erika

Baptism brings about our union with Christ, that after we give our hearts to the Lord and make Him the Head of our Lives, we become one with Him, live our lives as he would want us to, living sinless lives, developing the Christ-like nature in us every day. When we are Baptized with Christ, we take on the nature of Christ, and everything about us changes. When baptism takes place it symbolizes death and burial, resurrection and New Life.

In Christ we move from a sinful nature to a spiritual nature by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior the head of our Lives. When Christ died our sinful nature died with him. He conquered death (Sin) and we have become one with Him by dying with Him. We have to continually surrender ourselves to Him and live righteous. Sin does not have dominion over us anymore, we now live under the Grace of God and Have eternal life.

Adam was the first human created by God's image and likeness. Adam was given dominion over the earth, so therefore this made him the head over mankind. When Adam sinned, it was passed on from generation to generation, it was inhertited. In this light we were borned with a sinful nature. God's plan of redemption was for Christ, who is referred to as the Second Adam in (1Corithians 15:45,46) to redeem the sinful man back to Him, through the shedding of innocent blood (His Son). Through Christ we have access to God's grace. Christ became the head of the New Body of redeemed believers, first through Faith (Belief), God's grace (Favor) and then being made righteous. Christ died on the cross so that we (Mankind) may live, He gave us victory over death (which is sin).

Sin existed before the law, sin began when Adam was in the garden.The Law came about to enhance (to highlight sin) the trespass. As trespass increased grace reigned for the righteous .The law cannot and will not superseed God's Grace (unmeritted favor). This had to be done so that the all who have sinned can now be restored to righteouness and right standing with God.

I think Pastors decisions affect a large group of people. I attend an Assemblies of God Church where the Pastor makes decisions along with a board. Ultimately The pastor makes the final decision and this affect the congregants, Ministry and therefore the entire church.

Reconciliation means that we are ttuly in right standing and right relation, that our relationship has been mended. Reconciliation is necessary because of the fall of man back in the garden of Eden, we were on our way to fiery death. God wanted us back , so he sacrificed His son, to get us back on track and where he wants us to be.Every sin that we committ now is and can be covered under the blood of Jesus. Jesus is in heaven at His father's right hand and preparing a place for us to spend eternity with Him.

In this world we live in , we will constantly be baraged by trials and tribulations. If we believe that we are Christ's and live for him totally, we have to belive that he will save us from all trials and tribulations. It will be hard but to Persever will enhance our belief system we will know that it is for a purpose that God allows certain test in our lives. We will develope character and our HOPE is knowing that after it is all over that we can bask in God's glory and our great expectation of eternal life.

Abraham;s faith truly assured him that he was made righteous in God's sight. He believed and trusted that in whatever God told him. This was because of his relationship with God. As our faith grows and our knowledge of God and what he has done for us. We have confidence in seeing God as loving and generous. We cannot belive that he just allowed his son to die for no reason or in vain. We also have to belive and trust in what he did for us as sinners that we have truly been made righteous in God's eyes. Being free from the bondages of sin, being able to come into the presence of God freely and without condemnation, being forgiven for our sins and made righteous means that we are truly Justified.

The fact that Christ died for us as sinners is evidence of His undying love for His hildren. He did not want us to be separated from Him. While he could not condone our sin, He knew that the only way back to Him was through the shedding of sinless Blood.