Doctrinal Studies

Terms We Need to Know

DHS—Deity of the Holy Spirit:  By DHS we mean that the Holy Spirit (Deity 3 of the Godhead) is one with God and One in the Godhead.  He is co-equal, co-eternal, and con-substantial (one in substance, essence, and nature) with God the Father (Deity 1) and God the Son, (Deity 2).

BHS—Baptism of the Holy Spirit:  The BHS is God the Holy Spirit taking the believer at the moment of salvation and placing him in the Family of God  (1Cor 12:13; Col 2:12)

IHS—Indwelling of the Holy Spirit:  The IHS is God the Holy Spirit coming to make His residence inside the believer at the moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (1Cor 6:19; Gal 3:2).  While the Indwelling never leaves the Christian, he may or may not be controlled by the Holy Spirit (see FHS).  During the Church Age believers are never commanded to be indwelled (baptized) by the Holy Spirit.  There is one act of the indwelling, and one act of the baptism.  They both occur at the point of regeneration (the New Birth).

FHS—Filling of the Holy Spirit:  This is the means by which a Christian is cleansed of sin (COS), Christ controlled, and prepared for the reception, absorption, assimilation, appropriation, and application of the Word of God.  The Christian life is a human impossibility.  Therefore, when a person is controlled by the Holy Spirit he is controlled by a power greater than man.  That power is absolutely necessary to break the hold of the flesh which the Bible calls carnality.

RTF—Restoration to Fellowship:  RTF is the believer being restored to harmony and a right relationship with God through the application of 1 John 1:9, that is the confession or the naming of his sins.

GSC—Grace System of Comprehension:  This is the provision of God whereby every believer can understand the Word of God regardless of education or human IQ (Col 1:9; Eph 1:18).

OSN—Old Sin Nature:  Also called the “old man” in Eph 4:22 and the Adamic nature of the “flesh” in Rom 8:3,4.  This is the principle of sin which is passed down from father to child (Isa 51:5).  The OSN has an area of weakness which produces personal sins, and an area of strength which produces works of the flesh (WOF).  The OSN also has patterns of lust which trend either toward lasciviousness or asceticism.

NB—New Birth:  Also known as regeneration.  This is the supernatural work of God whereby a person is the recipient of everlasting life imparted from God the Father (Deity 1), through the work of Jesus Christ His Son (Deity 2) on the Cross, by the agency of the Holy Spirit (Deity 3) (John 3:1-21).

EPOG—Eternal Plan of God:  This is the sum total of God’s plan for the human race.  It is the eternal scheme of all things adopted by the Divine Mind which embraces all of His original designs including everything in the creative and redemptive prothesis (pre-determined plan) of God.  It is His eternal, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose for the human race.  This plan centers in Christ and has only one entrance—grace! (1 John 3:22-24; Eph 1:4-6; Isa 14:26, 27; Isa 46:10, 11)

GAL—Grace Abounding Life:  The GAL is the step beyond Christian Maturity (1 John 1:4; 1 Thess 5:16), and is God’s plan for every born-again believer.  Results of living in the GAL include: inner happiness, stability, and great love and appreciation for the Lord Jesus Christ (Col 3:12; Heb 12:2).