set the tone for us to be on one accord. Third, the reading of “Knowing God” was my favorite book. J. I. Packer quotes in his book it is better to know God, then to know about God. The reading helped me understand more of the Holy Spirit’s power, and how the Holy Spirit imparts knowledge in us, that we will not be able to research. Knowledge is not all about theology, but when we have a relationship with the Father, we receive special insight that cannot be found in books. Fourth, the…
As a hospital chaplain, I occasionally led the weekly group meetings about spirituality on the Psych Unit. One week, a resident named Dee joined us. Dee shared that she did not believe there could possibly be a God because if God was real, then she would never have felt as lonely as she did at the deepest point in her depression. While in that room, surrounded by people like Dee who chose to share their faith journey and support one another, I bore witness to God’s presence in Dee’s life.…
What are some ways the Christian gospel is perceived in our culture? When Jesus was addressing the subject of the Gospel He was clear and direct about it. He said, that it was through Him alone that Salvation would come to humanity. However, denying that he is a divine being diminishes His promises for eternal life. Perhaps, the majority of today’s society has done that when it comes to the Son of God, Jesus. Furthermore, those who believe in a God believe in a loving God, a loving God would…
“You Got to Have Faith” Christianity is the belief in one God. This faith exists regardless of persecution for it. Romans believed in a pantheon of Gods, with each God having a particular role. The Romans believed that service to their Gods would result in immediate rewards where as Christians believed in that following commandments resulted in reward after death, in heaven. Even though Bible verses are scriptures written differently throughout the years, the ideas and beliefs stay the same.…
Jesus, and restoration. When looking at the Christian worldview, God is what is known as the Trinity. The Trinity is the same being that exists in three different forms but is the same entity. The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. According to Hiles and Smith (2014), the Christian worldview sees God as “a mystical presence or powerful force at the source of the universe”. The characteristics of God being the source of the universe means that He is Divinity and…
for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Recap: - Urged to walk in a manner worthy…
This essay conveys the basic outlines of the doctrine of God in the theology of James Cone as it relates to the word of God and Christology, from Cones position. According to the writing in the book (Cone 1990), it is understood that Cone recognized that most Christians, black and white, especially theologians and preachers, would need a deeper analysis of Christian doctrine, using traditional theological concepts, before taking black theology seriously. According to the readings of (Cone 1990)…
He struggled with greed and gluttony. He never knew when to stop drinking or partying. The Sacrament that St Francis of Assisi is connected to most is Confirmation. After he found God, he looked toward the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit to guide him going on in his preachings. There were three fruits, especially, that Francis chose to act out in his Christian life. They were charity, goodness, and faithfulness. He would perform charity and goodness by helping…
convenient. For the bible says “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing modestly and discreetly. Not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments.” (The Holy Bible KJV 1 Timothy 2:9). Which means do write by the Lord, do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself. While The Holy Bible tells us that God will love and accept us as we are He also does not want us…
With religion and personal emotion being expressed, Rembrandt’s The Three Trees has more to offer than a simple Dutch landscape. The three trees are the main attraction of this piece and convey a religious message inspired by Rembrandt’s environment. Rembrandt relies on a unique method of creating dramatic lighting to subtly express his feelings and direct the viewer’s eye within the piece. What is most interesting about this etching is how humans are used in this piece, the human figures in the…