The Christian podcast episode "An Attitude of Gratitude" features Minister Joe Granieri teaching that thankfulness is an essential settled way of thinking for believers, positioning it as God's remedy for all circumstances, including trials and tribulations. Joe asserts that under the New Covenant, Christians already possess authority and do not need to beg God, but must actively "fan into flame the gift of God" within them. A major component of this message is the insistence on the "absolute goodness of God," stressing that God does not cause sickness, calamity, or anger toward His people. He explains that thanksgiving is the key to spiritual activation, granting "access to God's tangible presence," enabling the flow of peace during tribulation, and releasing His "creative and resurrection power." Finally, Joe warns that a lack of gratitude, exemplified by the nine unthankful lepers, actively limits the power of God in a person's life and prevents them from experiencing complete wholeness.

From the "Living in the Truth" podcast with Joe Granieri, offering a sermon-style teaching that focuses on God's extravagant goodness and the concept of a "hundredfold blessing." Joe uses anecdotes, such as children singing at Yellowstone, and scriptural references—like the story of Isaac in Genesis 26 and New Testament verses—to emphasize themes of faith, divine promise, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Joe encourages listeners to overcome life's "famines" by embracing God's grace and prosperity, asserting that believers should not limit God through incorrect perspectives or lack of faith. The message culminates by urging believers to maintain an eternal perspective and live with kindness and generosity, which unlocks the overflowing blessing promised by God.

"Living as an Overcomer in Life" offers a sermon on how believers can become disciples and "overcomers" by maintaining faith despite life's trials. The Joe emphasizes that difficulties such as financial hardship, sickness, and emotional distress are inevitable in a "fallen world" but are not caused by God. Drawing heavily from Biblical accounts, such as the feeding of the thousands and Jesus walking on water, Joe argues that victory is achieved through faith, perseverance, and continuous rejoicing in all circumstances. A key theme is the importance of "voice-activated" faith, requiring believers to speak the Word of God and maintain a testimony, rather than succumbing to doubt or focusing on negative realities.

The sermon offers a powerful message on unlimited faith and the boundless nature of God's power. Joe Granieri encourages listeners to cooperate with God by believing and speaking their faith to receive promises like healing, deliverance, and peace. Central to the discourse is the idea that Christians often limit God through ignorance, wrong teaching, and spiritual complacency, drawing heavily on Old Testament examples of the Israelites who failed to remember God's past miracles. Ultimately, the message stresses that Christ's resurrection power resides within believers, allowing them to accomplish "greater works" through actively using their imagination and speaking God's word into existence.

This message from the "Living in the Truth" podcast with Joe Granieri centers on the transition from being a spiritual believer to becoming an active disciple of Christ. The speaker emphasizes that discipleship is a process of maturity and continuous growth in grace and knowledge, rooted in the finished work of Jesus. Key characteristics of a disciple are outlined, including resting in Christ's finished work, diligently hearing and obeying God's voice through spontaneous thoughts, and actively engaging in servanthood toward others with genuine, disinterested benevolence. Additionally, the message encourages effortless spiritual growth through hearing the Word, maintaining humility, and walking in the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, and self-control, as the definitive mark of discipleship.

SYNOPSIS

Pastor Joe Granieri discusses the nature of Paul's Thorn in the Flesh, arguing against the common interpretation that it was a physical sickness. Instead, the Joe interprets the "thorn" as a messenger of Satan or a demonic spirit that brought persecution to Paul, a view supported by scripture such as 2 Corinthians 12. Joe then addresses the broader topic of whether born-again Christians can be oppressed by demonic spirits in their minds and bodies, concluding that they can be attacked, but not possessed in their spirit. Throughout the sermon, Joe emphasizes that the fullness of salvation includes forgiveness, healing, and deliverance, urging listeners to recognize their identity in Christ to overcome spiritual bondage and fear.Pastor Joe Granieri discusses the nature of Paul's Thorn in the Flesh, arguing against the common interpretation that it was a physical sickness. Instead, the Joe interprets the "thorn" as a messenger of Satan or a demonic spirit that brought persecution to Paul, a view supported by scripture such as 2 Corinthians 12. Joe then addresses the broader topic of whether born-again Christians can be oppressed by demonic spirits in their minds and bodies, concluding that they can be attacked, but not possessed in their spirit. Throughout the sermon, Joe emphasizes that the fullness of salvation includes forgiveness, healing, and deliverance, urging listeners to recognize their identity in Christ to overcome spiritual bondage and fear.

ATONEMENT, SALVATION, HEALING, AND DELIVERANCE

Joe interprets salvation, healing, and deliverance as intrinsically linked concepts that are all fully provided for in the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Interpretation in Relation to the Atonement

He emphasizes that healing, salvation, and forgiveness are all part of the atonement. This understanding is derived, in part, from 1 Peter 2:24, which states, "by whose stripes you were healed". The sources teach that once a person realizes this truth, they understand that they can be healed just as they were born again.

Salvation (Sozo)

The Greek word for salvation, sozo, is interpreted as encompassing more than just forgiveness; it includes healing and deliverance. The message of the kingdom of God is defined as forgiveness, healing, and deliverance.

Key aspects of salvation highlighted by this ministry include:

• Forgiveness and the Breaking of Sin's Power: Through Jesus's death, he died to sin once and for all, breaking the power of sin. This death accounted for the penalty, the punishment, and the imputation of sin. God no longer imputes sin to believers, and he forgives their iniquities and remembers their sins no more.

• No Condemnation: Being in Christ Jesus results in no present-tense condemnation. Condemnation is identified as a spirit that attacks the mind and heart, and the gift of no condemnation is a freedom Christ gives.

• Freedom from the Fear of Death: Through his death, Jesus destroyed him who had the power of death (the devil) and released those who were subject to bondage through the fear of death. The ministry teaches that fear of death is bondage, which leaves a person who understands the fullness of their salvation.

Healing

Healing is considered an element of salvation. It is associated with the resurrection power of Christ, which resides in the spirit of the believer.

Joe teaches that:

• Spiritual Component: Healing sometimes has a spiritual or demonic component to it. A physical problem in a person may have a spiritual component attacking them.

• Pathway to Healing: When a person is delivered from spiritual oppression, they are on the pathway to healing.

Deliverance

Deliverance is presented as a vital part of the gospel of the kingdom and was a major facet of Jesus's ministry, often preceding healing.

• Demonic Oppression: The ministry holds that born-again Christians can be oppressed by demonic spirits in their mind and body, although their spirit (where Jesus lives) is perfect and cannot be possessed.

• Torment and Weakness: Demonic spirits manifest as "torment". Paul's "thorn in the flesh" is interpreted as a "messenger of Satan"—a demon spirit sent to torment him by stirring up persecution, riots, arrests, and beatings. This is viewed as a form of attack against which Paul was helpless, requiring total reliance on Jesus.

• Deliverance from Oppression: Deliverance is necessary to overcome spiritual bondage caused by spirits of religion, fear, guilt, bitterness, condemnation, and infirmity. The crown of thorns Jesus wore during the atonement was specifically meant to deliver believers from all the oppression that would attack their minds.

• Jesus's Methodology: In Jesus's ministry, approximately 50% of the miracles involved deliverance from demonic spirits. For example, the woman crippled for 18 years was first set free from her infirmity (a spirit of infirmity), and then Jesus laid hands on her, and she straightened up.

Joe emphasizes that to receive freedom, one must know the truth, as "the truth shall set you free". If a person believes wrong things (such as believing God causes sickness or that demonic spirits cannot attack them), they may not be set free or healed.

PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR

Fear is described as a master spirit and one of the most dominant things in the world. The ministry teaches that fear involves torment, which is how it operates.

Although Joe acknowledges, "Do I have perfect love? It's a quiz. No, I don't have perfect love", he clarifies that Jesus has perfect love. Therefore, the love of Christ that's in your spirit can free you from fear.

Joe also connects fear to other concepts:

• Bondage: Fear of death is explicitly identified as bondage.

• Torment: Fear brings torment with it.

• Faith's Opposition: Faith is described as the enemy of fear, noting that they cannot operate at the same time; a person is either in faith or in fear.

Joe advises that if a believer is living in the fear of death, they are subject to bondage, and they can pray that the love of Christ will release it out of their spirit so they can overcome it.

Joe Granieri presents four keys to hearing God's voice, emphasizing that this ability is accessible to all Christians, regardless of spiritual maturity. The method involves stilling one's mind, cultivating vision by focusing on Jesus, expressing gratitude to God, and then allowing spontaneous thoughts to flow and be recorded, a practice Joe refers to as journaling. He contrasts left-brain (logical) and right-brain (intuitive, imaginative) thinking, asserting that hearing God's voice often engages the right brain through imagery and intuition. Joe also highlights the importance of believing in God's absolute goodness and draws parallels between this process and the prophetic visions of biblical figures, underscoring that God desires intimate communion with His followers, similar to His original intent in the Garden of Eden.

This document summarizes key themes and ideas from Joe Granieri's sermon, "Are You a Prisoner of Hope?", focusing on the multifaceted nature of biblical hope and its transformative power in a believer's life.

1. Defining Biblical Hope: Hope is presented not as a wishful desire but as a "confident expectation of good" rooted in the absolute goodness of God. It's a forward-looking mindset that transcends past hurts and negative emotions.
2. The Goodness of God as the Foundation of Hope: A foundational belief in God's unwavering goodness, even in the face of suffering (e.g., cancer, disease), is essential for hope. The sermon asserts that after Jesus' sacrifice, God is "never angry with Christians" and desires salvation for all.
3. Hope, Faith, and Love: An Interconnected Trinity: These three concepts are presented as inseparable and mutually reinforcing. Hope is positioned as central, with faith expressing itself through love.
4. Hope as an Anchor for the Soul: Biblical hope provides stability and steadfastness, particularly during life's storms and emotional turmoil, connecting believers directly to the presence of God.
5. Hope's Practical Manifestations and Benefits: Hope actively impacts a believer's daily life, leading to joy, peace, amplified imagination, perseverance, and ultimately, victory over depression and adverse circumstances.
6. Discipleship and Outward Focus: A disciple is defined by an outward focus, caring for others rather than being self-absorbed. This selfless love is a byproduct and expression of hope.
7. The Role of Imagination and Experience: Hope is connected to the imagination, allowing believers to "see the invisible" and envision their God-given future. Christianity is described as an "experiential thing" where hope is cultivated through divine encounters.
8. God's Restoration and Inheritance: Hope is sustained by the belief that God is a God of restoration, capable of returning what has been lost, even "twice as much" as seen in the story of Job. Believers have an "inheritance from God" encompassing healing, peace, joy, and every spiritual blessing.
9. Overcoming Depression through Hope and Praise: Hope, coupled with praise, is presented as a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety, enabling believers to maintain a positive outlook even when circumstances are dire.
10. The Example of Abraham: Abraham serves as a prime example of someone who, "contrary to hope" (natural hope), believed in God's supernatural power, demonstrating unwavering faith despite challenging circumstances and personal weaknesses.

• Definition of Hope: "Hope looks to the future. It does not let your past affect you. Hope doesn't allow negative emotions or past hurts to defeat it. If you have hope, then you have a positive expectation of good."
• The Absolute Goodness of God: "If you do not believe in the absolute goodness of God all the time, then you cannot have hope." This includes believing God does not cause negative events like cancer or earthquakes.
• Post-Calvary Perspective of God's Wrath: "The net result of that is God is never angry with Christians. He's never angry with us." Jesus took all the wrath and judgment.
• Hope's Connection to Imagination: "Hope is the New Testament word for imagination." It allows us to "see the invisible" and envision our future.
• Hope as an Anchor: "The hope we have is an anchor to your soul. That's your emotions... sure and steadfast which enters the presence behind the veil." This anchor connects our emotional state to the "fullness of joy" in God's presence.
• God's Will for Salvation: "God's will is that every person would be born again and go to heaven. Hell was not made for man."
• Discipleship vs. Believer: Moving from being a "believer to being a disciple" involves becoming "not self-focused and not self-absorbed or self-entitled," but caring about others.
• Faith without Love is Worthless: "Paul said, 'Faith without love is worthless. It doesn't have any any positive effect in your life.'"
• God's Word Creates Hope: "God's word creates hope in our heart... so that through the patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope."
• Hope Defeats Depression: David's example in Psalms 42 and 43 demonstrates how to overcome being "cast down" by "Hope in God" and "yet praise him."
• Living Effortlessly: Drawing an analogy to eagles and lilies of the field, the sermon suggests God wants believers to "live effortlessly" by receiving from Him and flowing in the Spirit.
• Abraham's Faith and Hope: Abraham "contrary to hope" (natural circumstances) "in hope in the supernatural power of God, he believed." God looked at Abraham through "faith righteousness," overlooking his faults.
• Our Inheritance in Christ: Believers have a "living hope" through Jesus' resurrection, leading to an "inheritance... incorruptible, undefiled, that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you." This inheritance includes "soundness of mind, healing for your body, peace, joy, everything that he died for, it's even blessing and prosperity."
• Prosperity of the Soul: "As your soul prospers, how does it prosper? You grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. You learn about your imagination. You learn about your identity. You learn about the finished work of Christ. You learn about the absolute goodness of God."

In essence, Granieri's message emphasizes that biblical hope is an active, confident, and transformative force rooted in God's character, experienced through faith and love, and manifested in a life of purpose, joy, and peace, regardless of earthly circumstances. It is a choice to believe in God's unfailing goodness and His ability to fulfill His promises, both in this life and the next.

This sermon or teaching focuses on the Christian concept of "being in Christ" and the implications of this spiritual reality for believers. It emphasizes that Christ's indwelling perfects the human spirit, granting attributes like righteousness, holiness, wisdom, and victory over sin and condemnation. Joe also discusses practical applications of this identity, such as living from the spirit rather than the flesh, the importance of thanksgiving and love as motivating forces, and the power of communion for forgiveness and healing. Additionally, the it highlights the equality of all believers in Christ, regardless of gender, social status, or nationality, and the role of individuals as ambassadors of Christ, empowered to carry out good works and spread His aroma.

• God as "Abba Father":
• Meaning of "Abba": A Hebrew word meaning "daddy," signifying an intimate and close relationship.
• Biblical Basis: Romans 8:14-16 and Galatians.
• Implications for Relationship: God does not withhold good things or do evil against His children. It implies full adoption rights, including the same inheritance as Jesus (co-heirs with Christ).
• Contrast with Human Perspective: The concept challenges traditional views of God as distant or formal.
• God is Love (Agape):
• Definition of Agape Love: Unconditional, independent of human actions, unmerited, and undeserved.
• Biblical Basis: 1 John 4:16 ("God is love"), John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world...").
• Intensity of God's Love: Emphasized by the word "so" in John 3:16, leading to the ultimate sacrifice of His only begotten Son.
• "World" in John 3:16: Refers to the people of the world, not just the planet.
• Eternal Life (Zoe): Defined in John 17 as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ. It is a person, not just a concept or a place.
• God's Love in the Old Testament vs. New Testament:
• Old Testament Context:
• Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5): "O Israel, the Lord our God is one." The word "one" (echad) is a "uni-plural" word, implying a unified plurality (like "group" or "herd"), which the Jewish people often misunderstood as a strict singular, creating an obstacle to seeing Jesus as Son of God.
• Greatest Commandment: Love the Lord with all heart, soul, and strength. No one could perfectly keep this, highlighting the need for a Savior.
• Purpose of the Law: To make people conscious of sin and point them to a Savior (Romans 3:20, Law as a schoolmaster).
• Perception of God: Portrayed with anger and wrath (e.g., Flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, deaths under the Law).
• New Testament Context:
• New Commandment (John 13): Love one another as Jesus loved us (demonstrated through servant leadership like foot-washing). This supersedes the Old Testament law.
• Love as an Action Word: Not merely a feeling, but something demonstrated and done (e.g., Timothy caring for others in Philippians 2:20-21).
• Impact of Love: Fulfills the law (Romans 13:8), covers/obliterates a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), and drives out fear (1 John 4:18).
• The Finished Work of Christ: Jesus absorbed all God's wrath and judgment on the cross (John 12, Isaiah 53-54). God promises never to be angry with His people again (Isaiah 54).
• God's Provision: Everything needed for life and godliness is already provided (2 Peter 1). Faith receives what God has already provided, it doesn't move God.
• God's Nature in the New Covenant: God does not cause sickness, disease, or natural disasters; these are not "acts of God" in the sense of divine judgment against His children. He is for us, not against us (Romans 8).

• Love Fulfills the Law and Covers Sin:
• Romans 13:8: Love fulfills the law, meaning there is no law against one who lives in love.
• 1 Peter 4:8: Love covers/obliterates a multitude of sins – God "remembers your sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12).
• God's Perception of Believers: Sees them as perfect, complete, lacking nothing through Christ.
• Love Drives Out Fear:
• 1 John 4:18: "Perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment."
• Receiving God's Perfect Love: As we receive His love, fear and anxiety are dispelled.
• Overcoming Fear: Through active participation (singing songs of deliverance, asking in faith).
• Perspective on Demons: They are powerless "maggots" that can deceive but not defeat.
• Our Identity and Acceptance in Christ:
• Accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6): The Greek word "charito" (highly favored/blessed) is applied to believers, just as it was to Mary. We are "the Beloved."
• Ephesians' Emphasis: Shows our identity, how we are blessed, forgiven, redeemed, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and seated with Christ in heavenly places.
• Knowing God's Love: It surpasses knowledge; it's an experience in the heart, not just a mental concept.
• Love Compels Our Actions:
• 2 Corinthians 5: The love of Christ compels us; our lives are no longer our own.
• Motives for Action: Not for personal gain, financial benefit, or praise of men, but out of care for others (like Timothy).
• Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15): A profound picture of the Father's unconditional love, compassion, eagerness to forgive, and restoration.
• The father ran, embraced (epipto – a bear hug), kissed (continuously), restored (ring, robe, sandals), and celebrated. He would not let the son even finish his repentant speech.
• Love is Preeminent:
• 1 John 4:19: "We love because he first loved us." God initiated the relationship.
• God's Foreknowledge and Orchestration: God knows who will choose Him and orchestrates their lives from the womb (Psalm 139).
• Goal: Discipleship: God's goal is to make disciples who can operate in His love and bless others (like the good ground in the parable of the sower).
• Remembering God's Interventions: Keep a "book of remembrance" of how God has supernaturally intersected your life.
• The Greatest of These is Love: While faith and hope are important, love is eternal and central to God's defining characteristic.
• How Love is Expressed (Fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23):
• Joy in the Lord, Peace, Longsuffering (Patience), Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control.
• Gentleness: A gentle answer turns away wrath.
• Self-Control: Speaking life, controlling appetites.
• Love Surpasses Understanding:
• Ephesians 3: God's love has immeasurable width, length, depth, and height, surpassing all knowledge. It is infinite in all directions, as is His forgiveness.
• Being Filled with the Fullness of God: Living out of our spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit within us to flow out in supernatural ways (healing, deliverance).
• Our Perfection in Christ: Our spirit is perfected the moment we are born again; sin cannot penetrate it (Hebrews 10:14, 1 John 3:9). This perfection is our witness to the world.
• God as Our Daddy:
• 1 John 3:1: "Behold what manner of love the Father (Abba) has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God."
• Receiving His Love: It is a gift to be received.

1. What is the significance of the word "Abba" in understanding our relationship with God, and where in Scripture is it primarily found?
2. Explain the concept of "agape" love as described in the source material. How does it differ from a conditional or earned love?
3. How does the speaker differentiate the meaning of the word "world" in John 3:16, and what does he say eternal life (Zoe) truly means according to John 17?
4. According to the source, what was the primary obstacle for Jewish people in the Old Testament to recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, related to their understanding of the Shema?
5. What was the ultimate purpose of the Old Testament Law, and how did it demonstrate humanity's need for a Savior?
6. Describe how Jesus's "new commandment" in John 13 supersedes the Old Testament law, and what specific action did Jesus perform to demonstrate this new commandment?
7. How does the "finished work of Christ" change the perception of God's wrath and anger, particularly in relation to natural disasters?
8. Explain the concept of "faith" as receiving what God has already provided. How does this differ from the idea of "moving God" through prayer or other actions?
9. According to the source, how does God perceive believers after they accept Christ, and what happens to their past sins?
10. Describe at least three actions of the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son that illustrate God's unconditional love and forgiveness.

1. "Abba" is a Hebrew word meaning "daddy," signifying an intimate and close relationship with God. It is primarily found in Romans 8:14-16 and Galatians, emphasizing that we have received a spirit of adoption, allowing us to cry out "Abba, Father."
2. "Agape" love is described as unconditional, independent of human actions, unmerited, and undeserved favor of God. It means that we don't have to do anything to receive it; it is freely given once we become His child.
3. The speaker states that the word "world" in John 3:16 refers to the people of the world, not just the planet. Eternal life (Zoe) is defined in John 17 as a person: knowing God the Father and Jesus whom He sent.
4. The primary obstacle was their misunderstanding of the Hebrew word "echad" (one) in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4). While a singular word, it has a plural meaning (like "group" or "herd"), but they interpreted it as strictly singular, preventing them from seeing Jesus as the Son of God.
5. The Old Testament Law's purpose was to make people conscious of their sin (Romans 3:20) and to point them to a Savior. Its impossible standards, such as being perfect as God is perfect, demonstrated that no one could keep it, highlighting the universal need for a redeemer.
6. Jesus's "new commandment" in John 13, "love one another as I have loved you," supersedes the Old Testament law, including the Ten Commandments. He demonstrated this by washing His disciples' feet, showing what it meant to be a servant and to love others through action.
7. The "finished work of Christ" means that Jesus absorbed all God's wrath, anger, and judgment on the cross once and for all time. Therefore, God is no longer angry with His people and does not cause sickness, disease, or natural disasters as a form of judgment.
8. Faith, in this context, is described as simply receiving what God has already provided for us through the finished work of Christ. It differs from "moving God" because God has already moved and provided everything; faith is our act of reaching out and taking hold of what is already available.
9. God perceives believers as perfect, complete, and lacking nothing, through Christ. Their past sins are not remembered by God; they are "covered by the blood of Christ" and "obliterated," as if God has no recollection of them.
10. Three actions of the father in the Prodigal Son parable illustrating God's love are: (1) He saw his son "still a great way off" and had compassion, running to meet him; (2) He "fell on his neck" (gave him a bear hug) and began continuously kissing him, not allowing him to complete his repentant speech; and (3) He immediately restored his son with a ring, cloak, and sandals, and celebrated his return, refusing to treat him as a servant.

1. Discuss the speaker's emphasis on God's love being "multifaceted" and "like a mosaic." How does this perspective challenge a "one-dimensional" understanding of God, and what are the practical implications for believers?
2. Compare and contrast the Old Testament and New Testament portrayals of God, focusing specifically on the concept of God's wrath and judgment versus His unconditional love. How does the "finished work of Christ" serve as the turning point in this theological understanding?
3. Analyze the role of "love as an action word" in the Christian life, drawing on examples from the source material such as Timothy's character and Jesus's "new commandment." How does this active love relate to fulfilling the law and addressing sin and fear?
4. The speaker states that God's love "surpasses knowledge" and is an experience of the heart. Explain what this means in terms of intellectual understanding versus spiritual reception. How does this concept connect with the idea of being "accepted in the beloved" and filled with the "fullness of God"?
5. Examine the speaker's discussion on the nature of faith as "receiving what God has already provided." How does this understanding impact a believer's approach to prayer, healing, and general reliance on God, and what common misconceptions about God's responsiveness does it challenge?

• Abba: A Hebrew word meaning "daddy" or "father," used to denote an intimate, affectionate, and close relationship with God.
• Agape: A Greek word for unconditional, selfless, and benevolent love, often used to describe God's love for humanity.
• Charito (Accepted in the Beloved): A Greek word meaning "highly favored" or "blessed," used in Ephesians 1:6 to describe believers' status in Christ and also used by Gabriel to Mary.
• Discipleship: The process of becoming a follower of Jesus Christ, mimicking His character and putting faith into action, going beyond simply being a "believer."
• Echad: A Hebrew word for "one," which in the context of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) implies a "uni-plural" unity (like a group or herd), rather than a strict singular, which the speaker argues was misunderstood by some Jewish people.
• Epipto: A Greek word meaning "fell on" or "embraced," used in the parable of the Prodigal Son to describe the father's bear hug and in Acts to describe the Holy Spirit "falling upon" believers.
• Finished Work of Christ: Refers to the complete and perfect salvation achieved by Jesus Christ's death and resurrection on the cross, through which all of God's wrath and judgment for sin were absorbed.
• Law (Old Testament): The Mosaic Law given to Israel, which, according to the speaker, served to make people conscious of sin and point them to a Savior, rather than being a means of salvation itself.
• New Commandment: Jesus's command to "love one another as I have loved you" (John 13), presented as superseding and fulfilling the Old Testament Law.
• Perfect Love: Refers to God's flawless and complete love, which, when received by believers, has the power to drive out all fear.
• Portrait of God: The speaker's method of presenting God's multifaceted nature, similar to assembling pieces of a mosaic, to provide a comprehensive understanding beyond simple definitions.
• Prodigal Son: A parable from Luke 15 used by the speaker to illustrate the Father's unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness, and restoration towards those who return to Him.
• Royal Law of Love: A New Testament principle emphasizing love as the guiding law for believers, fulfilling all other laws.
• Zoe (Eternal Life): A Greek word for eternal life, which John 17 defines not as a concept or a place, but as a person: knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ.