Ross > Recent Status Updates

Pretty good so far have to get through the first chapter or two. Also the way the author tells you something situationally isn’t that direct and is typically in the form of verbally describing a scene unfolding and the context becomes more apparent later ( this causes me to have to reread sections and get used to reading more cautiously)

The Methodist movement was from John Wesley as a methodical way in which he opposed the clergy of the Church of England. Where the Church of England came out of the Roman Catholic church. Many Catholics practices carried over such as sprinkling, “pope being considered God on earth” praying or Mary and transubstantiation. Key point of this section is baptism is full immersion not sprinkling or dipping

Well repute of Randall’s church, can’t go wrong there and leading into baptism topic

Mentioned belief and baptism is like chewing and swallowing. Need to do both. Common belief only with deathbed allusion is an Appeal to emotionalism. And if by same logic the person died before believing but was on his way there was it too late? Also when the Israelites were bitten by snakes and dying and God told them to look at a snake on a stick to be saved. If they believed but didn’t look they wouldn’t

The sinners prayer isn’t in the Bible, a personal relationship shop with Jesus is a concept born of 1930s but isn’t in the Bible, feelings based belief in salvation is like being told your house burnt down and going home to realize it wasn’t.

Quote “it’s easier to believe a lie that one has heard a thousand times before than to believe a fact that one has never heard before”

Good points on considering the story of Philemon 1) for the perspective of Paul writing the letter asking for reconciliation
2) perspective of the previous victim
3) perspective of the one estranged
How this would apply if two friends were in conflict and how to bring them back together. Plus the it’s more important to have reconciliation and it’s worth the effort by Paul then not taking the issue on

Simultaneously fills spiritual needs and how to use the Bible in the context it was written. Good examples are interpreting scripture in the context of the overall book and main themes such as Jesus’s power over death in John with resurrecting Lazarus and his own resurrection. Also the letter of Philemon where Paul pleads to take back Onesimus who stole from him but is now a Christian

They searched but Could not find sinners prayer in the Bible

Goes through that reading John 3 Jesus says in verse 5 Except man be born by water and spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. But then John 3:16 says that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Should not is a condition as opposed to will not. Meaning like in the right direction or heading down the right path but not certain or complete yet or validated.

Good explanation that contextually being saved by works was pertaining to circumcision where the Jews wanted Christian’s to be circumcised as in the old law. But this passage is used out of context to nullify baptism and call it a work. When really works meant trying to earn salvation through the old law.