Eph 769 3/18/88
A. Definition and Etymology.
1. AMEN is a transliteration that has retained its purity in all three languages: Hebrew, Greek, and English.
2. Amen refers to the acclamation of doctrine in Christian worship.
3. Amen is often said at the termination of a doxology or a prayer.
4. In the Hebrew, AMEN is the verb “to believe.” AMEN means faith. It could be translated, “I believe it,” or “Amen."
a. Remember that gnosis doctrine is receptive comprehension and therefore only doctrine that is understood academically. Gnosis doctrine has no spiritual connotation until it is metabolized. (See the doctrine of Operation Z.)
b. The whole goal of the perception of doctrine is for it to become epignosis doctrine in the right lobe. The Holy Spirit converts gnosis into epignosis where there is positive volition faith perception.
c. So “Amen” is what you say in your soul to convert gnosis into epignosis. In other words, you say “I believe it. I understand what is taught (gnosis); now I believe what is taught (epignosis).”
5. “Amen” at the end of a prayer means you have approached the throne of grace as a believer-priest through our great high priest, our Lord Jesus Christ. “Amen” at the end of the prayer means you relate the prayer and its content to the faith-rest drill under the pattern of prayer promises.
a. “All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
b. Mk 11:24, “Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you shall receive them, and they shall be yours.”
6. A single “Amen” before a phrase, as when Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you [AMEN LEGO HUMEN],” means “Truth I am communicating to you.”
7. The doubling of AMEN, as our Lord often used, means “a specific point of doctrine I am teaching you.”
B. The Usage of Amen.
1. Amen is used to confirm or affirm a statement.
2. Amen is used to communicate doctrine in general, or a specific point of doctrine.
3. Amen is used for faith or faithfulness.
4. Amen is used in prayer to express the faith-rest drill regarding both petition and intercession.
5. Amen expresses faith perception which converts gnosis into epignosis; this is the process of metabolizing doctrine.
6. Amen is used in liturgy in faith response to doctrine. Liturgy may call for congregational response, meaning the congregation chants or speaks in unison.
7. Amen is not used to interrupt a sermon. This is poor manners, and indicates lack of concentration or broken concentration. It is rude, crude, and arrogant for individuals to shout out “Amen” when they agree with points of a message. That calls attention to self, and it is a distraction to others. It is out of line, not necessary, and not a part of worship.
8. Amen is used in Eph 3:21 for the metabolization of the mystery doctrine of the Church Age. This is tantamount to converting gnosis into epignosis through positive faith perception.
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