What is Christianese?

It is the casual language used by Christians.  You can think of it as “Christian slang.”  It’s a language that Christians use that unbelievers and some believers really do not understand.  It is a language of words, terms and phrases used in Christianity.  Some of these words are not even in the Bible.  Some of these words are rapture, ask Jesus into your heart, agape, born-again, if it is God’s will, spiritual gift, and fellowship – well you get the idea.  Here is a short list of this language and what each means.

Agape – This is a Greek word for brotherly love.  It is the love of God or Christ for mankind.  It is the unselfish love Christians have for other persons.

Adoption – When someone surrenders their life to Jesus they are brought into the family of God through the work of Jesus on the cross. (Rom 8-9; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5)

Ask Jesus into your heart – This phrase is not in the Bible.  It refers to the most important decision a person can ever make – to believe in Jesus as Lord.  It means to give your heart to Him, making Him your Lord and Savior and obeying His commands.  Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works.  Just asking doesn’t save you. You must believe that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, was buried and rose again.  It is believing in and surrendering to Jesus.  It is asking Him to transform you, to push yourself out and fill yourself up with Him.   

Atonement – Sin separates us from God.  When Jesus died on the cross, He bore the punishment for our sins.  His blood was shed as a sacrificial offering which enabled the reconciliation between God and man. (1 Peter 2:24; Heb. 9:12)

Baby Christian – This is a person who has recently converted to Christianity and is new to Biblical teachings.

Backslidden – This doesn’t mean they are not saved, necessarily.  It refers to those Christians who have reverted back to sinful habits.

Bride of Christ – This refers to the church, which is the redeemed body of believers.  It represents the spiritual intimate relationship we will have with God when we have been fully sanctified. (Rev.  21)

Believe – This is to be persuaded of the truth, to expect and hope with confidence, and to trust – to believe that Jesus is God, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, which you deserve eternal separation from God. (John 1:1-4, 14; 1 cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 6:23)

Bible belt – This is the area of the southern and Midwestern US and western Canada where Protestant fundamentalism is widely practiced.

Blasphemy – This is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God.

To be Blessed – This mean to be truly satisfied.  This does not mean to be simply happy.  We can never be happy living self-centered lives.  Matt. 5:1-12 tells us what it means to be blessed.

Born-again – This literally means to be “born from above”.  It means to have a spiritual transformation.  To be born again is when you have a change of heart and a change in how you live.  You are dead to your sins and made alive by repenting and believing and trusting Jesus as Lord.  You are spiritually renewed and are a child of God by right of new birth. (John 3:3-7, 2 Cor. 5:17, Titus 3:5)

Church / Body of Christ – This is not the church building, but the believing people made up of all Christians who have ever lived all over the world.

Children of God - God is our creator and we are all His children.  When the Bible talks about God’s children, it means people who have a relationship with God because of their believing in Him and trusting in Him for salvation.  God takes care of us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  He loves and takes care of us just as an earthly father loves and takes care of his children. 

Communion or Lord’s Supper – This is a memorial, celebration, and reminder of Jesus’ death and resurrection.   It’s the taking of wine or juice and bread which symbolizes Jesus blood and body that was sacrificed on the cross.  We rejoice that Jesus conquered death and has set free all who were enslaved by a fear of death.  We remember His triumph over sin and death.  It’s a celebration, not a funeral.  It’s a reminder of Jesus’ return. (Matt. 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-23;

Die to self – This refers to surrendering and dying the selfish ways of the fleshly nature in order to honor God by living by the Spirit. (Luke 9:23; 1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 8:13)

Disciple – When used as a noun it means to be a student and follower of Jesus.  As a verb it means to train another in the Christian faith. (Luke 14:27; John 8:31-32; Matt. 28:18-20)

Election – This is in reference to God choosing in His sovereignty those people that will be saved. (Rom. 8:31-39, 9:1-29)  He chose us all to be saved, but it’s our choice whether to accept Him or not.

Faith – This is made up of 3 things – knowledge, belief, and trust in Jesus.  It is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1)  It is believing Jesus is what He is said to be, and He will do what He promised, and then to expect this of Him.

Flesh – This is in reference to our physical and sinful human nature that is apart from divine influence. (1 John 2:15-17; Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 8:1-17)

Fellowship – The basic meaning is a real and practical sharing in eternal life with the Father and the Son.  The full meaning of fellowship only exists, because God the Father through Jesus Christ, the Son and the Spirit has established a relationship with man.  Those who believe the gospel are united in the Spirit and share in this relationship and communion. (1 John 1:3-6)

Fruit of the Spirit – This is not Spiritual gifts.  The fruit of the Spirit are aspects of Christ’s character, which every Christian is to seek, promote, and develop.  They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22)

Gospel – This means “good News”, which is that Jesus has paid the penalty for our sins and we can be reconciled with God through Christ’ work on the cross. (Matt., Mark, Luke, John, Rom. 1-8)  This is Jesus’ story.  It is His birth, death and resurrection.

Grace – This is described as unmerited favor of God toward man.  (Eph 2:8)  This concept occurs in the Old Testament as “favor in the eyes of the Lord”, “find favor”, “be pleased with”, etc. (Gen 6:8 and Exodus 33).  There are many references to grace in the New Testament. (John 1:16, Luke 2:40, 52, Eph. 1:6)

Hedge of protection – This is considered to be a fence or barrier which God places around us to protect us from evil.

In Jesus’ Name – This refers to making requests in the name of Jesus.  It is used at the end of prayers.  Jesus told us to ask Him anything in His Name and He will do it. (John 14:13-14)

Justification – This refers to being made righteous in the eyes of God through the work of Jesus on the cross (Rom. 3:28; Rom. 5; Gal. 2:16)

Prayer warrior – This is Christian who is committed to praying often.  This is a believer who prays in Jesus’ name and is called to be an intercessor for people.

Predestination – God determines certain things ahead of time.  He knows who will believe and who will not.  We all have a choice – to believe or not to believe.  God wants us all to accept Jesus as Lord.  He knows who these people are and the choices they will make, because God is all knowing. (Eph. 1:5, 11)

Propitiation – This refers to Jesus taking our place and bearing the punishment for our sins on the cross. (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10)

Rapture – The word rapture does not occur in the Bible.  The term means “caught up”.  Before Jesus comes back to earth to judge the world and set up His Kingdom, He is going to rapture the church, the true believers.  He will take them out of this ungodly world and transform their bodies into glorious bodies in a twinkling of an eye. (2 Tim. 4:1, 16-18, 1 Cor. 15:51-56; 1 Thess. 5:1-22, Matt. 25:13)

Redeemed – When Jesus died on the cross, He paid for our sins and removed the obligation of payment to God.  He released us from the bondage of sin.  He rescued us by giving His life for us.  He saved us from God’s wrath.  God placed the wrath due us upon Jesus so that if we repent and trust in Jesus, God will look at us as being righteous just like Jesus is righteous.

Repentance – This refers to being conscious of guilt as a result of turning from that sin and turning to God. (Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9)

Sanctification – This is the process God uses to make us holy.  It’s the growing and purifying setting us free from sin.  It takes a lifetime.  We will never be completely perfect until that day of Jesus’ return.

Saved – This refers to the deliverance from the consequences and power of sin through Jesus’ death and resurrection. (Eph. 2:8-9; Mark 16:16; John 10:9) 

Spiritual Gift – This is a gift given to believers to be used by God.  It is a special divine empowerment bestowed on each believer by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a given ministry according to God’s design and purpose. (Eph. 4:11-13, 16)  Gifts are given to believers to grow and mature in their faith, the needs of the church will be met, and God will be glorified.

Trinity – This refers to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  This term is not found in scripture, but is demonstrated in Matt. 3:15-17, Gen. 1:26-27. 

Washed by the blood – This means to have your sins forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  When He died on the cross, He acted as the Lamb of God to be killed like the Passover Lamb in the Old Testament.  By the shedding of His blood we obtain eternal redemption.  It means to have a cleansed heart.

There are many others words and phrases not mentioned here.  I hope this has cleared up some of these words and terms for you.  Thanks for stopping by my site.  Have a blessed day.  See you next time for another interesting topic.

__________________________________________

If you have enjoyed my post and have found if helpful, please leave a comment or share this post with the buttons below. 

You can also join this site by clicking on the blue button at the top left "Join this site" or you can "Subscribe by Email".  If you follow by email, you will receive an email every time there is a new post.