In the case of end time prophecy, there are at least 183 recorded (and failed) predictions concerning the end of the world. So, what is the point of studying Eschatology? The answer is profoundly simple. It is presented in God’s Word and therefore a dutiful and worthwhile endeavor.

Today we are going to briefly discuss and cover some of the basic understandings of one of the fancy big words used in various Christian circles ending in “ology”. In its most basic definition, Soteriology focuses on the study of salvation, or saving faith in Jesus Christ.

What is the church? Is it a building? Is it a collection of like-minded people? A combination of both? These are common and very valid questions that may leave you with a variety of different answers, depending on who you ask.

Anthropologists have been studying and exploring the essence of mankind for as long as mankind has been around so there is obviously neither time nor room in this short treatment to cover such a broad topic comprehensively. So… what is man?

Talking about sin these days seems old fashioned and out of touch. Who really wants to think about sin or being sinful? Hamartiology is the study of sin and deals with how sin originated, how it affects humanity, and how it was and will ultimately be defeated.

If ten people on the street were surveyed to describe what an angel is, there is a good chance the answers would be wildly different. These answers may be from the Bible, early Jewish lore, literature, artwork from the Middle Ages, or even Hollywood. But what is the true doctrine of Angels?

Christology is the area of Christian belief concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our Christology matters because what we believe about Jesus forms the foundation for our Soteriology which is what we believe about how a person can receive forgiveness and new spiritual life.

Theology Proper seeks to focus on what the Bible teaches about God the Father, His existence, Persons of the Trinity, and His character. If we get the nature and character of God the Father wrong, all our theology begins leaking and corrupts every other area of our theological inquiry.

What is truth? How can we know anything for sure? Is the Bible the legitimate source of truth? Is it authoritative? Those questions fall under the category of the term bibliology which refers to the study of the nature of the Bible as Revelation.

The Bible speaks of its truthfulness from early in the Old Testament, and Jesus affirmed the truthfulness of scripture at the time of his temptation in the New Testament. As His followers today, we can be confident in the truthfulness of scripture but must remain humble in our ability to interpret the Bible.

We have all felt it. A pull towards disobedience, a desire to live our lives "on our own terms." Though we may know God's plans for our lives, or at least the commands that He gives us, we find it impossible to follow through. Why can’t we escape these sinful impulses? To find the answer, we must start at the very beginning.

Each month we will look at a word or phrase related to Christian theology, define it, give background about the theology behind the word, and what it means for us today. This month’s word is Sanctification and how we as Christians become more like Christ through this process.

Each month we will look at a word or phrase related to Christian theology, define it, give background about the theology behind the word, and what it means for us today. This month’s word is Atonement and the idea of Justification before God.