Religion and Theology

This paper tackles the many ways in which sin is conceived in Christianity as well as the evil effects of the sin on the spirit. The paper further discusses the few ways in which sin can be overcome by the Christian. It is also emphasized by this paper that ones reason for overcoming sin is for him to avoid its evil effects.

Introduction
Man is not only a physical being but also a spiritual one, and just as an illness weakens him in the physical, sin weakens his spirit. The idea behind the concept of sin dates back to the birth of society when morality was also born, and for centuries many men and women have condemned sin as well as the sinner. But what is sin really and how is it conceived And more importantly, what are the ways that a good Christian should follow in order to overcome it The key to becoming a good follower of Christ is not only learning how to do good but also knowing how to overcome evil. Such is the purpose of this detailed investigation into the nature of sin.

How Sin is Conceived
In Christianity, sin is usually conceived by succumbing to temptations or through the violations of the doctrines of the Church, namely the Ten Commandments and the principles inherent in the Lords Prayer (Aquinas, 1939).

Temptations. To tempt is nothing but to test and prove and that to tempt a man is simply to test or try his virtue. Any temptation towards man is done in two ways in the same way that a mans virtue necessitates two conditions to do good and to avoid evil (Aquinas, 1939). This is based on a line in the Book of Psalms saying Turn away from evil and do good (NIV Holy Bible, Ps. 33.15). This therefore implies that at times a mans virtue is tested in doing good and at times it is tried in avoiding evil. There are basically three types of temptations mentioned in the Holy Scriptures the temptations of the flesh, the temptations of the devil, and the temptations of the world (Aquinas, 1939).

However it should be noted that God frequently sends trials to the just who, through their patience, overcome the sin with their virtue and they themselves increase in virtue (Aquinas, 1939). This statement alone presupposes that behind every temptation, God Himself gives His consent.
Temptations of the Flesh. Man is tempted by the flesh in two ways.

First, the flesh incites man to evil. The flesh seeks its own pleasures, specifically called carnal pleasures, in which man indulges himself and consequently neglects spiritual things (Aquinas, 1939). This is confirmed by the apostle James when he said, Every man is tempted by his own concupiscence (1 James 1.13). The capital sins of lust and gluttony may be examples of temptations of the flesh.

Secondly, man is tempted by the flesh by enticing him away from good (Aquinas, 1939). This presupposes the instances where the flesh puts obstacles in the way of the spirit. The corruptible body is a load upon the soul (Wis. 9.15). Pride and sloth may be classified as temptations of the flesh of this subtype. Pride, I believe, is the flesh enticing man away from humility, while sloth keeps him away from diligence.

Personally I believe that the temptations of the flesh prove to be most severe to man as the flesh is something united to him. There is therefore a need for us to watch over this enemy and guard ourselves from the inside.

Temptations of the Devil. Even when the flesh is subdued, man may still be tempted by the devil with extreme force (Aquinas, 1939). The Apostle Paul says in his Epistle to the Ephesians that mans struggle is not against flesh and blood, but againstthe rules of the world ofdarkness, against the spirits of wickedness (Eph. 6.12).

The devil does two things when he tempts man. First, he deceives a man first. Paul himself, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, says, Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11.14). Secondly, after Satan betrays man, he leads him to sin (Aquinas, 1939).

Some sins, I believe, which are the works of the devil are those that involve some form of deception at first. This may include sins of adultery, in which marriage serves as a deception, and the sin of stealing, where the perpetrator hides his evil intentions before he commits the sin.

Temptations of the World. The world has two ways of tempting man. First, the world tempts man through excessive and intemperate desire for the goods of this life (Aquinas, 1939). The ones who succumb to this type of temptation may be those who seek after money. Paul says to Timothy that the desire of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6.10). Money may not be the only object of temptation here but also physical goods and all other things wealth can buy.

The second way that man is subdued by the temptations of the world is through fears engendered by tyrants and persecutors (Aquinas, 1939). This is further supported by Paul in saying that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3.12). Fear, after all, is indeed one powerful tool of the world that drives man to commit sin. For example, an employee is forced by one of his superiors not to tell the truth about the latters corruption and threatens him with the termination of his services. Such fear may then lead the employee to continually turn a blind eye to his superiors evil deeds and as an accomplice to the crime, the employee commits a sin by allowing himself to be subdued by the temptation of the world.

Violations of the Ten Commandments. In Christianity, other sins may be committed against certain doctrines of the Church and one of which is the Ten Commandments given by God to the Israelites through Moses (Exod. 20.2-17). The first three of the Ten Commandments are directed towards the worship and honor of God, the first two are stated negatively and the third positively. The remaining seven commandments are directed towards ones fellowman, with only the first stated positively and the rest negatively. Man conceives a sin as a direct violation of the actual statement of any of the Ten Commandments, like the sin of killing as a direct violation of the Fifth Commandment. However, there are certain other sins which may be committed as indirect violations of these commandments.
A special mention should be given to anger, which is considered to be a violation of the fifth commandment, Thou shalt not kill (Aquinas, 1939). This is based on what was written by the Apostle MatthewYou have heard that it was said to them of old Thou shalt not killbut I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment (Matt. 5.21-22).

Violations of Certain Petitions of The Lords Prayer. The Lords Prayer is the prayer taught by Jesus to His Apostles (Matt. 610-14) and was taught in very plain and simple words. Aquinas (1939) says that the fourth petition of The Lords Prayer, Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread teaches us to avoid five sins committed out of the desire for temporal things, or things that are temporary (Aquinas, 1939).
Two of the sins worth mentioning here are the first and fifth sins. The first sin is mans inordinate desire to seek those things which go beyond his state and condition of life. The fifth sin, on the other hand, is ingratitude. An example of such is a man who grows proud in his wealth and does not realize that what he has comes from God (Aquinas, 1939). Based on the aforementioned statements, it is clear that the overly ambitious and the ungrateful are both sinful. The other three sins, however, are concerned with greed.

Ways that Lead to the Commission of the Capital Sins. Torre (1980) states that sin has two elements. One of which is turning away from God, which is pride or the disorderly desire for ones excellence. The other one is turning to creatures, which is greed or covetousness, manifesting itself in the form of envy, anger, lust, gluttony or sloth. These are the seven capital sins, thus called because they are considered the heads of all the others (Torre, 1980).

Based on the aforementioned definition of capital sins, it seems that man himself can cause himself to conceive sin  either through the rejection of God or through the turning to savage, beastlike ways. These two ways may also be likened to man being subdued by the temptations of the flesh, which is a part of his being.

Evil Effects of Sin
Once conceived, sin causes effects in the spirit. This is the reason for the need to overcome it. Overall, sin has five effects on the spirit (Aquinas, 1939).

The first evil effect of sin is the defilement of the soul, which means that the soul becomes tainted and unclean (Aquinas, 1939).

The second effect of sin is that we commit an offense against God (Aquinas, 1939). The Book of Wisdom states that to God, the wicked and wickedness are hateful alike (Wis. 14.9). This shows us that God identifies the sinner with his sin and He hates both.

The third effect of sin is that man is spiritually weakened by it, which implies that the more he sins, the more prone he is to committing more sins (Aquinas, 1939). However, Paul says that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin may be destroyed (Rom. 6.6). This means that Christ lessened this sickness and weakness caused by sin.

The fourth effect is that we incur the punishment due to sin (Aquinas, 1939). This is based on Gods being just which means that whoever sins must be punished and that the punishment must be in direct proportion with the guilt (Aquinas, 1939). Overcoming sin is therefore essential as if man does not know how to do such, his spirit will forever be punished in eternal damnation.

The fifth and last evil effect of sin is that we incur banishment from the Kingdom of Heaven (Aquinas, 1939) in a similar way the ones who offend the king are put into exile. God is the Kingdom of Heaven and the Symbol of All Goodness. This implies that, although there are ways to overcome sin, God banishes a sinner from the Kingdom and can only return through certain ways and procedures instituted by the Church.

How Sin is Overcome
The spiritual ability to overcome sin is not shared by many people. When one overcomes sin and the ways that sin is committed, one deserves the reward (Aquinas, 1939).

Prayer. The sixth petition of the Lords Prayer states Lead Us Not Into Temptation which presupposes the importance of this prayer and of prayer itself in seeking ways to overcome temptation. Aquinas (1939) states that it is only human to be tempted but to give consent to temptation is devilish.
Patience. The Apostle James says that blessed is the man that endures temptation for when he has been proved, he shall receive the crown of life (James 1.2). The value of patience, therefore, in overcoming sin, cannot be emphasized heavily. Aquinas (1939) says that it is by patience that we obtain peace and the Apostle Matthew also writes the words of Jesus saying blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God (Matt. 5.9). God therefore delivers man from evil but only when man possesses the virtue of patience.

Charity. Charity, even in its smallest degree, is able to resist any kind of sin (Aquinas, 1939). Although this may be a principle that belongs only to certain religions, charity, I believe, serves to lessen the guilt and therefore lessens the punishment. It may also be an external effect of repentance.
Seeking the Guidance of the Holy Spirit. Another way to overcome sin is by walking in the ways of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 517 says, Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh(Michael, 2007) This means that when the Holy Spirit governs ones ways, he will not be overpowered by temptation and by the sinful desires that draw people away from living a holy life. Paul further affirms this in Romans 8 when he says that those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (Michael, 2007). The aforementioned statements basically tell us one thing  that the sinner is nothing more than a misguided soul. Only the Holy Spirit therefore can direct man in order for him to overcome sin.

Conclusion
Although to be tempted is only human, the mere act of succumbing to temptation and sin is pure evil. Sin is conceived in many ways from temptations to violations of certain doctrines. Such commission of sin instantly results in evil effects to the spirit and even with forgiveness and repentance serving as remedy, the greatest challenge of man remains as his struggle to overcome sin and although there are a few ways, the most effective is seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and walking in His ways.

The angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is not Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Various scriptures in the bible have shown this.  The angel of the Lord in the Old Testament was watching over the chosen people of God who were the Israelites. Jesus Christ claims that he had come for both the Jews and gentiles. For examples, when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, the angel of Jehovah appeared to Moses claiming that he had seen the suffering of the people of Israelite (Exodus 34). He appeared to Jacob, Hagar, and Abraham who were all Israelites. Jesus Christ in the New Testament when he was asked by the Jews why he was associating with sinners, he claimed that he had come to bring salvation to all mankind.

The appearance of the angel of Jehovah in the Old Testament was a representation of the appearance of God Himself to mankind. This is shown through the fact that he claims to be divine, when he appeared to Moses, he told him that he was the IAM. He was also referred to as God by people like Abraham in the Old Testament. He is highly respected as seen when Moses went near the angel of the Lord in the burning bush. He was told to take off his shoes (Exodus 3). He also received burnt offerings and sacrifices as indicated when Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac for him (Gen. 2212).
The writers of the Old Testament also acknowledge him as the angel of God. On the other hand, Jesus Christ was neither respected nor referred to as God. Some of his disciples referred to him as son of God. Instead of receiving sacrifices, he was rejected and wounded for the sins of human beings (Luke 22).

The angel of Jehovah claimed to do what God can do. He promised Hagar that Ishmael will be a great nation. He also promised Abraham that he will get a son in old age and all the generation will be blessed through him. For Jesus Christ he performed miracles using the name of the Lord. For example, he healed the blind beggar and told him that his faith has healed him.

Christ in the New Testament was to continue with the work of salvation that had been started by God in the Old Testament through the Angel of Jehovah who was God himself. Angel of the Lord cannot be placed in the second trinity since he has not been seen by any person, he only manifested his presence through strange occurrences like fire and clouds yet Lord Jesus Christ was born by human being and he always identified himself with mankind.

The angel of the Lord in the New Testament is not being mentioned because he had sent Christ in human form to save people from their sins. God had mentioned this through the prophets in the Old Testament, when Christ was given a scroll to read in the temple he read that the spirit of the Lord was upon him. The identification of the angel of the Lord as IAM and also of Christ to the Jews as IAM was that he was trying to make them understand that he was the son of God. Both Christ and the angel of Jehovah performed more less the same incidences e.g. having compassion for women like Hagar and Mary Magdalene, this shows that Christ was identified with Angel of Jehovah who was God.

Therefore the angel of Jehovah in the Old Testament is not Jesus Christ in the New Testament but Christ came to continue and accomplish the work of salvation that had been started by the angel of Jehovah who is God.

The Prajpramit Hridaya Sutra, known commonly as the Heart Sutra, and the Vajracchedik Prajpramit Sktra, known commonly as the Diamond Sutra, embody the very essence of the wisdom school of Mahayana Buddhism. They are based on the concept of Prajpramit, or Perfection of Wisdom. Both of them are widely popular and constitute the most chanted sutras in Zen. They are indispensable for gaining an understanding of Zen philosophy.

The Heart Sutra presents the deepest teaching of Buddhism in a very cryptic form. The whole of it is just about half a page in length. It is sermon given by Bodhisattva Avalokiteswara to Subhuti on the concept of Shunyata or emptiness. The meaning of the Heart Sutra is summed up in the legendary first line of the sermon Here, O Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form (Buddhism.org). The rest of the sutra is mostly an extension and elaboration of this line. If one understands this line, one understands the whole of Heart Sutra and has grasped the central truth of Buddhism. In the sentences that follow, the author of the Heart Sutra replaces various things in the place of form, such as, perceptions, senses, impulses, and mind. The import of this is that things are empty and the world is illusory. When one has attained to nothingness, one has achieved nirvana.

The Diamond Sutra is somewhat less esoteric than the Heart Sutra. The sutra is a record of a dialogue between the Buddha and Subhuti, as are many other sutras of the original Pali canon. Its essence is presented in its concluding verse (free translation)

Thus shall you think of this fleeting world
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream,
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
(Ming Qi)

This, as we can see, is again the same teaching  the world is illusory  but here the emphasis is more on impermanence.

Tabular comparison between the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra
Heart SutraDiamond SutraPreceptor

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshwara (but later confirmed by the Buddha)The BuddhaForm

MonologueDialogueLength

Short, easier to learn by heart.Long (six times longer), and difficult to learn by heart.Level of difficulty

Very difficultEasierCentral Teaching

Everything is emptyEverything is impermanent, things do not have self-natureMoral VirtuesNilCharity, unselfishness, patience, resolution etc.Concept of Enlightenment

Sudden, no gradual growth is achieved by removal of thought obstructions.Sudden, no gradual growth is achieved by removal of thought obstructions.Basis of practice

Non-attachmentNon-attachmentNature of the text

RadicalSemi-radical, and paradoxical because of combining the conventional and the esoteric dimensions

Comparison between Buddhist and Christian teachings on salvation
According to both Christianity and Buddhism, man is in a state of suffering, but there is a way out of this suffering. In Christian belief, suffering exists because man has sinned, to be more specific, man is born in sin because the first man has sinned in disobeying the explicit injunction of the Lord who created him. In Buddhism, there is no such myth and theology, there is only an existential analysis. Man is suffering because of his ignorance and illusions. The Buddha says that the world is full of suffering, but the implication here is that the world as seen from our ignorant perception is full of suffering.

Once the perception is clarified, we achieve the state of Nirvana, or release from suffering. However, as both the Heart and Diamond sutras emphasize, there is nothing to be achieved, the implication being that the state of Nirvana is pre-existent, it does not have to cultivated or created, it is the fundamental substrate of existence. In Christianity, God out of his compassion has sent a savior, his own Son, unto the earth, and the way out of suffering for humankind is to believe in Him. Here, the status of all those people who existed prior to the advent of the Son, as well as of those who existed after but could never hear about Him though thorough no fault of their own, is not clear. Also, one does not have to really follow the teachings of Jesus Christ or lead a virtuous life or even pray to God, one simply has to believe wholeheartedly (or simplemindedly) in the theological doctrine of Christianity and ones place in heaven is secured. Salvation means being able to reach heaven, and avoid the eternal fires of hell after death.

In Buddhism salvation has to be attained through ones own effort. Appo dipo bhava were the last words of the Buddha  Be a light unto yourself. Buddha also admonished, Work diligently (on your path to Nirvana). Salvation simply means freedom from the illusory concept of the self. When one is freed from the self, what is is. Buddha does not speak of the nature of this isness of existence, because our words would sound to be trivial labels for the immensity of Nothingness. The word Nothingness does not mean vacuum, it simply means it is nothing like we know of or can conceive of, so Buddha chose not to speak about it in positive terms. In other related Eastern traditions such as Hinduism, we gather that it is a state of endless bliss and vastness.

In Christianity, there is only chance, one life-time, to reach salvation. If we miss this opportunity, our fate is sealed forever. In Buddhism, we have endless chances and endless life-times, we keep on being reborn until we achieve nirvana, or realize our own Buddha-nature.

Personal reflection  the meaning of religious belief

To me, religion is not a question of a belief, belief has a role only in religions like Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which are based on certain mythological and theological concepts that go completely against reason and hence ought to believed in a childish manner, keeping mind and thinking aside. In contrast to Judeo-Christian tradition, Eastern religions do not demand any kind of belief, they emphasize on theoretical understanding, practice  but only in so far as understanding is lacking, because when clear understanding exists, there is absolutely no need for any practice  and developing insightfulness. In Buddhism, one has to keep all indoctrinated belief systems aside and has to approach reality with an open mind.

The Buddha said that the world is full of suffering, but I see so much joy and beauty in the world, so naturally I do not agree with the Buddha, but my not agreeing with or not believing in the Buddha does not affect my spiritual practice in the context of Buddhism itself. The Heart sutra says, Form is nothing, nothingness is form. Though I have an inkling what this assertion means, I do not really feel it to be true in my own experience. However, a belief is not demanded, just like nobody believes in Einsteins equation EMC2 , either one understands it or does not understand it, one can prove it or disprove it. In religion, though, true understanding always paves the way for realization. One has to seeJLNVz,

The problem with worshiping idols from an Islamic perspective

Islam is based on the belief that there is only one God who is all supreme, the creator of the world and who is called Allah. The belief is based on the unity of God and is a pure monotheistic religion. Idol worship is strictly condemned in all forms even if it is a means of getting to god.

From an Islamic perspective idol worship is unacceptable, is considered unforgivable and condemned as a violation of the first commandment in the Holy Scriptures. The Quran says that idolatry is man made and can never replace the truth. It states that idols cannot create nor guide us to the truth. The holy book Quran says explicitly that the God we pray to should be able to listen and answer our prayer which is only possible with the true God who is none other than Allah. In other words we cannot bow to any other creation or any form of idol other than Allah who is the creator and retainer of the world.

Islam projects Allah as the Supreme Being and as the only God of the universe.  He cannot be defined by shape or size and to do so would be limiting him. They believe that god cannot be more than one as it would cause certain confusion and chaos in the process of gaining supremacy amongst themselves. It reinstates the fact that believing in one God would bring about peace, harmony and balance with an organized purpose to life.

And your god is One God, there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful al-Baqarah.

Gandhi is an icon in world history because no one has lived with such compassion amidst a long history of foreign invasion like he had. He lived his teachings and his beliefs. That by itself is a feat that leaders of the modern day world are challenged by.  What is it about his particularly inclusive approach to world religion that is positive To what extent is this approach derived from Hinduism and its particular religion

Gandhi embraces non-violence. He taught and showed the world the power of non-violence. Non-violence is one of his approaches to world religion. Gandhi at length explained the unity of Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism and other religions under the practice of non-violence and prayer. While the rest of the world continues to dissociate and disunite communities in terms of religion, Gandhi advocated the unity of religions.

As Gandhi studied and followed Buddhas teaching like he was himself Buddhas disciple, Gandhi always revered Buddhas teaching in connection with Hinduism. According to Gandhi, Buddhism and Hinduism are concepts that are indissoluble. The positivist approach is both found in Hinduism and Buddhism as well as in other world religions. Buddhism can be considered as a movement of reforming Hinduism so that it can be reach out to the modernity of life without sacrificing the values it taught.

Gandhis positive approach to world religion can be derived from Hinduism teachings. Sacrifice is an integral part of Hindu teachings. Sacrifice is taken from the context of acquiring and using less. This is positive to note that there is less waste, less cost on the living environment. Gandhi showed the sacrifice is a happy emptying of oneself rather than a painful process. In a way, sacrifice is gaining more freedom from material cages that can put a person in a negative light. Gandhi writes about eating more food that did not need killing nor cooking , As the ideals of sacrifice and simplicity were becoming more and more realized, and the religious consciousness was becoming more and more quickened in my daily life, the passion for vegetarianism as a mission went on increasing. (Gandhi MK. 1929)

Prayer is another practice found in world religions. Though there are different forms of prayer, prayers positive power over people in chaos is derived from Hinduism.  In old Hindu teachings, prayers are offered to the gods to appease them. Prayer supports silence and non-violence. In the middle of noise, chaos and confusion, a person who positions himself in prayer is instantly brought to internal silence. Awareness comes in which is a very positive state of being because people are more concerned on others than on selfish securities.

The act of self-purity exemplifies by Gandhi. Self-purity is a way to good Karma. Karma is a teaching in Hinduism. Self-purity is also found in other world religions. Self-purity is a positive trait because as one gets rid of impure actions, thoughts and other negativities, one becomes happier. If thoughts become words and actions, then positive thoughts become positive actions. The rule of Karma is simply illustrated by what you reap, you sow. Gandhi consciously embarked on a self-purity path that he may embody the teachings of Buddha.

His autobiography describes his way to unify the world religions in a positive light. Though his life was cut short by the assassination, it was long enough to be a guide for other students who wants to follow the path towards the teachings of Hinduism. Hinduism teaches the beliefs in piety, selfless service, and non-violence. If other world leaders could not see these in world religions, it is Gandhi that had shown the path towards unifying world religions into the positive attitude of compassion.

The Chinese religion is one of the oldest religious practices. The evidence to their practices by the Shang people is found in the Oracle texts or the Oracle bone inscriptions dating back to 1028 B.C.E. This was the times of great divination.  Earliest Shang diviners believed on bone cracking as a way of communication with the spirit, where the cracks were used in foreseeing the future events. Reading of the Oracle inscriptions involved the use of sacrifices to the ancestors and spirits. These sacrificial offerings were done on a regular schedule to appease each of the ancestors at different days of their ten days week. This was done in prayer to a foreseen disaster to seek goodwill.

The ancestral approve was required before offering a sacrifice. Then, next were the Shang people with their sacrifices to the spirits called Shamans or priests where their rituals involved the burning of the Shamaness.  The sacrificial rituals involved dance performances, music and offerings that involved the slaughter of herds of animals or even human beings. The civilized Chinese used to offer Heaven sacrifice for millet and wine.

The spirits that the royal diviners communicated with were of four types These included the spirits of the royal ancestors. This was the prominent group belonging to the ruling king seeking for the religious worship as well as for political being of the state. The second spirits included the cultural heroes, legendary or semi legendary figures. Then there was the nature deities like rivers, mountains and weather spirits. Lastly, there was the Di spirit, a single nature spirit of high power who received no sacrifices and was the most powerful. On entry of the Zhou house Di was also called Tian meaning sky or sometimes Heaven.  The Shang people believed on the wind patterns where each of the four winds had its name.  (Lopez p49)

For someone to believe in anything there must be someone who had seen or hear of it. They believed in ghosts and spirits since they believed that people had really seen them or even heard of their sounds. This was evident from what was written in the court chronicles of Zhou. Also, there was the Duke Mu of Qin to have evidently seen a ghost. This is well said by Mozi who says misfortune will surely befall al those who kill the innocent, and they will suffer the punishment of ghosts and spirits in this swift fashion.  (Philip p83)

They believed that ghosts used to punish those who failed to swear an oath sincerely and also the division of sacrifices. For the sage kings to rule, they had put the ghosts and the spirits ahead of the people. There are references of ghosts in the silk text and text books.  These are the books that they numerously used and thus they believed in what was in them. The ghosts brought order and prosperity to the people by responding to their sacrifices. The ancient Chinese believed that the ghosts used to reward the worthy and as well punish the wicked.

To their view heaven desires what is right and dislikes what is not right and heaven responds to ones desire. The right brings life, wealth, good order. In absence of right causes death, poverty and disorder. Thus they related Heaven with the right desires. They believed that Heaven was the most honored person and the richest person in the world that everyone else administers to him. This involved the chain ladder of governing down to the subordinates. They believed that by believing on Heaven, one is rewarded whereas negating lead to punishment.

 They believed that in ancient times, the sage Kings believed in Heaven and thus they were rewarded, but the vicious kings were punished. The sage kings honored the spirits and cared for the generation whereas the vicious kings did not.

Socially, they believed that children should help to keep peace, reproduce and enrich heir family. During the times of mourning, the mourners had to starve, cry and wail, wear of sack clothing and live in a mourning hut. In this case, they believed that funerals should not be lavished and prolonged in order to allow people to enrich themselves.

When carrying out the burial ceremony they believed in carrying it in this manner A coffin of plain wood three inches thick to house the body with three layers of funeral clothes.  The depth of the grave should not reach water level as well as not too shallow. And the burial mound should not exceed three foot. Finally, should be crying as mourners see the departed but this should end on returning home and resume the regular duties. (Philip p97)

By these ways, the Ancient believed one was living the Heaven way and he will never die unrewarded.

The Holy Family are unique and so is their story, yet at the same time they are a model for any family. Their story is told in the Gospels, especially those of Matthew and Luke.

They obviously care for each other and trust each other and God and obey him as in Luke 1 v 38 where Mary places herself in Gods hands and Matthew 2 v 14 where Joseph obeys Gods instructions. They worship God and keep his commandments as when they present Jesus in the temple (Luke 2 v 21).

They are also an extraordinary family in that Jesus was extraordinary. At the same time they were ordinary and lived a very ordinary life, with Jesus learning hi s fathers trade .He obeyed his parents (Luke 2 v 51), but put his heavenly Father first ( Luke 2 v 29). He was born of a woman, but was the child of God and born without male intervention (Luke 1 v 35) and Joseph accepted this situation. They were told clearly that this was no ordinary child, as when Simeon prayed in the temple.( Luke 2 v 29-32) Like many other families, including my own, they had to deal with difficult times, as when they were forced to become refugees( Matthew 2 v 13 ff)

There ordinariness makes them just other families, but the extraordinary relationship each one had with God makes them very special indeed.

Joseph is a model for fatherhood in that he cared for his family. He wasnt afraid of responsibility or what others might say. He stuck by his promise to Mary even when he could have got out of it. He also was a man of God. Just as Mary was chosen so was he. The qualities of Joseph I would like to see in my own life are his willingness to listen to God, and his faithfulness and loyalty.

Like many other mothers Mary didnt always understand her son as at the Cana wedding (John 2 v 9), but she did stick with him to the end.(John 19 v 25) She loved and worried about him, but allowed him to life his own very special life.

There will never be again a family like this, and yet there are examples we can all choose  to live by.
Holy Family

The world is characterized by a unique diversity as far as religion is concerned. At the same time, there are various similarities that exist in different religions. This paper brings out the similarities between Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Similarities exist despite the diversity
These religions co-exist in different countries of the world. For example in Ethiopia, Christianity, Islam and Judaism are practiced. Most Americans practice Christianity and Judaism than Islam. However, the United Kingdom has more Christians and Muslims than Jews (American Jewish Committee, 2005 Global Oneness, 2010).

Moses is one of the historical figures, well known and respected for rescuing the Israelites from bondage. Noah rescued the obedient from the floods, and the event is well recognized by the three religions. Abraham is known because of the faith and obedience he exercised in choosing to sacrifice his son so as to obey God (Gill, 2009).

All the three religions believe in only one God. The Christians and Jews call him Yahweh and Jehovah. However, Judaism does not believe in the existence of three Gods in one (The Holy Trinity) like the Christians do. The Muslims also believe in one God, who they call Allah (Gill, 2009 Hakim  Wenner, 2009 Bates, 2002).
 
All the three religious groups advocated for virtues in human living. Judaism believes that goodness and obedience are values which God rewards. Christians cherish what the bible states love should be the greatest commandment just as Christ loved the world (John 316). Alms giving or the Zakat for the Muslims is a command from Allah (Library Think quest, 2010 Hakim  Wenner, 2009 Bates, 2002).

It is a characteristic of all religions to have a covenant between the people and their most supreme being. For Christians, the death of Christ on the cross was a new covenant between God and men, as he became a mediator between them. The Jews state that there has always been a relationship between them and God. For the Muslims, constant study of the Koran shows total agreement between them and Allah (Library Think quest, 2010 Hakim  Wenner, 2009 Bates, 2002).

The initial words of Shema, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one   (Deut 6 4), show the Jews perception of God. The Christians believe in only one God, Jehovah and the Muslims in Allah. Additionally, God is regarded as an all powerful God in the three religions. According to the Jews and Christians, God is the one behind the formation and governance of the universe. God operates from the veil of laws and causes, which best reveals his strength and power. The Jews and Christians believe that the purpose of the Messiah is to draw people to God. For the Muslims, Allah established a relationship with men through Muhammad (Bamberger, 2010 Religious facts, 2010 Religious Facts, 2009)

There are several similar texts shared by the three religions especially in the biblical Old Testament. Genesis 28 (Koran 2 36) is shared by the three religions. It contains the creation story of man in the Garden of Eden. In both Judaism and Christianity, the text states that man was created. The creation story is present, though details about the situation of the man are not discussed in the Koran. All the religions believe that creation took six days (Catchpole, 2010).

In regard to prayers, a traditional prayer book is used by the Jews, known as Siddur. Mainly, the Catholics use the rosary, while the Protestants prayers involve intercession and praise. The Muslim prayers are referred to as Salat, which involves praying five times each day. More importantly, the Christians follow the Ten Commandments which were given to Moses by Jehovah on Mt. Sinai. Six hundred and thirteen commandments (Mitzvoth) are followed by the Jews. The Islams must practice the Jihad and pay taxes to Imam as part of their commandments. Additionally fasting strengthens the spiritual well being of the people according to the Christians and the Jews. According to the Muslims, fasting is referred to as Siyam. It is conducted in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan (Simon, 2010 Christian Advice, 2010).

In regard to morality and ethics, murder just like other vices is prohibited by the three religions. The Muslims state that it is one of the shameful deeds that the Koran prohibits. As one of the other similarities, all devoted Muslims must attend the Friday midday prayers, which are the most important. Similarly, the Sabbath day should be honored by both the Jews and the Christians. The Islam religion advocates for hard work, so that the people might not covet their neighbors property which is prohibited by Judaism and Christianity (All Experts, 2008 Harkness, 2010 Islam.Org, 2009).

Conclusion
 Though there is a unique diversity in religion, similarities exist in the Judaism, Islam and Christianity. As long religious practices bring fulfillment to the participants, they should be practiced.

It has been said that faith and truth are often conflicting things.  Yet in ones quest for truth, ones faith may be strengthened.  This is why I feel that my time at Liberty University will provide me with the perfect opportunity to strengthen my faith.  Truth is all around.  The power and glory of God is reflected in all the things that he has created.  By furthering my education and learning more about the world around me, I feel that I am investigating the truth behind these things.  As such, I am confident that when I uncover the truth I will also uncover the wonders that God has created and in doing so explore, if not, strengthen my faith.

There is no better way to test ones spirituality than by investigating the truth behind it.  The programs that Liberty University has will provide me that chance to investigate the truth.  Since truth has nothing to fear from investigation, I feel that this experience at Liberty University will only serve to reinforce my spiritual commitment and bring me closer to God.  This is in line with my ultimate goal is to be able to lead a life in the manner that Jesus taught us because with all the temptations and distractions that are present, man needs to be able to grow not only in spirit but in mind as well.
My main philosophy in life is to lead by setting an example. I cannot expect others to do what I myself would be willing to do but that does not mean that I cannot hope that others will see the example that I have shown them.  This philosophy is one of the many forces that drive me to pursue my dream of pursuing my career and of becoming so much more in life.  The chance to help those who are less fortunate in life, the chance to help those in need, the opportunity to be of service to humanity these are the reasons why I have selected this as the school where I will live out my dreams and strive to be the best that I can be in my life for, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

Pagels, a professor of religion at Princeton University with a PhD from Harvard, is well known for her 1979 book on the Gnostic Gospels, to which she refers (p 33). She worked, with others, on translating and annotating the texts discovered at Nag Hammadi in 1945. It was these non-canonical gospels that interested her in the diversity of early Christian thought. Beyond Belief is an exploration of how Christians decided to condemn certain gospels as heretical while declaring others orthodox. Pagels theological training had led her to respect the Church Fathers, for whom the Gnostic gospels were tissues of falsehood. When she started to read the newly available texts, she expected to find them pretentious and trivial (p 32). This was not what she experienced.  Instead, she was exposed to unexpected spiritual power.   Who wrote these lost gospels, she asked, and why Political considerations played a role, she says, in the process that condemned them (p 35). In five cogent and readable chapters, clearly intended for a general as well as an academic readership, Pagels responds to this question. She begins her work by recalling her visit to the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York, which she entered almost on a whim as she dealt with her sons death from a serious illness, trying to make sense of this very personal experience.  Each chapter begins with a personal anecdote. Could belief help her She does not find traditional formulations of Christian faith expressed by the Creeds meaningful. Yet she does find comfort in what she sees as a more authentic, even older tradition of seeking answers, rather than assuming that Churchs teachings Church contain them. She writes for those who share the search, offering less a reformulation of belief than a recovery of a lost tradition. She argues that before the four gospels displaced all others,

Christianity was about community, agape (love), about belonging not belief in set doctrines, about a shared journey toward God and a more humane world journey. Thos who revered the Go Gospel of Thomas, later proscribed, she says, saw themselves as not so much believers but seekers, people who seek God (28). In contrast, Johns gospel especially assumed the priority of particular beliefs, an advanced set of convictions about who Jesus was. For these Christians, to be Christian or to have faith became synonymous with belief in a single, unauthorized set of beliefs (p 29). How, she asks, was Christianity transformed from a community that gathered around the communion table, or agape feast, into one that insisted that people endorse certain beliefs before they were accepted at the table
Two chapters deal with rivalry between the Gospel of John and the Gospel of Thomas, which she reproduces on pages 227 to 242. Pagels says that these two, one canonical, one heretica appear to date from about the same time (p 34). We do not know exactly when any of the gospels were written but Pagels says 90-130 for John, so Thomas was presumably a little earlier. In the book, she also compares John with the other three orthodox gospels, known as the Synoptics because they share the same synopsis.  There is some different material in each but their writers may have used a common source, a sayings Gospel. Thomas has no joined up narrative of Jesus life, so may belong to this genre. Pagels thinks that both John and Thomas assumed that readers already knew Jesus biography, focusing rather on his secret teaching to close associates.

Some sayings are common between the Synoptics and Thomas. She identifies significant differences between John and the other three canonical texts. Convinced that the author of John (whose actual identity is unknown) knew at least the teachings contained in Thomas (whose author is also unknown), Pagels thinks that aimed to refute this. The main difference between John and the other three, apart from chronology, lack of parables and presence of the I am sayings is that only John emphatically identifies Jesus as God, as does Thomas. Both depict Jesus as the divine light yet here that they also part company. For Thomas, this light, which is within all people, can be sought and found in our own spiritual experience. For John, this light cannot be found other than in Jesus, Only Jesus is from God and only he offers access to God (68). Rival communities, who vied for, may have championed the two gospels

Both John and Thomas also teach that Gods kingdom is already here, not a future Kingdom (p 51). Thomas in John is the doubter who was slowness to believe may even have forfeited his apostolic status (p 71).  This could be polemical, depicting Thomas as having abandoned his quest for experimental truth (72). It was Irenaues, bishop of Lyons in the second century, who did much to secure Johns place in the canon.

He championed John, despite differences between John and the three gospels. For their authors Jesus was human, not divine. John elevated Jesus as divine, transforming him into Gods word. A somewhat simplistic mathematical formula followed God  word  Jesus Christ (p 151). Irenaeus wanted to unify Christians, so protected against heresy by making apostolic tradition, represented by the four gospels, the yardstick of correct belief. He wanted to place the church at the center of the Roman world, controlling belief. He probably thought that a united church would survive more easily, perhaps eventually win over the empire, as it did when Constantine converted (80). Personal quests, the possibility of multiple understandings of faith, charismatic dreamers and prophets challenged a single authority. Aware that John could be interpreted to support what he saw as heresy  that human experience and the divine reality are analogous because the divine spark resides in us all  he condemned those who, in his view, misinterpreted John. He did not deny that the Holy Spirit continues to speak through inspired individuals (p 112) but set the gospels up as the definitive word against which all claims to speak Gods word must be judged.  He wanted to remove the danger that what was spoken or written was merely the opinion of the person claiming revelation in the name of a secret teaching (p 96) or even false prophecy (85). If people could find God within, communicating directly with the God within, there could be no single creed, no single church. People might find satisfaction in very different beliefs and practices. Pagels suggests that later Christian and Jewish mysticism essentially taught what Thomas did, that human experience is analogous to divine reality (145). It was this that the church, in the effort to impose authority and uniformity, resisted. Under Constantine, the concept of orthodoxy represented by elevating four gospels over all others went further, producing a single creed. The autonomy of local bishops, who exercised individual authority, had to yield to a single supreme pontiff, based in Rome.

Having chosen to support Christianity, Constantine wanted one creed, one church, for one empire. Irenaeus had helped the process along. This fundamentally changed Christian faith from the trust that enables us to commit ourselves to what we hope and love into assent to a set of beliefs (p 183-4).  All of this is supported by extensive footnotes.  Arguing mainly from the gospels and other early sources, she is interested in what can be deduced from ancient documents, not in the story that the church subsequently told. Relatively few secondary sources are used. Despite sympathies, she resists demonizing, rejecting the common view that Constantines motives were cynical. She thinks that he genuinely saw Jesus as promising eternal life (p 180). Whether you agree or disagree with Pagels thesis, it is skillfully presented, erudite, scholarly yet also engagingly personal and very accessible.

Mother Theresa is able to talk about social issues such as relationships between family members, drug addiction, and abortion because she is speaking from an authority that can never be wrong  the Holy Bible.  She derives her proof and her validation from the scripture and since the scripture is considered to be the Word of God, then it follows that Mother Theresa is speaking according to an authority beyond this world, the authority of God.

While Mother Theresa talks about many things in her speech, tackling various topics, I believe that she simply wants to say one single message, and that is to keep families intact by fighting circumstances that destroy the family and by keeping love alive.  Of the many issues that she mentioned such as the tendency of Westerners to endorse their elders to nursing homes, teenagers looking to drugs for comfort, poverty, hunger, and abortion she offers one solution and that is love.  To keep the family intact, love has to be present to keep children from seeking comfort in drugs, parents should show their love and support for the children, to prevent abortion, everyone must have a genuine love for life.

I am like Mother Theresa in many ways and I submit to her beliefs because as a Christian I follow the commandment of love which is to love God above all things and to love my neighbor as myself.  I believe that this is all we need to be able to do everything according to Gods will.  Perhaps, at times, I am unlike Mother Theresa because unlike her, I often have shortcomings especially in the issue of humility and patience.  Mother Theresa was always patient and humble, and if I would like to strive to be more like her, the I should work more on my humility and patience.

Mother Theresas words made me realize what is like to be unloved by stating the ways in which we can love and be loved.  I realized that as a person, we exist and subsist on love and that without love we would not be the compassionate individuals that we are now and we would not be doing Gods Will as a result.

Mother Theresa, in this article, with respect to our human nature and our being created in the image and likeness of God, urges us to follow first, the commandment of love, then she enjoins all of us to have a deep respect for every single person in this world because each is a representation of our Creator.  With the commandment of love and this deep respect for humanity we are most likely to remain within the precepts of Catholic Social Justice and Principles in that we do not trample on the rights of other people and we remain faithful to the teachings of the church in terms of respecting freedom, respecting liberties, accepting differences, and loving life.

Spiritual Discovery and Christian Orthodoxy

In the book Beyond Belief The Secret Gospel of Thomas, Pagel tussles with her own faith as she wrestles to understand the question of when and why Christianity became connected almost exclusively with the ideas codified in the early church especially in the fourth century Nicene creed as well as in the canonical texts of the new testament. The book concisely uncovers the richness and diversity of the Christian philosophy. Pagel incorporates a new scholarship that has come to light as regard who Jesus really was. Arguably, the author wants us to know what Christ meant for his follower before the dogmas and doctrines were constituted. In other word, she is concerned with the original objective of Christ before Christianity was invented by the church. This paper seeks to examine the early Christian writings both as texts and in their historical milieu to concisely unravel the complex patchwork coverlet of early Christianity in light of many gospels as well as many Christianities.

At the heart of Beyond Beliefs lies what Pagel identifies as a textual battle between the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of John. Given the fact that these two gospels share many superficial similarities, Pagel postulates that John, unlike Thomas, declares that Jesus is analogous to God the Father as evidenced in the Old Testament. On the other hand, Thomas shares a belief with other supposed secret teachings that Jesus is not God but rather a teacher who contend to unearth the divine light in all human beings (Pagel, 2003).With regard to this, Pagel shows that the gospel of John was extensively used by Bishop Irenaues of Lyon as well as others, to basically define the orthodoxy in the third century. The secret teachings were thus driven underground a factor which made them to disappear until the twentieth century. As a result, this process impoverished those that Bishop Irenaues expelled as well as the churches that remained at large.

The history of Christianity and the contemporary Christian faiths are compared in a manner whereby, the examination of Thomas, if any, leaves Christians with a new found pathway to faith through Thomas. The history of the formations of the canon of the New Testament, which basically is the official list of the New Testament, dates back in the second half of the first century (Pagel, 2003).

Towards the end of the second century majority of these books were generally agreed on but it was until the fifth century that there was great agreement on the whole. Accordingly, the council of the Roman Catholic Church convened in Trento to examine and condemn teaching of protestant reformers and in the sixth century, the mater was rested with a definitive agreement that the twenty seven books we have today are those that were inspired by God (Pagel, 2003).

It is very important to us that question of our faith, morality and relationship with others as well as with God has been the baseline of Christianity from time immemorial and therefore it is not surprising that God continues to guide Christians through infallible teachings. Without infallibility, the church would not be quite sure that the inspired books were the right one. We know that assertions have been raised for many other books in the past and thus, Pagel tries to make a case for some of these books to be considered.

The discovery of the Gospel of Thomas as well as other early Christian texts provides revealing clues of how the church invented the doctrines of Christianity. Pagel compares the Gospel of Thomas, which indicates an affinity with Kabbalah, claims to give Jesus secret teaching, with the canonical texts to virtually show how the early church deliberately chose to include certain gospels and excluded others from what is presently known as the New Testament. Pagel (2003) seeks to answer the question why during the times when Christians were being persecuted, the fathers of the church constructed a canon, creed and hierarchy, thereby suppressing many of its spiritual resources in the process. Arguably, this was in a bid to avoid conflict with religion and Roman law.

In addition, certain church leaders between the second to the fourth centuries adamantly rejected many of the religious texts as well as sources of revelation and thus constructed instead the New testament gospel of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, which has defined Christianity up to the present day (Pagel, 2003).The Gospel of John on the other hand is of special importance in the dogma of the church and its basic tenets seem to be in sharp contrast to Thomas. For instance, as John authors, so that you may believe and have life in Jesus name, Thomas in his gospel however encourages us not to so much believe in Jesus. In other words, the gospel of John postulates that to seek to know God musty be achieved through our own divinely given capacity since all are created by God.

Pagel further underscores that John is the only evangelist who precisely states that Jesus is God incarnate. While other gospels describe Jesus as human, none of them, speaks of Jesus divinity as John does. One may object that while the other three synoptic gospels call Jesus son of God, it is virtually the same thing. However, such titles as Messiah or Son of God in the early church were designated human roles and not divine ones (Pagel, 2003).Their translations centuries later, did not account for the linguistic conventions of the Greek and thus when all the four gospels alongside St Pauls letters were united in the New testament, most Christians had to read through the synoptic gospels through the lens of John that Jesus Lord and God.

If the gospel of Thomas was included in the New Testament instead of that of John or even if it was excluded alongside that of John, Christianity would have developed quite differently. For instance, while the synoptic gospels of Mathew, Mark and Luke identify Jesus as the human agent of God, Thomas and John characterize him as Gods own light in human form (Pagel, 2003). Both gospel thus reveal to some extent the secret teachings of Jesus and resides on the assumption that Christians are already familiar with the synoptic gospels.

To recap, despite these similarities between these two gospels, Thomas and John point the secrets in sharply different direction. For instance, John claims that we can ideally experience God through the divine light embodied in Jesus while on the other hand, Thomas postulates that the divine light embodied in Jesus is already shared by humanity considering the fact that we are all created in image and Likeness of God. Thomas thus elaborates that what would become a central theme in Jewish and Christian mysticism that the image of God is evident covertly in all human beings, Christianity thus becomes a conscience of recognizing Gods hidden presence and finding it through ones own efforts. As a result, Pagel argues on what is topical today as it was nearly two thousand years ago by pulling together the details that allow us to understand not only what people were arguing about but also why they were arguing about them.

Religion will always be an issue of discussion in the world. It unifies a people of a certain group, and connects them to a supernatural power. Recently, there is a new shape of the world religion distribution .The Charismatic groups and the Pentecostals are coming up, and are predicted to influence the world in the coming generations. Despite the rise in other Christian religions, the Catholic religion is still ranking high in several parts of the world. This is because it is one of the oldest religions to be formed in the world (Barret, Kurian  Todd, 2002).This paper seeks to discuss the various aspects of the Roman Catholic church in comparison to the Jehovah Witness religion.

The Roman Catholic Church
 The Roman Catholic Church traces its origin from the establishment of Christianity in the world. It was declared a state religion in Rome by Emperor Constantine around 313.This is the period when the church was making headway among aristocracy. It was characterized by formation of great theological treaties. In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church underwent a transformation (Fahey, 2010).  Crusades began in 1095 and lasted for a long time. The Catholics responded against the coming up of the bourgeoisie. This is a class of people who owned most property in the state. From this period, the Roman Catholic Church brought an awakening in the missionary work and they penetrated the world. Great Cathedrals arose at this time and the seat of the pope was established in Rome. As a result of the awakening, two major events took place in 1453-1600.These events affected the Roman Catholic Church greatly. The events were the conquest of the Protestant reformation and that of discovery. At this time, the Roman Catholic Church went through a renewal referred to as Counter reformation (All About Religion, 2002).

There are three important beliefs that are associated with the origin of the Catholic Church. Firstly, Peter was assigned the role of forming the Christian church by Jesus. After the death of Peter, the work he had started was continued by the Popes. The Popes who were initially involved in establishing churches included St. Peter, Clement of Rome, St. Evaristus and Cletus. Secondly, the Roman Catholic Church was an organization which was functioning fully with its authority centered in Rome. Thirdly, the Apostles of Jesus ordained Bishop. This has continued up to date. Therefore, the ordination of Bishops in the Catholic Church can be traced to the times of the Apostles (Robinson, 2005).

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church
San Diego city has several Catholic parishes. Our lady of the Rosary Catholic church is located in this city. The church is located at 1629-Columbia Street, San Diego California. The followers of these churches are dedicated to all teachings taught. I managed to find a few followers in the church. Most of them had come for their daily morning mass. I interviewed a middle-aged lady of an Arab origin. She showed me round the church, and I got to view the rare spectacle that the church had on its compound. There was a wall which had been built in the backyard. According to the lady the wall was referred to as the dedication wall. At this place, all people got a chance of remembering their loved ones.

Summary of the Interview
Important holidays and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church
According to the respondent, there are several days in the Catholics liturgical calendar that are considered important. The Good Friday is the Friday before every Easter. It is on this day that the Christians commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Catholics do not celebrate any mass on this day. Instead, the Catholics participate in a unique liturgy .On this ceremony the passion of Christ according the book of John from the Holy Bible is read. Thereafter, a series of prayers are made, which include intercessory prayers .All the faithful revere the cross by kissing it. The liturgy ends by the priest distributing the Holy Communion. The Good Friday dates change from year to year, since it depends on the Easter Monday dates.

The Easter Holiday marks the most important holiday that the Catholics celebrate. For some Catholics, Easter comes after the forty days of prayer almsgiving and fasting period has ended .This period is referred to as Lent. The Catholics prepare themselves to die spiritually with Christ. The lady quoted the Bible in 1 Corinthians1517, where St. Paul wrote that the faith of the Christians would be in vain if Christ did not rise from the dead. They believe that through the death of Christ, man was saved form bondage. Christ triumphed over death and saved mankind, and through his resurrection, man got new life. According to the Catholics, new life starts after Easter. With Christ resurrecting, the kingdom of God is founded on the earth as the church. This explains why people converted to Catholicism are baptized at the Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter. This occasion is known as the Easter vigil Service. The baptism of these people parallels the death and resurrection of Christ, where they die to sin and rise to new life in the kingdom of God.

Another important feast is the Palm Sunday. On this day, the Catholics commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem. According to Mathew 21 1-9, palm branches were placed on the path of Jesus. This was before he was arrested on the Holy Thursday, before His crucifixion on Good Friday. Palm Sunday is marked by the faithful carrying palm branches. In the earlier days, the procession began on the Mount of Ascension and proceeded to the Holy Cross.

How religion has shaped the interviewees life
According to the respondent, she had never felt spiritual fulfillment in life like she did when she joined the Catholic religion. She has learnt to dedicate enough time to the Lord through prayer and attending masses. The Catholics believe in the maintenance of holiness. This is because Mary Mother of Jesus was a woman who maintained holiness. According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, all followers are supposed to be holy, just like Mary Mother of Jesus was. The interviewee had also changed the notion she previously had on giving. The Catholic Church believes in deeds, which are the acts of love and compassion. The interviewee therefore started performing acts of kindness by caring for the sick and giving to the poor.

Challenges of practicing the religion
The interviewee was faced with a challenge on food. During the Easter period, the Catholics are not supposed to eat meat. This was quite difficult for the interviewee meat was her favorite type of food. Additionally, the interviewee was not used to fasting and praying with the rosary. However, In the Catholic Church, using the rosary while praying was mandatory. The way of the cross was practiced during the Easter holiday. In this ceremony, one person carries a cross as the others follow. Following the procession was at times difficult as the faithful would walk for a long distance.

The members introduction to religion
The interviewee had not always been a catholic. She became a catholic after marriage. The interviewee was introduced to the religion by the husband. According to the husband, there would be no unity in the family if they never attended the same places of worship. Therefore, the interviewee had to be converted to Catholicism. Since their marriage was to be conducted by catholic priests, they had to go through pre and post marital guidance and counseling. It is through this training that the husbands desire for her wife to join the church was fulfilled. She felt very much at home, and the teachings she got were beneficial to her. She hence joined the church, and went through the teachings and baptism, so as to become a full member.

The period the interviewee had practiced the religion
 At the time of the interview, the interviewee had practiced the Catholic religion for a period of eighteen years. She had participated in several church activities, and was confirmed as a church member after going through the baptismal classes. During this period, she had joined a womens group known as the Holy Ghost group. This group was involved in charity work around San Diego and the surrounding towns. The purpose of the group was to spread the love of Jesus, inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The period she had been a Catholic had made her be identified by their church priest as a dedicated Catholic, who deserved blessings from the Virgin Mary.

The previous religion
 The interviewee was a member of the Islam religion before joining the Catholicism. According to her, there were a number of differences in her previous religion and the Catholic one. In the catholic religion, one of the most important figures is Mary Mother of Jesus. She is the mediator between Jesus and man. On the other hand, Prophet Muhammed was the most important figure in the Islam religion. He came to the earth so as to continue with the works of Jesus. The Islamic people practice what the prophet Muhammed had confirmed as true.

The ways of worship were very different. The Islamic people never enter their places of worship with shoes on their feet. They also face the direction of Mecca while in prayer, which is termed as the most holy place as far as the Islam religion is concerned. Islam people believe that Jesus was a prophet, just like prophet Muhammed, and call Him Issa, while the Catholics believe that Jesus was the son of Mary Mother of Jesus. The Muslim people worship in mosques unlike the Catholics who worship in churches. The Muslims use the Koran and the Catholics use the Bible. Catholics have a strong believe in the trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Muslims believe in monotheism, meaning that there is only one God, Allah.

The similarities were very few. The two religions believe that all people will please God if they help the poor in the world. Deeds were considered as important in the two religions. The Old Testament in the Bible and the first part of the Koran is similar. The only difference is brought about by the New Testament, which talks about the acts of Christ and the Apostles.

Where to go for Spiritual Guidance
The priest is the source of spiritual guidance for all Catholics. According to the interviewee, when a Catholic sinned, he or she went to the priest for confession. A catholic who had sinned would confess his or her sins to the priest, who would guide the person in repentance prayers. Additionally, the sole purpose of the priest was to guide the followers in the mass. This is a very important practice for every Catholic, where they are required to attend the mass on daily basis. The priest offers the sacrifices, and gives sacraments to the followers occasionally. The purpose of the mass is ensuring that the followers of the Catholic Religion appease God without sin. God listens to their prayers and is pleased with the sacrifices offered by the priest. Therefore, the Mass is mandatory for all Catholics, and the priest is the one who guides them.

Most important value taught by religion
The most valued practice by the Catholic religion is that of deeds of love and compassion. According to them, they follow the works of Christ to the letter, where all there deeds were based on love. She quoted Mother Teresa of Calcutta who stressed on the importance of love. Love each other as God loves each of you, with an intense and particular love. Be kind to each other It is better to commit faults with gentleness than to work miracles with unkindness This is as a result of the commandment of Christ in the Holy Bible, John 1335, which states that By this evidence, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another she added that most Catholics are inspired by the work that Mother Teresa did on earth. She was behind the formation of the Missionaries of Charity, which served the poor and the sick who lived in the poorest parts of the world. The works of love by the Catholics are seen to quench the thirst for Jesus on the cross. The Roman Catholics believe strongly in love.

Tackling discrimination as a Christian
The interviewee recounted on a situation which made her receive discrimination at her place of work. As a scientific researcher, she was supposed to follow the orders of those who are above her at her place of work without objection. At one instance, she was assigned to research on the stem cell using the embryo. This was a heavy task for her, since the Catholic Church opposed these practices
Ordinarily, the cells are extracted from human embryos and are stored in fridges. Most of the times, some embryos are discarded as a result of deformation. Scientist and doctors have claimed that the embryonic stem cell research is useful as it leads to the cure of many diseases, like treating some lethal tumors. Harvesting these stem cells kills the living human embryo. The church opposes the direct destruction of innocent human life for any purpose, including research. As a result, she decided to quit her job because she could not compromise her faith with the worldly beliefs. Consequently, she was ridiculed by her family members and neighbors, and was referred to as a religious fanatic. She was quick to deal with the discrimination. She told the priest about the pain she was going through because of the discrimination. On one Sunday mass, the priest called her forward and congratulated her for giving up her job for the sake of the Kingdom. He described her as a True example of what the Catholics preached .As a result all those who discriminated her in her neighborhood never repeated it, as they were warned by the catholic priest.

Similarities and differences Jehovah Witness and the Catholic Church.
According to Barret, Kurian  Todd (2002), the Jehovah Witness Religion is categorized in a group referred to as Marginal Christians. The term Marginal Christians refer to bodies that hold mainstream Christianity doctrines except on the Trinity, revelation from other sources except the bible and the nature of Christ.

According to the Jehovah Witnesses, they do not believe in the Holy Spirit. They state that the Holy Spirit cannot be God, and it is only a force that never exists. On the other hand, the Catholics believe strongly in the Holy Trinity, and that God exists as one person. They believe that God exists as the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The witnesses claim that Jesus was only a man who was perfect in all his ways on earth. They state that he was not God in flesh. They also argue that Jesus died on a stake, and not the cross. This is contrary to what the Catholics believe. This is because the Catholics believe that Jesus was not man, but the son of God. The soul ceases to exist after death according to the Jehovah Witness Religion (Slick, 1995). On the contrary, the Catholics believe that the soul of the righteous ones is taken directly to heaven. The Catholics believe so much in the Cross, and it is one of the symbols they use in the rosary. On the other hand, the Jehovah Witness religion believes that the cross is a pagan symbol and should not be used. The only similarity that exists between the two religions is that the two groups worship on Sunday. Both of them also believe in acts of love and mercy.

Conclusion
The world is made up of several religions. All members of the world should embrace all people, regardless of their religions.

Zions Christian Soldiers, the celebrated work of Stephen Sizer is a great reading for all students of Bible. This text includes the fundamental methodology that questions several assumptions regarding end times prophecy. The work is an insightful Christ-centered critique of few established but fatally flawed theories that has contributed to several spiritual dysfunctions. In this text the author skillfully criticizes several exegetical missteps advocated by contemporary Christian Zionists. Zions Christian Soldiers offers a better and Christ-centered alternative to the popular ethically and politically challenging views popularized by the contemporary end-time theories. Zions Christian Soldiers is a shortened and simplified version of ChristianZionism Roadmap to Armageddon, which Stephen Sizer wrote in 2004.  

In the introduction tothe text, Sizer defines the basic terminology for the sake of the later discussion, in particular the contrast between covenantalism and dispensationalism. He further attempts to explain what he terms as the three red herrings that dispensationalism is the only biblical literalism the assertion that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism and the straw man of supersessionism (). The author makes it clear in the 1st chapter that the issue is not of political nature, rather It is not an understatement to say that what is at stake is our understanding of the gospel, the centrality of the cross, the role of the church and the nature of our missionary mandate, not least, to the beloved Jewish people. (19) In the second chapter of Zions Christian Soldiers, the author attempts to make clear the difference between acceptable biblical literalism and what he terms as ultra-literalists. The informative section that deals with five common mistakes made by ultra-literalists is a short but deep study of the creative reading techniques employed to interpret biblical prophecies in the background of the contemporary happenings.  The third chapter of the text comes with the authors crucial question regarding the identity of the chosen people of God. Sizer strongly put forward a unambiguous answer that believers, no matter what country they are in, are children of God and that it is thus inappropriate to  claim the Jewish people have a separate relationship with God based on their ancestry or Mosaic Law (71). Chapter 4 takes up the issue of the Promised Land. Here the author illustrates a detailed image of the real state of the nation as they returned from their exile in Babylonia. The author emphasizes that The Promised Land under the old covenant was to be shared and inclusive. This is a biblical model manyChristianPalestinians, who favor a one-state solution, long to see accepted within the modern State of Israel (89). In the fifth chapter of the text, the author criticizes the arguments of ChristianZionist who deem Jerusalem as the undivided, permanent and eternal capital of Israel. Sizer exhorts that Christians should no longer focus on the exclusivist, earthly city of Jerusalem, rather they must have their eyes set on the eternal Jerusalem, the heavenly city mentioned in the Book of Revolution. Further we see a chapter that makes a blatant criticism of the ChristianZionists, who are after rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem. Chapter 8 looks into the doctrine of the rapture and premillenialism generally as creating a destructive culture of pessimism and fatalism in Western Christianity (150). Zions Christian Soldiers ends with a good conclusion which is followed by a sermon by John Stott (Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church, London) named as The Place of Israel.

ZionsChristianSoldiers, unfortunately, contains few significant drawbacks. It appears as if the author is overestimating the popularity of the concept of ChristianZionism among American evangelicals. He also overvalues the significance of dispensationalism to their Zionism. Apart from this, the author overstresses the importance of ChristianZionism in the global politics, and in particular in the continuing Israeli-Palestinian issues. Apart from this, the authors opinion included in the introduction that states that ChristianZionism explains everything from the Wests concern about Irans development of nuclear capability to Arab terrorism in Britain and America (despite our commitment to the rule of international law, democracy and human rights 10) is simply hyperbolic. Similarly, the author states that the movement ChristianZionism as a whole is nevertheless leading the West, and the church with it, into a confrontation with Islam, as if were it not for evangelical support for Israel, the West and Islam would have nothing to disagree about. These types of statements undermine the authors trustworthiness heavily. This may also make the readers underestimate some valuable parts of his arguments. Apart from this, Zions Christian Soldiers hesitate to consider Judaism as an entity that is neither race nor religion. This is evident in his statement that The myth of racial purity is nothing new, nor is the desire to limit or exclude those deemed inferior. This is particularly so today when defining Israel, since national identity tends to be restricted to those who are Jewish by race (46). Though the author has displayed simplistic understandings of ethnicity, religion and nationalism, his understanding of Nazi terminology is weak and irresponsible.

In Zions Christian Soldiers Sizer has come up with several strong arguments.Many Bible-believing Christians are of the belied that God blesses those nations that support Israel. These beliefs have greatly influenced the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Sizer, however, refuses to support such arguments and says that such views are the results of misinterpretation of bible. He gives a good introduction to Christian Zionism and suggests a positive and clear alternative based on the biblical texts. The author indirectly attempts to encourage dialogue on the relationship between Christian church and Israel and put forward a better constructive view of the future and the role we have to play in it.  Sizer has produced a wonderful work on understanding the purpose of God about his people, according to scripture. Sizer says that the New Testament does not teach a return to the land. Gods promises are rather centered on Christ and the proclamation of his Gospel in different parts of the world. The church that comprises of gentiles and Jews constitute the Israel.

The omnipotence of God draws many deep, unfathomable variables that contain the power to influence events as they happen.  Because these events happen as God orders them to happen, it becomes at odds with what they call the humanistic nature of free will and the picture of Jesus Christ who always believed and preached according to the peoples free will to choose.  It is said that choices are being made by people and not by God.  According to Gregory Boyd (2003), We are ultimately responsible for the effect these choices have on ourselves and others (p.108).  God is intelligent, and He has assigned reasons to the decisions people make despite their free will to choose, and these reasons contain variables which the agent chooses and not God.  The role that God plays can be found on anticipating and creatively responding to decisions agents make (Boyd, 2003, p.108).  This makes Him a responder to the choices and the decision that make, and there are events when He has to intervene, giving Him the power and supremacy to rule these choices despite the free will of humanity.  One good example is the intervention of God when He sends Jesus Christ into the world to save His children from the power of sin and transgression.  God carries the power to allow things to pass according to His plans, giving Him the supremacy to intervene and influence what comes to pass.  However, because of the complexity of His creation, not in all circumstances does God intervene, making Him the ruler of all creations, and allowing the agents to make decisions of their own with the free will to choose and rule their lives.

If I were to grade this commentary of Boyd, with 1 as the lowest and 5 as the highest, I would give it a grade of 3 because, despite the truth behind his claim that agents carry the free will to choose and direct the course of their lives, there is no truth behind Boyds (2003) claim that What God creates is what it is by virtue of not being anything else (p.112).  If this is true, then it comes in contradictory with the fact that God is powerful, and His supremacy can allow things to change as it is.  God can do what He sees fit to accomplish.

This dissertation is about the life and works of Saint Paul the Apostle, especially focused on his holy journeys, based chiefly from the holy book, the Bible. His character as a person and as an Apostle was first introduced. The controversial beginnings of St. Paul until the time that he was baptized were also given light during the first part.

The researcher examined the first, second and third journey of St. Paul his itinerary and his teachings and discourses. The first was more of an assessment of how an Apostle could spread the Holy Gospel of God, and spread also the faith for Jesus Christ. His companions, Barnabas and Timothy, and St. Paul himself faced numerous trials and hardships in their journey to spread the Word of God. But God himself will never leave His collaborators for hardships. After all, they were able to complete the voyage and finish the first of several journeys. Subsequently, Paul would continue on the second voyage within a short period of time. Again, trials and hardships will be faced by Paul and his coworkers, but still be able to spread the faith to the brethren garnering warmest welcome from the new brethren. Still, it would not be enough for Paul, and thus would set for another journey to further spread the faith and the Gospel. This would translate to the third voyage which as usual, would be full of the tests and difficulties for the poor Apostle. Nevertheless, the Apostle amidst of the trials would succeed and finish this journey.

This dissertation clearly speaks of the wonders that Paul had made on his stay on earth. He had converted numerous Christians whom all showed great acceptance and faith to God. The sacrifices and burdens of the Apostle were also presented throughout until his days of persecution. The Apostle had showed grace and faithfulness to God the moment he had embraced the Gospel. His last days on earth as well as the works that he had done throughout the different territories on earth mostly on Europe and Asia were given accounts as well. All his journeys would take years to reach conclusion and would obviously take toll on the ageing Apostle, however, St. Paul would still find the power and guidance from the God himself and would be able to face even the most impossible hindrances coupled with the corruption of evils.

Robert Jensons works is among the great contributions in modern dogmatic and theology that has not been realized. His work on Systematic Theology has gained him the reputation of a respectable writer. His works are vital in the development of the theologian world. But then again, as usual as it does, his work has not been given the proper dignity it should have. His works are seemingly not studied by other theologians and Christian scholars.

The reasons for not having been one of the favorites of the theologians, Christian scholars and other readers are the following 1) his works are not that exciting to read and obviously dull, 2) some of his prose main thesis are not that strongly supported by facts and other references and 3) his works are not that concisely presented in his writings. In fairness with Jensons literary prose, he still has a good persuasive power when it comes to topics that are very important and subtle.

Obviously, Jensons theology can be considered theology of the living God. As Jenson always argued that God is the very intricate movement of relationships between Him and his Son and vice versa. Included in these relationships are other movements within the relationship such as beauty, splendor, glory and future. Jenson also believed that God is the event of having Christ in its eternal fullness and this event can be drawn and determined in all of Christian history.

In most of the moments, most Christians have no interest in the history of the doctrine of the Trinity. Only few have exerted effort to really explore the disputes of the early century of the Christian church. Few also have take interest on the indistinct conception of the Christian doctrine that is disputable in the ancient Christian church.

Indeed, the doctrine of Trinity of the Christian church is the guiding maxim of all of them. The belief that God and the Son have eternal relationship is precisely correct. In most of the time, it is considered that God and the Son is every time not apart from each other. It was proven that the idea that Jesus Christ, our Lord is not God or not with the Father and that the Son is not the same substance as the Father was wrong. A good example was mentioned in the Holy Scriptures In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. It only means that to take the Word of God is to accept the Son of God and the Father himself. It is also declared that the Son is not merely God alone but that he is of the same substance as the Father. It was also showed in the Bible that the Son was not made, by whom all things were made And if He was not made, then he is not a creature but if he is not a creature, then He is of the same substance as the Father.

I definitely find the issue of divine temporality to be quite intriguing. I certainly disagree with the idea of God being temporal-this is to say that God is infinite and that he knows everything that will happen to all his creations. In order to rebut the idea of divine temporality, I will present some assumptions of divine temporality.

First, if God is temporal is to say that He would be finite and learn new things and ideas as time passes and as He watches us. Secondly, if God is not immortal and does not know what will happen in the future acts of his creations, then the prophecy of freedom and salvation in the future is seemingly impossible. Another assumption is that being temporal means that God has a beginning and that He would not last long in the future. This beginning is also the same to our beginning. The only difference is that if He has a beginning then he came from non-being and from nothing. If he came from nothing, then He is not God because obviously there is someone who made Him to what he is. Being temporal also means that God can grow in knowledge, wisdom and virtues. This is to say that Gods knowledge is also imperfect because there are only limited explainable ideas that can be nurtured. With his finite state, God would also have a difficult time to explain why He has imperfections.

The most divine truth that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God is certainly believable.   I also have to concur to the idea that the Father is equal with the Son and the Holy Spirit- that is to say that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons within one God. This is the idea of the divine Trinity. Scriptural evidences also proved that the Holy Spirit is in fact God and not a creature We worship not to the Holy Spirit of God, but we worship God in the Spirit.

The idea of the Holy Spirit as God can be found in the Holy Scriptures (Isaiah 421) -- Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him He will bring forth justice to the nations.

1. The Author
Matthew   was a Galilean and the son of Alpheus (New International Version, Mark 2.14).According to Matthew 99, his name was Levi. He collected taxes from the Hebrew people for Herod Antipas.

His Tax Office was located in Capharnaum where he was despised and considered an outcast. However, as a tax collector he would have been literate (Marx 148-57). It was in this setting that Jesus called Matthew to be one of the Twelve Disciples, and after his call, Matthew invited the Lord home for a feast. As a disciple, Matthew followed Christ, and was one of the witnesses of the Resurrection and Ascension. Matthew along with Mary, James the brother of Jesus and other close followers of the Lord, withdrew to the Upper Chamber, in Jerusalem (Acts 1.10). At about this time James succeeded his brother Jesus of Nazareth as the leader of this small Jewish sect. Matthew is said to have died a natural death either in Ethiopia or in Macedonia.

He employed a narrative style of writing. The style of the book is exactly what would be expected of a man who was once a tax collector. Matthew has a keen interest in accounting (Matt.18.23-24 25.14-15). The book is very orderly and concise. Rather than write in chronological order, Matthew arranges this Gospel through six discussions.

2. Date of Gospel Place
The Gospel of Matthew was written in Antioch, the third-largest city of the Roman Empire. Most scholars believe that the Gospel of Matthew was composed in the latter part of the first century approximately A.D. 37-40, shortly after the Lords resurrection (Matt. 28.15) and prior to the destruction of the temple (24.2). The date of this gospel is still a matter of debate among Biblical scholars. Most believe it was composed between the year 70 and 100 (Browning 172). Some scholars see the prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 22.7) as suggesting a date of authorship after the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. However, John T. Robinson, a New Testament scholar, argues that the lack of a passage indicating the fulfillment of the prophecy suggest a date before that. Matthew does not mention the death of James in 62 A.D. It also lacks any narrative on the persecutions of the early Christians by Nero.

3. Intended AudienceCultural and Political Background
Matthews intended audience was his fellow Jews, many of whomespecially the Pharisees and Sadduceesstubbornly refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah. In spite of centuries of reading and studying the Old Testament, their eyes were blinded to the truth of who Jesus was. Jesus rebuked them for their hard hearts and their refusal to recognize the One they had supposedly been waiting for (John 5.38-40). They wanted a Messiah on their own terms, one who would fulfill their own desires and do what they wanted Him to do.

The gospel of Matthew is located within a cultural context of Kingdoms initiation and authority. Jesus, Yahwehs Yeshua is pictured, as the Sum total of Yahwehs promised kingdom, while John the Baptist is the proclaiming voice about the Kingdom of Heaven. The opposition to both the initiation and proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven reaches feverish peak in Matt.11 12. The opposition earlier cited begins from Herods attempt to kill Jesus at infancy (2.16-23), Satans attempt to distract Jesus from the goals of the Kingdom (4.1-11), Jesus confrontation with the Pharisees over the purpose of the Kingdom (9.1-8), the empowerment of the twelve over powers of evil (10.1-4) and the revelation of the patterns of persecution over the Kingdom (10.16-24).

The shift from a mostly Jewish Christian community to a mixed community forms a crucial backdrop for Matthews Gospel. Jesus as Matthew reveals Him is deeply rooted in Israels sacred history, reveres the Jewish Law, and fulfills rather than negates the Old Testaments promises. The great ethical teaching of Jesus found in the Sermon on the Mount draws deeply from the wisdom of the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus shows great love and care for His people and their destiny. At the same time, Matthews Jesus turns His face to the future and the mission to the Gentiles. At the conclusion of the Gospel, the Risen Christ sends His apostles to make disciples of all nations and promises to be with them till the end of time. Thus Matthews Gospel attempts to bridge a period of great change and even turmoil for the early Church. Retelling the story of Jesus in such a way that the beautiful and wise traditions of Jewish faith are retrieved even as Jesus opens the horizon to a future in which all peoples are called to Gods beautiful gifts of peace and salvation.

4. Purpose of Writing
Matthews purpose is to present Jesus Christ as the King and Messiah of Israel he quotes from the Old Testament more than any of the other three gospel writers. Matthew quotes more than 60 times from prophetic passages of the Old Testament, demonstrating how Jesus is fulfilled them. He begins his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus, tracing Him back to Abraham, the progenitor of the Jews. From there, Matthew quotes extensively from the prophets, frequently using the phrase as was spoken through the prophet(s) (Matthew 1.22-23, 2.5-6, 2.15, 4.13-16, 8.16-17, 13.35 21.4-5). These verses refer to the Old Testament prophecies of His virgin birth (Isaiah 7.14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5.2), His return from Egypt after the death of Herod (Hosea 11.1), His ministry to the Gentiles (Isaiah 9.1-2 60.1-3), His miraculous healings of both body and soul (Isaiah 53.4), His speaking in parables (Psalm 78.2), and His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9.9).The Gospel of Matthew is an excellent introduction to the core teachings of Christianity. The logical outline style makes it easy to locate discussions of various topics. Matthew is especially useful for understanding how the life of Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

5. Synoptic Exegesis of Matthew 4.1-11
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Jesus testing recalls that of Israel in the wilderness. Israel was led into the desert to be tested for 40 years. Jesus baptism and temptation is similar to the experience of Israel, whose baptism in the Red Sea was followed by their temptation in the wilderness (1 Cor.10. 1-13). Israel was led to its testing by God, just as Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit.

Diabolos (Greek), an accuser, a slanderer, author of evil persecuting good men (Thayer, 135), is one of the names of Satan. From it the word Devil is derived, and should be applied only to Satan, as a proper name. Daimon, a demon, is frequently but wrongly translated devil it should always be translated demon. There is one Devil, there are many demons (Vine, 298)

3The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.
Satan posted this question challenging Jesus to prove the authenticity of his identity. What was wrong by turning stones into bread to satisfy his hunger after a 40-day fast Jesus saw in Satans temptation similar one to what Israel faced  to live a life detached from dependence on God, and thus do things His own way. Notice how Adam was tempted in the garden Satan used food  food that would lead to independence. Obedience is more important to Jesus than bread, even when He was hungry. Jesus considered this temptation inconsistent with His God-ordained mission that is why he refused Satans suggestion.

4Jesus answered, It is written Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Jesus gave the best defense against the devils trickery which is quoting the Scripture. He quoted Deuteronomy 83. Israel had all the bread that they wanted in the desert, but they still died because they did not live a dependent life on Gods words. Jesus has just done what Israel couldnt. He has survived in the desert without food because He has been meditating on Gods words. We need to be dependent upon the Lord and the Word to help us fulfill physical needs.

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down. For it is written

He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

The devils skill in deception was shown as he tried to convince Jesus by misapplying Psalms 91.11-12 challenging Jesus to prove the validity of Gods statement. Satan also uses Scripture, but he abuses it by taking it out of its context and twists it to serve his purpose and not Gods. When we misuse Scripture, we are modeling ourselves after Satan. Furthermore, we should never even consider testing God

7Jesus answered him, It is also written Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
The best defense against the devil was again exemplified by Jesus quoting Deuteronomy 6.16, not being deceived by the devils misuse of the Scripture. Testing is evidence, not of faith, but of doubt. To test God is to doubt Him. We must observe that the proper way of handling misuse of the Scripture by someone trying to deceive us is to have our answer ready from the Scripture. Thus, we must know the Bible and basic Christian doctrine.

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me.

The devils offer seems to be an attractive proposition. He was able to make such promise because he is the ruler of this world (John 14.30 18.36). He is even referred to as the god of this world (2 Cor. 4.4). Jesus was tempted to break the first commandment and worship someone other than God. This was something Israel had done. What Satan is offering to Jesus here is a short cut.  It is the kingdoms without the cross. Worship Satan and receive the kingdoms..

10Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan For it is written Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.

Jesus chose the cross in order to inherit the kingdoms. He chose to obey his Father and follow his plan. Time and again Jesus illustrated the best defense against the devils deception which is citing the Scripture. He quoted Deuteronomy 6.13 (see 5.7) reminding us that God is the only proper object of worship. Here Jesus authority and unshakable faith are both felt. He remained steadfast for he knows that Satan is the father of lies (John 8. 44).

11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
The triumph of good against evil and truth against lies concluded the authors narration. The reader should notice that Jesus final statement and previous statements reflect what the Apostles advised Christians as the best armor or defense against the devils evil tricks (Eph. 6.11 4.27). Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you (Jas. 4.7).

6. Conclusion
We must always rely and trust our Lord because He is the only one who can give us spiritual nourishment which is more important than material things. Gods Word and our spiritual growth through worship, service, and prayer are better than any material things that can only give us physical nourishment.

It is noteworthy that Jesus relies solely upon Gods Word to defend himself from temptation. This account of Jesus temptation is extremely relevant to our lives. We are bombarded everyday by messages from every direction that we should meet our needs and make ourselves comfortable.  But the Scripture says we do not live by bread alone. We must have bread to live, but we do not live by bread alone. The Word of God feeds us at the deepest level of our being.

Sometimes our faith is being shaken by other peoples misapplication of the Scripture. Even the devil hides behind the very word of God, quoting scripture. But we must be prepared to answer the abuse of scripture by using the Scripture to interpret the Scripture (1 Cor. 2.13 ). When Jesus was tempted by a false interpretation of one Scripture, he responds with another Scripture. We should not use the Bible for our own purposes.

If we want to serve the Lord, we will definitely encounter temptations.  We have to pass a period of testing like the first servants of God (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and Job). Jesus provides the perfect model for triumphing in testing. Nevertheless, testing is for our own good because it will develop our spiritual maturity once we proved our obedience to God.