Faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Faith - Essay ExampleWills (2006) points out that assent meant something different then from what it means today. Ehrman (2005) is concerned with the separation of delivery boyians and Jews on the grounds of belief as salvation and more important than law. Ludemann (2002) attempts to achieve a tax deduction with Christ as the common meeting ground for the two religions. Grant (1976) nones that capital of Minnesotas labours were devoted to the equation of sin with the flesh, and hints at the early notions that later bore fruit in the Reformation whilst Muggeridge and Vidler (1972) seem to complete the circle with the apply to the claim that by receiving Christ, one becomes justified and joins a communitythe body of Christ. The Role of Faith in the First Century in the Justification of alone Peoples before God The Apostle capital of Minnesota has written a letter advising the Romans of his intention to visit on his way to Spain. An important theme of his letter concerns the rol e of faith as a unifying element in the deliverance of various peoples to what he sees as the supreme reality, Jesus Christ. In essence, he seeks a synthesis and detente that will include all citizens in the hot monotheism. In Wills (2006) faith is equated with trust. God promotes people into partnership with Him through the Son. Also, Wills sees faith as meaning something real different in ancient times than what it connotes today. Then, faith meant belief in a person, not a dogma as in recent times. (Wills 2006, pp.183-184) The mightily personality of Jesus obviously had much influence on potential converts. Ehrman (2005)shows the division of faith in Rome at this time. To the Jews, Jesus was weak, and definitely not the Messiah. To them, the Romans had all the temporal power needed to dominate the world. The earliest Christians disagreed by asserting that Jesus was the Messiah and that His death was an act of God designed to put to work salvation to the world. Indeed capital of Minnesota claimed that salvation could come to Jews and Gentiles alike not by scrupulous adherence to the law but by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 103-4, New Jerusalem Bible). Here Paul delineates perhaps the main reason why the Jews would not recognise Jesus. Ehrman also notes that Paul held that the Jews were not justified by obedience to the law, and reminds Gentiles not to follow the law too closely but to remain as they are and to follow Jesus. Paul also believed that both faiths traced to Abrahamthe father of many nations. His faith was surely put to the test, and Abraham was justified by this faith, for it guaranteed his salvation ( Ehrman 2005, pp. 188-189). Ludemann (2002) also agrees with Paul that salvation is achieved through Christ alone (Thessalonians 19-10). By having faith in Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles become members of a third groupboth qualified and eligible-- to enter the new synthesis. There is a three step process as an admiss ion requirement first, faith in Jesus, then baptism as a rite and finally inclusion in the church as a social body (Ludemann 2002, p.154). Grant (1976) is focused more on the sub-theme of sin, and notes that the ancient Greeks had a different commentary of it than did Paul. To them, sin was a consequence of ignorance, and a rational mind could nullify it through reason. Paul was obsessed with the concept of sin and linked it closely with that of flesh He seemed to think that men and women were predestined for sin (Grant 1976, pp.31-32). In this, there is a surprising foreshadowing of Calvinism many