Marloes

We can't keep the Law. So if you can only be saved by keeping the Law, you just can't be saved. So it's a curse. Jesus' blood introduced getting saved by mercy. You can get it by simply believing Him.

Abraham just believed. He didn't have the Law, because it was given so much later. We are children of Abraham if we believe too.

1. You get the Spirit by faith and not by Law. 2. The church is based on faith and not on Jewish tradition. Also, the church is called foolish, so they lso must do something wrong. 3. We must believe in it, and act like christians by praying/reading the Bible/worshipping ?

It means we don't have to try to get salvation by keeping the law anymore. In this sense, we're dead to sin and to the effects of sin (i.e. hell). See also Romans 6:1-14.

You can only get saved by believing Jesus died for you. If you could do anything yourself, this would make Jesus' death less important. Besides that, it's not only about the law, but also about being Jewish or not. Jesus died for both the jews and the gentiles.

Sometimes it's hard to distinguis between what the Bible really says and how we interpret it. A Biblical example is circumcision, and for centuries the roman missionaries taught people nonscriptural things. The danger is it turns people away from God. An example is a Dutch church that didn't allow people to bicycle on Sunday. With such rules they turned many people away from God. And we Dutch have an example this very week! We have a tradition called 'Elfstedentocht', a tour on ice over 200 km (125 miles). It's weather dependant and rare, and dangerous. Last one was in 1997, but some weatherpersons thought the next one might be held next Sunday. Now some christians were against it because that would mean that many people would have to work on Sunday. Traditionally only a few professions work on Sunday over here. However, I think it's cultural to keep other people (also non-christians) from having fun or working exactly this day.

That he had a good character and didn't think about only himself. Joseph was a descendant of David, and pretended to be Jesus's father, so Jesus was allegedly a son of David too?

Because Mary was a virgin, and Jesus was God who came to be with us

His name says something about what He's going to do It was important they both heard it, so they wouldn't have to trust the other on their word it had to be this name.

Mary could be stoned, or shunned and become a prostitute. Josef didn't want her to get stoned, so he tried to keep it quiet. This shows he had a nice character, not being hatefull.

Joseph taught Jesus how to start with rough material to end up with something usefull, and to exercise patience.

Because the Bible itself says she is blessed and the mother of God. Indeed we have to respect her, and can we see her submission as an example. On the other hand, she was just a vessel to do God's work as we all are. Therefore it is very wrong to pray to her, and things like that.

submission to God that we also should submit to God completely she was told what would happen, and couldn't refuse, but submitted anyway to God's will

It teaches us that Jesus is both God and man. The doctrine is essential, because it shows Jesus is divine.

Mary believed the message, but wondered how God would do it, and submitted completely. Zachariah didn't believe, and I imagine he made a long nose when he ironically asked Gabriel how.

(31) He'll be a son (31) He'll be called Jesus (32) He'll be great (32) and the son of the Highest (32) He'll have David's throne (33) He'll be King forever

May I ask how you come to this answer?

We shake hands, and some people kiss eachother 3 times on the cheeck. I guess a healthy congregation must feel like family? Shaking hands is ok with me, but I'm not into hugging and kissing everybody. I don't like people coming to close to me.

As a child, I had to go to a reformed church, of which some members lived in our neighbourhood. On Sunday they were christians, but on other days they gossiped really bad. My mama's 'cure' was to leave... She should have asked the reverend to have a sermon on James 3: 1-12. Then nobody would be rebuked in person in public. A love offensive wouldn't work very well, I guess. Some 'christians' behave so bad, the only thing you can do is pray for them. As for church discipline... If you have a problem with someone, you first talk to him yourself. If that doesn't work, you ask an official of the church. He can talk with authority. And I've heard the Amish throw disobedient people out. I guess most modern people would go to another church or leave at all.

Paul had a problem, but we don't exactly know what it was. Anyway, he prayed God several times to take it away, but God said no. In this case, He apparently wanted Paul to teach something: If we're really down, we can't pretend nomore we're doing it by ourselves, so God finally gets the honour. This way, God's strenth shows through our weakness.

Guilt makes people do things they otherwise wouldn't do. Yes, there'll always be greedy 'leaders' but I'm sure God will punish them for that. We know from a certain denomination that their leaders live in palaces, while their followers are dirt poor. And a Dutch pastor asked for tithes and left for Kenya. If you give from your heart, you really acknowledge it's all God's property.

Indeed the Scripture seems to teach about such material blessing. Because it doesn't sound logic to become richer by giving away. No...

It means we have to testify and spread the gospel. We can't do bad things, and don't have time for them. Now people don't like you if you talk about God all the time. They'll mock you or even get angry. On the other hand, God will appreciate it.

True intercession means you take someone's place to protect him by taking the problems upon yourself. Ezechiel 22:30 "And I sought for a man among themwho should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." Jesus died for us, so we don't have to die the second death, hell. He took our sins, so we don't have them anymore, and become righteous.

Sin leads us away from God, but the blood of Jesus reconciles us. To make this possible, God came in the flesh to die for us. We're ambassadors, meaning we have to represent God with our behaviour and mouth. Minister means we have a job to do in which we serve God.