Jeff Bridges takes the lofty goal of perfect holiness and shows how every Christian is called to live out their lives; holiness is achieved by pursuing God in every aspect of our lives, following the way of Christ and not the ways of the world, and obeying the Lord in everything we do. He emphasizes the idea that holiness is not an end result but rather a lifetime challenge. This book follows the teachings of many pastors and authors I have personally encountered and I found it very settling to know that the information I have heard for many years is still applicable and holds its truth. One very important point Bridges makes throughout this small book is how sin separates us from God and it is our duty to release this sin and work towards …show more content…
We cannot let our walk of faith be hindered by the world around us. Holiness is a process, not a final achievement that we can hang on our walls. I love hearing this as I felt shame because my life never felt worthy of holiness. Holiness is not the lack of sin, but rather regular repenting and a stable relationship with the Lord. God has even promised us as His children that we shall obtain holiness: “Holiness is not only expected; it is the promised birthright of every Christian” (14). Bridges makes it very clear that God is the only way we can ever achieve this holiness. “Only through God’s Word are our minds remolded and our values renewed” (85). Jesus has given us the tools we need to have a deep and meaningful relationship with Him and it is now up to us to close this gap by repenting our sins, renewing our values, and changing how we think and act in the world. It can be intimidating to know that the Lord expects us to live out our lives in Holiness but Bridges made it evident that He does not seek perfection, for only He is truly spotless. After reading this book, I hope to be more deliberate in my walk with Christ. For example, I will not attempt to hide my sin and shame from Him but instead repent as to close the gap between me and my Savior. However, I will remain steadfast in the promise that God has given me holiness and grace so I do not have to live a blameless life in order to be given Eternal
The washing of sins with one’s blood in trade of embracing the love of God further adds to the ethical appeals and desire to seek forgiveness. Eliminating his previous condescending approach on sinners and their actions, Edwards encourages the escape from fear and guilt into the “rejoicing and singing for joy...” (129). Edwards’s shift in tone intricately leads the audience to desire completion of his
In multiple instances in the book they are put to the test to try and reclaim holiness they may have lost due to their poor actions. Constantly facing obstacles in their journey that test their conscience and cause them to choose between what is good and what is
Throughout this memoir, Lauren Winner allows us a glimpse into her transition from Orthodox Judaism to Christianity. Due to her own intellectual pursuits, relationships with others, and strange and miraculous pursuits, she chooses to leave Judaism, despite the emotionally difficulty of the endeavor. As she grows in her understanding of her new faith and attempts to find her place among Christians and Jews, she realizes that Jesus has been “courting” her for years in many ways. She begins to see just how much the powerful Lord, Creator of everything, loves her and wants her to follow Him. Through her tale, readers have the chance to see that the Lord will work to bring you to Himself.
Ephesians 2:8 ~ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. We must understand that we have a different view of Jesus: Jesus is God versus Jesus is a
Name: Emma Deiana Anthem by Ayn Rand Discussion Prep Sheet Please submit these notes to Turnitin.com BEFORE the class discussion. Please print out a hard copy for the class discussion. Thank you. The Class Discussion is Tuesday, March 15th.
Writing about controversial subjects can often be difficult; however Hughes executed his story, Salvation, in an intriguing manner that is suitable to all audiences and religions. In this story, the writer retells an experience from his childhood describing his journey to Jesus Christ. Discussing the complications, the main character, Hughes, faced while trying to come to Jesus is what makes the story interesting to read. On many occasions, you will read a story or watch a movie that shows the main character coming to Jesus and having an immediate and obvious realization of their Savior. For this reason, I found this story to be unique and relatable in the way that it shows a journey that countless Christians face, but you are not often granted the opportunity to read about this type of experience.
In her book “ A perfect Mess”, she shines light on how the bible connects to modern life. She goes about telling her experiences that exemplify how in “not so great” moments, God sees his child in need of his perfect love. In the article “ How Should I Live Life as a Christian Teen?” written by Catiana Nak Kheiyn, she discusses how even though we face hardships, God is on our side guiding us through it all. The article and the book both mention how we can get caught up in the false perceptions of Christianity. As a Christian, a man made list of do’s and dont’s does not exist.
Analytical Response Paper – “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards Thesis: Jonathan Edwards, the sermon ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” states that God continuously saves us from our sins. Summary: Edwards starts the sermon describing a picture of hell, and how God continuously saves us from hell. Edwards wants to warn people of the reality of hell, and the fact the God constantly gives humankind chances instead of letting them burn in hell.
When most people feel like they are close to God; they usually make good moral decisions. In Doubt by John Patrick Shanley; Sister Aloysius tells Sister James that “In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God. Of course, there’s a price.” When stepping away from God someone is committing sins and they are doing things that are usually not accepted. As the main characters stepped away from God, they had to pay the price of making wrong choices and the price of being pressured by those choices.
How does one live a life as a Christian that honors and glorifies God? The answer is by reflecting Christ’s image by acting as He would in every situation. Because of what Jesus has done for sinners on the cross, they desire to live by His example in order to give Him glory. However, living a Christ-like life can only happen through the work of the Holy Spirit, who comes in to sinner’s hearts when they first put their trust in Jesus and the cross, growing them and making them more like Jesus. Many characters in books, stories, and movies have Christ-like qualities and characteristics, an example of this being Harper Lee’s masterpiece.
Much like how Aeneas put his life in danger to protect his city and rescue his family from Troy, Jesus teaches self-sacrifice, and one’s commitment to their family however, he reinterprets the definition of family and society. Jesus declares: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me………..and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10: 37-38). Jesus redefines family to be his disciples that devote their entire lives to God. He refines the ideas of society through the Beatitudes by proclaiming the “blessed” which is the model discipleship. The Beatitudes are part of Jesus’ teachings on paving a path to Heaven through selfless acts and compassion; he quotes: “let your light shine before other, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven” (Matthew 5:
In her short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor tackles the issue of grace, showing that no matter the person, everyone can attain and earn grace. The grandmother and the Misfit, though they appear to be quite different people, are both the same at the core: They are sinners in need of Christ. The Misfit and the grandmother are both capable of change and accepting God, but only the grandmother reaches this revelation before her death. Grace is one of the most important ideas in the Bible and Christianity. Grace is “the love of God shown to the unlovely; the peace of God given to the restless; the unmerited favor of God,” (Holcomb).
He writes, “I don't need to rely on a love which understands for me, a pastor who has conscience for
Sometimes it is easy to take the gift of salvation for granite, which is why we should review how and why it was given to us. The sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” was so effective because it showed people who they really are. The sermon opened people’s eyes to where they were spiritually, how powerful God truly is, and the things He can do but chooses not to. The sermon described how we are all born sinners and deserve to go to hell.
Charism plays an important role in both the communal and individual life of a believer. Here Menzies is in agreement that “the rich variety of gifts granted to every believer for the common good appear to be a natural extension of Paul’s larger pnuematological perspective”(Fee, 192). The significant thing to note though is that for Paul the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives is connected to our participation in the body of Christ. As we walk in the Spirit, He produces fruit in our lives. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives is not just individualistic and for personal benefit but for corporate benefit of the body of