice, mercy, love, and power are displayed together.

See: Psalm 19:1; Isaiah 6:1–3; John 1:14; John 17:1–5

See also: Love, Sovereignty, Worship

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Hell

Hell is the final judgment and separation from God experienced by those who remain in rebellion against Him.

Hell does not exist because God delights in suffering, but because God is holy, just, and opposed to evil.

See: Matthew 25:41–46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9; Revelation 20:11–15

See also: Salvation, Wrath, Justice

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Holiness

Holiness is being set apart to God for His rightful use and brought into right order under His will.

Holiness reflects God's character and demonstrates the reality of the gospel to the world.

See: Leviticus 20:26; 1 Peter 1:15–16; Romans 12:1

See also: Sin, Sanctification, Worship
Related Study: The Rock Beneath the Sand

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Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, poured out by the exalted Christ at Pentecost to empower the church's witness, guide believers into truth, and apply the finished work of Christ.

The Spirit does not draw attention to Himself but glorifies Christ. At Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out as the promised gift of the risen and enthroned Christ.

See: John 14:26; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:33

See also: Pentecost, Church, Truth
Related Study: John 20 and Pentecost: Two Different Moments • What Happened at Pentecost?

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Imputation

Imputation is the reckoning or counting of righteousness to believers through union with Jesus Christ.

Through imputation, believers are counted righteous in Him and accepted before God on the basis of His finished work rather than their own merit.

See: Romans 4:3–8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9

See also: Justification, Grace, In Christ
Related Study: The Rock Beneath the Sand

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In Christ

To be in Christ is to stand within the reality of the One in whom God's saving purpose is fulfilled.

It is participation in His completion, not striving for our own.

See: Ephesians 1:3–10; Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17

See also: Election, Predestination, Adoption

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Justice

Justice is the righteous ordering of all things according to the truth, holiness, and character of God.

At the cross, the justice and mercy of God meet together. Sin is not ignored, yet forgiveness is extended through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ.

See: Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 89:14; Romans 3:25–26

See also: Wrath, Holiness, Propitiation
Related Study: When Justice Has No Ground

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Justification

Justification is God's act of grace, bringing the sinner into right standing—placing him upon the level ground of Christ's righteousness in the presence of God—received by faith alone.

It is a legal declaration, not an internal transformation. God pronounces the guilty righteous on the basis of Christ's finished work.

See: Romans 3:24–26; Romans 5:1; Philippians 3:9

See also: Faith, Gospel, Peace
Related Study: The Rock Beneath the Sand

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Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is the rightful reign of God established in Jesus Christ, present now wherever He is trusted and obeyed, and awaiting full visible completion at His return.

It is not a geographical territory, but the active rule of God over redeemed hearts and history.

See: Mark 1:14–15; Luke 17:20–21; Romans 14:17

See also: Gospel, Church, Worship
Related Study: Peter, Pentecost, and the Keys of the Kingdom

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Law

Law is the revealed order, command, and righteous standard of God governing His creation and human conduct.

The Law was never intended to save sinners through human effort. Rather, it reveals guilt, restrains evil, and points ultimately to Jesus Christ.

See: Exodus 20; Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24

See also: Sin, Grace, Salvation

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Lordship

Lordship is the rightful authority and rule of Jesus Christ over all creation and over the lives of those who belong to Him.

Because Christ is Lord, no area of life stands outside His claim. Worship, morality, relationships, work, thought, and obedience all fall under His rightful rule.

See: Matthew 28:18; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:9–11

See also: Salvation, Sovereignty, Obedience

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Love

Love is the committed, self-giving pursuit of another's good according to the truth and character of God.

Biblical love is fundamentally an act of commitment rather than a passing emotional state. Love remains rooted in faithful action aligned with the character of God.

See: John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 4:7–12

See also: Grace, Sanctification, Truth
Related Study: The Rock Beneath the Sand

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Mercy

Mercy is compassion shown to the guilty and the suffering, by which deserved judgment is withheld and needed help is given.

While grace gives what is not deserved, mercy withholds what is deserved.

See: Ephesians 2:4; Luke 18:13; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 4:16

See also: Grace, Gospel, Atonement

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Mercy Seat

The mercy seat was the golden lid over the Ark of the Covenant where God met His people through blood; fulfilled in Christ, our true mercy seat.

The New Testament identifies Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of this type. He is both the true mercy seat and the final sacrifice whose blood covers sin eternally.

See: Exodus 25:17–22; Leviticus 16:14–15; Romans 3:25

See also: Propitiation, Atonement

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Obedience

Obedience is the willing submission of life and action to the truth, authority, and will of God.

Scripture presents obedience not as the cause of salvation, but as the fruit of genuine faith and spiritual life.

See: John 14:15; Romans 1:5; Philippians 2:8; James 1:22

See also: Faith, Sanctification, Lordship
Related Study: Walking Before Understanding

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Pastor

A pastor is a shepherd of God's people who teaches, leads, protects, and cares for the church under the authority of Jesus Christ.

Scripture closely connects the work of pastor, elder, and overseer, presenting them as different aspects of the same spiritual leadership.

See: Jeremiah 3:15; Ephesians 4:11–12; 1 Peter 5:1–4

See also: Elder, Bishop, Church

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Peace

Peace is the inward settledness that flows from being made right with God and yielding control to His wise rule.

Biblical peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of Christ's lordship.

See: Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7; John 14:27

See also: Rest, Justification, Mercy
Related Study: The End of the Matter: What Is Rest?

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Pentecost

Pentecost was the Jewish feast day on which the risen and exalted Christ poured out the Holy Spirit upon His gathered disciples, publicly empowering and launching the church into its witness to Christ.

Pentecost marks not the invention of the church from nothing, but the Spirit-filled beginning of its public mission.

See: Acts 2:1–4; Joel 2:28–32; John 7:39

See also: Church, Holy Spirit, Apostle
Related Study: What Happened at Pentecost? • John 20 and Pentecost: Two Different Moments • Peter, Pentecost, and the Keys of the Kingdom

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Perseverance

Perseverance is the continuing endurance of faith and obedience in those who truly belong to Jesus Christ.

Perseverance does not deny the reality of false profession. True perseverance reveals genuine participation in Christ.

See: John 15:1–6; Romans 8:35–39; Hebrews 3:12–14

See also: Assurance, Salvation, Faith

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Predestination

Predestination is God's determination beforehand of what those in Christ are appointed to become and to do.

Predestination does not rob human responsibility; it secures the certainty of God's redemptive purposes.

See: Ephesians 1:5, 11; Romans 8:29

See also: Election, In Christ, Adoption

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Propitiation

Propitiation is the satisfaction of God's righteous wrath against sin through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

The cross reveals both the holiness and love of God together. The Father Himself provided the Son so that justice would be satisfied and mercy extended.

See: Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Hebrews 9:5

See also: Atonement, Justification, Grace

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Reconciliation

Reconciliation is the restoration of peace and right relationship between God and man through Jesus Christ.

Through Christ, believers are no longer enemies, but are brought near as children, citizens, and members of the household of God.

See: Romans 5:10–11; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Ephesians 2:13–16

See also: Redemption, Salvation, Atonement

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Redemption

Redemption is God's act of reclaiming and delivering sinners through Jesus Christ, establishing them as His own through the cost of His Son's blood.

Believers are redeemed not merely from something, but unto Someone. Having been bought with a price, they no longer belong to themselves, but to the One who redeemed them.

See: Mark 10:45; Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18–19

See also: Salvation, Reconciliation, Covenant

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Regeneration / New Birth

Regeneration, or the new birth, is the beginning of new life produced by God through His Word and Spirit.

It is monergistic—accomplished solely by God—and precedes faith as the Spirit awakens the spiritually dead.

See: John 3:3–8; 1 Peter 1:23; Hebrews 3:12–14

See also: Adoption, Sanctification, Faith

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Repentance

Repentance is the turning of a person from sin and falsehood to God in truth.

It is not mere sorrow for wrong, but a change of mind so real that it changes direction.

See: Mark 1:15; Acts 3:19; 2 Corinthians 7:10

See also: Faith, Gospel, Sin
Related Study: Come and Follow

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Resurrection

Resurrection is God's act of raising the dead to life, most fully revealed in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The resurrection of Christ is also the beginning of the future resurrection of believers. Resurrection is therefore not merely survival after death, but the restoration and glorification of life.

See: Matthew 28:5–7; John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 3:20–21

See also: Salvation, Gospel, Eschatology
Related Study: John 20 and Pentecost: Two Different Moments

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Rest

Rest is the condition that exists when the work upon which obligation depends has been completed.

In Christ, rest is entered through His finished work, not achieved through our striving.

See: Matthew 11:28–30; Hebrews 4:9–10; John 19:30

See also: Peace, In Christ, Faith
Related Study: The End of the Matter: What Is Rest?

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Salvation

Salvation is God's work of delivering sinners from sin, death, and judgment through Jesus Christ and bringing them into eternal life under His rule.

Salvation includes forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption, justification, new birth, sanctification, and final resurrection.

See: John 3:16–17; Romans 1:16; Ephesians 2:8–10; Titus 3:5

See also: Redemption, Reconciliation, Justification
Related Study: The Rock Beneath the Sand

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Sanctification

Sanctification is the ongoing work of God the Spirit, by which the new life He has given increasingly overtakes the old patterns of sin.

Sanctification is synergistic: God works, and we respond in obedience, discipline, and means of grace.

See: 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:12–13

See also: Regeneration / New Birth, Holiness, Discipline

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Sovereignty

Sovereignty is God's absolute authority, power, and freedom to accomplish His will over all creation according to His wisdom and character.

Human beings remain morally responsible for their actions even under God's sovereign rule. God truly reigns, and man is truly accountable.

See: Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:9–10; Daniel 4:35; Romans 8:28

See also: Foreknowledge, Election, Lordship

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Unconditional

Unconditional means not based on prior merit, worthiness, or achievement; describes God's grace, love, and promises as originating in His own character.

The Gospel is unconditional in its offer, but not meaningless in its effect. God does not save because man is worthy; He saves because He is merciful.

See: Romans 9:16; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9

See also: Grace, Election, Faith

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Wrath

Wrath is God's righteous and holy opposition to sin, evil, and all that destroys His creation and glory.

The cross reveals both the seriousness of wrath and the greatness of God's love together.

See: Romans 1:18; John 3:36; Romans 5:8–9; Ephesians 2:3–5

See also: Justice, Holiness, Propitiation

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Worship

Worship is the response of heart, mind, and life to God as He truly is, giving Him honor, trust, gratitude, and obedience.

True worship flows from revelation, is sustained by truth, and produces holiness.

See: John 4:23–24; Romans 12:1; Psalm 95; Hebrews 13:15–16

See also: Truth, Holiness, Fellowship

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About This Glossary

These definitions are intentionally concise. Fuller articles and deeper studies will be added over time.

This page will continue to grow as more terms are refined and added.

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