The Title

Picking a title for the blog took some thought.  After spending some time coming up with absolutely nothing, the title I chose finally came together.  Allow me to explain it:


1)  χαρις = Greek word "charis." Translated grace in English.  Grace is something bestowed that is undeserved.  It is a gift.


2)  Christus = Latin word for Christ.  Christ is NOT Jesus' last name, but instead it is a title given to Him, meaning "the anointed one."  In practical terms, Christ is Jesus.


3)  שלום = Hebrew word "shalom."  Often translated peace in English, everything I read about the word indicates that it conveys a sense of wholeness.  When there is shalom, everything exists in the state that God intended it.


So, χαρις through Christus brings שלום = Grace through Christ brings shalom.  This title has great significance to me:


1)  God created the world, and made mankind in His image.
2)  Mankind rebelled against God, and that rebellion required a just punishment, which was death and separation from God.  The world has been dying and in a state of decay ever since.
3)  God would have been justified in allowing mankind to die, but He loved His created beings.
4)  God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would be like the stars in the sky, and all of the nations would be blessed through him.
5)  God gave the people of Israel the opportunity to show their faithfulness to Him through obedience to His Law.  They failed.  Mankind's hope to be saved through obedience came and went.
6)  God promised a savior to His people, and eventually Jesus Christ was sent to earth.  Jesus was fully God and fully man, of the same essence of God the Father, though a distinct individual.
7)  Jesus kept God's law perfectly on earth.  He died on a cross, taking the sins of the world upon himself.
9)  Jesus proved His victory over death by rising from the dead on the third day.
8)  In addition to taking the punishment for sin, Christ's death also gave people Christ's righteousness in the eyes of God the Father.
9)  Those who acknowledge that they cannot save themselves, have faith that Christ's death was sufficient to save, and give themselves over to Christ will be saved.
10)  At the end of time, God will judge the world.  Those who are in Christ will have eternal life.  Those who are not in Christ will suffer eternal judgment.


The title of my blog confirms this truth.  God brings wholeness to the individual through Christ.  God is "sanctifying" (making holy) His people while they are on earth, and through them He is impacting the physical needs of people, restoring a level of physical wholeness.  Even so, everything will be restored fully to wholeness in eternity, where: "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4)


That is the purpose for my title.  And I thought a title with Greek, Latin, and Hebrew was cool.