...Jenna Erickson THEO 104-D14 5/4/15 Reflection Paper 2 I. Introduction For my second reflection paper, similar to my first, I am choosing two topics in which can somewhat go hand in hand with each other. The two topics I am choosing are: Creation and the Fall of Man. In today’s primarily secular culture, the teachings of creation and the fall of man are topics that are too commonly misrepresented and misunderstood amongst many. Both creation and the fall of man are fundamental foundations to establishing a Christian biblical worldview. In two separate sections, I will present creation and the fall of man, while going in-depth into the theological definitions, biblical foundations, and practical applications for both. I will tackle these topics in the order in which they happened, and discuss how this relates to myself and how this class has helped me to get to this point of a better understanding of the scriptures teachings. II. Part One – Creation a. Theological Definition The ideology of creation preaches that the one true God created ex nihilo, or out of nothing, the universe and everything within it. God created the “heavens, the earth, the fish, the various kinds of species of animals, and man as the crown of His creation” (Townes, Origin). This doctrine claims that there was nothing before His creation; no time, substance, space, energy, beings, area or etc. God’s existence alone stood before creation and is solely responsible for everything there is and continues...
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...Kaleb Parrent Mr. Seth Johnson Theology 104 3 April 2015 Reflection Paper 2 Assignment I. Introduction In today’s predominately secular culture, the doctrine of creation and the doctrine of the immaterial “heart” of man are topics too commonly misrepresented and are profoundly misunderstood amongst many Christians today. The doctrine of creation and the doctrine of the immaterial nature of man are fundamental cornerstones within the Christian worldview that promulgate a rational coherent, consistent doctrine that when properly taught can equip Christians today with important theological knowledge that facilitates their pursuit of effective ministry. Divided into two separate topics, I will subsequently expound upon the Christian doctrine of creation and the doctrine on the immaterial nature of man, outlining the theological definition, biblical foundation, and practical application for each. II. Doctrine of Creation a. Theological Definition The doctrine of creation propagates that an eternal, infinite and immaterial Triune God created ex nihilo, or out of nothing, the universe and everything within it. God created the “heavens, the earth, the fish, the various kinds of species of animals, and man as the crown of His creation” (Townes, Origin). This doctrine asserts that there was no preexistent material existed before creation, emphasizing God’s existence alone before creation, and affirming His infinitude, eternality, self-existence, self-sufficiency, omnipotence...
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...RefJ. Tuzzolo THEO 104-C07 LUO Spring Semester 2010 April 4, 2010 Jesus Christ Reflection Paper I. Introduction Jesus. This one name will bring out many different emotions. This one name will bring millions of people together to worship the God who holds this name. This one name will be cursed by man. This one name will be the topic of many discussions and heated debates. This one name is the name under which man will be saved. This name is not just a name; this name is Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Jesus Christ the Son of God. This name is the name by which millions of people live their lives on a daily basis. This name is the name in which thousands of churches love their community. Through the name of Jesus power is given to powerless, strength to the weak, love to the loveless and hope to the hopeless. II. Section One – Jesus is God Jesus Christ claimed to be God. So what? A man who walked on this earth claimed to be God. Does this claim make this statement true? The man who claims to be Jesus Christ would have to “demonstrate God-like moral attributes of holiness, love and goodness. He would also have to back up His claim with demonstrations of power, vast knowledge and omnipresence.” (The Deity of Christ). There are eight aspects to Jesus’ claim to this deity. The eight aspects are as follows: 1. Jehovistic I AM 2. Old Testament Adonai 3. Identifies Himself with God in the baptismal formula 4. Be one with the Father ...
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...Morgan Perry THEO 104-D30 April 9, 2015 Reflection Paper INTRODUCTION: My first reflection paper will address temptation and Demons. I do not have a lot of knowledge in these subjects but I want to challenge myself in places I am not familiar with. However, temptation and demons have relation with one another so that’s why I chose these topics. These classes at Liberty University have definitely opened my mind to what it is to be a Christian and appreciate the morals and values I hold. Temptation and Demons are spoken of in the Bible and all over the world. I am excited to further my learning in these topics. THEOLOGICAL DEFINITION: What is temptation? Temptation is what moves us to sin. It is important to know that God does not tempt us to sin (Jas 1:13) and temptation is not to be equated with sin. Christ was tempted (Matt. 4) yet he never sinned (Heb. 4:15). James 1:12-16 is the definition of temptation. Great blessings are given to those who are tempted and remain faithful and your own desires lead you into temptation (James 1:12-16). We must be able to get to a point to resist temptation. It is also important to realize temptation is not sin. Sin is not to blame when we sin (Napier, 1993, para. 12). BIBLICAL DEFINITION: According to the Bible there are two definitions of temptation. Temptation was demonstrated in the Bible when God “tempted” Abraham (Gen. 22:1). In this case temptation meant a trial or being put to the test. Temptation can also mean solicitation...
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...Black Raven May 12, 2013 Theo 104 D72 Reflection Paper #2 I. Introduction The two topics I have chosen to write about are the Fall of Man and Teaching/Instruction. During this second part of the course, I have learned some more interesting topics during the final weeks. This paper will cover the ideas I have learned so far in this course. II. Part One a. Theological Definition The beginning of the Fall of Man begins in the passage that took place when Adam and Eve, went from being obedient to God to being defiant of God. Adam and Eve were created with purity and were to obey God their creator. Then Satan came a long and convinced Eve and Adam to disobey God by eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge. This was the beginning of sin, and what I believe, was the period, that became known as, the Fall of Man. b. Biblical Foundation As described in Genesis 1:1-31, God is the creator of all living things, plants, animals and humans. God created Adam from dust and Eve was created from Adam’s rib, both were created in God’s image. God made the Garden of Eden a place where all of Adams and Eves desire for sustaining life could be met. God’s only restriction for Adam and Eve was not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2-17). Eve was approached by a serpent who had persuaded her to eat the fruit from the tree that God told them not to. Then Eve talked Adam into eating the fruit from that same tree. After...
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...Reflection. The conversion of the sinner THEO 104-B04 Troy Temple September 16, 2013 Introduction Who is Jesus Christ and how does believing in him affect so many people. Many people will tell you that you must believe in God to save your soul for eternity. How do people truly know that God is real, and how was the Bible written over hundreds of years, how can people be so trusting in something he or she has never seen. So how is Christianity so different from the Wiccan religion? These are questions that I started to ask myself once I start this class. Both religions started out the same, giving people something to believe in. Doctrine of Christianity The book of Genesis states that in the beginning God created the heavens and earth. Then God said let there be light: and light was good (Genesis 1:3). It was the old testament of the Bible prophecies that causes mankind to believe in God and the Bible. Versus Prophesied all nations would be blessed through one special descendant or seed of Abraham. Jews and Gentiles alike are blessed when they accept Jesus a descendant of Abraham as their Savior (Matthew 1:1). The holy Bible contains 66 books and was written over a period of 1,600 years (Towns, 2007). Whereas the Bible is spread out all over the world, and in many different languages, but still holds true to the message. However, the Bible was written by mortal men that contained sin inherited from Adam just like everyone else. Therefore when...
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...Martha Belton Reflection Paper Theology 104 Introduction What can your local Church do to better communicate God’s love to your community? Does the Bible have authority? Did Jesus claim to be God? These are three topics I choose because it was very interesting to me when we talk about Jesus Christ, as our savior. A person living as a Christian should have a good attitude about their self, they should have a caring, loving and forgiving people who does God love. What can your local Church do to better communicate God’s love to your community? I think Church’s has responsibilities to spread the gospel to everyone As Christians we need to know that it was God’s grace and mercy that saved us. Church should not focus on the bad and wrong, but focus good potential in the people and community. The church membership and leadership in our community should embrace diversity without regards of labeling people. The church should not stop people from participation in any church functions, but it should not be limited to race, mental and physical health, gender and age etc. The problem churches have in today world they have to change from contemporary to modern to meet the need of people without them losing what the mission of church is for. Christianity is the most misunderstood religion in the world. The reason for the misunderstanding is the lies and the lack of stability in the church and the community. Christians are bound by the blood that was shed for us by the son of God...
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...Joanna Fleming Theo-104 B43 Reflection 1 Prof. Fowler Sept. 17, 2012 Reflection: Faith and Wisdom I. Introduction Faith and wisdom are key elements that are needed as a Christian. The practice of faith is the idea of putting your trust in the Lord, instead of relying on oneself. It is another way that we as Christians humble ourselves before God by this commitment and giving Him the power and authority over our lives. We can grow in faith by seeking wisdom in His Word. When we ask Him for wisdom and knowledge to better understand His Word, we grow as Christians in His mercy and love and are able to share His message with the world. is II. Part One (Faith) a. Theological Definition Faith is the belief that something is true. The Hebrew word for faith is hupostasis. In the article “What is Faith”, Ditzel explains that “hupostasis came to mean, "a steadfastness of mind,""confidence," or "assurance” (Diztel, 2009). Faith may come in various forms; however, its concept can be easily misunderstood. Faith means something different for everyone, but for the Christian, faith is a way of life, a way that we can grow in our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. b. Biblical Foundation The Bible tells us that by placing our faith in Christ, all things are possible. Jesus stated “If you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done” and...
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...Theo 104-D66 LUO 26 January 2015 Reflection Paper 2 Introduction: My second reflection paper will address the subject of Angels and Demons. Having little life experience with Christianity until being baptized in April of 2014, angels and demons were only in movies and not to be considered real or anything to really think about. Liberty University classes have opened my mind to a new world, church is not just for attending on Sunday and socializing with other like minded Christians but it is to contemplate a world beyond what is seen by man. Angels and Demons are real and with some serious study of the subject a person can see it all around and it having been all around since the beginning of time. Theological Definition of Angels: There are ten major theological areas of study and angels are part of that ten, this study is called “Angelology”. Scholars have many views about angels and some even ignore the subject all together but they are clearly documented in the Bible. According to Roman Catholic doctrine God is so powerful and at the sight of him a human will perish and that God created angels to serve as his liaison with the mortal world and act in God’s name, and since they do not have the tendencies of human flesh they serve as the bridge that separates the Holiness of God from the people of this earth. (KJV, Hebrews 1:14) Angels are essentially “ministering spirits”. Biblical Definition of Angels: Angels are mentioned in over thirty books of the Bible...
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...Reflection Paper-THEO 104 I. Introduction By and large humans are inquisitive by nature. Fields of study such as oceanography, space exploration, scientific research, medical advances, and higher education would not be a reality if man was not curious to comprehend the planet we inhibit. We also recognize authority and the need for order in the midst of chaos. There is a probing nature in the heart of man which was imparted by God about Himself. In truth, Romans 1:19 states “because the thing which can be known about God is evident in them, because God made it known to them.” Having stated this, I’d like to explore the following three questions: Does the Bible have authority? How do arguments for the existence of God influence your view of the supernatural? How can we be confident Jesus is returning? The intention of this paper is to answer these questions clearly and concisely to empower the reader to" be “without excuse” Romans 1:20. II. Does the Bible have authority? Being a recently retired military member, while wearing the cloth of our nation, I as well as other service members were invisibly ruled by written regulations that are authoritative and directive. We would often hear the phrase ‘read and heed’ when a regulation would be outdated. The Bible however is God’s living word, not man’s instruction that can be superseded several times over. Hebrews 4:12 declares: "For the Word of God is quick (alive), and powerful (to be effective and active), and sharper than...
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...THEO104: Module Seven Reflection Essay Title Page 1 THEO104: Module Seven Reflection Essay Michelle A. Woycitzky Liberty University THEO104: Module Seven Reflection Essay 2 I. Introduction To define yourself as a Christian is to believe in God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the text of the Holy Bible. Many believers think that this is all it takes to be welcomed into Heaven and enjoy the afterlife in peaceful bliss with their maker. Much of what has been learned in this class these past two months has given me the opportunity to explore Christianity beyond face value, as it should be explored. The true model Christian delves into the inner workings of the scripture and promotes the promises made by God when one lives their life as a messenger of that scripture. Education is the only way to make a person aware of what it truly means to be a Christian. In reflecting on the concepts learned in this class, a series of questions were presented, three chosen, then answered on the basis of what I have learned. The first question I chose was, Does the Bible have authority? Through the Doctrine of the Bible and arguments that the Bible is the Word of God, this question will be answered along with the information in Towns book. Secondly, I chose, Why are personal testimonies important in sharing the gospel? This topic was of great interest to me because I am capable of explaining it...
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...Shaniqua S. Boyd Instructor: Hall, J March 6, 2015 THEO 104 Reflection Paper #2-Wisdom and Faith I. Introduction: As a Christian of God, having wisdom and faith are the key elements of your religion. How to practice faith is putting your trust in god instead of oneself. Faith is another way we as Christians humble ourselves to God by letting him have the power and authority over our lives. As Christians we also can expand in faith by seeking wisdom in God word. As we ask the lord for wisdom and knowledge to help us understand his word, we mature as Christians and are able to share his holy messages to others. II. Part One- Wisdom A. Theological Definition- What is Wisdom? Wisdom is the ability to discern what is right. Wisdom is not knowing good and evil, wisdom is knowing good from evil. So as we see it, wisdom is knowing what is good and seeking its application in life. B. Biblical Foundation- When we read the bible, the bible tells us that we should seek wisdom in God, not in ourselves or people out in the world. God states (Proverbs 3:7) “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. Wisdom does not come all at once. People gain wisdom with time, education, and experience. Meanwhile the knowledge that we use will only make us wiser when applying it to different situations in life. C. Practical Application- By being able to read the word of god, and having the wisdom and knowledge to understand the difference from good and bad, we can...
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...60 hermeneutics.92 Therefore, there is some urgency to restore for the Christian biblical interpreter a theological understanding of Scripture. C. M. Wood rightly points out, “As theological inquiry, theological hermeneutics is critical reflection upon Christian understanding.”93 Thus, in this section we will explore three aspects that nourish our theological understanding of texts: (1) Divine discourse, (2) Intertextuality, and (3) Canonical-linguistic approach: theo-drama. 92Stephen E. Fowl, Engaging Scripture: A Model for Theological Interpretation (Malden: Blackwell, 1998); idem, The Theological Interpretation of Scripture (Cambridge: Blackwell, 1997); John Webster, “Hermeneutics in Modern Theology: Some Doctrinal Reflections,” SJT 51 (1998):...
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...Shaniqua S. Boyd February 6, 2015 THEO 104 Reflection Paper #1 Prayer Do you love to pray like I love to pray? When I pray I take out the time during many parts of my day to pray to my higher power. Prayer is communication with you and Jesus. In order to develop what prayer really is, you must have a clear definition of god. God is so personal being to us and when we pry we can interact with him. To understand it all I will help you understand what prayer is and what is not prayer. What is Prayer: For me prayer is a most important part of my communication process. When we pray we worship and seeks god attention because we know he is there and he listens to us. It might sound crazy but some people think that you just supposed to pray when you wake up and when you lie down to go to bed. Truth be told, there is no limit on when you can pray to your all mighty savior. I talk to him all the time. When I wake up in the morning I’m praying and thanking the lord that he woke me and my family up to see another day. As I am driving to work and asking him to let me and everybody in the world make it to see another day and to get to their destination safe and sound. When I am working I am praying for my co-workers and patients. I pray all the time because I need my blessings all the time. When you pray it do not always have to be that you are asking god for something. It could be that you want to confess to him of something or just praise him for all that he had done for you. Just...
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...Michelle Ragland SID# 23615939 THEO 104- Reflection Paper I. Introduction: As I sat down to write this reflection paper, I had to give very much thought on what topics I wanted to discuss. I have decided after much pondering and meditation that I would like to discuss the topic of Canon and Illumination. This class has helped to give me a greater understanding of my convictions and make me a better Christian. II. Part One: Canon The word Canon is Greek for a rule, and its meaning can be translated as “measuring stick.” (Praxis, Gutierrez and Etzel, 2012, pg 53) The Canon of scripture areis the accepted books of the Bible, thatBible, which is to be a tool for Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to measure them by spiritually. This “Measuring stick” is the instrument that shows our Faithfulness or lack of, our Obedience or lack of, our Conduct , our Sight, and our hearing by the word of God. The canon is the infallible word of God, His instruction to us and communication withcommunication with us that we understand what and how he expects us to live. The Measuring stick of the Old Testament was hard for anyone to keep, because no one is without sin, we understand that God made provision for us and that now we are not measured by the law (Canon) but by our Faith, God’s Grace and our Purpose in Him. God is our measuring stick for our spiritual as well as natural lives, because it is...
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