Bible Words & Terms

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Backslider

A common misconception pertaining to backsliding is that of a normally
sterling Christian stepping out of character and behaving in ways
unexpected, e.g. honesty to dishonesty, fair to unfair, charitable to
uncharitable, kind to unkind, deferent to demanding, law-abiding citizen to
scofflaw, etc.

Backsliding actually pertains to animal husbandry. In other words, when
ranchers move their herds to different pastures, or the slaughter house, they
load their cattle on semi trucks by means of ramps. Well, sometimes a cow
or two balks and sets their two forelegs as stiff and rigid as bamboo poles
thus very effectively resisting forward movement up the ramp and onto the
truck; sometimes their resistance is so energetic that they manage to lose
whatever progress they gained to begin with and end up back down on the
ground.
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Apostate vs Heretic

Basically: an apostate is a defector whereas an heretic is an insurrectionist
Apostates typically renounce their current belief system so they can leave
and affiliate with another, whereas heretics stay where they are and work to
undermine a church's leadership, and to revise its established beliefs,
teachings, and doctrines.

Apostates we can condone, viz: we shouldn't want folks to stay with us
whose heart is elsewhere, but heretics we cannot condone because they are
a serious danger to congregational unity.
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Spiritual Body

Jesus' crucified dead body underwent some miraculous changes after his
resurrection. His body today is commonly known as "glorified". (Phil 3:20
21)

Now although his glorified body is technically a spiritual body, it is still
capable of dining upon ordinary foods and beverages.

● Matt 26:29 . . I tell you: I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now
on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom.

● Luke 22:15-16 . . I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer. For I tell you: I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in
the kingdom of God.

● Luke 22:28-30 . .You are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials;
and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant
with me, for a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom.

The thing is: the Greek word translated spiritual doesn't always pertain to
things consisting of spirit material. For example:

Spiritual gifts (Rom 1:11)
Spiritual law (Rom 7:14)
Spiritual things (Rom 15:27)
Spiritual people (1Cor 2:15)
Spiritual nourishment (1Cor 10:3)
Spiritual water (1Cor 10:4)
Spiritual rock (1Cor 10:4)
Spiritual counselors (Gal 6:1)
Spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3)
Spiritual music (Eph 5:19)
Spiritual understanding (Col 1:9)
Spiritual housing (1Pet 2:5)
Spiritual sacrifices (1Pet 2:5)

So then, a spiritual body's properties aren't necessarily those of a specter's
construction.
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