Kingdom of God

“To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name” (Merton). What was Merton’s main point of this statement? I believe he was trying to emphasize that God does in fact exist, because without God, we would cease to exist because we are made in the likeness of God. People ask the question of “Does God Exist?” for a long time. To one…

Authenticity with God is the cornerstone for all other relationships a person can engage in, whether it be with family, spouses, friends, or oneself. However, the concept of this includes the element of doubt, with the main focus of this emphasized on who God is. The role God plays in a person’s life, including an absentee one, will shape one’s expectations of his or herself and others throughout existing relationships. The relevance of doubt in correlation with God seems like an oxymoron to…

God vs gods and goddesses Mahatma Gandhi once said that he was a Hindu, but he said that he was also a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Jew and he ended the quote by saying that we all are. And that got me thinking about how can Gandhi and I and everyone else, believe in all of those religions? How are we all a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, and a Jew? To figure out the meaning behind this quote I focused on only two religions. I will be comparing and contrasting Hinduism and…

The natural world, a creation from God himself, should be used to lead people towards Christianity and the appreciation of it. Western European artists were able to take functional pieces and turn them into religious artwork: through artwork people were drawn closer to the word of the Lord…

because of this, all humans are inherently evil and God alone, by His grace saves from eternal death. Augustine’s theology then goes on with the concept that God choses those that He will extend His grace to; an elected, foreordained group of people for whom He will make an irresistible urge but…

this meant is rejection, torture, death and then and only then Resurrection, but to a new kind of life, eternal life offered to all. 1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal…

Although these ideas are similar, in John 3, there is no reason to believe that Jesus is in fact the Son of God, but he is actually referred to as a “teacher come from God” (3:2) multiple times. In John 3, Jesus spends a lot more time speaking about the Son of God and what God has promised his people if they believe and accept his teachings, but spends no time claiming that he is indeed that person. On the other hand, in the beginning of John…

Story 1. Ordinary World – In the beginning, Jason is introduced to us as a man “shod with only a single sandal”, when he returns to his rightful kingdom. 2. Call to Adventure – When Jason pursues Pelias to release the “sovereign sceptre and the throne” to him, Pelias replies that if Jason first goes on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, the kingdom will be his. 3. Refusal of the Call – In Jason’s story, “the idea of the great adventure was delightful to Jason”, so there was no refusal as he…

Week #13 Reading Response Question 1: What did I learn about the nature and activity of God? In Isaiah 1:18-20 God sees the sins of the people of Israel and they are scarlet colour, but He promises to make them white as snow I 'd the will only obey Him. He will even feed them. However God tells Israel if they don 't listen to Him, they will be devoured by their enemies. God was revealing the need for Israel to rely upon Him. He was demonstrating that they need to depend on Him or be vanquished…

able to recognize his or her call or, not accept that call, but God is responsible for choosing and accomplishing the given tasks that God has for the chosen ones. The narrative of Jeremiah’s call has a typical pattern pointing to the commissioning and task that is assigned by God. In this instance, the one who is called becomes an agent of God, while the promise (verses 7-8) of God to watch over God’s word also includes a sign from God. (verses 9-10) The Oxford Annotated Bible postulates…