...other sources, evaluate the contribution of Paul of Tarsus to the development and expression of Christianity. Paul of Tarsus is one of the most influential and notable people to ever help develop and express Christianity in the world. It is clear that without the work of Paul and his teachings on Jesus as well as mankind’s relationship with God, the Christian faith would have spread extremely slowly while also failing to impact others from around the world. Pauls work was the true push for Christianity to stand alone as a religion and no longer be seen as another sect of Judaism, with this Pauls work incorporated people of all faiths or backgrounds as long as they accepted...
Words: 1162 - Pages: 5
...greatest teachers of Judaism), and eventually becomes a Pharisee. Pharisees were known for their rigid adherence to the letter of the law. In 32 A.D. Apostle Stephen who is considered the first Christian martyr was stoned for his testimony about Jesus, and it just so happens that a young zealous Pharisee by the name of Saul (Paul), consents and witnesses Stephen’s death . Soon after, Paul is given authority to arrest and bring believers to Jerusalem for trial and punishment. Paul leads persecution against believers of Christ. . Paul was on his way to Damascus on a journey of prosecution when he found himself surrounded by a bright light from Heaven. He fell to his knees and heard a voice from Heaven that said: “Saul, Saul, why do you continue to persecute me?” The voice is identified as that belonging to Jesus and Paul holds a conversation with Jesus of Nazareth (conversation that is not understood by those accompanying Paul). Blinded by the light; Paul is led to Damascus by those traveling with him. Here is where the miracle of the conversion of Paul begins… Paul’s conversion lays the foundation for one of Paul’s central doctrines. I wonder about those that Paul persecuted and their unwavering testimony which would take them to imprisonment or death and question how much impact or influence if any did it have with Paul’s conversion. I do not question whether he spoke to Jesus or not on the road to Damascus but do wonder if Paul had not felt some type of guilt in his...
Words: 594 - Pages: 3
...3 The Damascus Experience 4 The Call 6 The Conversion Debate 8 Conclusion 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY 11 Introduction The Book of Acts is a literary masterpiece filled with stories of miracles, faith, chronicles of the growth of Christianity, Holy Spirit encounters, and stories of supernatural conversions. It is one of the main books of the Bible studied to learn about the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s ability to use anything and anyone for His purpose. The “call” of Saul was one of the most significant events not only in the Book of Acts, but throughout the Bible. Christians in the Twenty-First Century owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Apostle Paul for his courage and obedience in answering the “call” of God. The spontaneous response to this call has a direct impact on Christians, Jews and non-Jews all over the world. The reason Saul’s call was so important was because it was a fulfillment of Jesus’s Great Commission. Saul’s pedigree as well as his character made him the least likely candidate to become one of the greatest Apostles to the Gentiles. This paper will examine who Paul of Tarsus was, the importance of his call, whether or not he was converted, and the impact his decision to answer God’s call has on Christianity today. Saul of Tarsus Prior to his calling by God, Saul of Tarsus was highly qualified to perform his duties as a Pharisee. By all accounts, he was a faithful, committed, and zealous Jewish Pharisee who felt justified in persecuting...
Words: 2688 - Pages: 11
...David Trobisch and David Parker on the Origin of the New Testament, the Historical Jesus, and How Manuscripts Can Reveal What Texts Conceal Tom Dykstra I grew up with a picture of Paul traveling through Asia and Europe, founding congregations, counseling and teaching the men and women who had given their life to Jesus. If he could not visit them, he sent letters. When Paul died, his letters were kept as treasures. Each church that had received one of his letters saved it, had it read during worship services, and exchanged copies of the letter with other congregations close by. Later the congregations tried to complete their collection. But this view does not match the uniformity of manuscript evidence. --David Trobisch 1 It is even more remarkable that attempts to reconstruct the supposed document 'Q' (the lost collection used by both Matthew and Luke postulated by those who argue that Matthew and Luke are independent) use text-critical terminology to describe their activities. However, since all they are doing is making selections from a twentieth-century printed text, which does not even presume to provide confidently the text of the four-Gospel collection, never mind that of the independent first-century texts, this use of language must be dismissed as illusory. --David Parker 2 Modern scholarship has produced detailed biographies of Paul, massive multi-volume inquiries into “the historical Jesus,” and mountains of exegetical literature that claims to extract the author’s...
Words: 12334 - Pages: 50
...MARCIONISM AND ITS IMPACT By: Addison Termunde Theology 1001 Mr. Lashier 8 a.m. Addison Termunde Theology 1001 Lashier Term Paper 11/19/10 Marcionism and its Impact For every story told, multiple interpretations and perceptions are created. Anthology is defined as “a book or other collection of selected writings by various authors, usually in the same literary form”(Dictionary.com). The bible is just this; for every collection of stories told, a collection of interpretations, whether they be right or wrong, are ought to form. Throughout the early centuries many altered interpretations, or heresies, regarding the bible formed. Although the heresy of Marcionism was outlandish and heavily disputed against, it actually aided in the emergence of the Catholic Church. According to John Knox, of the University of Chicago, “Among the creative personalities of early Christianity few are so interesting and important as Marcion, who was expelled from the Roman community… and whose activities gave rise to the most vigorous heretical movement within the ancient church”(p.1). According to the article, Marcion and Scripture: The Impact of a Second Century Heretic on the New Testament, Marcion’s early life was filled with disgrace. “At some point later, however, he was “excommunicated by his own father” for having seduced a consecrated virgin and “degraded both her and himself.” Most modern historians think that the story of Marcion's...
Words: 1764 - Pages: 8
...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THE GIFT OF TONGUES DISPLAYED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR DOUGLAS PETERSON IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BIBL364 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ONLINE BY SEAN HIGGINS LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA DECEMBER 5, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2 PENTECOST 2 THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS 5 TONGUES AT EPHESIAN BAPTISM 7 CONCLUSION 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY 10 Introduction The gift of Tongues has been becoming more and more popular over the past 10 years. Christians appear to have differing views on the matter. Some think it is a sign of the HOLY SPIRIT, other think it is a manifestation of demonic forces. There are Bible verses to support both of these opinions, so the issues can become rather confusing. This paper is meant to show exactly everything that the Book of Acts mentions on the subject of tongues. This paper doesn’t refer to any other parts in the Bible regarding tongues. There are three different incidences in the Book of Acts that refers to speaking in tongues. First in Acts 2:4, 6-11 at the day of Pentecost, then in Acts 10:46 at the conversion of Cornelius, and finally in Acts 19:6 at the baptism of the 12 men in Ephesus. I am going to look solely at these events in order to study exactly what the Book of Acts says about tongues. Pentecost The experience of the Spirit on Pentecost is a fulfillment of the prophecy of John the Baptist concerning the one who would...
Words: 2440 - Pages: 10
...and various other offerings were excepted. With the arrival of Christ some people continue to question how His fulfillment of the law impacts the instructions of the tithe and giving found in the Old Testament. Some will look at the Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians as examples of a new rules for Christian giving. Was it Paul’s goal to abolish the concept of tithing or was he referring to some other form of offering? Using Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians this paper will argue that the New Testament offers new paradigm for giving separate from the Old Testament commandment to tithe. Historical Background Paul writes his second canonical letter to the church at Corinth in response to the report of Titus’ visit. Paul had spent a large portion of his ministry at Corinth, but in recently the relationship between Paul and the church at Corinth had been strained. After his departure from Corinth some problems and conflicts began to arise. In response to this Paul writes his first letter which was non-canonical to the Church at Corinth. During his ministry in Ephesus Paul heard of more difficulty and received a letter from the church in which they sought clarification to his instructions resulting the the letter now known as 1 Corinthians. Paul’s letter resolved some of the issues, however a new threat began to develop. Certain teachers calming to be apostles from Jerusalem started teaching and began to draw people away from Paul and the truth of the Gospel. This...
Words: 3506 - Pages: 15
...advancements in communication and information sharing have broken long-standing barriers once separating countries and cultures. As a result, diversification is being experienced throughout our neighborhoods, schools and places of work. People of different religious backgrounds and beliefs are now living in closer proximity. Christians must acknowledge and understand this shift in community demographics so they can respond accordingly. They must evangelize in selfless ways that are relevant and effective in order to fulfill their primary mandate set forth in The Great Commission. Jesus successfully bridged cultural gaps when befriending people very different than himself. Observing how he relationally encountered diverse people provides the necessary model for Christians. This is clearly seen in the lives of the Apostle Paul and Charles De Foucauld. By living his model of relational evangelism Christians can influence others. Relational evangelism, embodied by Jesus, is critical in reaching diversified communities. Globalization Globalization is a concept not easily defined. Thomas Larsson described it as being a “process of world shrinkage, of distances getting shorter, things moving closer.” Communities once separated geographically and culturally are more integrated today. In large part, this integration is the result of boundless communication as Larsson points out, “increasing [the] ease with which somebody on one side of the world can interact, to mutual benefit, with somebody...
Words: 1739 - Pages: 7
...to which we can all relate. The study of Christianity and how it relates to Jesus Christ is very important to the whole world. Concerning the issue of Christianity, for example, the majority of people are taught in most schools and churches that Jesus Christ was an actual historical figure and that the only controversy regarding him is that some people accept him as the Son of God and the Messiah, while others do not. While the historicity of Jesus is the most debated subject in the field of religion today, the most enduring and profound controversy in this subject is whether or not Jesus Christ really existed. This paper will discuss who Jesus is, the controversy and biblical sources based on the views of scholars surrounding the historicity of Jesus. Finally, this paper will give Biblical evidence that Jesus existed. WHO IS JESUS? It is generally accepted that Jesus was truly a man who walked the earth 2000 years ago. Almost every religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet, excellent teacher or a Godly man. The Bible tells us, “I and the Father are one.” This indicates that Jesus was saying that He was God by declaring, “I and the Father are one”. The Bible also tells us, “The Word was God,” and, “the Word became flesh.” These scripture verses indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. The apostle Paul describes Him as …our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” The apostle Peter confirms Paul’s...
Words: 2022 - Pages: 9
... 6 Conclusion 8 Works Cited 10 Introduction The Bible is one of the most intriguing books ever written. There is no other book in history that covers the same amount of time or the comprehensive aggregation of people and cultures as found in the pages of the Bible. The mysteries and wisdom of the Bible have held the attention of Biblical and non-biblical scholars for centuries. We know from the study of history that not all Jews agreed on which books belonged in the Bible. As a matter of fact Christians also debated what to include and exclude in the New Testament Scriptures. This was a major problem in the first two centuries of Christianity. Biblical historian Paul Johnson wrote in his book entitled History of Christianity, “After more than two centuries since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christians faced a terrifying jungle of scholarly contradictions.” In light of this fascination and controversy with the Bible, this research paper will focus on some of the key events and movements that were influential in the recognition of the canonical books. This paper will also attempt to shed some light on some of the methodologies employed by...
Words: 2289 - Pages: 10
...situation at hand. Critical thinking plays a role in my sexual decision making. To be more specific, I used the principles of critical thinking when I lost my virginity at the age of 18. Prior to turning 18, I was taught that it was wrong to have sex before marriage. Even though I was taught that, I did not actually believe it. I was skeptical of what I was taught, so I examined other individuals’ experiences and also examined the assumptions that I would be wrong if I had sex before marriage. I listened to stories of people who waited and listened to stories of people who did not wait until marriage. Then I was cautious in drawing any kind of conclusions that it was wrong or right. I considered the alternative of not having sex before marriage and it did not appeal to me because I wanted to experience sex. After all, everyone else was doing it and I wanted to know what it was like. Some people said it was a simple thing and it was not everything I thought it would be. I could not oversimplify it because it was a huge deal to me. So I was skeptical, examined what sex was, examined assumptions, was cautious in drawing conclusions, considered alternatives, considered evidence, and did not over simplify my decision to lose my...
Words: 1722 - Pages: 7
...for everyone, for people that have been Christians quite awhile, for brand new Christians, and for non-believers. These scriptures deserved to be studied more because people sometimes overlook them because they have heard the message plenty of times. There are many sermons on these scriptures and the idea of grace and salvation. This exegesis will dig deep into the true meaning of these scriptures and what the meaning of words like grace, faith, salvation, workmanship really means. The true meaning will be unveiled and how people can apply these scriptures to their lives. Also some of these scriptures may seem confusing and this will clarify any confusion. These scriptures can sometimes be misinterpreted by people that do not do their research, and if they are preaching or teaching on these scriptures they need to fully understand what it says. People deserve to be taught the true meaning of the scriptures, what it meant to the original audience, and how to apply it today to their lives. This will explain the relationships between the Jews, Gentiles, and God. Many people may skim over these scriptures and not know any background information on these two groups of people. This exegesis will dig deep into many issues surrounding these scriptures and will explain these scriptures word for word so that the audience has a full understanding of Ephesians 2:8-13. Section II Historical Context The book of Ephesians was written to the church of Ephesus, which was located...
Words: 5597 - Pages: 23
.....................................................................6 Lexical Definition .....................................................................................................6 Biblical Usage ...........................................................................................................7 Profane Usage ...........................................................................................................8 Etymology and Meaning ............................................................................................8 ΕΚΚΛΕΣΙΑ AS THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH ...................................................10 NEW TESTAMENT EVIDENCE FOR MULTI-SITE CHURCH ..................................11 The House Church and Paul's Writings ............................................................................12 The House Church and Luke's Writings ...........................................................................14 Επι Το Αυτο .......................................................................................................................18 THE NATURE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH ...................................................................19 The Metaphors Describing the Nature...
Words: 9340 - Pages: 38
...This paper examines how the 27 books of the New Testament were formulated, recognized as Holy Scriptures, and eventually declared for inclusion in the new canon. It will examine how the new scriptures were evaluated using a new four-step criterion, determining which books were divinely inspired. It will also examine a new classification system, created to help determine which writings were acceptable, disputed, or rejected from consideration. Finally, the decision of which books to include in the New Testament is addressed during four major councils held by the church during the fourth century. The New Covenant: New Testament Canonization. After the death of Jesus, the apostles, and other followers, spread the word of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The primary method of teaching was by way of oral communication, spreading the message by word of mouth. As time went by, and the Apostles started to die, the first efforts were made to capture their life with Jesus into written word. The dissemination of these works was a slow process due to the hindrance in transportation and the inability to mass produce the writings. The ability to capture and fully understand these divine works would require over 400 years of evolution to become a complete body of work, and recognized as the canon of the Christian church. To understand how the New Testament achieved canonization requires a study of history, politics, culture, and the dynamics of Christianities development over the...
Words: 2706 - Pages: 11
...text: Augustine as Mentor authored by Edward L. Smither. Smither is associate professor of Church History and Intercultural Studies at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Other areas of scholarly interest include the Early Church, evangelical missions among Arabs and the history of missions. The thesis of this text is, “that Augustine effectively mentored spiritual leaders and set them apart for needed ministries in the church.” II. Brief Summary Smither sets the table for this text through an in-depth analysis and look at mentoring in the first century. Special emphasis centered on mentoring done by Jesus with the Disciples as found in the Gospels and with the Apostle Paul from the book of Acts and Paul’s epistles. Smither’s summarized definition of mentoring is “a master, expert, or someone with significant experience is imparting knowledge and skill to a novice in an atmosphere of discipline, commitment, and accountability. The writer asserts there are eight characteristics of mentoring that comprise the model of early Christian mentoring. From the foundation laid in chapter one, the second chapter covers four...
Words: 1294 - Pages: 6
