Beacon dictionary of theology

For Further Reading: Wood, Pentecostal Grace, 240-57; OShea, Sacraments of Initiation; Rahner, A New Baptism in the Spirit; Confirmation Today.

Laurence W. Wood

CONFORMITY. Conformity refers to the voluntary acceptance of and adherence to a given set of standards, values, expectations, and practices. The question of conformity thus becomes what Lord Morley called "a question of boundaries." This may at times create an apparent conflict of duties.

There is civic conformity, or the behavior expected of the citizen by the state. An unquestioning obedience by the Christian does not appear to be the teaching of the NT; a humble dissent leading to nonconformity is present there despite the norm of obedience to authorities. Peter, who urges conformity to Caesar even when that Caesar is Nero (1 Pet. 2:17), himself refused to conform to the expectation of the Jerusalem rulers (Acts 4:17-19). Obedience to God must come first.

Yet the norm is clear. Jude, v. 8, prophesies eternal fire for those who "reject authority" (Niv), or, "speak evil of dignities" (KJV). Paul unqualifiedly counsels conformity to the "powers that be" (Rom. 13:1-7; cf. Titus 3:1).

There is religious conformity expected by some sections of the Christian church. When the choice lies between conformity and excommunication, as with Roman Catholics, there is likely to be at least an external conformity. On the other hand, reformers are usually nonconformists in some point or degree: Luther and Melanchthon in the 16th century, and Hans Kung and Schil-lerbeex in the 20th, are notable examples. Nonconformist indeed is a historic term for those persons who, although members of the Anglican

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community, nevertheless refused to accept certain laws and procedures of ritual. However, there is little basis for such nonconformity today, since church membership is itself an option, and there is no necessity of remaining in a church with which there is serious disagreement. Commitment to a church should be marked by a reasonable degree of conformity. Otherwise the integrity of both church and member is compromised, and the influence of the church undermined.

There is spiritual conformity which Paul presents as the goal of redemption—conformity "to the image of his Son"; that having borne the likeness of the first Adam, believers shall also bear the likeness of the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:49; Rom. 8:29). That full conformity to the image of Christ lies in the future (1 John 3:2); but there is to be growth in Christlikeness through the gracious aid of "the Spirit of Christ" (Rom. 8:9, 11). Christians are not to choose to be conformed to the society in which they live (12:2; cf. Phillips). They are to allow the Holy Spirit to remold their lives from within by His transforming power; only thus will Christ be formed in them (Gal. 4:19). Full conformity to Christ can come about only by continuing in the way of Christ (Phil. 3:10-14). Grace delivers us from the corruption that is in the world, and gives us "his very great and precious promises, so that through them [we] may participate in the divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4, niv).

See obedience. christian ethics, fellowship, koinonia, world, conscience.

For Further Reading: gms, 527-47; Thielicke, Theo-

logical Ethics. T. Crichton Mitchell

CONGREGATIONALISM. See church

government.

CONSCIENCE. The OT provides no word for conscience. The NT word suneidesis, translated "conscience," refers to the moral instinct in man (Rom. 2:15; 9:1; 13:5; 1 Pet. 3:21). The conscience is the aspect of the human psyche reflecting God's moral image by which man monitors right and wrong. The NT word is used for self-awareness in both the moral and nonmoral sense. It is by the conscience that we become conscious of right and wrong in ourselves.

Each man's conscience has a code or standards of obligation, and a signalling or monitoring capacity. The signalling function is brought out by such scriptures as Rom. 2:15, where conscience is described as either accusing or excusing.

First Peter 3:16 refers to an affirming conscience—"a good conscience." We may have a conscience "void of offence" (Acts 24:16), where it "bears witness" to one's integrity (Rom. 9:1; cf. 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9; Heb. 13:18; 1 Pet. 3:16, 21). A "seared" conscience (1 Tim. 4:2), hardened as a result of maintained and wilful disobedience, ceases to signal effectively. A "quickened" conscience has its signalling function sharpened in regard to God's will. The misinformed, oppressive, and legalistic conscience is described as "weak" (Rom. 14:2, 20; 1 Cor. 8:7-12).

Paul identified one element of the conscience code as the universal intuitive awareness of obligation to honor God (Rom. 1:19, 21; 2:15). References to the "heart" and "understanding" of unregenerate man being "darkened" (1:21; Eph. 4:18) are descriptions of the faulty conscience code.

Sinful acts—violations of the conscience code —"defile" the conscience (Titus 1:15) and bring a sense of condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

Christian conversion brings a purging and cleansing of the conscience (Heb. 9:14; 10:22), removing the sense of offense and changing the conscience signal from condemnation to approval (Rom. 5:1). This is one of the unique and precious accompaniments of saving faith.

The development of the conscience code is influenced by environment, relationships, and obedience (Heb. 5:14). Hence the code content of conscience is different for every person. Each, however, is obligated to walk in the light of his conscience code, and will be judged according to that light (Rom. 2:12, 15; 14:2, 5, 14, 22; 1 John 1:7). A disparity between knowledge and truth exists in all. Enlightenment of the conscience is by obedience to Scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Cor. 2:10).

The psychological study of conscience has shown that it may be subject to maladjustive distortions, unconscious motivations, neurotic guilt, and impairment of the signalling function. There is also interest in the study of the normal stages of development of conscience from the self-preservation interest through the rule-oriented stage to a principle-based code. Mental and emotional illnesses are closely related to conscience problems. The cure for a troubled conscience is in the cleansing of real guilt and the rejection of neurotic guilt, leading to healing.

See conformity, growth, holiness, righteousness, development (theories of).

For Further Reading: Wiley, CT, 1:30 ff; Purkiser, Exploring Our Christian Faith (1960), 480 ff; Kittel, 7:902-7.

James M. Ridgway


CONSECRATE, CONSECRATION—CONSOLATION

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CONSECRATE, CONSECRATION. These English words have been used to translate several Hebrew and Greek words, such as charam, nazar, qadash, male yad; egkainizo, teleioo, hagiadzo, to name the most important. The primary meaning of these terms is "to separate" someone (or something) from that which is common, ordinary, and unclean, and devote him (or it) to the exclusive use of Deity. And whatever is so devoted has about it a certain quality of holiness because of its relation to Deity.

In the OT. The verb form "to consecrate" is used frequently in the OT for the induction of a person into sacred office, e.g., a priest, prophet, king, etc., but it is also used of things, times, and places. The Temple is said to be consecrated, likewise, its furniture, vessels, and offerings. The Sabbath Day, the various Hebrew festivals, and the Year of Jubilee were sacred times. The noun form "consecration" indicates the act by which a person or thing was set apart for sacred use.

Charam means "to devote" something to Deity usually for destruction—a city (Josh. 6:17-19) or a people (1 Sam. 15:3). The person or group that sought to divert the "devoted" thing to some other use was accursed. Nazar is a verb form meaning "to separate," while the noun form means "separation" (see Nazarite). Qadash means "to set apart" or "to be set apart" as in Exod. 30:30 where Aaron and his sons are "separated" from the rest of the people to fill the priest's office. This term also carried with it the idea of cleanliness and holiness.

Male yad is the most characteristic expression for consecration in the OT, and the literal meaning is "to fill the hand." Although its origin is obscure, its meaning apparently developed from the ordination ceremony of the priest: "filling the hand" of the candidate for the priesthood was the unmistakable token that he was a priest (Exod. 29:9). To be a priest one must have something in his hand to offer to God. The noun-form milluim refers to "the setting in office" of the priest, i.e., the installation, and it is also used for what "fills the hand," the installation offering, or sacrifice (Lev. 8:28, 31-36; Exod. 29:22, 26-27, 31).

In the NT. The words "consecrate" and "consecration" do not appear as often in the NT as in the OT. The Greek words that are translated "consecrated" in KJV are (1) egkainizo, which means to "dedicate" or "make new," as found in Heb. 10:20, where Christ is said to have "consecrated" for us (or opened to us) the new and living way; and (2) the word teleioo in Heb. 7:28 is used to speak of Christ's eternal "consecration" to that High Priesthood which is so much better than that of Aaron.

The RSV translators have chosen to use the term "consecrate" for the Greek word hagiadzo in a number of passages (John 10:36; 17:19; 1 Cor. 7:14; 1 Tim. 4:5; 2 Tim. 2:21). Certainly the idea of consecration is implied by hagiadzo, and in some contexts "consecration" may be the more appropriate translation. The same is true of its counterpart in the OT, qadash. Two other words which express the idea of consecration are significant. One of the meanings of the verb apho-ridzd is "to separate," and in passages like Acts 13:2; Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:5 it has the theological significance of "consecrate." The same is true of paristanb in passages like Rom. 6:13, 19; 12:1 where the idea of "present" also has the thrust of "consecrate."

Church usage. The idea appears often in the theology and praxis of the church. It appears in the rite of confirmation, in the dedication of church buildings, and especially in the ordination of the clergy. These functions are always accompanied with deep solemnity and reverence, and the person or object is thought to be "set apart" for a holy purpose. Some ministers call upon their parishioners to consecrate, or reconsecrate, themselves to serve God more faithfully in their daily living.

In the Wesleyan-Arminian wing of Protestantism consecration is commonly thought to be a prerequisite to the experience of entire sanctification. When a Christian brings the new life that he has received through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit and consecrates it to God (Rom. 6:13, 19; 12:1), the Lord responds by cleansing the heart of inbred sin and filling it with perfect love. It is man's responsibility to consecrate himself (and this is all he can do), while it is God's responsibility and pleasure to sanctify the heart of His obedient child. In this view, consecration and sanctification, while related, are not identical. In John 17 the translation (RSV) of hagiadzo by "sanctify" in verse 17 and "consecrate" in verse 19 is a recognition of the distinction between hagiadzo as something which God does to and in the subject and something which the subject himself does.

See surrender, entire sanctification, holiness, ordain (ordination).

For Further Reading: Kittel, 5:454, 839; Pope, A Com-
pendium of Christian Theology, 3:31 ff, 224 ff; Wiley, CT,
2:467; ZPEB, 1:951. ' C. PAUL GRAY

CONSOLATION. See comfort.


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CONSUBSTANTIATION. This is the view that, in the Lord's Supper, Christ is literally in, with, and under the elements. Although the word was not invented until shortly after Luther's time, it describes the view which the great Reformer taught.

Like the transubstantiation theory of the Roman Catholic church, it is a view of Christ's being literally—and not just spiritually—present in the Communion bread and wine. According to this view, Christ's words, "This is my body" (1 Cor. 11:24), should be interpreted in a most literal sense. Luther even said that we actually and literally chew Christ when we eat the Communion bread.

Besides the view's being based on a literal interpretation of Christ's "This is my body," it is based also on a view of the ancient Augustine and others that Christ's body was ubiquitous during the enfleshment years: i.e., that it was everywhere, as well as localized.

Luther's view on the Supper was not accepted by Protestantism generally—which has thought of Christ's presence in the bread and wine as a spiritual accompaniment. Actually, Luther's friend and associate in the Reformation, Karl-stadt, because of Luther's similarity to the Roman church at this point, quite frustrated Luther by calling him "Antichrist's [i.e., the pope's] younger friend." Karlstadt pointed out that in the NT Greek the word "this" in "This is my body" is neuter in gender and therefore agrees with "body" and not with "bread." Thus, Karlstadt taught, Christ was not saying that the bread was Christ's body, but was simply calling attention to the fact that His real body was soon going to be given for an atonement on the Cross.

Karlstadt also pointed out that when Paul said that we Christians are to receive the Lord's Supper "till he come" (1 Cor. 11:26), the implication is that Christ is not already present in any literal sense.

Karlstadt's kind of understanding of the Lord's Supper was more or less the view accepted generally in Protestantism. Indeed, Luther's con-substantiation is not even accepted today in any general way in Lutheranism itself.

See real presence, transubstantiation, holy communion.

For Further Reading: Smith, History of Theophany;

Baillie, Theology of the Sacraments; Smith, The Sacra-
mental Society. J. kenneth grider

CONTENTMENT. A state of being satisfied with one's lot in life, or being willing to accept conditions as they are. The commonly used Greek word is autarkia, which basically means "sufficiency," as in 2 Cor. 9:8. It is a state of mind in which there is a freedom from care because of acquiescence to the status quo. But it must not be confused with either lethargy or stoicism. "It does not exclude aspiration and a concern for improvement" (H. Stob, ZPEB). A person can be goal oriented and still be contented provided his ambitions are not self-centered.

To reach the goal of contentment, Buddhism urges the suppression of all desire, while Stoicism extols resignation to what is perceived to be unalterable fact. But both approaches are pessimistic in nature, whereas the Christian concept of contentment rests in an inner trust that a loving God is concerned about His children and seeks their highest good. It is a rest that comes from commitment to God based on the assurance that "no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Ps. 84:11).

Negative, self-centered attitudes such as envy and jealousy are the antitheses of contentment. The warnings in Scripture against covetousness are meant to affirm the true bases of inner peace. As J. C. Lambert puts it: "Contentment is not found in measuring ourselves with others."

OT references are somewhat oblique, such as the implications of the 10th commandment and advice found in the Book of Proverbs. The NT treats the subject more directly. Jesus attacked the tendency to greed and covetousness, and also warned against unwarranted anxiety, emphasizing the care of the Father God and the importance of establishing proper priorities in life (e.g., Matt. 6:25-34). Paul by word and example extolled the virtue of contentment, capsulized in his famous statement, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil. 4:11), and in his declaration that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28).

See peace, growth, victory (victorious living), mind of christ, spirituality, happiness, covetousness.

For Further Reading: ZPEB, 1:953; HDB, 1:476-77;

1db, 1:677-78. J. fred parker

CONTINGENT. That which is contingent is undetermined in advance. In this sense most financial budgets include what is called a Contingent Fund, providing for possible but uncertain expenditures. Personal plans may be said to be contingent in that they hinge on future events or factors as yet unknown. Theologically, events, including final salvation, are called contingent to the extent that they are not predetermined


CONTRITION—CONVICT CONVICTION

135

by God but dependent on human decisions, decisions as yet unmade and unknown. The theological problem consists in the difficulty of harmonizing God's foreknowledge (including prophecy) with pure contingency.

Some theologians maintain that events which are truly contingent are by definition unknowable in advance, not only to man but to God. To foreknow unknowable events is contradictory. This limitation God accepted, along with other self-limitations in the exercise of His sovereignty, when He created man as a free being. "If God knows now every choice any man will ever make, then every choice is already determined and freedom is an illusion," says L. Harold DeWolf (A Theology of the Living Church, 109). If God, he says, "has put a check on His power to give man freedom of will, then He must have limited somewhat His knowledge of the future" (ibid.).

At the opposite pole of theological thought is pure determinism, of which Calvinism is the prime example. This position frankly rules out true contingency, subjecting all events to the sovereign will of God. Thus foreknowledge and foreordination are inseparable correlates. But Macquarrie is correct in labeling this simple fatalism. Calvinism, he says, "in an attempt to uphold God's glory and sovereignty," in fact debases the relation of God and man "to that subpersonal level where man is little more than a puppet and God too has been degraded to the one who pulls the strings" (Principles of Christian Theology, 224).

Generally Wesleyan theologians have avoided either horn of the dilemma by affirming both foreknowledge and contingency, on the grounds that to foreknow an event is not to cause it. Contingency in moral actions, says Richard Watson, is "their freedom, and is opposed, not to certainty, but to necessity" (quoted by Ralston, Elements of Divinity, 25). Ralston argues that Judas could have acted loyally instead of treacherously, in which case God's foreknowledge would have foreseen the faithfulness just as in the real event the unfaithfulness was foreseen. He argues: "The error of the necessitarians on this subject is, they put the effect for the cause, and the cause for the effect. They make the foreknowledge the cause of the event, whereas the event is the cause of the foreknowledge. No event ever took place because God foreknew it; on the contrary, the taking place of the event is the cause of his having foreknown it" (184).

Undoubtedly some events are fully predetermined by God as well as foreknown, as for instance the delivering of Jesus to be crucified (Acts 2:23). But the individual moral decisions involving this person and that person in the action were all made in freedom and could all have been different. Furthermore, though Christ died for all, and the salvation of all is God's will, the ultimate destiny of any one person is contingent on his own response to the gospel.

See divine sovereignty determinism, foreknowledge, predestination, monergism, synergism, calvinism, arminianism.

For Further Reading: Wiley, CT, 2:343-57; Ralston, Elements of Divinity, 24-25, 184-85; Macquarrie, Principles of Christian Theology, 224-25; DeWolf, A Theology of the Living Church, 108-9. richard S. taylor

CONTRITION. See penitence.

CONVERSION. As it is most often used in common religious speech, "conversion" is a general term used to indicate the initial crisis of salvation, and in this sense it includes the works designated by the terms "justification," "regeneration," and "adoption." "Conversion," as thus used, has the advantage of simplicity and inclu-siveness.

In the Scriptures the term "conversion" is less general and somewhat varied in its meaning. The Greek word epistrepho (the verb form) means basically "to turn" or "return" (more specifically it can mean "to turn around," "to turn back," or "to turn to" or "toward"). In its religious and metaphorical sense, it means to turn from sin and to God.

The act of repentance is included in the biblical meaning of conversion (as in Acts 9:37). Also, human responsibility is clearly implied in such passages as Acts 3:19 ("Repent ye therefore, and be converted"; cf. Matt. 18:3; Luke 22:32).

But the term is also used in the NT to indicate the converting work of the evangelist. Paul's task is "to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God" (Acts 26:18). And James applies the term to the personal evangelism of one who "converts" a backslider. He says, "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (Jas. 5:19-20).

See repentance, faith, first work of grace.

For Further Reading: Wiley, CT, 2:376 ff; Purkiser, ed.,
Exploring Our Christian Faith, 287-88; ISBE, 2:706 ff;
Wiley and Culbertson, Introduction to Christian Theol-
ogy, 273-74. Charles L. Childers

CONVICT, CONVICTION. "Conviction is that operation of the Spirit which produces within


men, a sense of guilt and condemnation because of sin" (Wiley, CT, 2:342). The verb "convict" indicates the divine act, and the noun "conviction" specifies the work produced by this act. The basic Greek word used in the original language of the NT is elegcho (verb form), which can be translated "to put to proof," "to test," "to convict," "to reprove," etc. The exact meaning in a particular passage depends in part upon the context.

That conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit is clearly indicated in John 16:8—"And when he is come, he will reprove [convict] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." This convicting work of the Spirit goes far beyond a merely intellectual convincing; it is a moral demonstration. It produces in men a sense of personal guilt and a realization that punishment would be just.

But this conviction produces hope rather than despair, for there is an accompanying offer of divine forgiveness and salvation. Thus it combines uncompromising condemnation of personal sin with a gracious call to repentance and an offer of salvation to those who repent. The many divine invitations to repentance and salvation found throughout the Bible make it clear that God's purpose for conviction for sin is pardon, release, restoration. The prodigal son is an excellent example.

The Holy Spirit is the divine Agent in conviction, but He makes use of the human conscience, which is an ally of the Holy Spirit in men's hearts. In John 8:9 we read of the Jewish leaders who brought the adulterous woman to Jesus: "They which heard it [Jesus' word], being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one."

The Spirit also uses intermediate means, such as the Scriptures, songs, testimony, tracts, books, a holy life, victory in suffering. The cardinal means ordained by God is preaching (1 Cor. 1:17-24; 2:1-4; cf. Acts 24:24-25).

See awakening, repentance. For Further Reading: Wiley, CT, 2:342-43; ISBE, 2:707ff; BBC Eph. 5:11-13.

Charles L. Childers