...I am stunned whenever I see people who call themselves "Christians" and yet believe that The Bible was just made by mere human beings. "The Bible was just made by man." Such unwise words. Whatever Christian denomination you belong to, your leaders will always tell you that the Bible is HOLY. It is the basis, it is the root of the Christian faith. During the mass, a priest raises the Bible. Before any sermon, a priest/pastor reads the Bible. It just goes to show that the Bible is the authority of the Christian faith. If you are going to claim that the Bible is not holy then you shouldn't call yourself a Christian at all. The Bible is considered holy for it contains the WORD OF GOD. It is holier than the pope, it is holier than those graven images, it is holier than your holy water. It is holier than anything else existing in the entire cosmos. Spiritually speaking, The MOST POWERFUL thing in this world that we have right now is the word of God. "For the word of God is ALIVE AND ACTIVE. SHARPER than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12 "Is not my word like FIRE," declares the LORD, "and like a HAMMER that BREAKS a rock in pieces? -Jeremiah 23:29 "to make her holy, CLEANSING her by the washing with water through the WORD" -Ephesians 5:26 The Word Of God can divide the soul and spirit and at the same time cleanse. Can you name...
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...way to God is a personal relationship with him. However, in order to have this relationship, there are three certain beliefs and truths that Christians put faith in, although many believe that one must do more to be in Christ. The three essentials to the Christian faith are: God's word is authoritative, Jesus is the perfect son of God who came as a Man to die on the cross and rose again to save Man from their sin, and it is by faith and repentance in Christ that man is able to have a relationship with Him. Although the belief is not supported by the Bible, many people say that it is essential to salvation to be baptized, thus turning Christianity into a works based religion. Church of Christ believes that it is necessary to be baptized to be saved, using Mark 16:16 as evidence (Wright). Mark 16:16 says, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (ESV). However, Houdmann states that one must notice "While this verse tells us something about believers who have been baptized (they are saved), it does not say anything about believers who have not been baptized". This does not have another statement added on containing the fact that if one is not baptized, then he is not saved ("Mark 16:16"). This belief opens up whole new difficulties and confusions with works based faith and what works are needed to be saved. The...
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...course of this class, my understandings of the bible and its principles have grown to new lengths. I have always been a serious follower of the Christian faith but I have taken the teachings I have received in the realm of acceptance. The ideas that are brought about in the readings have allowed me to digest the concept that my faith is backed by truth, proof and evidence. Taking what I have learned in the past and directing my newly found information, I have learned that it is okay to think critically about my faith. While thinking about the bible and how applicable its relation to the world is, I have found that I trust my faith even more. The ideas that have made me think differently about being a Christian are compound. I have been able to think critically which has allowed me to find new ways to explore my faith and prove its presence. II. Part One: Enlightenment of Faith a. Theological Definition The Theological definition of faith is one that describes an almost certain idea that although one may be entirely confused, if they have faith, guidance will be delivered through many types of faith. Now this concept contains many facets and although there are many ways that faith can be displayed, it is most evident that faith is derived from the teachings in the bible itself. b. Biblical Foundation “The source and foundation of all faith is the Bible,” (Towns, 1). Knowing more about the Bible helps us to better understand the will of God...
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...James 2:18-19: Objections to False Faith 7 James 2:20-24: Examples of Faith 9 Verses 2:25-26: Rahab 11 Conclusion 11 Appendix A: Block Diagram of James 2:18-26 Using the ESV Bible 13 Introduction Throughout the history of the Bible, few words have had more controversy than the words, faith, works, and justification. James’ uses a powerful interrogative to pose the rhetorical question about helping those in need. However, James’ apparent statement concerning these acts has led many to argue that “good works” equals “faith”. Paul expounds on the belief that justification is produced solely by faith in Jesus Christ. James makes a statement in 2:16-26 that many people believe rationalizes faith as equal with good deeds. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the context and to provide a thorough exegesis of the passage of scripture located in James 2:16-26. James’s use a type of koine Greek that indicates an educated writer with a greater than average familiarity with the language of that era’s culture. While doubtful a scholar, the writer of James, none the less, describes a faith that is exemplified by the desire, or perhaps even the need, to do good works as a projection of an inward drive to validate one’s love of God. This scripture is divided into three outline sections: 1. Faith that is not activated is dead (2:16-17) 2. Fake faith comes in two forms (2:18-19) a. a faith that is lacking works b. a faith that is nothing more an academic...
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...Tools for Living the Christian Faith By Mary Fairchild, About.com Guide These tools for living the Christian faith are designed to offer practical help as you navigate your way through the Christian life. Not only will you find resources for managing the major events in your life, such as your Christian wedding ceremony, you will also encounter tips for celebrating Christian holidays, advice for developing a daily devotional, and even biblical decision making steps. Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals & More Developing a Daily Devotional Bible Study Tools Christian Marriage Advice Parenting & Family Advice Christian Singles Advice Advice for Christian Women Advice for Christian Men Christian Testimonies Christian Careers Books, Movies, Music & More Christian Holidays Faith in Action Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals & More Find practical and spiritual information about some of the major events and observances in the life of a Christian, including baptisms, baby dedications, weddings, funerals and more. These resources will answer many of your questions as you navigate your way through the Christian life. •Baby Dedication •Conversion - Salvation •Baptism •Communion •Wedding Ceremony •Funeral Service Ads Free Evangelism Training tools to help you share your faith with your family and friends! www.billygraham.org/EvangelismTools Meaningful Bible Verses Find Daily Quotes, Choose Passages & More with Daily Bible Guide! www.DailyBibleGuide.com Meet Professional...
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...live our daily lives should be based on what the Bible tells us that we can or cannot do. Why does the Bible have such authority over us? That power is established for the Bible by the claims of the Bible, which is that it, is the word of God. (Elwell, p154) It is true that man wrote the Bible itself, but God inspired the words that those men were writing. That is an important part of the Bible itself I believe because God chose to us man to write the Bible through inspiration. The idea of inspiration in the theological world is that a divine mind will act to communicate with other spirits. The Holy Spirit chooses to influence specific people, so that their writings will be trustworthy and also have authority. (Elwell, p. 160) The actual meaning of inspiration is used a little differently today. In the Bible though, the word inspiration is also meant as saying God “spirited” or breathed out. (Elwell, p. 160) In the Bible, more specifically the Old Testament, God inspired Moses to write the Ten Commandments. That is the kind of inspiration that the Bible is full of. Jesus himself states that the Old Testament is an infallible authority, which backs up that the Old Testament is inspired words from God. The idea of inerrancy is that when every single fact is known that the Bible will be 100% true, and have no false statements what so ever. This though is only based on the original autographs. This means that no copy of the Bible present day is inerrant. This does not mean that...
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...UNDERSTANDING FAITH And Jesus, answering, saith unto them, Have faith in God. Mark 11:22 INTRODUCTION Several years ago a group of high school students from America spent three weeks in Osaka, Japan, at the world’s fair. The students decided to take the subway into the downtown area to purchase some souvenirs. After spending several hours taking pictures and buying souvenirs, the students decided to return to their local residence. Arriving at the station, they saw the subway train pull up. They quickly paid the fare and jumped on board. As the train doors closed, the students learned they had gotten on the wrong train. Instantly their confidence was shattered. Though they had sincerely believed they were right just moments earlier, they now knew they were sincerely wrong. The object of our faith is more important than the sincerity of our belief. The man who thinks he is right but is not sure may be far better off than the one who is “sure” but is absolutely wrong. The credibility of our faith begins with objective truth and ends with internal trust. This chapter analyzes the six types of faith that describe the believer’s relationship to God. DOCTRINAL FAITH Some may ask, “How can I get more faith?” Paul wrote, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). The source and foundation of all faith is the Bible. If we want faith, we must begin with a correct understanding of the Word of God. The more we know of the Bible, the more faith we can have, and...
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...Eric D. King REL. 221 Dr. John Brannon “Why Was the Bible Written?” Writers have a purpose for writing. One may write to inform, entertain, oppose, expose, persuade or to preserve facts. Why was the Bible written? In this study, we shall seek to answer that question. Our opinion as to the Bible's purpose is not valid or sufficient (Isa. 55:8, 9). Accordingly, we shall let God, the Holy Spirit; tell us why it was given unto man (1 Cor. 2:6-16). If we know why the Bible was written, we shall know how to use it more effectively (2 Tim. 2:15). Dr. Seuss and Mother Goose are literary works, but their purpose differs from that of Sandburg's "Lincoln" or Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. If you doubt that, read them to a three year old at bedtime. If we are to understand the reasons why the word of God was written will assist us in receiving its intended benefits and blessings. To better understand the Bible's purpose and reason for existence, it may help us to see goals that it was not given to accomplish. First, it was not written for profit. Men may make money for publishing it, but the Bible was not written for that purpose. God said, "If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine and the fullness thereof" (Psa. 50:12). Many of the apostles suffered "the loss of all things" (Phil. 3:8; 1 Cor. 4:9-13). Money was not their motivation. Second, the Bible was not written to satisfy idle curiosity. God gave man a curious, inquisitive nature. This wondering...
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...universe.(Denton, 1986) So when Christians claim that the God of the Bible created all the basic entities of life and the universe, some will ask what seems to be a logical question: “Who created God?” The very first verse in the Bible declares: “In the beginning God ... .” There is no attempt in these words to prove the existence of God or imply in any way that God had a beginning. In fact, the Bible makes it clear in many places that God is outside time. He is eternal, with no beginning or end. By very definition, an eternal Being has always existed—nobody created Him. God is the Self-Existent One—the great “I Am” of the Bible. He is outside time; in fact, He created time. Think about it this way: everything that has a beginning requires a cause. The universe has a beginning and therefore requires a cause. But God has no beginning since He is beyond time. So God does not need a cause. There is nothing illogical about an eternal Being who has always existed even though it might be difficult to fully understand. You might argue, “But that means I have to accept this by faith because I can’t totally understand it.”(Orr, 1887) We read in the book of Hebrews: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). ( Holy Bible, KJV) What kind of faith is Christianity then? It is not blind faith as some may think. In fact, it is...
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...thousand years. The followers of Christ have, and always will be persecuted. From the beheadings, to the ruthless and contrived fights that the Roman forced the Christians to participate in to now, not much has changed for them. Christians are still victimized both physically and emotionally. Christianity is said to be the most persecuted faith throughout the world. The cause of this harassment towards them is because of their rapid growth (due to their missionaries), and their strong belief system which often goes against foreign countries cultures and the common desires of people. Christianity’s beliefs are based off the Bible. They use the Bible for reference as to what is ethical and moral...
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...interacts with the world. There are not many ways in which to do so. Grudem tries to find a way to explain this problem by using communicable and incommunicable attributes. In the handouts, incommunicable is defined as absolute and God chooses not to share them with others, communicable is defined as relative and are the attributes that God chooses to share with others. These attributes are how God chooses to communicate who He is with the world and allow us to better understand Him. The incommunicable attributes that I see most in God are His eternity and His omnipresence. When I think of these attributes and God, I feel that I can better comprehend God. By using eternity and omnipresence to get to know God better, I can have a better faith in knowing that He is always with me and He will never leave me. When talking about a God that is eternal, you must understand that means that God had no beginning and will have no end. To explain God’s eternity Grudem states, “To be “infinite” is to unlimited, and this doctrine teaches that time does not limit God or change him in any way.” If God is infinite then time, as it does to humans on earth, does not apply to Him. We see a day as one rotation of the earth and a year as one rotation around the sun, which is defiantly not how God sees time pass. God, on the other hand, can see any point in time as He sees fit. God knows exactly what is taking place and with his omnipresence can know exactly what needs to be done. Omnipresence...
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...did not belong in, such as his bible and his faith. Kiowa's most significant physical object that he carried was his bible, this bible defines Kiowa as a person and his character. As stated in chapter one, "Kiowa, a devout baptist, carried an illustrated New Testament..." Kiowa is immensely dedicated to his religion. He enters the brutal and vengeful Vietnam war with his passed down Bible from his...
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...his family and their names. Unlike the 1838 version in where his family member’s names and their dynamics are expressed and involved thought the vision. Another difference between the versions is how he was involvement with the churches of that time, and how he got his vision by using the bible....
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...SUPPORT@WISEAMERICAN.US HLT 310V WEEK 3 HLT 310V Week 3 Topic 3 DQ 1 Read Colossians 1 in the Bible. Compare ways in which the concepts of “God,” “Person,” “Environment,” “Health,” and “Nursing” would be defined according to Colossians 1. HLT 310V Week 3 Topic 3 DQ 2 What tensions do you think you might experience arising from the differing worldviews of administrators, health care providers, and patients? Base your response from the GCU introduction and the textbooks. Cite references from your reading to support your answer. HLT 310V Week 3 Assignment Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity: First Draft Max Points: 100 Details: The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people from a variety of faiths. This calls for knowledge and acceptance of a diversity of faith expressions. The purpose of this paper is to complete a comparative analysis of two faith philosophies towards providing health care, one being the Christian perspective. For the second faith, choose a faith that is unfamiliar to you. Examples of faiths to choose from: Sikh, Baha’i, Buddhism, Shintoism, etc. In a minimum of 1,500-2,000 words, provide a comparative analysis of the different belief systems, reinforcing major themes with insights gained from your research. In your comparative analysis, address all of the worldview questions in detail for Christianity and your selected faith. Refer to chapter 2 of the Called to Care for the list of questions. Be sure to address...
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...church store to shop at, which seemed very different to me because a church website should be about the faith, not shopping for clothes or books. There was a small section about the faith, not as informative as I would think. While researching in the small section about faith, they had additional links to learn about the history of the Presbyterian faith. The purpose of the Methodist website was to purely inform people about the religion and give them reason to convert. The website had many links about all different aspects of the Methodist religion. The main page has a quote,” United Methodists come in all sizes, shapes, colors, dispositions, outlooks and life stories, but share a unique history and faith prospective.” The quotes gives the readers of the website a sense of acceptance and how diverse the Methodist faith is. There were also many other tabs labeled our church, our faith, our people, and our world; these tabs helped to inform me about specific practices and beliefs. Both of these websites are very informative but for different purposes, one for welcoming new members to join the faith (Methodist) and the other for promoting the religion (Presbyterian). I learned a lot of information from both websites that I did not know of. On the Presbyterian website I saw that they believe in the Bible like many other Christian religions. The Presbyterian faith has two major ways in which they...
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