Eager Bver

I don't see any tendencies in the church to effectively "abolish" the Old Testament from our Christian faith because Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies, so we often refer to the OT. "Christian" legalism looks like people keeping the rules to impress others of their righteousness and the sincerity of serving God is absent. "Christian" legalism in a church where there are no moral standards and no obedience expected of Christians look like it belongs to Satan.

How do verses 13-16 relate to verses 10-12? How does hiding our light affect the glory of God? Why must glory and suffering go hand in hand? Was Jesus' suffering necessary? Is ours? What does this have to do with Romans 12:2? Verses 10-12 says to rejoice when you are being persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Verses 13-16 speaks about letting your godly character shine in dark situations. The glory of God will not be manifested if we hide our light. No one will know about His kindness and goodness and especially his power. Through suffering, you experience things, e.g., you have choices to make and after choosing to do right the glory of God is magnified in your life as He gets all the praise as you could not succeed without his help and power. If Jesus did not suffer, we would not have a model and salvation. If he suffered so must we too. Our thoughts are not to be on worldly things, but our minds is to be focused on things above.

Jesus warns us of hiding our light from a dying world who needs him. It is useless to have a bright light and keep it to yourself. That light which is Jesus is for all the world.

The symptoms of a Christian who has lost his "saltiness" is he doesn't stand for the right. He has an attitude of compromise, everything is alright. Yes, it is possible for a believer to detect such symptoms in himself or herself in checking themselves when they should have spoken up against a wrong and didn't do it. You must read the Bible to re-enforce God's word into your heart. The Holy Spirit within an individual also is a detector to help make you aware of things in your life. Secular people notice the actions of a "de-saltified" Christian whether they represent Christ or not. I hope that other Christians notice my walk is about Christ living in me. It is impossible to resalt salt, but thank God, we can be resaltified by rededicating ourselves to Him, praying, reading his word and living each day for Him and taking a stand for righteousness and doing away with unholy ways.

Using the preservation analogy, Christians are the salt of the earth when they stand up for what is right to bring about a change. Because of their prayers and presence, God sometimes holds back his wrath. Using the seasoning analogy, Christians are the salt of the earth by the way they live and conduct themselves in their affairs among the world. Christians are to represent God and his ways for the world to realize there is a difference in serving Him.

We should rejoice when we are persecuted because it is for Christ. He promises us a great reward in heaven for going through and holding out. What keeps this from being so,me kind of sick masochism, or finding pleasure in pain is that Jesus said the world persecuted the prophets and himself as well. The blessing "for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven" appropriate for the persecuted because they endured hardness as a good soldier, their reward.

People with a pure heart can see, discern and know God because they are focused on him. They live daily for God, by doing right, In their walk they practice Jesus' words by following in his steps. "Chronic" sinners cannot see God because their hearts and minds are on sinful things constantly and their actions prove it. We obtain the pure or clean heart Jesus describes by actively seeking that purity that leads to being close to God.

An intense desire for righteousness can put you at odds with the world by them mocking you as they think it is impossible to achieve righteousness in this world. Also, many are traveling the broad road that leads to destruction and they do not care to be numbered with the few for fear of being ridiculed. Jesus is talking about the righteousness to do right in spite of everything and everyone with all your heart. This Beatitude promises you will be filled with righteousness.

The world's ideal of gentleness is allowing people to walk over you, being a wimp. Humility is important to Christ-likeness because Jesus was humble and cared about people. Plus, you will inherit the earth and God's blessings.

Each Beatitude consists of 1) the person or condition of the situation, and 2) the promise or result. Jesus made each Beatitude a paradox because that was the method they used to teach. The relationship between the Beatitudes and the Fruit of the Spirit is that they both have the same results. e.g., The peacemakers have to have the fruit of peace.

Q2. (Matthew 5:3-4) Why is it necessary to be aware of your spiritual poverty before you can become a Christian? If you are not aware that you are poor spiritually, you would live life without any thought of God. You must know that you lack something that only God can fill. What kind of mourning is necessary for a person to become a Christian? Those who are hurt, feel lonely, despondent, and in pain. Jesus promises to comfort them, heal, help and save them. What kind of mourning is a common experience of Christians? (See Isaiah 61:2-3; Ezekiel 9:4.) The kind of mourning that is a common experience of Christians is seeing the world in its sinful state, men and women refusing God's way in their lives. Also, seeing injustice and wondering when will judgment come.

One's soul is a very serious matter. Those who made excuses were not ready to give fully of themselves whereas Jesus gave of himself to give us eternal life. Our excuses are trivial compared to Jesus who suffered and endured the cross for all of humanity.

People who don't deserve to be invited are invited to dine at the Master's table. Those who have rejected the invitation to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will not be at the feast. We have to strongly encourage others to come to Jesus. Christ's return.

Q2. (Matthew 25:15, 21, 23) What are the factors that make up a person

The size of a mustard seed which is very tiny that grows to be extremely large. The Kingdom starts small but it is daily increasing with new converts which increases the number. It grows thru us spreading the news of Christ. The door is narrow making it where a person has to decide to give up all for Christ and walk in his way. The Kingdom banquet is large and diverse and many people have received Christ into their lives from every nation and from all walks of life.

It is people from every nation, e.g., Spanish, English, Indian, Dutch, German, etc. (otherwise known as Gentiles) who accepted and received Jesus as Lord in their lives. They are the unbelievers who would not accept Jesus as Savior, Lord and King.

Q2. (Luke 13:24-27) Why do you think Jesus characterizes the entrance to the Kingdom here as