Category: Bible Terms

Definitions to key words found in the Bible and words that relate to faith and Bible reading.

Bible Term: Armor of God

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

The Bible says to “put on the full armor of God.”

Though this might seem like a call for military action, it’s merely a memory aid to help people remember key items needed to prevail in spiritual conflict, namely: truth, righteousness, sharing the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word of God (the only offensive tool of the group).

Paul, in Ephesians 6:11-17, paints a word picture using the soldier of the day (with which readers would have been most familiar) connecting his essential gear with these key spiritual elements.

To recall Paul’s list, readers needed only to envision a soldier in uniform, associating each spiritual element with its physical counterpart:

Belt: truth
Breastplate: righteousness (that is, right living)
Shoes: a readiness to share the gospel of peace
Shield: faith
Helmet: salvation
Sword: the word of God (depending on interpretation, this can be the written word or the spoken word of God)

It’s not about a physical fight (which many have missed throughout the ages) but instead a spiritual conflict for which followers of Jesus must be prepared to engage in using truth, righteousness, sharing the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word of God.

Key verse about Armor of God: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Ephesians 6:13, NIV).

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Apostolic

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Apostolic means “of or relating to the apostles” (that is, followers of Jesus). This can apply to the twelve apostles (disciples), to their teaching and practices, or the spiritual authority that has emerged from them.

Key verse about Apostolic: to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs” (Acts 1:25, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Apostle

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An apostle is one who is sent by another as an envoy. As such, apostles of Jesus are those that he sends to represent him in the world. As such, Jesus himself could even be considered an apostle of his Father in Heaven (Hebrews 3:1).

More commonly, Apostle refers to followers of Jesus.

Often the terms disciple and apostle are used interchangeably, although some would say that a Disciple is one of the original twelve followers, whereas an Apostle is a more generic term that applies to all followers of Jesus.

Key verse about Apostle: The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught (Mark 6:30, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Apostasy

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Apostasy is to abandon, denounce, reject, or fall away from one’s faith.

Various translations of the Bible uses others words, which also mean apostasy, such as faithfulness, waywardness, rebellion, and turning away.

A person who commits apostasy is called an apostate.

Key verse about apostasy: “Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed]: (2 Thessalonians 2:3, AMP).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Apocrypha

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

The word Apocrypha is not found in the Bible but is used to describe several Old Testament books that aren’t included in all versions of the Bible, such as the Protestant and Hebrew Bibles.

However, these books are all found in the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and the Common English Bible (CEB), among others. The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures, which was widely used in Jesus’s day, also contains these books of the Apocrypha.

In addition (except for 3 and 4 Maccabees) the Wycliffe Bible (WYC) and the original Authorized King James Version (KJV) include these books of the Apocrypha. However, they were removed from the KJV almost two centuries after it was first published.

Roman Catholic Cannon: The Roman Catholic Bible (see the New American Bible, as well as the New Jerusalem Bible, Douay-Rheims, and Good News Translation) includes the following books of the Apocrypha:

Eastern Orthodox Cannon: Additionally, the Eastern Orthodox Bible includes all the above books, as well as the following:

3 Maccabees
4 Maccabees
1 Esdras
Prayer of Manasseh
Psalm 151
Letter of Jeremiah (sometimes included in Baruch, chapter 6)
(The Prayer of Azariah, usually included in Daniel, as part of chapter 3.)
(Susanna, usually included in Daniel, chapter 13)
(Bel and the Dragon, usually included in Daniel, chapter 14)

Ethiopic Cannon: There are also five additional books, which are part of the Ethiopian Bible, but which go beyond the Apocrypha. They are 2 Esdras, Enoch, Jubilees, 1 Clements, and Shepherd of Hermas.

Discover more about the Apocrypha.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Apocalypse

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Apocalypse can generically refer to any prediction or prophecy about the future destruction of the world, that is, the end times. In a general sense, an apocalypse can refer to any prophecy or revelation.

Two books in the Bible align with this perspective and are called Apocalyptic books. They are Daniel and Revelation.

For a follower of Jesus (a Christian) there is hope amid this destruction because of a future anticipation of eternity in heaven.

The Bible doesn’t, however, use the word Apocalypse. But you can read about it in parts of Daniel and Revelation, such as:

“The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up” (Revelation 8:7, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Antichrist

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An antichrist is simply one who is against Christ (Jesus). As such, there were, are, and will be many antichrists.

The word antichrist only occurs four times in the Bible, all in John’s writings:
1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 4:3, and 2 John 1:7.

Interestingly, antichrist does not appear in the book of Revelation, though the phrase, “the beast” is used often (as well as in Daniel’s prophecy: Daniel 7:11 and 19). Many consider the beast to be antichrist or the Antichrist. The idea of an ultimate Antichrist is perpetuated in pop culture and movies.

Key verse about Antichrist: Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Angel

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An angel is a created spiritual being that serves God, worships him, and acts as his messenger.

Angels, like people, have free will; they can choose to serve God or rebel against him. Angels who rebel against God serve Satan or the devil (Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 12:9)

Though there are attempts in the Bible to describe what angels look like, the one inescapable conclusion is that they are awesome in appearance. This is because often the first thing angels say when they appear to people is “Do not be afraid” or “Fear not.”

Key verse about Angel: “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family (Genesis 24:40, NIV)

[Matthew 28:5, Luke 1:13, Luke 1:30, Luke 2:10,and Revelation 1:17]

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Ambassador

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An ambassador is someone authorized to act on behalf of a higher authority; they serve as a representative. The common usage today is a person who represents their country to a foreign government.

Some translations of the Bible use the word ambassador in this sense, as someone who acts on God‘s behalf as his representative to others.

For example:

Jesus sent out his twelve disciples as his ambassadors (Mark 6:7, Amplified version).

Paul said he was Jesus’ ambassador (Ephesians 6:20 and Philemon 1:9, Amplified version).

Followers of Jesus serve as his ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), with the responsibility to act rightly and represent him properly.

Key verse about Ambassador: We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Altar

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

In general, an alter is a physical place were sacrifices are made to gods.

In the Old Testament, altars were places were animals were sacrificed to God as offerings or in payment for one’s sins. These sacrifices needed to be repeated again and again because people sinned again and again.

Alternately, altars were sometimes constructed to commemorate an event, agreement, or promise. Here their purpose was more like a monument, used to remind people of what happened.

In the New Testament, Jesus provided an all encompassing sacrifice once and for all for our sins.

Key verse about Altar: The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him (Genesis 12:7, NIV).

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