tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80691480498138965172024-03-13T22:32:24.605-07:00livingsaviorKurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-62666126243402980062014-07-14T05:05:00.002-07:002015-08-08T12:28:20.136-07:00A WORLDVIEW FROM ROMANS<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A WORLDVIEW FROM ROMANS</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While Paul’s letter to the church at Rome was
never intended to be given as a Systematic Theology, his orderly doctrinal
exegete of the gospel continues to be a precious source of doctrine to shape the
Christian’s worldview. Throughout the letter Paul refers to God’s character, His
creation, and the orientation of mankind toward God. While his purpose is not
certain, his careful exposition of theology bare striking significance to the
importance of his evangelistic theme, the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the power of
God unto salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CREATION<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Paul addresses essential issues
within the time frame of history. The main aspect of this time frame is the nature of
beginnings, namely Creation and the Fall, where Paul builds his argument for the universal
guilt of mankind before God. Paul operates in a presuppositional understanding
of God’s existence, and in Romans 1:20 he explains that God has clearly
revealed his “invisible attributes” leaving mankind “without excuse” for
failing to be thankful and glorifying Him.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
In short we can conclude that it is evident that God is Creator. Additionally,
God’s function as an administrator and sustainer is implied in the following
passages, for to “give them up uncleanness” Paul suggests an active involvement
of God in “consigning people to the consequences of their actions.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Paul goes on to subject Jews and Greeks to the same fate, namely a failure to
achieve righteousness, and thus deserving death by sinning and falling “short
of the glory of God.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Additionally, although the focus of Romans is certainly on the redemption of
man, Paul also speaks toward the redemption of nature which has been for a
time, subjected to “the bondage of corruption” in the present frame of the apocalyptic
timeline.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">SIN AND ADAM <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Paul affirms the historicity of Adam through a
chiastic stanza in Romans 5:12 affirming the historical setting of the original
sin and its continued dominion over every individual. Universal death is his
proof for the universality of sin, a physical and spiritual consequence of
disobeying the Creator of the universe, effectually making us “enemies” in the
sight of a holy God.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
In the context of Romans 5 we see that sin is an infectious reality which is
the dominant unbroken nature of all mankind from Adam forward.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
This truth is confirmed by Paul in that, even without a written moral code
providing opportunity for transgressions, death nevertheless reigned from “Adam
to Moses.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Additionally, this sin nature was unbroken by the establishment of a moral
code, for the Law of Moses was added so that “the offense might abound.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ONLY ONE MEANS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A significant juxtaposition is incorporated within
Romans 5 as the “one Man’s righteous act,” namely the death, burial, and
resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, is set beside the “one man’s offense”
and found to be far greater in worth, overcoming the power of sin for all men who
will be saved, whether Jew or Gentile. This great saving act is heralded
throughout the book of Romans. Likewise, in ascribing Jesus Christ as the object
of the believer’s faith, who alone may expiate the wrath of God, Paul draws an
undeniable inference regarding the impeccability of Jesus Christ as a
sufficient sacrifice, the only available for mankind.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Additionally, God is not mocked and the faith that saves is a living active
faith which bears fruit, such as existed in Paul’s archetype, Abraham.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Because of Jesus’ works, righteousness may be obtained through faith because
through Him propitiation has been made to God and God’s righteousness is upheld,
thus the object of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So then through Jesus, who alone may expiate wrath
and offer the forgiveness granted to sinners, condemnation may be removed and
adoption as sons through the Spirit as joint heirs with Christ granted to those
who have faith in Jesus Christ.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
The work of Christ is applied by the Spirit of God as all who are in Christ
live according to the Spirit, no longer obeying the lusts of the flesh.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Likewise, through the grace of God by the working of The Holy Spirit, believers
have the privilege of being members of Christ’s body, having gifts of grace to
serve one another in edification and love. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">SPECIAL BODY WITH A SPECIAL PURPOSE<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The purpose of God in this corporate body, the
church, is the salvation and restoration of man from a sinful corrupt person,
to a Christ-like man in glory.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Additionally, Paul speaks of an eschatological goal regarding the nation of
Israel beyond the remnant that receives Christ throughout the majority of the
church age. Moo is favorable of the opinion that “all Israel” refers to a future
generation of Israel that will be saved according to God’s unfolding work.
Likewise, while the creation is subjected to a curse, Paul taught consistently
to the apocalyptic tradition of his time regarding the renewing of the earth in
Romans 8:19-25.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Therefore we should keep
this reality in mind when considering our stewardship on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PROPER ACTIONS OF THE BELIEVER<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> In
keeping with this stewardship, we must also consider that which is ethical in
our behavior as Christians. Perhaps a summary statement of this ethical
behavior can be found in two statements: “Do not be overcome by evil, but
rather overcome evil with good,” and “love is the fulfillment of the
commandments.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Pragmatically, Paul
commands to refrain from stealing, slandering, resisting authority,
drunkenness, bearing false witness, refusing to pay taxes, coveting, committing
adultery, and violating the conscience of a weaker brother for the sake of
one’s own liberty. It is essential to remember, that these practical duties are
only fulfilled through freedom from the law of commands via faith in Jesus
Christ and submission to the Spirit of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">REFLECTING GOD RIGHTLY</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Paul
likewise expounds the nature of God, of which we ought to reflect on the world
around us as Christians. God is righteous and just in His judgment, merciful
toward sinners, and Sovereign in is dispensation of authority.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
He is faithful in fulfilling his promises, and active in his works.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[17]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
And, While God is a God of wrath toward rebellion and sin; He is equally a God
of love manifesting his nature toward rebellious humanity in the person and
work of Jesus Christ.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[18]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Thus, the Worldview established in Romans seems to beckon us to head the
Psalmist’s words </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">"be still [cease striving] and
know that I am God."<a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[19]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 1:20 NKJV</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Moo, 61.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 3:23</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 8:20</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 5:10</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 7:5 “for when we were controlled by the sinful nature”</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 5:14</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 5:20</span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Romans
8:4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 4:9-12</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 3:24-25; 8:12-17</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 8:1-4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 8:28, 30, 31; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Moo, 266.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 12:21; 13:10</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 3:25; Romans 5:8; Romans 13:1-3</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[17]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 9:14</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn18">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[18]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Romans 1:18; Romans 5:8</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn19">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurt/Documents/LU%20Online/BIBL%20425%20Romans/Bibl425_Worldview_Essay_Kurtis_Wagner1.docx#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[19]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Psalm 46:10</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-82476644721977736362014-07-11T12:38:00.001-07:002015-08-08T13:06:00.207-07:00The Victory<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Victory
(Kurtis Wagner)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The victory
cannot be won, except through Jesus, God the Son</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So praise Jesus who set me free, and took my place by suffering </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus my
life is in your hands, I trust in all of your commands</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When
troubles rise upon the sea, Your promises abound to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> *Oh Jesus Lord of all creation, break the heart
of sinful man</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And let all tongues and tribes and nations, bow
before the Father’s plan,</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Repent believe, Jesus is S</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">avior, Through his death an offering</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">to quench the Wrath toward our behavior, and this love is why we sing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">God’s Words are
breathed in lettering, that i may now how to please Him,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So let me
wisely let it dwell, never forgetting I should tell,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">of promises
and joys I speak, to straighten sin and lift the weak, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and in the
end may grace incite, a joyous song for Your delight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> *Oh Jesus the Lord of all creation, break the
heart of sinful man</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And let all tongues and tribes and nations, bow
before the Father’s plan,</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Repent believe, Jesus is savior, He has died as
offering</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">to quench the Wrath toward our behavior, and this love is why we sing</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sins and snares of this old world are apt to work in hearts grown cold,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So fix my eyes upon Your throne, you promised me our Father’s home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The passing
of vitality, brings into view deaths grip on me,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But faith
will win the victory; You promised life eternally.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Oh Jesus Lord of all creation, break the heart
of sinful man</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And let all tongues and tribes and nations, bow before the Father’s plan,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Repent believe, Jesus is savior, He has died as offering</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">to quench the wrath toward our behavior, and this love is why we sing</span></span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-81219527643508077212014-07-05T17:22:00.003-07:002015-08-08T12:25:45.634-07:00Sin and the Emperor's New Clothes<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> What fancy clothes you have! Perhaps you recall the silly mind games employed in the classic tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes. In a way we are not so much different at times than the emperor, who was so vain in his appearance that he was convinced by the admiration of the masses that he was wearing the most majestic wardrobe when in the reality of the narrative, he had naught a single sock to his name. Talk about comfy digs. Looking back at Genesis, we see a sobering reminder of our own need for a wardrobe, be it majestic or plain. The scene was set amidst a perfect backdrop, Eve visited by the Serpent, wavering on truth, and buying in to the most diabolical plan for mutiny against the Creator. Then Adam, the disjointed leader followed his helpmate against the express word of God into the state of existence we the people of the world know as the only cognitive reality, sin. The initial reaction to sin, a departure from the authority and perfect provision of God, was a realization of none other than nakedness followed by a vain attempt to cover up their apparent shame. Don’t miss this aspect of the narrative in Genesis 3:7, we cover our bodies in shame due to the nakedness we have realized by departing from God’s authority. This is a bold claim, but no apologies are given from the Bible. In fact, while God does come to Adam and Eve in great patience and graciousness, He does not justify them or ease their self-confidence or even commend their attempt to correct their wrong. Instead He pronounces punishment and then makes a covering for them from the skins of an animal, thus through the death of a sacrifice. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://blog.tshirt-factory.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vanilla_ice_cool_as_ice-t-i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://blog.tshirt-factory.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vanilla_ice_cool_as_ice-t-i.jpg" height="166" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Think back to the Emperor. He was convinced by his yes-men subjects of wearing a beautiful wardrobe through the deceitfulness of thieves who caused him to believe a lie. Do you see the moral of this story? We are like the Emperor, sorry. We live in a world full of people who are willingly acknowledging that we have beautiful clothing covering our own nakedness, when the reality is that we have no means, not any, to cover our sin. Only a sacrifice from God could accomplish such a great purpose. That sacrifice is Jesus Christ. Think about this the next time you window shop for the finest shoes, or the fanciest shirt, or perhaps the next time you see someone with the oldest and most worn out shirt and shoes with holes. While the richest of the rich seem enamored by their ability to provide, it’s the poorest of the poor that often times see their need for an adequate covering. This is true for clothing, and it’s true for sin. No wonder Jesus proclaimed in the Beattitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” and “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Forget your fancy clothes, when you act in vanity you act as a fool. But don’t forget the reason you need clothed, not only physically but with the “robe of righteousness” that only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ can afford.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-65408382942237489052014-07-04T20:58:00.000-07:002015-05-07T21:57:34.253-07:00Celebrate Freedom At Whose Expense?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.sturgislibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Fireworks-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sturgislibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Fireworks-photo.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Earlier today, I was struck with the irony of a custom in these United States as American as apple pie and baseball. Don't get me wrong the zeal of Patriotism is apt to course through my emotions as well, in fact the highlight of my day was seeing two bald eagles fly over our family's picnic grove as my uncle, father, brother and I made repairs to a large post and beam swing set. Yet on this July 4th, across the land over harbors, ballparks, and villages fireworks are flying high above, firing their reports above eager onlookers. No matter the generation the campaign rings aloud, celebrate freedom! While the motto finds many nuances of meaning among the masses, an indisputable facet of our freedom has come through our independence from tyranny and financial subjection through our Declaration of Independence from British rule. However, discern for a moment this certain custom, or may I suggest the distraction that has taken center stage on our Independence Day. While the morale of a nation is not to be underestimated, the wisdom and self-control of a self governed people is needed in an even greater measure. Consider the fact that this past year (2013), the United States imported $213 million dollars in fireworks from one country according to a politico.com report. The supplier, China, is simultaneously reinvesting there profit from our generous consumerism by buying up U.S. debt now totaling 1.317 trillion dollars (Fox News). It was the late Ben Franklin who warned that “creditors have better memories than debtors,” and “rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt.” </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Wake up America and discern the times, we ought to celebrate all that there is about the freedom of this Great Experiment in which we live, but not toward the demise of freedom itself. Once a nation with apparent contentment to serve God and our neighbor, we now race toward the goals of consumerism and self absorption in unprecedented ways. What a paradoxical message we transmit to the nations beyond our boarder. Perhaps we should take a cue from our forefathers who were willing to forego their afternoon cup of tea and in the end the comforts of life or even life itself in order to cement their convictions in history. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Proverbs 22:7 - The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-21569496974211748682014-04-30T18:00:00.001-07:002014-04-30T18:00:04.183-07:00What is theodicy?<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/theodicy.html#.U2GHZHKZnH4.blogger">What is theodicy?</a>Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-41916660376902995662014-01-02T18:36:00.000-08:002014-01-23T18:43:23.007-08:00Genesis 1:26-27 The image of God...<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“What does Genesis 1:26-27 tell us about the
'image' of God in mankind?” </span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Genesis 1:26-27
references the creation of man. The first notable distinction in this creative account
is the shift from third person references to God’s creative command (“let there
be”) to a personal self reference, “Let Us make.” (Gen 1:6, 26) This majestic
plurality is echoed in Isaiah’s experience in Isaiah 6:8 when God asks, “who
will go for Us?” God goes on to say, “man in Our own image, according to Our
likeness.” (Gen 1:26) Man is later said to be created male and female, thus a plurality
of oneness. God’s use of a majestic plural is not to be overlooked in positioning
himself to the creation of mankind. John H. Sailhamer concludes that divine
plurality is expressed as a reflection of God in mankind, as man and woman, of
God’s own relationship with himself. (Gaebelein 1990, 38) Karl Barth calls this
an obvious assertion. (Barth 1956, 195) Although the assertion may not be inconclusively
wrought dogmatically, the majestic plural certainly opens insight to the Trinity
of God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Regarding the
inclusive details of this “image” bestowed upon mankind at his creation, we may
perhaps ask, in what aspects and to what decree was the divine nature reflected
in human beings? In adherence to contextual surroundings, Genesis 1:28
supplies illuminating insight. Directly following God’s revelation of mankind’s
image bearing privilege, we see that he is given dominion, a right given to the
“image bearer” to have authority over the life which is to fill the earth, as
well as a commission to subdue the earth, taking an active role with a degree
of sovereignty, control and direction over nature. (Davis 1998, 81) We may draw
assertions regarding the nature of the “image” by the roles wherein God positions
man. Man possesses numerous inherent and exclusive abilities [among creation]
such as spoken language (Gen 2:19, 20); natural and moral discernment (Gen 2:16,
19; 3:8); and self conscious intellect (Gen 1:20; 3:10). Yet, contextually the
image is tied to the purpose and role of man within and over God’s creation. J.
Richard Middleton thus describes the image of God as “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">the royal function or office of human beings as God's
representatives and agents in the world, given authorized power to share in
God's rule over the earth's resources and creatures.” (Middleton 1994, 12)</span></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-8925620851099473002013-12-30T21:34:00.001-08:002015-01-09T23:28:47.585-08:00Thoughts about the value of life before or after birth...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i><b>Here is a scenario:</b></i></div>
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I have in my hand two ten dollar
bills. One has been minted by my niece. She is a very talented artist as you
can see, and she has guaranteed the value of the bill in my hand for ten
dollars. The other ten dollar bill is minted by the United States government,
who guarantees its value. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></b>Which
one would you rather have? Why?</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></b>Which
one is actually worth something? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>You may be surprised to know
that the price of one piece of paper currency (or one bill) in 2005 was only around
5.7 cents in the United States. I am certain that my niece’s art supplies cost
more to produce her ten dollar bill. Think of all the materials: markers,
scissors, paper, and of course there is her time: no one wants to work for
nothing you know.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>You see what really makes the
$10 dollar bill in my hand worth anything to me, is the guarantee that this
nation is able to back up its value. Everywhere I go in this country my $10
bill is worth ten dollars. It doesn’t matter if it is brand new and crisp or
tattered and partially missing. Even the photo of Thomas Jefferson is a symbol
to remind us of the prestige and the financial power represented by this former U.S. president.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></b>Now, let me
ask you this. If a $10 dollar bill is only worth something because of whom it
is supposed to represent. And the government that it makes it determines its
value, how can we learn from this lesson what makes a person valuable? Who made
us? Who is backing us up? Who do we represent? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now remember, I’m not ONLY talking about important people like the
president, or the governor, or a popular actor or singer. I’m talking about any
person, every person: old, young, popular, or shy… new and crisp or tattered
and partially missing…Why are we valuable?</i></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">...The
Bible explains that God created EVERYTHING in Genesis. In Genesis 1:26 the
Bible talks about God making mankind and it gets really specific about what
makes mankind different than ALL of the rest of creation! Genesis 1:26 says
that God created mankind, male and female, in His own image! That means that we
represent Him and we are valuable to Him! That $10 bill is valuable because it
was printed by the United States, and we are SO MUCH MORE valuable than $10
because we are created in the image of God! This means that God not only made
us in a way that we represent him, but also in a way that we can relate to him!
We can speak, we can love, we can think, and we can know! Try having a meaningful
conversation with your dog, and you will soon find out that you talk too much,
or that people are simply totally different! People are simply different than
the rest of the entire creation!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Take
a step back and think with me for a second… The largest full moon you’ve ever
seen is rising in a crystal clear sky; a centerpiece of splendor framed by
millions of stars and galaxies painted across the heavens. David, a young shepherd
who would by God’s choosing become King of Israel recognized this as he surely must
have spent many evenings sleeping under the stars in the fields around
Bethlehem. There were no city lights to drown out the vivid display of the
night sky. David saw the handiwork of God and declared: “<span class="text">The
heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
(Psalm 19:1 ESV) Yet, as beautiful and majestic as the universe on display
before us, it is not made in God’s image. And David realized this fact too. He
recognized very clearly that God made him with a specific purpose, and with a
special value. In Psalm 139:13 David sings about God forming his “inward parts”
and “knitting” him “together in” his “mother’s womb.” Then in verse 16 he goes
so far to say that God had already established plan and purpose for the days of
David’s life before He was born. These are amazing claims about the value of a person
who was not even born yet!</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text"><b>Now another scenario: </b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let's add some reason as we get down to “brass tacks.” Is a baby who is unborn really a
person, with rights and privileges? Or is it only the mother who is carrying
the baby who has rights? If you are on the fence; not ready to make a decision
either way, let’s consider an illustration used by Ray Comfort in his
documentary the 180 video. Suppose there was an abandoned building set to be
imploded with dynamite, and you being the owner of the soon to be vacant lot are
the honored guest. The contractor walks over to you and hands you the detonator
button, but before you are able to press the button he begins to speak. He
tells you that his team was unable to make a final sweep of the building before
the big show, and unfortunately there may be a person left inside the building.
He tells you not to worry though, because legally you have the right to press
the button. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody who values the life
of a human being would be willing to take such a big risk, even if they weren’t
sure that a person was really still inside. Why would anyone who wasn’t sure if
an unborn baby was really a human with rights EVER take the chance of
supporting or having an abortion? It just isn’t right!</span></span></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-54951675062007612742013-12-30T14:27:00.000-08:002015-01-09T23:29:41.206-08:00All-Powerful, Good God in a world with Evil - Is it consistent?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Natural
disasters, wars, and disease are nearly universally recognized as evil and must
be reconciled logically if we are to accept the very existence of an all
powerful loving God. At face value the problems of moral and physical evil in the world
appear to directly conflict with the idea of an all-powerful, good, Creator,
yet they are reconcilable.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> First
of all, in recognizing evil we must presume that there is a moral standard on
which to weigh our viewpoint of the world. If all we know is that of natural
process divorced from contingency on a necessary being, then evil is only
imaginative or at best an unfounded dogmatic assertion. In fact I would be justified in
saying that disasters, wars, and disease are all good because they are part of
nature, the highest power, and thus the highest authority. However, if we
recognize the presence of such things as evil, then we may continue to search
for the source of such a standard by which we judge. Frankly, I can only infer
why God permits evil within the confines of man’s willful decisions. The late English
preacher Charles Spurgeon stated, “I cannot tell you why God permits moral
evil, neither can the ablest philosopher on earth, nor the highest angel in
heaven.” However, aside from the question why, we can ask, <i>how</i> can God, being all powerful, and all loving, permit evil? This
is the nature of the problem, how can these facts logically coexist?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> We
should separate two distinct evils addressed in your question. Moral evil simply
yet not equivocally understood as sin should be addressed first as it is a
predecessor of natural evil. Moral evil can be defined as “evil produced by the
activities of moral agents.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span></span></a>
Rape, child abuse, lying, cheating - the list of moral evils cannot perhaps be
contained in the binding of a single book. In light of Biblical revelation the
potential of moral evil was available to the first moral agents on earth, Adam
and Eve, made aware if not for the first time by a serpent, a mere instrument
of the fallen angel, Lucifer, who by his own pride transgressed his position in
God’s created order. (Eze 28:16, Gen 3:1, Rev 20:2) Evil officially entered the
world at a finite time through the first man, Adam, bringing death to mankind
and a curse to the creation. (Rom 5:12, Rom 8:22, Gen 3:17) It is also
important to understand that in order to measure qualitatively there must be a standard
and that in the beginning God measured the world and declared it “very good”.
(Gen 1:31) The first moral violation on earth came when Adam disobeyed the
standard spoken by God regarding the eating of fruit that God specifically forbade
him to eat. The violation of God’s moral standard brought punitive results. In
the time of Noah God once again put an end to rampant moral evil by destroying
the earth with a flood. (Gen 6:11-13) God gave mankind autonomy in moral
reasoning, and yet He requires trust and obedience to those created from
nothing, yet in His likeness; Adam failed followed by all mankind. (Gen 1:27, Rom
3:23) One theologian compares the fall of man with the initial splash of a rock
thrown in a quiet pond which is “followed by a continuous sequence of ripples,”
the ripples are an inevitable succession.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[2]</span></span></a>
Moral evil is explicitly caused by moral agents outside of the perfect will of
God, albeit permitted by God for a certain time (2 Tim 4:1, Psalm 9:8, Rom
2:15-16) The groaning of our cursed earth and the disruption of the natural
order will one day be fixed, but for now it is a constant reminder of the
consequence of sin. (Romans 8:22) It is important not to confuse patience of a
just God in judging sin with the nonexistence of a loving God due to sin’s
presence. (Rom 2:4)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> The
natural evil in the world is present because of sin. The creation “became the
recipient of divine judgment” through mankind’s rebellion.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[3]</span></span></a> We
see the effects everywhere. Natural evil could be described as “evil that
occurs in the process of the functioning of the natural order.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[4]</span></span></a> It
is important to not attempt to affix all apparent evils to God’s just judgment
on sin. For example, forest fires can cleanse from disease and blight,
blizzards can provide necessary precipitation to maintain sufficient water
levels, and often times the loss of life is caused by discernible dangers
overlooked by the choices of man. (Chambers) Also, obedience to God’s law can
prevent natural evils. For example if every person on earth would adhere to the
Biblical standard of one man and one woman for marriage, sexually transmitted
diseases could be theoretically eliminated in only a few generations. Another
interesting example of moral adherence to Divine law negating natural suffering
can be found in the accounts of The Bubonic Plague. Jewish communities suffered
significantly lower death rates during the ordeal because of their geographical
separation and also because of their adherence to Levitical sanitation laws,
which drastically lowered the population of rats carrying lice infected with
the disease.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[5]</span></span></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> The
basic understanding of three premises: God is good, all powerful, and evil is
permitted does logically direct us in one avenue. God in His chosen creation
cannot logically remove all evil for a specific reason. The two most
theologically warranted viewpoints of evil’s presence are of God’s allowance of
evil as a “benign” albeit logically irreducible side effect of free will or
more finitely the freedom for moral reasoning in man.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[6]</span></span></a> The
second parallels the Apostle Paul in God’s “twofold purpose of evil” that men should
freely act rightly toward another and for awareness of the absence of
relationship with God.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[7]</span></span></a> Pessimistic
philosophical viewpoints ultimately usurp God’s goodness by having it succumb
to His power, while optimists or Universalists subvert God’s justice to His
love, ultimately failing to ratify essential attributes of God. Any test of the
validity of one’s theodicy is that system’s internal consistency.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[8]</span></span></a>
Simply stating premises from a contradicting system of belief does not disprove
that system; however a logically inconsistent system of belief is disproved
already. Likewise, while I disagree with the theology of these other systems,
they can be presented with a degree logical consistency. According to the Theocentric
(opposed to an anthrocentric) testimony of Scripture, I hold that the two- fold
purpose of evil is essential in understanding God’s deserved glory and His
permission of evil in our world. Pastor and author John MacArthur asserts that
God “has allowed evil and sin within His sovereign purposes so that His
holiness and grace might be put on display.” (MacArthur 2009) As a necessary
being, it is not logically fitting that God should look outside of his own
attributes to act, and thus His highest priority of action is that of His own
nature. Without evil, mankind cannot know God’s mercy in reconciliation, and
without free moral reasoning, man cannot actively love His Creator-Redeemer. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> Aside
from these philosophical quandaries lies a more personal aspect of evil
contained in the religious problem of evil, namely in the experience of pain
wrought by the effects. Pain is most often referred to as “physical sensation
of ill feeling” or “emotional or mental stress” and it touches everyone on
earth.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[9]</span></span></a>
Perhaps pain or anguish in our life on this earth can best be reconciled in the
act of the cross whereby God came into humanity in order to purchase back his
bride from a fallen, cursed world. It becomes more evident that God patiently
endures sin in order to work out His purposes of redemption for the sake of His
own deserved glory. (Rom 9:22) However, God did not remove Himself so far as to
not subject His only begotten Son to a most repugnant and undeserving death.
This reality may be realized as He prayed to His Father in the Garden of
Gethsemane. (Luke 22:44)<span style="color: #0d0d0d;"> “And being in anguish, he [Jesus] prayed more earnestly,
and his sweat was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><a href="http://christiananswers.net/dictionary/bloodysweat.html"><span style="color: #0d0d0d; line-height: 200%;">like drops of blood</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #0d0d0d; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span><span style="color: #0d0d0d; line-height: 200%;">falling to the ground. (</span><a href="http://christiananswers.net/bible/luke22.html#44"><span style="color: #0d0d0d; line-height: 200%;">Luke 22:44</span></a><span style="color: #0d0d0d; line-height: 200%;">) The condition of Hematohidrosis is a testimony to the anguish endured in
expectation of the agony of the cross.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #0d0d0d;">[10]</span></span></span></a> Jesus
Christ, fully God and fully man with no mixture of essence persevered being falsely
accused, beaten, and crucified on a Roman cross, perhaps the most brutal execution
in any time. The reality of the atoning blood shed by Jesus Christ was purposed
in the Father’s mind before the foundation of the World. (1 Pet 1:20; Rev 13:8)
And so we have a High Priest in Jesus who is able to sympathize with our human
nature and the suffering of pain. (Heb 4:15) God has solved the problem of pain,
though it is through faith in Christ and His atoning work according to His
Word, and we who believe will one day be separated from all evil, pain, and
even the memory of such existence (Rev 21:4).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0d0d0d; line-height: 200%;"> It is most certainly possible to honestly
question and seek truth in relation to God without attacking Him. Yet, one must
likewise honestly pursue truth in the Lord Jesus Christ, because “w</span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; line-height: 200%;">ithout faith<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>it is</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>impossible to please<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Him,</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for he who comes to God must believe
that He is, and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>that</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>He is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him. (Heb 11:6)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>BIBLIOGRAPHY</b></span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 29.3pt; text-indent: -29.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lester, Rob. Jewish Sanitary Laws
Came from God. Creation Faith Facts.<a href="http://preachrr.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/jewish-sanitary-laws-came-from-god/" target="newTurabian"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://preachrr.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/jewish-sanitary-laws-came-from-god/</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(accessed March 30, 2012).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
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</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 29.3pt; text-indent: -29.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Taylor, Paul. “Did Jesus Really
Sweat Drops of Blood?” www.ChristianAnswers.net.<a href="http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t018.html" target="newTurabian"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t018.html</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(accessed March 30, 2012).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 25.1pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
Towns, Elmer L. <i>Theology For Today</i>. 2nd ed. Mason, Ohio, USA:
Cengage Learning, 2008.
</span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Chambers, Aaron. “Http:
//mylordandmyblog.wOrdpress.cOm/2011/06/02/moral-and-natural-evil/.” My Lord
and My Blog. Entry posted June 2, 2011 .<a href="http://mylordandmyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/moral-and-natural-evil/" target="newTurabian"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">http://mylordandmyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/moral-and-natural-evil/</span></a> (accessed March 28, 2012).</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 29.3pt; text-indent: -29.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Elwell, Walter A., ed. <i>Evangelical
Dictionary of Theology</i>. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2001.
</span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 29.3pt; text-indent: -29.3pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lester, Rob. “Jewish Sanitary Laws
Came from God.” Creation Faith Facts.<a href="http://preachrr.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/jewish-sanitary-laws-came-from-god/" target="newTurabian"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://preachrr.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/jewish-sanitary-laws-came-from-god/</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(accessed March 30, 2012).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Vermeer, Paul. <i>Learning Theodicy: the Problem of
Evil and the Praxis of Religious Education</i>. Boston: Brill Academic Pub,
1999.<br />
<br />
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-indent: -27pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Aaron Chambers, “Http:
//mylordandmyblog.wOrdpress.cOm/2011/06/02/moral-and-natural-evil/,” My Lord
and My Blog, entry posted June 2, 2011. <a href="http://mylordandmyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/moral-and-natural-evil/" target="newTurabian"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">http://mylordandmyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/moral-and-natural-evil/</span></a>(accessed March 28, 2012).</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 26.25pt; text-indent: -26.25pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">MacArthur, John. Comment on
“Macarthur On Theodicy.” Baa Baa Blog. Comment posted March 9, 2009.<a href="http://baasheepbaa.blogspot.com/2009/03/macarthur-on-theodicy.html" target="newTurabian"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://baasheepbaa.blogspot.com/2009/03/macarthur-on-theodicy.html</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(accessed March 31, 2012).</span></span></div>
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<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Walter A. Elwell, ed., <i>Evangelical
Dictionary of Theology</i>, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic,
2001), 414.</span>
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[2]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Elmer L. Towns, <i>Theology For Today</i>,
2nd ed. (Mason, Ohio, USA: Cengage Learning, 2008), 504.</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn3">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[3]</span></span></a> Ibid., <span style="color: black;">505.</span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[4]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Walter A. Elwell, ed., </span>one <i><span style="color: black;">Evangelical Dictionary of Theology</span></i>, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic,
2001), 414. </span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn5">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[5]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Rob Lester, “Jewish
Sanitary Laws Came from God,” Creation Faith Facts,</span><a href="http://preachrr.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/jewish-sanitary-laws-came-from-god/" target="newTurabian">http://preachrr.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/jewish-sanitary-laws-came-from-god/</a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;">(accessed March 30, 2012).</span> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn6">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[6]</span></span></a> Walter A. Elwell, ed., <i>Evangelical
Dictionary of Theology</i>, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic,
2001), 412. </span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn7">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[7]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Paul Vermeer, <i>Learning Theodicy: the
Problem of Evil and the Praxis of Religious Education</i> (Boston: Brill
Academic Pub, 1999), 33.</span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn8">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[8]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Walter
A. Elwell, ed., <i>Evangelical Dictionary of Theology</i>, 2nd ed. (Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2001), 414.</span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div id="ftn9">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[9]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Ibid., 882.</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8069148049813896517#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[10]</span></span></a> <span style="color: black;">Paul
Taylor, “Did Jesus Really Sweat Drops of Blood?” www.ChristianAnswers.net,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t018.html" target="newTurabian">http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t018.html</a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;">(accessed March 30, 2012).</span></span></span>
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</div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-61215674085944477272013-12-30T13:58:00.003-08:002013-12-30T13:58:48.074-08:00Jesus - God and Man<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jesus – God and Man</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Throughout
the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) Jesus’ humanity is assumed. He was
born of a woman (Matthew 1:18), circumcised according to Jewish law (Luke
2:21), and He died (John 19:30). Philippians 2:7 states that Jesus<span style="background: white;"> “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” His own neighbors
recognized Him during his ministry saying, “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is
not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joseph, and Simon and Judas?
(Matt 13:55) Jesus was a man, but we must not err regarding the nature and
purpose of His humanity.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Galatians
4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman, made under the law.” Christ’s incarnation was of a specific
and eternal purpose brought about within time, within humanity, and without
conflict to His own Divine nature. Jesus claims this nature Himself on eight
separate occasions in the Gospel of John. For example, “Jesus said unto them,
‘Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) This was
a clear parallel between God as revealed in the Old Testament, and The Christ,
“<span style="background: white;">for by him were all things created, that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones,
or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and
for him.” (Col 1:16)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus
is, as you assume, one person. Scripture says:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“</span><span style="color: black;">Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our
Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:3-4) Likewise, we understand that
the eternal Son of God became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) <span style="background: white;">So then eternally God, Jesus became a man as we see
the clear Biblical message of His two distinct natures. This reality is most
plainly described in the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the Colossian Church;</span>
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col 2:9) This
understanding cannot be determined through metaphysical reason yet just because
a truth is hard to grasp, the validity cannot be rejected. Nature refers to
“the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing” or as
defined by John Wolvoord “the real essence, the inward properties which
underlie all outward manifestation.” (Towns 2008, 199)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Why is
this duality of nature so significant, because, there is enmity between the
nature of God and the sinful nature of fallen humanity. Furthermore, God’s law was
never intended to provide a path to God, but rather reveal our sinfulness. (Rom
3:20) “F<span style="background: white;">or what the law could not do, in that it
was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” (Romans 8:3)</span> The person
Jesus Christ exists with two natures, Divine and human, in one person without
necessitating the amalgamation of the two natures in any way so that the enmity
could be taken away, and peace could be procured between God and man.</span><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-left: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus’
humanity is necessary for our salvation from sin’s proper consequence through God’s
righteous punishment of sin. Jesus is a substitute “who His own self bore our
sins in His body.” (1 Pet 2:24) He is the once for all blood sacrifice for the
sins of those who receive Him, for “without shedding of blood there is no
remission.” (Heb 9:22) Because of our personal violation of God’s law we are
under the just wrath of a just God, yet by God’s grace through faith in His
atoning work on the cross Jesus “is the propitiation for our sin.” (1 John 2:2)
Likewise, Jesus has come to save us from the curse of the law of God. The Law
is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a perfect representation of Gods
expectations for the ideal man without sin, expressed from His nature. Yet to
maintain righteousness a faultless fulfillment of such law over man must be
fulfilled by a man, a necessity stated by Jesus Himself in Matthew 5:17. Without
a means of salvation provided by God, mankind cannot be saved as was spoken by
the prophet Jonah, “Salvation is of the Lord.” (Jon 2:9) Salvation is then
through the God-man Jesus Christ, “having abolished in His flesh the enmity,
[that is], the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances, so as to create
in Himself one new man [from] the two, [thus] making peace, and that He might
reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to
death the enmity.” (Eph 2:15) Jesus reconciled the enmity through offering
Himself, perfect harmony of human nature and the nature of God, the acceptable
sacrifice for the sin of sinful man. (Towns 2008, 220)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We must be
careful not to overemphasize Christ’s human or divine nature as He is fully God
and fully man, no less God than the Father and no less man than you or me, yet
He is a perfect man. This is a profound mystery revealed. Use this simple
guideline to judge some of the problematic beliefs in Christology. If Christ
isn’t fully man he cannot represent us as a fulfillment of righteousness as our
propitiation. (Matt 5:17, Col 1:15, Rom 3:25) If Christ isn’t fully God, he
cannot forgive sins or bring salvation as only God can forgive sins and
salvation is of the Lord. (Jon 2:9, Mark 2:7) Early church fathers spoke in a
way as to combat erroneous thinking such as Ebionatism. (Elwell 2001, 241)
Jesus was not simply a man who was anointed by God; He is God in flesh who came
into the world as the anointed King and who will one day in person reign
eternally. God, being immutable, cannot become non-divine, as He reveals, “I
the Lord your God do not change.” (Mal 3:6) The Gnostic claim that God cannot
dwell in corrupt flesh disregards the “very good” creation of God in the
beginning prior to the curse, and further that “the Word became flesh” to
deliver the creation. (Gen 1:31, John 1:14) Similarly Arianism made Christ to
be of an immutable nature like the Father, but not of one nature or substance
with the father. (Elwell 2001, 95) This was quickly rejected by the Church
Council of Nicea because it makes Christ to be a sort of demigod. As Moses
declared in the Shema, “<span style="background: white;">Hear, O Israel: The LORD
our God is one LORD;” and furthermore Jesus Himself claimed unity with the
Father. (Deut 6:4, John 10:30)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
His humanity Christ became the all encompassing necessity for our salvation. He
likewise became our example through His humility, dependence upon the Father
and the Word of God, freedom to forgive his own debtors, and his determined
love for those who showed him no love on the cross. The Creator certainly is a
personal God, “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet
without sin.” (Heb 4:15) </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bibliography</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Towns,
Elmer L.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Theology For Today</i>.
2nd ed. Pendleton, Or. (406 S. Main, Pendleton, Or. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>97801): Cengage Learning, 2008.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Elwell,
Walter A., ed.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Evangelical
Dictionary of Theology</i>. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Academic, 2001.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-45692060715871174292013-01-26T20:32:00.002-08:002013-02-03T19:20:26.015-08:00Just Do It.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Dave Earley tells a story from a college class that he taught in his book <i>Ministry Is... How To Serve Jesus With Passion and Confidence</i> about a young woman who wanted to do something.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">"One semester, on the next to last day of class, a student named Katie came up to me and asked me to pray for a lady to whom she was witnessing. Katie said that she worked with this lady and the lady had not been open to Christ. But the lady told her that she was behind on her payments and was going to lose her house if she could not come up with a large sum of money by the end of the week. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">I told Katie that I was not going to pray about it, but we were going to </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">do something </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">about it. I told the class about the situation, and some of the studnets with baseball hats passed them around like offering bags.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Within minutes the hats were filled with dollars. Katie counted it, and the total was $735!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The last day of class Katie came in with a big smile on her face. Then she told me that when she gave the lady a card with the money in it the lady started to cry . When she saw the $735, she turned white. It blew her away because she needed exactly that amount to make the rent payment and get groceries.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">On top of that, Katie led the lady to Christ! This only happened because Katie and our class </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">did something..."</em><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">What opportunities am I being given to just do it?</em></div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-42821519396632434112013-01-13T20:16:00.000-08:002013-01-13T20:16:45.758-08:00Chariots of Fire: An athlete that STOOD OUT<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_3HpO10qAlG758aD83E0y2gCPthN9W7Q9DBU2JNX9xW9IDkhD" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_3HpO10qAlG758aD83E0y2gCPthN9W7Q9DBU2JNX9xW9IDkhD" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>1924 World Record (400m)</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have you ever faced a tough decision in life? We all do at times. Sometimes difficult decisions revolve around us, and sometimes they are difficult because of other people that will be affected. As a fairly non-famous person most of my decisions aren't known by a big group of people, and I imagine that the same is true for you. Many times it seems like the more other people know our business the harder it is to make tough choices. I'd like you to consider the choices that were made by a man named Eric Liddell, a committed christian, dedicated teacher, foreign missionary to China, and just by chance an Olympic gold medalist. Liddell made some difficult choices in His life. He stood firm in his conscience to honor God, answered the call to go serve, and stood out of the crowd in his desire to honor God in all he did. Check out this short biography of Eric Liddell, "The Flying Scotsman."</span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.historymakers.info/inspirational-christians/eric-liddell.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Click here to read a short BIO of Eric Liddell</span></a></b><br />
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<br />Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-74742933463584214622012-12-26T21:04:00.000-08:002012-12-26T21:04:02.668-08:00Where did we get the idea of Eugenics?<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where did we get the idea of Eugenics?</span></span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">The ascribed value of human life is perhaps a most notable outcrop of the philosophical garden of a man. Perhaps the two most distinguishably diverse frameworks supporting these presuppositions are Darwinian macro-evolution and conversely the Biblical origin of life revealed through a historical grammatical (literal) reading of the creation account in book of Genesis. When discussing the value of life we must directly observe each framework’s cause for the origin of life. Darwinian evolution ascribes a mysterious transformation from nonliving chemicals subsequently followed by plethora of randomly mutated life forms of compounding traits as the origin of man. Contrarily, a Biblical philosophy is grounded upon a personal Creator. Therefore human value is governed upon an “unalienable right” given by God, because “God created man in His</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 20px;">own</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">image.” (Gen 1:27)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px;">When asserting the effects in social behavior in a field such as eugenics it becomes apparent how quickly these frameworks contradict. The Eugenics movement can be traced back to Fancis Galton who coined the term in 1883 referring to a “moral philosophy to improve humanity by encouraging the ablest and healthiest people to have more children.”</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurtis%20W/Documents/LU%20Online/CRST%20290/Discussion%20Board/CRST%20DB%201.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: rgb(64, 98, 149) !important; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">[1]</span></span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px;">In Galton’s ideal the evolutionary interpretation of natural selection was being helped along by those most fit to recognize its preeminent benefits to humanity. This Ideology was evident in the sterilization movement of the 1920-30’s in America. The first law was passed in Indiana through the influence of Harry Clay Sharp. Sharp wanted vasectomies used to “prevent the transmission of degenerate traits” of prisoners, an apparent outcrop of the Evolutionary mindset.</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurtis%20W/Documents/LU%20Online/CRST%20290/Discussion%20Board/CRST%20DB%201.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: rgb(64, 98, 149) !important; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">[2]</span></span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 20px;">This practice was legalized in 30 states, and eventually practice on citizens deemed mentally ill was legalized in the landmark Buck vs. Bell case. It is no surprise that this ideology spread most quickly and thoroughly among nations who had adopted a Darwinian model of origin. Although, in the case of Buck vs. Bell the supporting scientific evidence was later found to be fraudulent and flawed, over 60,000 Americans were forcibly sterilized through the 1970's. The value of life controversy continues to be battled in America and the world.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit;">Negative eugenics is still practiced today in the form of abortion. Consequently, the majority atheistic, agnostic, and consequently evolutionary school of thought permits parents’ pleasure and reduced economic stress to supersede the paradigm of value given to each human being by the Creator of life. As it is written, “ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as yet there were</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit;"> none of them...” (Psalm 139:16)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurtis%20W/Documents/LU%20Online/CRST%20290/Discussion%20Board/CRST%20DB%201.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(64, 98, 149) !important; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">[1]</span></span></span></a> Elof Carlson, “Scientific Origins of Eugenics,” Eugenics Archive, <a href="http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/list2.pl" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(64, 98, 149) !important; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;" target="newTurabian">http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/list2.pl</a> (accessed June 27, 2012).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Kurtis%20W/Documents/LU%20Online/CRST%20290/Discussion%20Board/CRST%20DB%201.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(64, 98, 149) !important; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">[2]</span></span></span></a> “Buck Vs Bell Supreme Court Decision,” Eugenics Archive,<a href="http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/list2.pl" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(64, 98, 149) !important; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;" target="newTurabian">http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/list2.pl</a> (accessed June 27, 2012).</span></div>
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Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-23927854497406934752012-12-26T20:48:00.003-08:002015-05-07T22:12:09.251-07:00Thinking About The Brain<br />
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Thinking about the Brain</h4>
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The human brain has approximately 100 billion cells, comparable to the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. What stretch of the mind’s perception to think so vast an array in space could be likewise contained in the 3 lb mass of tissue of our own brain. Institute of Creation Research (ICR) scientists as well as many others who hold to the truth that man has not evolved from lesser life forms hold this powerful tool of the memory in high regard for evidence of God’s handiwork.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFcyELc8ymQ/UNvS8_FdeLI/AAAAAAAAAYk/10vqjYeJ61s/s1600/the_social_brain_icon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFcyELc8ymQ/UNvS8_FdeLI/AAAAAAAAAYk/10vqjYeJ61s/s1600/the_social_brain_icon.gif" /></a>The human brain, the supercomputer of the mind, carries out necessary functions using cells called neurons and galials. These cells are transported along memory traces or memory engrams (not to be confused with the erroneous teachings of scientology) allowing the cells to connect via synapses. These functions contain incomprehensibly complex systems, only functionally understood by science, that allow categorized, systematic memory functions to be carried out. A major argument for the functional form in the creation of the brain is the lack in benefit brought about by an incomplete system. However, the fully functioning brain is a mastery of “Supply Chains” that put UPS and just about anything else to shame.</div>
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One amazing, yet simple thought about the functioning brain is the nature of memory itself. Without memory communication would be impossible. The mind must have conscious and determined recall of previously stored information. Perhaps even more amazing than systematic organization is the ability to decipher between declarative and procedural information along with the “sorting” of long term, short term, and working memory. These abilities reveal a purpose and plan behind the creation of such a marvelous system.</div>
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^he system of memory in the human brain is cleverly unique. Most animals are given instincts that govern various aspects of their behavior while humans learn many diverse behaviors and abilities generally determined by preference. Likewise, the “knowledge of good and evil” may be deciphered according to moral truth, though mankind, when left unattended, sadly chooses unwisely apart from our Creator. We are truly created in God’s image, and the human brain is the tool that sets the mind apart in the human’s being.</div>
Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-51744305504813519122012-12-26T19:19:00.000-08:002013-02-03T19:23:34.714-08:00Thoughts About The Bible<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BIBLE</b></span></h2>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J8eZDBF3vlI/UNulC8pXAwI/AAAAAAAAAYM/G5zMIsSoNSU/s1600/cogs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J8eZDBF3vlI/UNulC8pXAwI/AAAAAAAAAYM/G5zMIsSoNSU/s1600/cogs.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Have you ever read Popular
Mechanics? I really enjoy all the diagrams and photographs with trendy cutting
edge gadgets. But, even with all this cool imagery, many of the articles were
simply based on concepts; some will work while others will someday look foolish
and naive. When men work together they may find a way to produce unified print,
yet time will reveal its flaws. However, when we look at the Bible in this way we
begin to see a unique collection of writing put together in such a way that
time has only further confirmed its accuracy. Although the Bible does address
science and technology during different periods of authorship, it is not
concerned with social trends or latest, greatest technology. Its information,
directions, and commands are nearly inexhaustible in topic yet this collection
of writings has one basic purpose; to reveal the Living God and His plan of
redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ. The account was compiled by more than
30 writers over a span of over 1,500 years between Moses and John yet with
perfect harmony of message.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">No
other literature can even begin to claim a unity as such. Authors did not seek
personal gain, nor did they seek fame as they generally were rejected by the
masses because of the messages delivered. This is particularly evident of the
Prophets. Speaking on the Lord’s behalf over 3,000 times, they delivered
messages of warning, comfort, future hope, or imminent destruction of men. In
fact, the truthfulness and historical accuracy of these claims sets the Bible
apart from every other book claiming Divine authority. Jesus alone fulfilled
dozens of specific Old Testament prophecies indirectly or directly. Josh
MacDowel, a former atheist, calculated the odds of Jesus fulfilling merely 8
prophecies at 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. Jesus Himself frequently
acknowledged the authority previously revealed about Him. He claimed that the
authority was given to Him by the Father on occasions and at other times He
revealed His inherent authority as God, such as “to forgive sins.” (Mark 2)
This compilation of evidence infers strongly that the Bible is authoritative.
As God’s revelation through men, its accuracy and internal witness demand
reverence for the commands and guidelines set in place throughout the
scripture. Just as the prophecies have come to pass until now, what makes us
think that they will cease in our lifetime?</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SuiTmWIAWlE/UNulEu-DvOI/AAAAAAAAAYU/m-xUFrRgzNY/s1600/Holy-Bible_20110524052238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SuiTmWIAWlE/UNulEu-DvOI/AAAAAAAAAYU/m-xUFrRgzNY/s1600/Holy-Bible_20110524052238.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You may think that since God
delivered scripture through men that it can’t be trusted. That just isn’t the
case. God inspired the original authors as Paul writes that “All scripture is
God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness.” (2 Tim 3:16). God, through the work of The Holy Spirit guided
the writing process in such a way to perfectly communicate His message through
Paul, not by Paul’s intuition, understanding of concept, or personal ability.
The authorship and authority has been claimed by God, so no other position
carries the implication to fruition except God as author through men. Such a
collection of writings certainly requires a miraculous act as their cause.
Jesus Himself, claimed that “the scripture cannot be broken” in John 10:34-35.
Meaning there are no gaps, breaks, or holes by which the content and
truthfulness should slip through or be tarnished.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The
Bible in its original autograph and intended context is eternally true and accurate
in content. It is inerrant. Just as the Apostle Paul claimed scripture to be
God-breathed he claimed its authoritative nature in that it “is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." As Jesus has
claim to authority in scripture by His unique position, being the perfect
fulfillment of prophetic insight, we do well to examine His views of the bible.
He says, in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by thy word, thy word is truth.” Jesus
is claiming that the inspired Word is Truth. Apart from the internal witness of
scripture we also know that the earliest church fathers held a similar view of
the Scripture. Likewise, judging the Word of God according to the character of God we
know that a God who is “light” must certainly provide only truth in revealing
Himself to mankind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Beyond
the honest pursuit of truth, I and millions of others before me have come to
experience the truthfulness of God’s Word through its life changing power
delivered in the Gospel. Without the life giving Word of God I have no other
explanation for my own changed life. A life beginning in deviation even in
those things I knew to be wrong. Through relying the Word of God I have become
a changed man. That is the nature of the Bible. Its content is powerful, “sharper
than any double edged sword,” and its truth will cut to the deepest level, the
spirit of a man. As the “Word was made flesh” (John 1:14) the Word of God
carries the sanctifying authority of God. What else can we do with the message
of our Creator except trust and obey?</span>Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-66846357840515257602012-12-16T17:57:00.000-08:002015-05-07T22:07:12.413-07:00Happy Holy-day?<br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #57584f; font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Calibri; mso-armenian-font-family: Candara; mso-ascii-font-family: Candara; mso-currency-font-family: Candara; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Candara; mso-default-font-family: Candara; mso-greek-font-family: Candara; mso-hebrew-font-family: Candara; mso-latin-font-family: Candara; mso-latinext-font-family: Candara; mso-thai-font-family: Calibri;">"Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat" as has the culture around us. Sometimes it seems as though the things we love about this celebrated event have little to do with the original purpose of Christmas as a celebration meant to influence pagan culture for the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather the opposite effect has invaded as leaven the Holy-day celebration of the birth of God's only "begotten Son."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As you look nostalgically upon the season of Christmas I encourage you to discern the “spirit of Christmas.” “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God …” (1 John 4:1) There are certainly many honorable traditions that remind us of the incarnate birth. And not to be a Scrooge, but often times certain aspects of Christmas greatly distract from and undermine a true celebration of The Lord Jesus Christ’s birth. Hold up the Apostle John’s test to Christmas traditions that are often times held above our remembrance of God’s only begotten Son. Black Friday bustle fueled by the expectation of the best presents, Santa, parades, glorious displays of lights; but for whose glory? Is God honored and Christ’s incarnation (becoming human) remembered by the majority of secular traditions that govern many a “Christian home” this time of year? Take care to remember, this innocent babe did not stay in His manger. Would the God of all mankind who gave up His throne to become a servant unto death be honored by commercialism and busyness? Choose well brothers and sisters how you will look forward to this Holy-day season. And, as our friend Charlie Brown has endeavored to find, keep the true meaning of Christmas, The Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, in every tradition to which you hold fast.</span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #57584f; font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Calibri; mso-armenian-font-family: Candara; mso-ascii-font-family: Candara; mso-currency-font-family: Candara; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Candara; mso-default-font-family: Candara; mso-greek-font-family: Candara; mso-hebrew-font-family: Candara; mso-latin-font-family: Candara; mso-latinext-font-family: Candara; mso-thai-font-family: Calibri;">“</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">spirit</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"> of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US;">” (</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "\@Meiryo"; mso-armenian-font-family: Candara; mso-ascii-font-family: Candara; mso-bengali-font-family: "\@Meiryo"; mso-currency-font-family: Candara; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Candara; mso-default-font-family: Candara; mso-greek-font-family: Candara; mso-halfwidthkana-font-family: "\@Meiryo"; mso-hebrew-font-family: Candara; mso-kana-font-family: "\@Meiryo"; mso-khmer-font-family: "\@Meiryo"; mso-latin-font-family: Candara; mso-latinext-font-family: Candara; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">1 John 4:2-3)</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #57584f; font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Calibri; mso-armenian-font-family: Candara; mso-ascii-font-family: Candara; mso-currency-font-family: Candara; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Candara; mso-default-font-family: Candara; mso-greek-font-family: Candara; mso-hebrew-font-family: Candara; mso-latin-font-family: Candara; mso-latinext-font-family: Candara; mso-thai-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Kurt</span></div>
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Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8069148049813896517.post-938607849802077212012-09-25T19:33:00.003-07:002012-12-16T17:42:43.343-08:00Book Review: More Than a Carpenter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Apologetics...<br />
No, I'm not talking about apologizing for everything. Apologetics is just a fancy title for a simple command for Christians in 1 Peter 3:15.<br />
<sup class="versenum" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"><br /></sup>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"But sanctify the Lord God</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in your hearts, and always </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ready to </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">give</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (NKJV)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Often times were are pressured by the secular majority to accept that belief in Jesus is just a blind faith; that such faith has no rational or logical basis. Yet, that is far from the truth. We are afforded ample evidence to be confident in the testimony of Jesus through the preserved account of the Bible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Josh McDowell started out life searching for meaningful life to no avail. He looked in religion and found nothing. He turned to education and in college he endured an endless cycle of empty weeks and unfulfilled weekends of sin. It wasn't until a young woman challenged him to pursue the person, Jesus Christ, that Josh began to find purpose. Through months of tireless research, Josh, began to realize that Jesus' claims were accurate, documented, and reliable. He began to understand that life was not fulfilled through human efforts. And eventually knew the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Religion is humans trying to work their way to God through good works. Christianity is God coming to men and women through Jesus Christ" (5)</span><br />
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Jesus was not merely a good moral teacher, and He was not a lunatic. He is Lord. Their is no "wiggle room" for alternatives. Whether refuting the "New Atheists," gaining confidence in the reliability of Biblical records and the truth of Jesus' resurrection, or the exclusive claim of salvation made by Jesus this; book addresses relevant issues that will equip you to "give a defense to everyone who asks you the hope that is in you."<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Kurt<br />
<br />Kurthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02430788604491888919noreply@blogger.com0