During the time of Samuel, there was no monarchy in Israel unlike the other countries around. The Israelites wanted a king for themselves where they could actually see and hear. They wanted the same protection that the other nations were getting from their kings. Therefore the Israelites asked Samuel to ask God to nominate a king for them. But Samuel did not like the fact that the Israelites wanted a king, so he prayed God for an answer. God said to Samuel in a sad way to let the Israelites have a king since they do not want me as their king anymore. Samuel told the Israelites what God has said and warned them that they would have to sacrifice part of their life for the king. Despite the warning, the Israelites desired a king who would rule them like the other nations.…
Jesus is challenging the Pharisees to look past their trust in laws and rules to try and see that everyone has worth. Jesus can see the worth of everyone, but the Pharisees can only see worth in people who are considered pure. Jesus uses a verse from Hosea 6:6 saying “go and learn what this means” he is trying to tell them that rituals should not replace the act of love or mercy.12…
How can I say that Reading Scripture or Communion are not as influential? Prayer is a direct link to the Father and that is a great gift. Being able to openly speak to the Creator of all is amazing and therefore, yes, most influential. However to say that the Scripture or Communion are not as vital is not any easy thing for me to say. Both have brought me closer to Jesus; both…
The Sermon in the Mount delivered by Jesus defines the important values of Religion. As the founder of Christian religion, Jesus, in his sermon, presented the evidences of ethics behavior of Christians, which are forgiveness, humility, Justice, love and perseverance. Agreeing to Jesus’ sermon, forgiveness must characterize Christians. In fact, Christian must forgive at the level of accepting a recidivist behavior. According to Jesus “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also”. In addition humility is a requirement of Christians. Christians prove their humility by asking forgiveness even if they did not offense someone. As Jesus declared, if “your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front…
Introduction: The term "image of God" occurs three times in the Bible. In Genesis 1:26-27 and 9:6, we find out that man is created in the image of God. In 2 Cor. 4:4 we see the phrase used in reference to Jesus who is the "image of God." There is no exact understanding of what the phrase means, but we can generalize. It would seem that the first two verses refer to God's character and attributes that are reflected in people. The term cannot be a reference to a physical appearance of God since Jesus says in John 4:24 that God is Spirit, and in Luke 24:39 Spirit does not have flesh and bones. Therefore, we can conclude that the image of God deals with humanity's reflection of God in such things as compassion, rationality, love, hatred, fellowship, etc. God exhibits all of these characteristics, as do people.…
In Luke 18:9-14 has a story which exemplifies the contrast of two distinct people: the Pharisee and the tax collector. Culturally speaking and back in the time, the Pharisees were the religious leaders of the Temple. They memorized Scripture, prayed to God and fasted often (Luke 18:11 12). Jesus told the parable, and said that the Pharisees thanked God he was not like the tax collector, who were extortioners, unjust, adulterers (Luke 18:11). On the other hand, the tax collector was in such awe before God that he did not even want to look to the Heavens, for he did not think he was worth it. But then Jesus said in Luke 18:14, “ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” They were the ones people admired and thought had a relationship with God. On the other hand, there were the tax collectors. Tax collectors had the reputation of not having integrity, for they used to overcharge taxes from the people. They were known by being thieves and having no character; a reputation people did not desire to have. This contrast between the Pharisee and the tax collector shows that we cannot judge people by their appearances, because only God knows their innermost thoughts and the motives behind their actions.…
Continuing in this thought, I feel the bulk of this essay is composed with a limited understanding of the relationships between the scriptures recorded in Matthew, Romans, Galatians and even Colossians as they relate to keeping the law. Colossians explains the stance that I hold most clearly. Here the scripture asks that they let no one judge the way they practice the law “which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ”. [2] In my opinion, all the Old Testament laws were a shadow of the law as Jesus Christ…
In John Wesley’s fourth sermon on the Sermon of the Mount, he makes the point that Christianity is a social religion. Christianity is not practiced in a vacuum. As Christians, he says, we gather as a community, holding one another accountable to the faith and being with one another as we grow in relationship with God. Beyond that, as a social religion, Christianity calls us to have an impact on our communities, to care about others, and to be involved in making social changes for the betterment of the world. The church should foster these Christian communities, providing space in which Christians and those exploring Christianity can live their faith with one another. Wesley’s two-part understanding of the social nature of Christianity and the church leads us to the stated mission of the United Methodist Church – “to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” This mission matters because our world needs transformation, and our call as the church is to work in concert with God to bring about the Kingdom of God – on earth, and within and through our lives.…
Preliminary Statement: I think that this parable means that there are two types of righteousness. One that can be "work righteousness" and the other "gift righteousness." We see this through the tax collector and the Pharisee. The Pharisee thinks that it's his works and religious practices that make him righteous. But the tax collector, whose a sinner, is given the gift of righteousness from Jesus. We think we can work for righteousness but it's really a gift from God because He is the only one that is righteous.…
The question of evil is a common hot button topic among atheists and non-Christians who attempt to disprove Christianity. They argue that an omnipotent and omniscient God cannot exist in a world with so much evil. The argument is used by them to try to prove that Christianity is “internally self-contradictory and thereby to be rejected.” Many claim that a benevolent and caring God would certainly not create evil or allow it to flourish in the world that He created. So, the problem of evil is how to explain that there can be a perfect, all-powerful, and all-loving God that exists in a world with so much moral and natural evil.…
Often time’s people are searching for a concrete place to anchor hope; the Bible provides a comprehensive and accurate account from God. The historicity of the Bible and the amount of people involved to write it makes the Bible the most valid book ever made. Many people have attempted to discredit the Bible and failed, I am going to attempt to walk you through this question and a few other questions. I pray that after you read this essay you will see why I call this my love letter from God.…
Those with the audacity to do the unforgivable crime of consuming edible items in the middle of an educational session shall surely be punished by the professors. God forbid, shall the patience of these professors, these masters of instruction, these scholastic gods, be tested, one shall face the hell, the fire, and the damnation that is called detention. There is no speculation that these lords of erudition are amicable, benevolent, impartial, and sensible. Those managing to disrespect these godly mentors undoubtedly deserve in return to be reprimanded and righteously disciplined. These insolent individuals shall be left to face this slippery slope without the clemency of their educators as they suffer through their educational decline and are convicted with this unpardonable sin. Ingesting foodstuffs during a serious pedagogic forum is unmannerly and as impertinent as the actions of a puerile and unruly child. Any and all fools willing to engage in such depravity even after the awareness of the wrath provoked to the instructors shall be entitled to and morally sentenced to the fiery pit of detention, the cage of horror that will trap them for an entire lunch period. Shall there be any contrivance to escape this hell, the individuals associated will be morally punished with their own culpability, the tornado of flames that will surround them in every direction and swallow them up with ease, burning them everywhere. And as if that itself is not an infinite refraction, they shall without a doubt be sentenced to even further punishment, the unimaginable and detrimental circumstance of being rebuked and forced to take disciplinary actions by the headmaster, the godliest figure of all teachers and the dictator of the world called Torrey Pines. So thus, as it is, you all, the natural beings of this world, must refrain from engaging in these actions that will lead them to angering the authority figures, being sentenced to the…
Submitted to Dr. H Edward Pruitt in partial fulfillment of the requirements of GLST 500 by Alyssa Avant…
The opportunity that Edwards is talking about is “Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners.” The emphasis that Edwards put behind his words persuaded the congregation to take advantage of the…
The first 39 books of the larger work called the Bible, is called the Old Testament. The Bible itself is arguably the best selling and most read book of all time, yet it’s well known to be quite challenging to read through and understand. The Old Testament portion of the Bible, notably the most difficult portion of the Bible for most to study and follow, yields 39 books from multiple authors, and spans over 4000 years of crucial world and church history. If that were not enough to take on, the Old Testament comes our way through multiple styles of authorship and formats, including but not limited to, books of history, law, proverbs, ethics, philosophy, treatises, dramas, songs, epics, biographies, and letters. There have been many books written and published to survey, explain, and/or bring to light the Old Testament, but none more helpful to me than the review subject of this paper, the work of Dr. Elmer L. Towns, entitled “A Journey Through the Old Testament”.…