cornerstones

Confessional Beliefs

Beliefs you say or claim.

Convictional Beliefs

Beliefs you do; shown through actions.

A Congruent Story

When confessional and convictional beliefs align.

Atonement

Reconciliation between God and humanity.

Bounded Set Thinking

Exclusive; little room for difference; fixed boundaries.

Centered Set Thinking

Defined by movement toward a center, not by boundaries.

Fuzzy Set Thinking

No boundaries, no center, no direction; too tolerant.

Broad Categorizers

More tolerant; work with differences; centered-set thinking.

Narrow Categorizers

Emphasize right/wrong; point out differences; bounded-set thinking.

No Categorizers

Everything is different; too tolerant; fuzzy-set thinking.

Christus Victor

Christ defeats sin, death, and the devil; His death is God's victory of love.

Penal Substitution

Jesus takes humanity's penalty to satisfy divine justice; unites mercy and justice.

Recapitulation

Jesus becomes the New Adam, reliving the human story faithfully and reversing Adam's failure.

Proto-Evangelium

First gospel (Gen 3:15); promise of a coming Redeemer.

Genesis 3:15

First prophecy of Messiah's victory over evil.

"Messiah"

Means "anointed one."

"Christ"

Greek for "anointed one."

Tikkun Olam

"Repairing the world"; joining God's mission of restoration.

Theological Theme

An interpretive thread revealing God's consistent purpose through Scripture.

Genre

Type of biblical literature (law, narrative, prophecy, gospel, poetry, etc.) that shapes interpretation.

1 Cor. 15:22

Recapitulation: "As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."

John 1:29

Penal Substitution: "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Colossians 2:15

Christus Victor: Christ triumphs over powers and authorities.

Hebrews 2:14

15 - Christus Victor: Through death Christ destroys the devil's power.

Genesis is Foundational

Introduces creation, fall, promise, covenant—framework for the whole Bible.

Abrahamic Covenant

God blesses Abraham to bless all nations; Messiah comes from his line.

Why Israel Rejected Jesus

Expected a political warrior; Jesus came as a suffering servant; leaders feared Him.

Why Jesus Avoided the Title "Messiah"

To avoid political misunderstanding; let actions define his mission.

Key Verse for This

Proverbs 27:2: "Let another praise you, not your own mouth."

Jesus' Source of Power

Relationship with the Father + empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Power Accessible to Followers

Yes; believers receive the Spirit to continue Jesus' mission.

Four Groups Jesus Welcomed (Luke)

Sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes/immoral women, the poor/sick.

Table Fellowship

Symbolized belonging, forgiveness, restoration, and inclusion.