Paul: Adoption and Inheritance

"How were adoption and inheritance related in Paul's thought?"



In Paul's thought, they were related by the fact that they were both spiritual matters.  The adoption was an adoption into the church, and the inheritance was that of the Kingdom of God.  Both of these are matters of the heart and have to do with salvation.  You are not adopted into the Lord's church without salvation, nor do you inherit the blessings that come along with it.  You need one in order to have the other.  This is how I believe that he thought the two were related.

Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!

Ethics and the Development of History

"What is the view of the biblical materials on the role of ethics in the development of history?"


     In the development of history, biblical materials have influenced ethics by a very large degree.  We see this when we give money to the poor and needy, help build homes for those who don't have any, etc.  
     
     There are lots of people out there who don't believe in God and yet, they do their best to help those in need.  Why? The answer is simple.  In every society, people have believed in some form of morality that was handed down from one generation to the next.  For many, what was handed down to them was biblical ethics.  For instance, it is illegal to commit murder.  Where else do we find this law?  We find it in Exodus chapter 20, verse 13.  "Thou shalt not kill."  What is another law that we have in the world today?  Let's look at Exodus chapter 20, verse 15.   "Thou shalt not steale."   These are two very well known laws in today's world, as well as the world of the past.     
     
     Although some might not agree with everything in the Bible, you have to admit that biblical materials did play a huge part in ethics, and the history of the world in general.

     Thank you very much for reading, and please let me know what you think! 
   

"How important is the concept of historical sanctions in the Psalms?" Here is my answer.

 

  I believe that the importance of sanctions in Psalms was very significant.  I believe this because of the reasons that I will list in this essay.  

   

  God uses sanctions to protect the just from the wicked.  Without these sanctions, the world would continue to become horrid and corrupt.  The world needed these sanctions just as you would need to punish a child for doing wrong.  God uses these sanctions not because he wants to harm people, but rather, so that they can learn from their mistakes and do good in the future.  

  

  These sanctions would not be important if they were not a part of the Bible, but they are.  Anything and everything in the Bible is important, otherwise, the Bible would have never been written.  

  

  The historical value was not only important then, but it is also important now.  It is important now, because those sanctions can help us to not take a path of wickedness, but rather, a path of peace, goodness, love, and kindness.  This is the historical significance that the sanctions in Psalms hold.  This is the message that we are supposed to receive from not only Psalms, but in fact, the entire Bible.  The sanctions in Psalms are not to frighten and discourage the readers of Psalms (Of course, I'm sure that it frightened those living at that time.), they were to teach us.  

   

  Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!