Category: Religion 1596

Introduction

Many scriptures in the bible have predicted the coming of judgment which will be executed by God on all people on earth. For instance, the book of Psalms 98:13 in the Good News Bible (p. 514) clearly describes the period when those on earth will be judged, for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth. According to Paul, God has instituted a time in which He is going to judge the world, and he writes in Acts 17:31 to state that, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Good News Bible, p. 948). From this evidence, it is clear that the Christian community is convinced of an inevitable day of judgment in which God is going to separate the righteous from the wicked. At the same time, the subject of judgment can be seen as a larger one in the word of God and it is composed of various types of judgments that God will carry out at an appointed time (Pentecost, p. 412).

Of importance are the four types of judgments that have eschatological implications, which include; the judgment of the nations which has been explained in the books of Matthew 25:31-46, Isaiah 34:1-2 and Joel 3:11-16; the judgment on fallen angels that have been outlined in the book of Jude 6; the judgment on the nation Israel that has been elaborated in the books of Ezekiel 20:37-38 and Zechariah 13:8-9; and lastly, the judgment of the great white throne which has been explained in the book of Revelation 20:11-15. With these various types of judgments, the discussion of this research paper will be to identify if the Great White throne is the same as the judgment outlined in Matthew chapter25.

The scope of the judgment

There have been varying stories of how the judgment by God will take place. Unlike in most cases of human beings where judgment takes place in courtrooms, the final judgment by God will be different (Rhodes p.163); it will be individual and personal as it is described in the book of Romans 14:10, We will all stand before Gods judgment seat and each one of us will be judged on an individual basis. Generally, the judgment will have nothing to do with determining whether or not the Christians will remain saved for it is obvious that those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have received salvation and there is nothing that can deter that. At the same time, it is evident that believers have been eternally secured in their salvation. Moreover, the judgment that the majority envision has to do with the receiving or losing of the promised rewards. From the evidence outlined in scriptures, the judgment day will see some believers denied some rewards and which in turn will lead to them suffering some degree of penalty and disgrace (Rhodes 163). Reading 1 John 2:28, the receiving and losing of rewards are highlighted as watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but you may be rewarded fully.

Therefore, reading the various bible scriptures, it becomes evident that the scope of the judgment includes: 1) actions  whereby the judgment day will to extent pay attention to the Christians personal stewardship of the gifts, talents, opportunities, and responsibilities which they have been blessed with in life. The whole life of Christians and how they lived it will be brought to open since every action has done is under the watch of Christ (Rhodes, p. 164). According to Psalms 62: 12, Christ will reward individuals by paying attention to what he or she has done in the world. In Ephesians 6:8, Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. 2) Thoughts  whereby on judgment day, Christ will not only be interested in Christians actions but also in their thoughts. Jeremiah 17:10 states that I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. This indicates that the LORD will bring out whatever is hidden in our minds whether good or bad and expose it in open (1 Corinthians 4:5). The book of revelation 2:23 sums up this by stating the LORD is the one who has the ability and power to look into the heart and minds of people. 3) Words; the final scope of a judgment is that one involving words, whereby all words that people speak will be judged. For instance, the book of Matthew12:35-37 observes that, during the judgment day, all people will be required to give details and accounts of all words they speak without care; this will be necessary as it is easy for people to sin by the power of the tongue.

Judgment as explained in Matthew

Matthew 25:31-46 gives an account of judgment that will involve the nations which will take place at the beginning of the thousand years reign. The nations from the verses are comprised of the sheep and the goats, which represent those who are saved and those regarded as lost. According to Matthew 25:32, these two groups of people have mixed up and therefore it will be necessary to separate them by a special judgment. This judgment will take place after the second coming of Jesus Christ and it will involve those living on earth as described in Matthew 25:31, when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him. Further according to Matthew 25:31-33, this judgment of nations will take place on earth after the battle of Armageddon and it will involve choosing the righteous people who will enter the kingdom of heaven which is seen as a reward to the sheep due to their treatment of the brethren belonging to Christ and in this case the Jewish remnant, at the same time the unsaved people will be isolated and cast into the lake of eternal fire, in this case, they represent the goats who will have shown indifference and cruelty to the Jewish remnant.

Largely what this judgment represents is the opportunity for Christ to come back to the world and he is going to put together his kingdom from all the nations particularly those who have listened to his message, been obedient to it, and have cared for his messengers (Ironside, p. 153).

Judgment as explained in Revelation

The book of Revelation 20:11-15, gives an account of the Great White Throne judgment and the judgment will take place following the millennial kingdom. This particular judgment is to take place at the close of the thousand years reign and those who will be judged will constitute the unsaved dead and not the living nations. Revelation 20:7-10 indicates that this judgment will take place after the millennium and after Satan, the beast, and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. The judgment, which will take place away out in space will see Christ sitting upon a great white throne and the earth and heaven together will fly away from His face. The lost sinners will be dragged out of Hell and will face Jesus Christ and at that moment, Gods books of record will be opened and each sinner will receive the wages in accordance to his or her sins. The sinners names will be called and they will be required to publicly confess their sins and afterward, the sentence will be passed upon them before the assembled beings of all the universe of God. This will be the last judgment of the unsaved dead.

The differences between the two judgments

There exist some differences between the above two outlined judgments and to extend which makes it impossible to regard the two judgments the same. 1) In Matthew 24:31, there is no mention of resurrection before the judgment and what is described is a gathering of Christs elect, but in Revelation, the resurrection of the sinners is mentioned. 2) In Matthew 25:31-33, the judgment will take place on earth; but Revelation 20:11 indicates that the earth and heaven have fled away and hence judgment will take place at the Great White Throne. 3) In Matthew 25:31, the judgment will be for the living nations and will take place at the second coming of Christ contrary to what Revelations postulate where the judgment will involve the dead and will occur following the millennial kingdom. 4) The judgment in Matthew does not explain about books of life to be brought forth and of consultation to take place; however, Revelation judgment books will be opened which will contain peoples records, with those failing to appear there in being condemned to perish in eternal fire. Judgment in Matthew 25:32 mentions three groups of people; sheep, goats, and the brothers while Revelation judgment involves the unsaved dead. Judgment in Matthew does not mention resurrection but resurrection does take place with the Great White Throne judgment. Lastly, in Matthew, the basis of judgment is the treatment of the Christ brethren whereas, in Revelation judgment, the basis is on the evil works of the unsaved dead.

Conclusion

Some Christians have held the belief that the two judgments speak of the same thing since they are concerned with final judgment while others have opposed this view. Those who see these judgments to be the same are convinced that Matthew 25: 31-46, largely describes what takes place at the Great White Throne judgment. Whichever the position each Christian holds, it is important never to lose sight of the inevitability of judgments and that Christ will be the one to judge; moreover, believers will be rewarded while sinners will be punished in accordance with their actions.

Works Cited

Good News Bible. Good News Bible. Second edition. NY, American Bible Society. 1994.

Ironside, Henry A. Revelation. MI, Kregel Publications. 2004. 

Pentecost, Dwight J. Things to come: a study in biblical eschatology. MI, Zondervan. 1965. 

Rhodes, Ron. The Popular Dictionary of Bible Prophecy. OR, Harvest House Publishers. 2010.

Introduction

The gift of tongues was divinely bestowed upon believers by God, making them able to speak in a human language that was not learned by the one speaking it. When believers use the gift of speaking in tongues, they are instructed to speak one at a time, and only two to three people are allowed to go so in a given service. Moreover, when tongues are spoken in church, they should be interpreted by people who were given the gift of interpretation in order for the rest of the public to receive the message given by God. Therefore, tongues should not serve as a private language used for prayer. Instead, it is a spiritual gift that should be used for serving and edifying the body of Christ (Corinthians 12:7). For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him;& He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself (1 Corinthians 14:2). There have been debates on whether speaking in tongues was intended for today. However, it will be argued that the gift is still relevant and can be applied to those who profess the teaching of Jesus Christ the Savior and the Lord.

The Gift

Speaking in tongues is a gift that is given to people from God spiritually. Jesus himself foretold the emergence of the gift stating, An these signs will follow those who believe& they will speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17). The first time that the gift was witnessed was the day of Pentecost, which was characterized by the Holy Spirit pouring out the apostles. They spoke the gospel to the people of Jerusalem, and the language they spoke could be understood by crowds who spoke different languages and could not communicate with each other. As said in Acts 2:11, we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. When Paul Later wrote about the gift in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, he stated that the persons speaking in tongues do not use an understandable language: no one understands him; however in his spirit, he speaks mysteries (1 Corinthians 14:2).

In itself, the gift can be interpreted as a positive one and benefit people greatly. It serves as a way of enlightenment and expressing ones Spirit in the way that words cannot express. The gift can be a profit for all in a Christian gathering if it is interpreted with the help of ordinary language. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at least the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret (1 Corinthians 14:26-27). When the gift is used in such a way, it can underline the support from from the Holy Spirit, and not due to mere emotions. Rather, others beside the person who is speaking in tongues can be edified.

Pentecostal religious groups value the gift of speaking in tongues even today. The Day of the Pentecost portrays the event during which the disciples receive the Holy Spirit and then performed great miracles, demonstrating the power that was promised by Jesus. The disciples combined the gifts given by the Holy Spirit that allowed them to speak in tongues, which were real human languages. At they were preaching on the day of Pentecost, the crowd listened to them and could not understand why they were speaking several languages at the same time despite them not being natives.

The congregation question why the Galilean disciples were speaking in the congregations native languages (Acts 2:7-8). While some made fun of the speaking, Peter, one of the disciples, informed the people that the fellow men were filled up by the Holy Ghost, who gave them power. In this way, the word of God could be spread beyond Israel and received by millions of others. The gift allowed the disciples to preach the Gospel of God across many languages, and their followers could receive baptism to be forgiven for their sins and healed. Thanks to the gift of speaking in tongues, the Jesuss disciples could reach more people than they could not have achieved without it.

Modern Perspective

In modern times, the Pentecostal speaking in tongues that is practiced by modern religious groups is considered to be a kind of prayer. A significant body of linguistic, sociological, and psychological analysis on tongue-speaking has not come to a conclusion as to whether the process can be seen as either positive or negative. It is believed that through such a prayer, it is possible to praise the Lord and be understood. The uttering of unknown words, the believers let the Spirit place them with a perfect prayer that would have been impossible in the absence of tongues.

Although, it is essential to note that the inspired apostle stated that the gift would cease to exist, which suggests that the modern practice of speaking in tongues could not come from the same source that was included in the Scripture. One can explained this idea by the idea that not all miraculous works that are done in the name of Jesus come directly from him. As said in Matthew 7:22, 23, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name? And yet [&] I never knew you! Therefore, the experience of speaking in tongues today may be seen as a unique experience that some believers impose upon themselves.

In the modern view, speaking in tongues that is exercised by Pentecostal groups today is not scriptural and acknowledged by the Nazarene clergyman Timothy Smith, a renowned John Hopkins historian. Smith admitted that tongue-speaking could be attractive because it is mysterious and transcends rational thought. Also, Smith mentioned that in the New Testament, speaking in tongues is associated with using known dialects rather than unknown tongues. This can supported by the fact that the genera; influence of the Scripture should be based on its clarity and reasonableness, and obscure speech would limit understanding. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that there is limited evidence of the gift in the New Testament or history in general. Therefore, speaking in tongues in modern times is rather a symbolic act that allows believers to practice their faith. As God is really among you (1 Corinthians 14:24), faithful followers of Jesus Christ could speak their hearts our minds in any way that they prefer.

In the Pentecostal tradition, it is expected that prophets can control their own spirits (1 Corinthians 14:32). Because they are certain rules for prophesying, they should also apply to those who speak in tongues. On the other hand, Scripture is clear about people not limiting their Spirit. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the manifestation of the spiritual gift without quenching the Spirit if one desires. This means that the occasion on which one is given the gift is not the same when one should use it. For example, when one is a pastor and receives and insight from the Spirit when at home, the sermon should not be preached the very moment. Rather, the insight can be used as an important message when preparing a sermon. The same approach can apply to speaking in tongues.

Furthermore, it is important to consider the perspective that when a gift given to a person overrides his or her free will, then it is possible that it was not given by God. While this does not immediately mean that the gift is of demonic nature, although such an assumption is also a possibility. The most likely explanation for the immediate use of a gift lies within the vanity of a person, and the desire to be praised or esteemed as gifted or wise, or to be loved. Gods message is not intended to override the free will of a person. God wants people to learn how to they can apply the gifts given to them. Moreover, people should test the spirits to see whether they are from God. If a Spirit says that its gift should be exercised at the very moment and must not be tested, the gift is more likely not being from God. Finally, if the gift of tongue-speaking is from God Himself, then there would be plenty of time to examine it and decide on how it can be used. Therefore, urgency should not be applied when it comes to the gift, and one may use it as he or she wishes.

Therefore, the Old Testament (specifically Isaiah 28:11-12) alleged by Paul has prophesized that speaking of tongues was a God-given sign to the Jewish nation. According to this, directed at unbelieving people, the gift can function as a sign to unbelievers. Therefore, tongues represent a sign not only for those who believe but also those who do not. The gift could benefit people attending religious gatherings but have not yet committed to God. In the book of Acts, there are descriptions of occurrences in which people who were baptized received the gift of spoking in tongues from the Spirit.

Conclusion

To summarize, the gift from the Holy Spirit that allows believers to speak in tongues continues to have value in the Christian tradition, despite the criticism. It represents the connection between a person and the Spirit that has given an insight into faith and knowledge, which is powerful and beneficial While some may see the modern speaking in tongues as babbling, the value that it brings to believers in terms of prayer and the connection to God is immeasurable. Those can pray in tongues, without necessarily preaching their divine revelations to others, should not be seen as strange. The key response to any odd behavior that seemed to be inspired by the Holy Spirit should be love and acceptance, which are fundamental principles of the Christian faith.

Bibliography

Bozung, Douglas. The Pentecostal Doctrine of Initial Evidence: A Study in Hermeneutical Method. The Journal of Ministry & Theology 1, no. 1 (2004): 89-107.

Busenitz, Nathan. The Gift of Tongues: Comparing the Church Fathers with Contemporary. Masters Seminary Journal 17, no. 1 (2006): 62-78.

Clearwaters, Richard. The Gift of Tongues and Prophecy. Central Bible Quarterly 15, no. 2 (1972): 35-39.

Hodges, Zane. A Symposium on the Tongues Movement Part I: The Purpose of Tongues. Bibliotheca Sacra 120, no. 479 (1963): 227-233.

Luhrmann, Tanya. Why We Talk in Tongues. The New York Times, 2013. Web.

Poythress, Vern. Linguistic and Sociological Analyses of Modern Tongues-speaking: Their Contributions and Limitations. Westminster Theological Journal 42, no. 2 (1980): 367-388.

The Gospels of Mark and Luke contain many of the same stories, often in similar sequences and comparable wording when describing the events. However, distinct similarities in the way the events are expressed can be seen when comparing Mark 14:3-9 with Luke 7:36-50 and Mark 3:31-35 with Luke 8:19-21. This paper will examine different passages from Marks and Lukes gospels to determine why and how they were edited.

It is believed that Marks gospel is highly accurate from the historical perspective, which poses the question of why Luke edited it. Clay argues that one possibility is that Mark borrowed some passages and stories from Lukes gospel, which is why there are many similarities between the two texts. This is consistent with the two-source or synoptic gospels hypothesis, according to which, both authors had one reference source and wanted to present specific events in their texts. Therefore, Luke wanted to include the events depicted in Marks work, which is why the two have many similarities but wanted to present them differently.

A notable difference between the two sources is that Lukes Gospel there are certain omissions. For example, in Mark 14:3-9, where the anointing of Jesus is portrayed, Mark clearly states that the events happen in Bethayem. Luke, however, does not mention the location when describing the same circumstances (Luke 7:36-50). Additionally, in the story itself, a woman is anointing Jesus with oil, as part of the prophecy of a priest and king that was meant to suffer and die. After the anointing, Jesus explains that he will not always be there, and explains the prophecy to the people with whom he had dinner. While in Mark 14:3-9, the concluding part of the story helps one understand that the womans actions were actually good, Lukes version is different. In it, he refers to her as a woman in that town who lived a sinful life (Luke 7:37). Such a harsh description is not present in Marks version, and the latter only stated that people who were dining with Jesus rebuked her after she poured the oil on his had.

Lukes narrative contains a lot more detail about the events when compared to Marks text. Something that is mentioned in Lukes text but not in Marks is that Jesus had dinner with the one of the Pharisees (Luke 7:36). Moreover, Luke places emphasis on the sins of the women and the morale about her many sins that were forgiven because of the great love she has shown with her actions. Additionally, here, she put oil on Jesuss feed, while in Marks version, she puts it on his head.

One possible explanation is that these two events are actually separate occurrences  one which happened at Pharisees house and one at Simon the Lepers home. This explains the great variation in the sequence of events, the differences in where the ointments were placed, the reaction of the house owner and others, and the explanation of Jesus. In one case, according to Mark, he refers to a prophecy and cites his subsequent death (Mark 14:3-9). In the other, he tells a story of a moneylender and the forgiven sins (Luke 7:36-50). Therefore, it is possible that Mark and Luke describe similar but separate events where two women put ointments on Jesus.

Another example is Mark 3:31-35, in contrast to Luke 8:19-21, where Jesus is surrounded by a crowd of people. His relatives, mainly his mother and father come to see him, but he states that his mother and brothers are those who hear Gods word and put it into practice (Luke 8:21). Mark reflects a similar idea, and the main difference is the wording he uses in this story. However, in Marks version, Jesus also asks who his relatives are, or mother and brothers, while in Lukes, he does not do this. Here, a possible reason why Luke changed the wording is that he wanted to tell this story as is, but have some distinction from Mark.

Another reason why Luke edited Marks gospel is that he used it as a reference for his narrative. In that case, the events in Marks gospel are just reference points, and Luke edited them to present different morale of each story and put emphasis on other important matters. Muddiman and Barton state that Lukes style of writing is very similar to Marks, meaning that the latter was possibly used as a source of information.

To conclude, this paper examined the question of Luke editing Marks Gospel and why this happened. In general, both gospels appear to depict similar events, however, it is evident that Luke made some substantial changes to the way he presented the anointing of Jesus. One reason explaining why this happened is that Luke used Marks work as a reference, or they had the same source for reference. Another possibility is that they depicted similar events that were, in fact, different occurrences, which explains the substantial differences in the two texts.

Works Cited

Barton, John and John Muddiman. The Gospels. Oxford University Press, 2010.

The Bible. The New Oxford Annotated Version, 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2001.

Clay, Chloee. Comparing The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, And John. Owlcation. Web.

The Gospel

The Gospel is an irrefutable witness to the divine humanity of Christ. As a God-inspired book, however, it was written by living people, each describing events as he saw and perceived them or as he heard about them from eyewitnesses. The inspiration of the sacred books refers to the joint creation of men and the Holy Spirit-their cooperation, their synergy. There are known differences of detail between the four evangelists, which shows not a contradiction between them, but their unity. If the narratives were identical, it would suggest that their authors consulted with and copied from one another. The gospels are eyewitness accounts where every fact is true but presented from the point of view of different authors. The thesis of this paper is that in Marks Gospel, Jesus is presented as the Son of God and Son of Man. He is capable of performing miracles but is not deprived of the emotions common to all people.

The Differences and Similarities of the Four Gospels

The living, real Christ, is known to Christians when they accept the whole gospel as a revelation of divine truth. The human mind cannot comprehend this book: it is full of miracles from beginning to end and is itself a miracle. The first chapter of Matthews Gospel depicts the virgin birth of Christ without the involvement of a man. The first chapter of Mark tells of Christs temptation in the wilderness and his encounter with the devil. The Gospel of Luke describes the appearance of the archangel and the Annunciation. The stories told in the four Gospels confront the human mind with a choice. One can humble himself by submitting to faith and Gods revelation or close the book because it contradicts common sense.

Until recently, the naturalness of the narrative was seen as a flaw; now, it is rightly considered a great virtue. The Gospel of Mark is not a literary work but one of the most important historical documents. It is the testimony of the incarnate Son of God, recorded from the words of an eyewitness and closest companion of the Savior during His earthly ministry. The other, more carefully processed hagiographies of Christ apparently use the Gospel of Mark as their basis. If no other New Testament writings existed or remained, the Christian Church and its teaching would still exist in a form little different from the modern one.

There are similarities in Jesus sayings and narratives throughout the gospels. Nevertheless, biblical scholars have also noted points where the gospels differ in their descriptions of the same event. For three hundred years, Christian scholars around the world have been trying to unravel the mystery of why the Gospels, while being so similar on the one hand, are so different on the other. A lot of research has led scholars to the following conclusion  Marks Gospel and an additional source called Q influenced the content of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The two-source hypothesis has become the primary solution to the synoptic problem; most New Testament scholars take this position.

In comparison to the others, Marks Gospel has the character of a simple eyewitness account. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which provide a complete record of the Saviors speeches, the intentional compilation of the story of Christ, the Saviors earthly life, is more evident. In Matthews Gospel, less in the Gospel of Luke, there is also an element of systematization of the material. In Matthew, the speeches containing the foundations of Christs moral teaching are gathered together and given in the form of one sermon. In addition, Matthew and Luke have more of a supernatural aspect, making the natural, purely human side of Christ the Saviors life less clear than Marks account. Marks Gospel is the product of deeper penetration into the mystery of the person of the God-man, and in it, the artistic and theological element is the most vivid. However, one can say that much original material and traits of direct observation have been preserved in it.

The Importance and Essence of Marks Gospel

There is no certainty that the evangelists actually set out to tell the story of what Jesus was like. In the end, though, that is the only task they are seriously pursuing. Nevertheless, in a sense, it is unintentional: they are collecting, slightly reformatting, and arranging in a certain order those stories that have come before them. Simply because these stories are dear to them, simply because they are, along with the Eucharist, an equal and equivalent source of a personal encounter with Jesus; however, one can judge that Mark the Evangelist does not set himself the task of giving a systematic and chronological account.

The significance of Marks Gospel is determined primarily by the importance of the facts it conveys, namely the life, death, and resurrection of the incarnate God. However, it is not unimportant who and how these facts and events were transmitted. Those who study the Gospel must know what material was used by the author. They should be aware for whom Marks Gospel was written, for what purpose the recording was made, and so forth. Therefore, the meaning of the studied Gospel can be more fully understood only after a detailed acquaintance with the basic data about the personality and life of the author and the circumstances of writing the Gospel.

Marks Gospel is known as one of the most important and difficult texts of the New Testament and early Christianity to understand. The fact is that the text of this Gospel is very poorly preserved. In fact, the title and the prologue in the traditional sense of ancient literature are missing; the texts ending is also damaged. The Gospel of Mark was not studied or engaged in biblical scholarship until the appearance of a reconstructed text based on the Vatican Codex. Marks Gospel lacks the narrative of the birth of the Savior, the nativity narrative that Matthew has and Luke has. The text immediately begins with Jesus going out to preach, which begs the question of the extent to which Mark, the evangelist, shared orthodox Christology.

Who Was Mark and How Did He Compile the Gospel?

Mark was a member of the Christian community and was close to Peter and the other leaders of the Jerusalem church. Marks ministry to the apostle Peter is described in extant written works of ancient writings. The name of Saint Mark as a son testifies to a spiritual closeness between the two apostles. It is similar to the relationship between the Apostle Paul on the one hand and the Apostles Timothy and Titus on the other. According to tradition, Mark the evangelist died a martyrs death in Alexandria. This legend, however, relies on evidence dating back no earlier than the fourth century.

Most of the extant testimonies of the Fathers of the Church state that the Gospel of Mark was created in Rome and was primarily intended for Gentile Christians. This is evidenced by many facts, such as the use of a large number of Latinisms, explanations of Jewish customs, and a few quotations from the Old Testament. The primary purpose of the Gospel is to understand the significance of discipleship deeply and following Christ in the context of His death and resurrection.

The fact that Mark is the author of this Gospel does not mean that he is the independent compiler of the material it contains. The Gospel is a special kind of literature that originated in the first century A.D. It is not simply a biography of Jesus Christ or a description of His great deeds. Moreover, it is not a record of everything connected with Jesus as His followers remembered it. The Gospel is a proclamation of the Good News addressed to a specific audience, which runs through the historical events surrounding the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. This is the meaning and purpose of each of the Gospels. And it is in keeping with this purpose that Mark selected and arranged the historical material available to him.

Jesus Image in the Gospel

In the Gospel, Mark has remarkable directness and sincerity in his presentation. He has Jesus listeners react emotionally to everything, surprised and horrified by what is happening. Mark mentions the concerns of those close to Jesus about his mental state. He notes repeatedly and frankly that the disciples did not understand Jesus. He speaks passionately about the feelings that possessed Christ; in general, his whole account is extremely emotional. This is what sets this Gospel apart from the other three versions.

The theological character of Marks Gospel is determined by the person of Jesus Christ and his significance for the circle of his disciples and their discipleship. Already in verse 1, Jesus is called the Son of God. This is affirmed by Heavenly Father, the demonic powers, and Jesus himself. Mark recorded Peters words, You are the Christ in the simplest and most direct form; Jesus responded to this title neither by accepting nor rejecting it. He shifted the disciples attention from the question of Himself to the question of what was to come. He preferred the other title, Son of Man, and told His disciples that He must suffer much, die, and then rise again. In Marks Gospel, Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man 12 times and only once the Christ because the title Son of Man was especially appropriate for His entire messianic task.

Church tradition recounts that the Apostle Mark wrote down the Gospel from the words of the holy Apostle Peter, the most zealous of the twelve apostles. At the same time, he was also the disciple who denied Christ at the most difficult moment. Peter remembered the word that Jesus said to him: Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three time. St. Peter is an example of love for the Savior and, at the same time, an example of weakness, so familiar to all people. The Gospel of Mark testifies how the Lord Jesus Christ helps Christians overcome their weakness, even its most extreme manifestation  unbelief.

In Marks brief account of the Gospel of Mark, relatively much space is devoted to describing the miracles of Christ, which portray His divine majesty and power. However, this does not lessen the true humanity of Christ. In portraying the image of Christ in the fullness of His divine power and authority, the evangelist does not conceal those facts which might seem incompatible with the presence of this fullness. For example, he says that Christ could not have performed a miracle in Nazareth. He recounts in vivid detail the miracles Christ performed not in a single moment or by word alone but in which some outward means were also used. Speaking of Christ himself, the evangelist conveys many such traits that speak of the identity of Christs temper with humans nature. He notes not only His feelings, concerns, and attributes such as compassion, love, and luminous serenity but also His severity and indignation.

However, His suffering and death will precede the triumph and glory of His messianic rule. Jesus, thus, had to pay for the sins of others. It had a special meaning for those who would follow him. The life of Jesus Christ in Marks Gospel is described as the life of Gods servant. It was tough for Christs twelve disciples to understand all this. They were expecting a triumphant Messiah, not one who would suffer and die. Mark describes the crucifixion of Jesus and the accompanying apparitions in a concise way that sheds light on the significance of the events. However, the evangelist writes with special feelings about the empty tomb and the angelic message that Jesus was alive and would meet his disciples in Galilee.

As a good shepherd, Mark wrote his Gospel to respond to the needs of his readers  they needed the gospel to help shape their lives. So, he achieved his goal through the images he recreated of Jesus and his twelve disciples with whom he hoped his readers would want to identify. He showed that Jesus Christ is the Messiah because He is the Son of God and also the suffering Son of Man.

In Marks Gospel, Jesus never openly spoke of himself as who he was, whereas Johns Gospel indicates that he did so very often. John openly exposes Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews, whereas Mark says that his messianism was the greatest mystery throughout his ministry. His martyrdom as such was consistent with Gods plan for the redemption of the human race. In light of all this, the evangelist showed how Jesus cared for his disciples. He tried to convey to them the essence of their discipleship in the context of his death and resurrection. Centuries pass, but all who follow Jesus invariably need this kind of care and instruction.

Christ in Marks Gospel is not just emotional; he is emotional in a human way. So, he can not only be sympathetic to people, but he can also feel anger. However, unlike ordinary anger, Christs irritation has a divine basis: human imperfection. Likewise, in Marks Gospel, Christ is indignant that the disciples do not allow people to bring him, children, for blessing. Similar passages in Matthew and Luke do not mention this. On the contrary, the anger in these Gospels comes from Christs disciples against the people who came to him.

Christ in Marks Gospel is not only the Lord of nature, of the spirit world, the elements, and disease. He is also the Lord of the sick and tormented, stormy and rebellious, suffering and languishing human heart. Moreover, he achieved this power over the human heart not only by His divine power but also as man through unceasing toil, suffering, sorrow, and tears. Christ achieved this through the rejection of temptations, ceaseless prayer, fasting, boundless self-denial, and complete obedience, even to death. In His all-encompassing love, the Lord Jesus shared with each person the burden of their entire, difficult life while being all things to all people. At the same time, he was one with the Heavenly Father and the Spirit of Truth.

Marks Narrative and Differences from the Other Gospels

Marks narrative has an exceptional objectivity that is less characteristic of those of the other apostles. It is more realistic than the other Gospels; the facts are told as eyewitnesses saw them. Hence the remarkable vividness of the story, the vividness of the colors, and the drama of the whole story. The Gospel of Mark can be called an action gospel. The emphasis in it is on events and actions, more on the deeds of Christ than on His speeches. The speeches themselves are brief and mostly related to the events being reported. On the contrary, in the other Gospels, there is an attempt to convey in long orations the teachings of Christ. Mark has no long speeches, except the one about the worlds end and the second coming in chapter 13. The very depiction, both of the general course of events and individual actions, is dynamic. The narrative is not interrupted by the authors considerations of this or that moment or person, as is especially common in Johns Gospel.

Besides, Matthew and Lukes Gospels have almost no expressions of the various ordinary feelings of Christ the Savior. The traits of great simplicity in the disciples attitude toward their Master, even the naive expressions of some vexation toward Him, especially at the beginning of their following, are also omitted in the latter. Even the disciples usual address to Christ, Master, replaced the more appropriate Lord. Various features of His person are revealed in the four different yet accurate descriptions of Christ. Each description complements and elaborates on the previous one to create a complete portrait of Him. People will never fully understand everything about Jesus Christ. However, Christians can learn enough about Him from the four Gospels to appreciate who He is and what He did for people. The value of Marks Gospel is that it presents Jesus as the Son of Man and the Son of God, which shows his true perfection.

References

Bond, Helen K. The First Biography of Jesus: Genre and Meaning in Marks Gospel. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2020.

Ciancio, Jack. Through the Eyes of Mark: His World, His Gospel. Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2021.

Drane, John. Introducing the New Testament. Lion Hudson Limited, 2019.

Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies). Baker Academic, 2013.

Konradt, Matthias. The Gospel According to Matthew: A Commentary. Baylor University Press, 2020.

Mitchell, David Forrest. The Son of Man in Marks Gospel. Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2020.

Stacy, Robert Wayne. Module 3: Overview. Liberty University, n.d., Web.

The Puritans have played an enormous role in American literature, and their ideas still influence moral judgment and some religious beliefs in the United States. Puritan writing has been used to glorify God and to relate God more directly to peoples world. Puritan literature was straightforward and focused on teaching from a biblical perspective. Puritan literature was dominated by a religious rather than an entertainment theme. In their books, Puritan writers often compare themselves or struggle with adversity to the characters in the Bible. Thus, the importance of religious references is that the author shows the reader the difficulties people face in the Bible, whose example should be followed in real life.

The Puritans did not believe in writing for fun; instead, they thought writing was a tool to convey the story of God to people. The works focused on realistic messages, illustrating that everyone was born a sinner and that their salvation was predetermined, a concept known as predestination. Bradford uses biblical hints throughout the history of the Plymouth Plantation to present the history of the plantation to the reader per biblical events and authority important to the Puritans.

In Chapter 9, Bradford mentions that our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice (Bradford 153). Here the author used a reference to the biblical Book of Numbers. The uprisings of the Israelites against Moses and God, which are described in the book of numbers, contain an allusion to the unwillingness to die in the wilderness to conquer the Promised Land. Thus, Bradford not only compares the Pilgrims to the Israelites but also shows some superiority. This is reflected through the Pilgrims willingness to die to conquer the Promised America. Pilgrims do not rebel against God but accept their fate and do everything in the name of Jesus.

In chapter 10, the biblical episode is associated with piles of sand in which the Pilgrims found diverse, fair Indian baskets filled with corn, and some in-ears, fair and good, of diverse colors (Bradford 163). Thus, this episode illustrates an allusion to the biblical story of a vine found by scouts in the Eshkol Valley. The Pilgrims themselves point to the allusion, who, like the scouts, descended into an unfamiliar area.

Thus, Puritan literature and biblical allusions are aimed at enlightenment and familiarity with the Bible. Through references, Puritan writers also show the importance of religion and the ability to withstand adversity. Bradford uses a variety of explicit and implicit allusions in his work, reflecting the messages of the Pilgrims mission. Through references, he also shows the history and development of the plantation, its improvements after the arrival of the Pilgrims, and their religion.

Work Cited

Bradford, William. Of Plymouth Plantation, 1606-1646. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1952.

While reading Everyday Bible Study, I have captured many interesting and valuable ideas. Some of the ideas fit my perception and perspective on the Bible, others I have never thought about before. Nevertheless, despite the different extent of the degree to which I agreed or disagreed with some ideas and utterances, the book has raised more exciting questions in my mind and gave me new insight into the Bible, its history, and its meaning.

Several noteworthy ideas from the Everyday Bible Study fit with my thinking. The first idea is that the Bible is not simply a collection of stories and tales; instead, it presents to us what we need to know about God and ourselves (Cartwright 6). I think it is important to remember that the Bible does not only convey some morals through the narratives, but it helps the reader to find the connection with God through understanding themselves. The second idea that fits with my perspective is connected to the main subject in the Bible. According to the book, the plan of God is considered the main subject of the book. Specifically, his plan to rescue, redeem, and restore his world (Cartwright 7). I agree with this idea because I see the main idea that the Bible is trying to deliver as the notion that God seeks to rescue humankind from sins. The Bible itself teaches the readers that human problems arise from rebellion. Sins are represented as the root of struggles and a curse.

The third idea that I agree with is that The main subject of the Bible is not communicated through a list of commands (Cartwright 7). I find this perspective on the Bible and religion very useful. I think that it is essential to understand that the Bibles commands help people coexist with each other and God in the sense of peace and mutual understanding. Finally, the book mentions that Sin is inside of us (Cartwright 10). I find this utterance true because humans are not perfect, and sin might be a part of ones nature. Thus, instead of rejecting the fact that sin comes from inner factors, I see it more useful to admit that sin does not appear from the outside circumstances. Such a mindset helps me to control my mind and intentions.

Nevertheless, the book also mentioned several points I had never considered before. One of them is claiming that The stories of Scripture are all true (Cartwright 6). The book compared the difference between the story nature of the Bible and that of the movie or other stories. The next idea that I have not thought about before is that God desires to dwell with his people (Cartwright 9). The book says that it could be seen in many stories from the Bible. The third new idea for me is the connection between Gods redemption and the Israelites redemption from Egypt.

Along with the new angles that I have opened for myself from reading the book, I have acquired new questions. For example, if God created humans and created people according to his likeness (Cartwright 9), why do humans have the propensity to sin? Secondly, if all the stories told in the Bible are true, why is it still controversial and causes many debates? Finally, one of the ideas that I like from reading the book is that people should not consider rebellion as something large. The book provides an example based on the act of the rebellion of Adam and Eve. The small action caused adverse consequences. I believe that it is important not to wait for the outside world to be sinless but start with yourself and control the smallest decisions we make.

Work Cited

Cartwright, John et al. Everyday Bible Study. Lifeway Church Resources, 2016.

Introduction

Sufism has often been cited as a representation of Islamic faith and practice. Through it, knowledge and divine loves truth is sought in God and Godly life. Sufism operates on the concept of mystical paths. The path is focused on enhancing the existence of wisdom knowledge and divine love worldwide in ascertaining the nature of God and humans¹. The mysticism of Islam has often been referred to as tasawwuf and this is what has come to be known as Sufism within the western world². The term generally refers to the olden woollen garments used by Islam in the past. Sufism is applauded as having played a critical role in educating the Muslim masses and expounding the depth of their spiritual concern. The formation of the Muslim foundation owes a lot to Sufism³. The large scale proliferation activities worldwide are also traceable to Sufism. Through the elaboration of the prophets image, Sufism has been able to influence Muslim piety to a large extent.

Sufism

The growth of Sufism is believed to be a stepwise process. Which begin with the appearance of early asceticism known as zuhd, the development of classical divine love mysticism known as mahabba laduniya, and the rise of fraternal mystics proliferation order known as turuq⁴. Its history has, however, mostly been related to an individualistic mystical experience. Its initial stage was characterized by several pious circles opposed to worldliness. Their meditations drew a lot from the Quranic words and knowledge. The society then associated the ascetics with meticulous fulfilment of Quaran injunctions and traditions through piety acts and predilection prayers at night. Introduction of love into the early Sufism altered asceticism into mysticism which has often been ascribed to a woman from Basra. Its initial ideals were founded on the fact that Gods love was non-interested and lacked hope for neither paradise nor fear of hell.

Decades after the growth of the mystical trends to various parts of the globe, ten concepts focus grew to concentrate more on tawakkul, which refers to absolute trust in God. This grew to become the central Sufism concept. The Iraqi mysticism school became to be known for its fundamentalist strict adherence to self-control and abstruse insight.

Ghazalis opinion of Sufism

The modern systematic view and Sufism interpretation owe a lot to Ghazalis works. His works also contributed enormously to the integration of Sufism into mainstream Islamic fundamentals. Ghazali wrote plenty of books on various concepts that touch on Islam and life in general. His writings range from the early Islamic philosophies and psychology to kalam and Sufism. His writing s has been major viewed as a deviation from the classical Sufism known to the early societies⁵. Some critics have often mentioned that Al Ghazali attempted to introduce new concepts through Sufism⁶. However, the works are largely accepted as being founded on Sufism and borrowing lots of its foundation from the classical Sufist assertions.

Ghazali remains widely acknowledged as having played a pivotal role in the integration of Sufism into the Islamic Shar+ah law. His works led to the increased status associated with the Sunni within the Islamic community and Sufism scholars. His works have often struck many persons with confusion. Though remaining a critical voice of philosophers, he displayed an active prowess in philosophical reasoning. His plenty of works on Sufism have likewise been a subject of divergent views among various scholars⁷. Al Ghazalis works on Sufism include the criterion of action, revival of religious studies, beginning of guidance, alchemy of happiness, counselling kings, a rescuer from error and methodology of worshippers. However, the alchemy of happiness and the revival of religious studies remain the most popular and widely read works of al Ghazali.

Ghazalis writings

While it has been widely, stated that his Sufism differs from classical Sufism in practice and asceticism, little research has focused on highlighting these differences or similarities on the same. This paper investigates the works of al Ghazali on Sufism to come up with conclusive evidence of this assertion.

Al Ghazali is a respected figure in Islamic thoughts and knowledge. His diverse knowledge in every scope of intellectual fields made him a special figure in Islamic thought. His originality in attempting to create a distinction between falsehood and truth put him at par with renowned world philosophers. However, his unique originality upon many western philosophers Rene Descartes doubt methodology, scepticism by David Hume and pure reason criticism by Emmanuel Kant, makes him a respectable figure in the philosophical world. It may therefore be reiterated that Al Ghazalis thought was not only meant for his time but all eternity⁸. He courageously engaged on continuous search and quest for truth amid falsehood and uncertainties resulting from sectarian conflicts have attracted both the past and present Islamic scholars into the study of his thinking as a resource for knowledge⁹.

His scholarship and mystically personality assisted him to develop reasoned criticism and corrections of various philosophies associated with Sufism trends¹⁰. Excessive proportions are applied in Sufism movements attempting to shun compulsory prayer observation and Islamic duties adherence. The classical Sufism movement undertakes excessive proportions to avoid obligatory prayers observance and Islam duties. Al Ghazali actively engaged in the cleansing of Sufism approach from various excesses and religious authority orthodoxy. In his writings, he stressed the importance of the faithful practising genuine Sufism. He says that sincere Sufism involves sticking within the path that leads to a person attaining fulfilment by finding the truth.¹¹.

In the revival of religious sciences, al ghazali on Sufism. The work covers all aspects of Islamic religious sciences. These include issues of Islamic jurisprudence referred to as Fiqh, the theology of Islam referred to as Kalam, and Sufism as a subject. The books for major section of interest include the acts of worship, the norms of daily life, the ways of perdition, and the ways of salvation¹². The alchemy of happiness is a revised version of the book which he wrote in Persian and both attempt to convey similar view with regard to Sufism and philosophy in general¹³.

He describes the four fundamentals factors that results into ether misery or happiness as including Qalb, Ruh, Nafs, and Aql which represents the heart, the spirit, the soul, and intellect respectively. Al Ghazali asserts that the self has an inherent yearning for an ideal, which it strives to realize and it is endowed with qualities to help realize it¹⁴. Additionally, he mentions that the self possess its own motor and sensory motives of which it applied in fulfillment of individual needs¹⁵. He mentioned that human motor reactions are dependant on two fundamental which are propensities and impulses. Propensities further include appetite and anger. In his writings, he mentions that hunger is urged by appetite, and likewise thirst and sexual craving. On the other hand he mentions in his writings that anger is a factor of rage, indignation and acts of revenge. Additionally, Al Ghazali asserts that propensities are dependant on body organs which helps in its fulfillment¹⁶.

Other than referring to the sensory motives as apprehension, he classifies into four distinct categories based on the external senses. The external senses include hearing, sight, smells, taste and the sense of touch. further he cites five internal senses which or rather common senses which are key to synthesis of sensory information. These include the imagination which facilitates image retention, reflection which combines thoughts to create relevant ideas within the mind. Recollection for remembrance of outer object encountered in the past and creates some form of meaning from them and memory for storage of gathered information from the external sources¹⁷. He notes that unlike external sense which utilizes specific body organs to pronounce themselves, internal sense occur within various regions of the brain¹⁸. He further reiterates that these inner senses facilitate prediction of the future events on the basis of past experiences encountered¹⁹.

In his work, The Revival of Religious Sciences, he cites that both animals and humans possess five internal senses. In his later writings, he quotes that animals lack reflective power and their thinking is mainly based n pictorial imagery and are incapable of complexly associating/.dissociating reflection ideas. He additionally, mentions two qualities that distinguish animals and men. The qualities he describes as intellect and will power mentioning that its these two that assist men to gain spiritual perfection.

Additionally, he mentions that intellect forms basis for rational faculty fundamentalism enabling individuals to develop a generalized concept and knowledge of the surrounding. In this he asserts that clear demarcation differences exist between human and animal will power. He further asserts that the will of humans is subject to intellectual conditioning unlike the will of animals which is conditioned by their appetite and anger. These, he says are the powers that control and regulate the human body. The heart though he says commands all of them and bears six powers in itself. These include appetite, anger, impulse, apprehension, intellect, and will. He state that unlike animals, humans bear all the there traits. Animals only have appetite, anger and impulse. This contradicts the opinions of ancient and medieval philosophers and Sufism scholars who maintained otherwise and more specifically held the belief that animals lacked capacity of becoming angry.

Al-Ghazali asserts that knowledge appear in only two forms. Either innately or is acquired. He sub-divides innate knowledge into two distinct phenomena which and the material and the spiritual world. On other hand he classifies acquired knowledge as either arising out of imitation, or out of logical reasoning or just by sheer contemplation or by an inner intuition²⁰. To expand his scope, he mentions there nature of human self that that affect behavior. These include sage, lust, gluttony and evil. He cites a conflict between the latter three aspects noting that individual bear different proportions of each²¹.

The Nafs, he divides into three different categories on basi of the Quran. are Nafs Ammarah, referring to exhortation of an individual to engage in passions of gratification and hence evil instigation, Nafs Lawammah which is used to referring the conscience that motivates individual to engage in wring doings, Nafs Mutmainnah which helps individual self finds individual peace²². He further compares an individuals soul to a king in charge of a kingdom and argues that the organs constituting the body acts as the artisans and work personnel, the intellect plays the wise advisor, desire the role of wicked servant and anger the police forces role. He mentions that for a king to correctly run the state of affairs, the wise advisor must offer counsel and king must shun the wicked servant, control the workers and artisans and keep anger at manageable level to allow desires domination by intellect.

He argues that perfection of human soul occurs in distinct stages beginning from sensuous, to imaginative to instinctive to rationality before finally settling on divine capacity which enlightens on the reality of spirituality.

He cites two major diseases which he classifies as physical or spiritual and cites that the latter is dangerous and amounts to ignorance and deviation from Godly ways. The spiritual diseases he cites include self-centeredness, wealth addiction/greed, quest for fame and social standing, cowardice and individual ignorance, doubt and acts of lust, malevolence, envy and deception among other evils mentioning that overcoming them imagination can be useful in pursuing the opposite including learning and ignorance, and love versus hate

He further describes individual personality as bringing together of spirit factors and bodily factors. Additionally, he expresses his belief that being close to God reflects equivalence to normality while abnormality is a product of being a distance from God. He argues that the human beings position exist mid-way between humans and animals in distinguishing his perception of knowledge quality. He expounds this assertion mentioning that humans can take either of the two paths, rise to the angels through knowledge assistance or fall to the animals level through domination of anger and individual lust. He also notes that good conduct originates from within independent of total destruction and propensities originating from nature²³.

Hs role in Sufism integration into Muslim and hence compliance with Shar+ah is also enormous. He bridged Sufism concepts with the legal doctrine of Shar+ah successfully. He is also acknowledged as having been amongst the first writers to formally describe Sufism in their works. His works enormously strengthened the Sunnis view within the Islamic fraternity. His ideologically divergence is illustrated in the case of Batinite (Ismailism) who had had emerged in Persian territories and were constantly gaining increased power during his period. After assassination of Nizam al-Mulkby Ismailia adherents, Al Ghazali strictly refuted this ideology and made several writings against this ideology and thereby weakening their ideological statuses²⁴.

Most of Al-Ghazali works are written in Arabic and few in Persian. The alchemy of happiness Ranks amongst his most vital works. It gives his own version of his other writing, the revival of religious sciences though it is somehow shorter. Other than Kimya which is amongst his most celebrated Persian works, the counsel of kings has also been applauded as one of his best writings.

Al Ghazali remains amongst the respected scholars both in philosophy and in Sufism scholars world. He is consedred one of the pioneers of the dount mnemthdology and concept of skepticism. In his work, The Incoherence of the Philosophers, he altered Islamic philosophy course and shifted focus from metaphysics of Islam and Sufism which had mainly been influenced by the philosophies of the Greek and the Hellenist into philosophy more oriented towards cause and effect as defined by God and intermediate angels through religious writings like the Quran.

In one of the last autobigraphies towards his death, the Deliverance from Error he recounts a number of interesting facts. In it, he recounts how an epistemological skepticism crisis was resolved by God and the importance of knowledge in such a resolution²⁵ Though appreciating the valid aspects of the two, he mentions that all the three approaches are not adequate an the final value only lies in mystical insight, belief and experience (the state of prophecy or nubuwwa) he attained because of abiding by Sufism practices and experiences as a result of following Sufi practices..

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that Al-Ghazali rejected conformism or uncritical acceptance of any set of thought including that of the Shar+ah. He is widely known for having sketched his quest based on pre-emptive knowledge and his lifetime ordeals. He reviewed and critiqued the view held by various Islamic groups claiming to offer the gateway to knowledge. His positions with regard to various aspects including Sufism differed with time depending on what he had gone through. He argued that the search for knowledge had to be in conformity with the Shar+ah and bear practical application of benefit to the society. His writing indicates that by ascribing to the Sufism concept, he detached himself from the material world. His spirit seemed to have roamed in search of knowledge throughout his life thereby creating a different view of the Sufism approach. Many persons found his Sufism writings interesting and scholars are increasingly focuses their attention on these works.

Bibliography

Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, Albany, N.Y: Munsell, 1873.

Calverley, E.E. Doctrines of the soul (nafs and ruh) in Islam. Muslim World, 33 (1933): 254-264.

Campanini, M. Al-Ghazzali, S. H. Nasr and Oliver Leaman. History of Islamic Philosophy, London: Routlege, 2001.

Faris, Nabih Amin. The Revival of the Religious Sciences, Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 2003.

Frank, Ryan. Al-Ghazali and the Asharite School, London: Duke University Press, 1994.

Marmara, Michael E. Causation in Islamic Thought. Dictionary of the History of Ideas, New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1973.

Najm, Sami M. The Place and Function of Doubt in the Philosophies of Descartes and Al-Ghazali, Philosophy East and West 16, no. 4 (1966):133-41.

Quasem, Muhammad Abul. Al-Ghazalis theory of good character. 1977, Kabul: 229-39.

Saari, Che Zarrina. Analysis of the Doctrine of Sufism, 2004. Jami al-Haqaiq bi Tajrid al-alaiq:Afkar, pp. 45-66.

Savage-Smith, Emilie. Attitudes Toward Dissection in Medieval Islam, Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, 50, no. 1(1995): 67-110.

Shanab, R. Ghazali. Causation: The Monist: The International Quarterly Journal of General Philosophical Inquiry, 58, no 1 (1974):140.

Footnotes

1. Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, 1873. Albany, N.Y: Munsell
2. Ibid
3. Campanini, M. Al-Ghazzali, S. H. Nasr and Oliver Leaman. History of Islamic Philosophy, 2001. London: Routledge.
4. Faris, Nabih Amin. The Revival of the Religious Sciences, 2003. Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf.
5. Savage-Smith, Emilie. Attitudes Toward Dissection in Medieval Islam, Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, 50(1), 1995, 67-110.
6. Najm, Sami M. The Place and Function of Doubt in the Philosophies of Descartes and Al-Ghazali, Philosophy East and West 16(3-4), 1966, 133-41.
7. Shanab, R. Ghazali. Causation: The Monist: The International Quarterly Journal of General Philosophical Inquiry, 58.1, 1974, p.140.
8. Faris, Nabih Amin. The Revival of the Religious Sciences, 2003. Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf.
9. Campanini, M. Al-Ghazzali, S. H. Nasr and Oliver Leaman. History of Islamic Philosophy, 2001. London: Routledge
10. Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, 1873. Albany, N.Y: Munsell.
11. Marmara, Michael E. Causation in Islamic Thought. Dictionary of the History of Ideas, 1973-74. 15. New York: Charles Scribners Sons.
12. Campanini, M. Al-Ghazzali, S. H. Nasr and Oliver Leaman. History of Islamic Philosophy, 2001. London: Routlege.
13. Quasem, Muhammad Abul. Al-Ghazalis theory of good character. 1977, Kabul: 229-39.
14. Ibid.
15. Najm, Sami M. The Place and Function of Doubt in the Philosophies of Descartes and Al-Ghazali, Philosophy East and West 16(3-4), 1966, 133-41.
16. Faris, Nabih Amin. The Revival of the Religious Sciences, 2003. Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf.
17. Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, 1873. Albany, N.Y: Munsell.
18. Calverley, E.E. Doctrines of the soul (nafs and ruh) in Islam. Muslim World, 1933, 33, 254-264.
19. Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, 1873. Albany, N.Y: Munsell.
20. Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, 1873. Albany, N.Y: Munsell.
21. Saari, Che Zarrina. Analysis of the Doctrine of Sufism, 2004. Jami al-Haqaiq bi Tajrid al-alaiq:Afkar, pp. 61.
22. ibid.
23. Saari, Che Zarrina. Analysis of the Doctrine of Sufism, 2004. Jami al-Haqaiq bi Tajrid al-alaiq:Afkar, pp. 45-66.
24. Al-Ghazzali, Mohammed. The Alchemy of Happiness, 1873. Albany, N.Y: Munsell.
25. Saari, Che Zarrina. Analysis of the Doctrine of Sufism, 2004. Jami al-Haqaiq bi Tajrid al-alaiq:Afkar, pp. 45-66.

Although Bhagavad-Gita has always acquired the titles such as The divine Song of God or The word of God etc, but still a common man cannot visualize the changes and the influences of such changes which has been occurred and preached since the origin of Gita throughout the decades. History and literature reveal no particular date or incident of composition of Gita, what we learn from the ancient scholars literature is the assumed date 150 B.C. Bhagavad-Gita is close to the Vedic religion, in fact it is considered to be based upon the Vedas or ancient yoga. Such yoga revolves around the notion of spirituality and teaches self discipline.

Based upon the Sanskrit text, Gita has been translated into umpteen languages following many versions. With more than 2,000 versions of the Bhagavad-Gita published since 1785, the first European edition was printed in London. The compiler of an international bibliography of the Bhagavad-Gita, Jagdish Chander Kapoor, writes that he collected 6,000 citations, out of which he selected 2,795 entries in 50 different languages (Sinha, 1987, p. 61).

From the original Bhagavad-Gita to the present, one can easily see the alterations that have taken place throughout the passage of time. Even the minute of the changes occurred in Hindu society are based upon the debate which has taken place as a consequence of the change in Bhagavad-Gita. All the present Hindu conflicts and believes are based upon the doctrine, monotheism or polytheism.

It was a surreptitious plot to dismantle the whole intellectual edifice of Indian culture which had been built up over a thousand years. The changers not only stopped the tide of rationalism in Indian life but also seduced people into believing and accepting the false as genuine, alien as indigenous, religious as political, and mystical as rational (Sinha, 1987, p. 105). The consequences of this change on the Indian society and culture are manifested from the present-day morals of Hindus, who believe in the polytheism of God. This is in fact the most prominent change in Gitas doctrine, theism or monism.

Hinduism when seen from the eyes of Gita, as perceived by Gitas followers offers full potential to understand and explore through its myths and legends. The best example is that of the mythological stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata with the purpose to combat evil and promote goodness. Scholars often say that Gita is all about Gods incarnation in many forms. Gita tells us that God is but in different faces and shapes. Similarly, what people perceive is that the existence of God supports different purposes.

So, what Hindus believe is the Gods declaration whenever the forces of evil exceed goodness and virtue and wherever evil overcomes virtues; God manifests Himself (Balasubramanian, 2001). The main point is myths are what perceived from the people, not from Gita. Therefore, it has arrived from myths and ancient stories that support the notion of polytheism.

In chapter 1, section 1, topic 7 it is told that God is inside everybody but God is different (Badarayan, Verse 20-21). Chapter 1, Section II, Topic 4, the one inside i.e. God is logical in everybody and not physical in anyone (Badarayan, verse 13). That means God does not exist physically. According to chapter 1 section II topic 1 verse 8, if it negated that God is subjected to the physical or emotional experience as a result of unity, we say so, for there exists a difference (Badarayan, verse 13). That clearly indicates that God is different from His creation.

The notion that Gita contains a polytheistic reading is what today scholars say. According to Merchant (2001), In Hinduism, all gods and goddesses are representations of Divinity in the many qualities of consciousness in the manifest world. The Divine is One, the Infinite, Immortal, Eternal, The One Without a Second, but the names and forms of the Divine are many and diverse in the phenomenal world. They embody in the finite the imprint of the Infinite Spirit in the three hundred and thirty billion thousand of gods and goddesses which reveal the essence of Divinity in unique form (Merchant, 2001). This is what Hindu writers and scholars say.

On the other hand, the original Bhagavad-Gita from the Hindu scriptures says Those people whose intelligence is robbed by the material desires surrender them to demigods, thereby following the particular rules and regulations of worship that satisfy their own natures (Bhagavad-Gita, 7:20) That simply elucidates the doctrine that there are two categories of worshippers, those who worship the true God and those who worship other that the true God. From a different perspective, Bhagavad-Gita can be interpreted through the eyes of Upanishads (sacred scriptures by Hindus).

Consider this: Ekam evadvitiyam. Translation: He is One only without a second. (Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1) Further, according to Upanishads: Na casya kascij janita na cadhipah. Translation: Of Him there are neither parents nor lord. (Svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9) He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginning-less, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds& (Bhagavad-Gita 10:3) Brahma Sutra of Hinduism clearly states: Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste neh na naste kinchan. Translation: There is only one God, not the second; not at all, not at all, not in the least bit. (Badarayan, 192:555)

Literature reveals that when the original Gita was altered, the interpolators also made changes in many other works of that time to establish textual support in their favor. It was for this reason that the interpolations were made in the Rig Veda, the Epics, Samkhya Karika, and Yoga Sutra.

Historical evidence suggests that Brahmans were the ones responsible for changing the original Gita and creating castes within the Hindu system. The new Brahmanic faith was organized at four different centres (mathas) during the time of Shankaracharya. These teachers received increasing political protection and patronage. At the same time, the national opponents of the new faith were forced into silence. In such an atmosphere, the people had to accept the doctrines of the new faith even when they did not agree with them.

This enforced obedience of the Indian people towards the newly coined doctrines and codes of behaviour which, though beneficial to the Brahmans as a caste, were disastrous to India as a nation, as a political entity, and as a culture. The repercussions of these changes have been embedded deep into the Hindu society and can be easily categorized under subheadings of political submissiveness; philosophical distortions; mystification of Yoga; and religious and cultural effects.

Sinha (1987) writes: While reading the Bhagavad-Gita, I became disheartened and confused for the distortion I felt by its religious and mystical colouring in the Bhagavad-Gita. The reason for being confused was the countless contradictory assertions in the Bhagavad-Gita. At times, I wondered whether Indians had ever had the ability to think coherently! Thinking that I might be wrong in my understanding of the meaning or the content, I read it quite carefully again and again (Sinha, 1987, p. 119).

It was during this phase of the critical reading of the Bhagavad-Gita that Sinha came to the conclusion that there was a separate Gita prior to this Bhagavad-Gita, which is called the original Gita. This is also evident from the fact that original Gita began with verse 28 (Ch. I) of the present Bhagavad-Gita. The text of the original Gita is intact within the first three chapters of the extant Bhagavad-Gita and fifteen new chapters were added to the original Gita when it was altered.

Twenty-seven verses were appended before verse 28 and numerous verses were inserted among the verses of the first three chapters to create a supportive link for the vast interpolations. The last but not the least that proves the alteration of Gita is the fact that original Gita was altered during the time of Brahminic revivalism around 800 A.D. to propagate the doctrine of nondualism (advaita) and Vedanta (the end of the Vedas) (Sinha, 1987, p. 12).

P.S. Quotes from the sacred texts could not be further changed, therefore please do not consider them plagiarized as proper citations are given.

Works Cited

Badarayan (Vyasa) Brahma Sutra, 192:555. Translated by Swami Gambhirananda: Advaita Ashram, Kolkatta.

Balasubramanian Radha, (2001). Reading Bulgakovs the Master and Margarita from the Perspective of Hinduism In: International Fiction Review.

Bhagavad-Gita multimedia book: translated in English. International Sanskrit Research Academy Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1. The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 447 and 448.

Sacred Books of the East, volume 1 The Upanishads part I page 93.

Merchant V. Vasant, (2001) The One and the Many: Unity in Diversity In: International Journal of Humanities and Peace. Volume: 17. Issue: 1 p: 109+.

Sinha Phulgenda, (1987) The Gita as It Was: Rediscovering the Original Bhagavadgita: Open Court: La Salle, IL.

Svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9. The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 745.

Sacred Books of the East, volume 15, The Upanishads part II page 263..

The Main Concepts and Ideas of the Book

The book Changed into His Image, by Jim Berg, discusses sanctification. Sanctification is a process through which people are made holy according to the Biblical teachings. Therefore, Berg endeavors to illustrate how Biblical teachings contribute to the sanctification of believers. Berg reminds his audience that for one to become an accomplished Christian, he or she must accept Jesus Christ as his savior. Thus, Jesus Christ bears the sins of that individual, and in return, the person has to choose to follow Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, Jesus is the child of God, and anyone who chooses to follow Jesus also becomes a child of God. Once an individual accepts Jesus Christ and becomes a child of God, God initiates the process of change. Berg (2003, 2) argues the process of change initiated in the changed individual enables him or her to resemble Christ in terms of ambitions, actions, and attitudes. Berg notes that the process of change is gradual, and God often uses several things to ensure that an individual is changed completely.

During the process of change, God ensures that the believer encounters trials and temptations to test his or her strength. In addition, God uses the believers friends and the church as vessels that bring about the intended change. Furthermore, God uses His word and Spirit to necessitate the required change. Berg stresses the point that sanctification does not occur at once; however, it occurs progressively. Berg indicates that the Bible likens this change to growth. Berg indicates that Christian life is a true example of the process of sanctification. Berg notes that Christian life is challenging and that believers have to understand the process of sanctification for them to overcome the challenges that come along with this process. Berg likens the Christian life to a marine captains journey in the sea. While in the sea, a captain who is well equipped overcomes all adverse conditions in the sea. Thus, Berg uses his book to enlighten Christians on how sanctification works. Christians need to understand the principles which guide the process of sanctification for them to remain steadfast. This will assist them in accomplishing the process of change. Sanctification enables believers to not only act in a Christly manner but also have attitudes and ambitions which resemble those of Christ.

Strengths of the Authors arguments, Ideas, and Conclusions

Bergs main aim is to highlight to Christians the challenges that come along with the process of sanctification. Sanctification should change an individual to become a grown-up Christian. Berg supports his arguments and ideas by quoting the Bible. The Bible is an essential resource that guides Christians through the process of sanctification. Berg manages to pass across his message by using teachings from the scriptures. For example, he notes that when Jesus Christ lived on earth, the Son of God portrayed features of a man whose actions, ambitions, and attitudes resembled those of God. Berg drives his point home by requesting Christians to learn from Jesus life on earth. While on earth, Jesus encountered numerous trials, temptations, persecution, and even betrayal from his disciples. However, Jesus remained steadfast and committed to God. He never swayed away from the teachings written in the Bible. He often quoted the teachings written in the Bible whenever He encountered challenging moments. Berg (2003, 3) quotes Pauls message written in Ephesians chapter four verse thirteen; the believer is a measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Berg reaffirms his arguments by stating that the nature of God should be reflected in a person who has undergone complete sanctification as it was in Christ. This eventually turns an individual into a humble servant of God. Berg notes that the essence of Christianity is to attain spiritual maturity, which is Christ-like humility. Such humility enables a Christian to become an accomplished servant of God. Berg points out that sanctification is a process of becoming like Christ. For that purpose, Christians should learn from the messiahs life on earth. These are solid points which Berg uses to support his arguments.

Weaknesses of the authors Arguments, Ideas, and conclusions

The book Changed into His Image, by Jim Berg has very few weaknesses. Berg bases his arguments on biblical teachings. However, the Christian life is diverse, and understanding the process of sanctification cannot be based on biblical teachings only. Thus, the author ought to have substantiated his arguments by using nonbiblical examples.

Implications of the book in relation to ones Personal Growth as a Disciple of Jesus

The book Changed into His Image, by Jim Berg gives the readers an extensive biblical view of the Christian life, of man, and the relationship between God and man. When a man cannot understand the ways of God, his Christian life becomes bumpy and challenging. It is significant for Christians to understand the ways of God to remain steadfast. This book outlines the steps which a believer can take to understand the ways of God, and the process of becoming like Christ. Bergs book explains the process of sanctification in detail. This enables Christians to meditate on their lives and reexamine their actions. This book provides a perfect foundation for self-appraisal. Self-appraisal is an essential exercise that enables Christians to reexamine their lives and compare their actions with those of Jesus Christ. Bergs book encourages Christians to reexamine their lives and correct their actions to reflect the will of God.

Bergs book challenges believers that they cannot convince others to change unless they have a clear understanding of the process of change. The book reminds believers that God has recruited them to a ministry of discipleship with those within their borders. As Gods servants, believers are supposed to minister the word of God to their close friends, colleagues, and family members. Thus, readers of this book are requested to not only censure one another but also guide one another. This book also teaches believers the principles of good discipleship.

Bergs book teaches believers that discipleship is not a mere program. However, it is a mutually beneficial association that unites people who have a defined spiritual goal. Since the book discusses both discipleship and sanctification, it can serve as a foundation upon which Christians can nurture spiritual maturity. Believers will find this book very helpful because it acts as a guiding manual. Each chapter has vital information which can assist disciples to reach out to others who need change. Bergs book motivates believers to remain focused and consistent in their daily lives. Therefore, believers should be encouraged to read Bergs book Changed into His Image, if they intend to attain spiritual maturity.

Bibliography

Berg, Jim. Changed into His Image. Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 2003.

Introduction

There exist diverse theories of the origin of the universe and life. This has been argued through scientific theory, creation theory, and myths theory. With these theories, people have different ideologies and views in accordance with what one believes in. This paper summarizes beliefs about the origin of the universe and life, giving my interpretation of the same.

Origins Reflection

People believe in various theories of origin varying from Christians creations, scientific evolutions and cultural theories. Christians believe that God created the universe. Conversely, scientists believe that the universe took evolution way of origin. More so, there are cultural myths that take some form of origin that are passed from generation to the other.

God made various commands to formless universe, hence the creation of heaven, earth and all the animals. According to scientific theory, which I believe in, universe was formed through a reaction of gaseous forms (Andrulis, 2012). With this, evolution was a slow process that later formed the universe (El-Dash, 2012). Also, this led to an evolution of creatures to their modern forms.

Moreover, creation myths across the globe have been told generation after the other varying from community to the other. Citing an example of African Mesopotamia people, there was Sumerians who believed in a myth called gilgames. They assumed that God had existed way before the earth was formed.

With all these different beliefs of origin and life, it may lead to various contradicting information and hence divisions of people in their daily lives.

Genesis Account of Creation

According to Genesis chapter one and two:

• Universe was formless and dark; there was only water that contained the spirit of God.
• God made creation orders and hence the creation began with a separation of dry land with the waters and darkness with light.
• He created heaven and earth and separated day and night; thus, according to Christians there was innovation of calendar.
• He created all the animals, and the last creation was man.
• Creation took six days and on the seventh day He took a rest.
• God gave man some powers to oversee His creation and to name all the plants and animals.

Evolution and Age of the Earth

As observed by Lurquin (2013), the origin of the universe is simply the evolution that occurred about 4.5 billion years back. This can be defined as a belief that multiplied millions of years ago, and some form of life began out of natural causes from living atoms. It is this matter that took some changes gradually up to the modern life. This can be proven by:-

• The fossils that were discovered; for instance, fossils of dinosaurs show that there was an evolution of those lives to modern ones.
• Evolutionally theory shows that related organisms share the same characteristics, which are related with common ancestral roots.
• In comparison to time of evolution and space involved, it got some necessity for the occurrence of the waters and dry land. This also can be viewed by the fact that there was gradual reaction of gases that led to dry land.

My Understanding of the Origin of the Universe

In comparison, both creationism and evolution got similarity that can be upheld and assist in reconciling the two. That is:-

• In both, there is a fact that universe and earth are very old, and there was a process for either of the occurrences. God took six days to create the earth while evolution took time as well.
• There was the discovery of fossils about five thousand years back and biblically that was the time Adam and Eve were created; thus, getting to a common ground.
• Old earth creationism is an argument that scientifically agrees with the age of the earth but discards six days of creation by God as six eras.

In this regard

• I believe in my philosophy of earthism and the earth is to be lived by humankind.
• I also believe the earth is a god that requires no ritual or prayers.
• I uphold the idea that man is separate from all the animals and unique in his nature and being. Man is to remain true to each other and wars and genocide is a disease invented by man.
• In my earthsim, I realize that humankind will destroy itself and earth will regenerate life again because earth is the sole creator.
• I believe the most important value of living is justice, peace, equality and dignity of brotherhood of man in this paradise called earth.
• I believe that humans will finally achieve unity and live as humankind. Peace will prevail in the earth, and it will be the end of humankind sufferings.

Conclusion

In all forms of origins and life, there is a sense of the universe and later sense of creatures including the humankind. This shows that there is a kind of process that led to the modern way of living.

References

Andrulis, E.D. (2012).Theory of the origin, evolution, and nature of life. Life, 2(1), 1-105.

El-Dash, A. (2012). Origin of the universe and life on earth. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris Corporation.

Lurquin, P.F. (2013). The origins of life and the universe. New York: Columbia University Press.