Wallowing In The Mire Research Paper

Wallowing in the Mire When Jesus used parables and told stories of real life events, He would often use language that would be understood among the people of the land. One instance of this is when He calls Christians to be the "salt" of the earth (Matthew 5, Mark 9, Luke 14). In the ancient world salt was commonly used for the purpose of fueling. One commentator writes: "Salt had a catalytic-like effect on the fuel (Dung, which was plentiful, was the commonly used fuel), causing it to burn. After many uses the salt plates in the earthen oven underwent a chemical reaction due to the heat. The result was that the salt no longer facilitated the fire, but rather impeded and stifled the burning of the dung. It is in this sense that salt used for this purpose lost its saltness, that is, its ability to facilitate a fire". A Christian's obligation is to teach the "Gospel to the lost and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19)-- his mission does not cease after the convert is baptized. A Christian is to help nourish the soul of the new convert by teaching him to observe all things
You can take a Ferrari emblem and slap it on a Ford; it will still be a Ford vehicle inside and out. Likewise, you can paint "God", "Jesus" or "Christian" on the outside of a church building, but the inside will reveal its true maker. Consider the following analogy: A man paid for his house with hard-earned money; therefore the title bears that man's name. He is entitled to establish the rules and has every right to remove those who disobey. In this same sense, Christ purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28) and His church should bear His name. Christ has exercised His right to establish the rules, laws, and commandments pertaining to His church. Two things happen when a Christian falls away: 1.) he no longer loves Christ (John 14:15) and 2.) he is no longer part of the Kingdom. The end result is a loss of