Fred Okemwa.
TSHT 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Reflection paper 4.
It was another week of its own kind: As I listened to the presentations from different colleagues on various topics, I wished if the class could continue and each individual be given full chance to develop the proposal into the real paper.Icongraturate the professor for this kind of Methodology that he has interwoven in his teaching process. It gives a wider scope of thinking and as we open to one another in the class room discussion taking inputs from one another it really motivates and improves our learning experience as well.
The topic on righteousness by faith as was presented by one of our colleagues is such wide in the scope of understanding that we have not yet fully understood. The reformers wrestled with the same problem as we do today. As it was understood by the old generation that salvation is by works even today it is not strange that there are people who believe on the same. The connection between the Pauline teaching of salvation by faith and the James teaching that faith without works is dead if not carefully examined in the light of what each individual is addressing it leads to misunderstanding and thereby a wrong conclusion may be drawn. It is important to understand that justification in Christ is the doing of God: the fruit of this justification which is the result of our union with Christ is what James refers as works and again this is the doing of God lest any man should boast. This is my literal understanding of the connection between the two however I stand to be corrected.
I also did appreciate in the cause of the week the professors’ explanatory lecture on the sanctuary. In the beautiful comparisons of the earthly and the heavenly holy places the point was driven home on what the sanctuary really is.
To aconclude, the course has been so good and challenging and I feel that it achieved my objective.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Fred Okemwa.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Final exam.
Q.Discuss a sentence from the bible, the text book or from the class notes that sum up an important insight you have learned or reminded during the class. Clarify the meaning of your selected sentence and its relevance to life and ministry.
The sentence that I have selected for the discussion and often featured in the class notes is from the book of proverbs 4:18 which according to the King James version reads:“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shined more and more unto the perfect day.”
According to my understanding of this verse, it implies that the path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, (Mt. 5:16). They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa. 58:8, 10) and puts an end to the works of darkness. It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honors which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing. It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day.
In the protestant theological heritage course, during our study we discovered great things and perhaps in a more abroad perspective in the light of the above cited text. For instance toward the end of the Dark Ages many lights were lit, often on Campuses, for truth and reform. Martin Luther recovered the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus. For Luther, the task to bring the Catholic Church to acknowledge the truth of the word of God was not a soft one, it was the part that involved peril, but as the word of God says that my Grace is sufficient, indeed that Grace of God kept Luther on the shining path till his last day. It is paramount also to note that Luther had no intention to move out of the Catholic Church but upon his death, his followers never went far for the search of truth than did Luther.
The reformers that followed after Luther, like Zwingil, Calvin and others the word of God was central in their rediscovery of truth. Though limited in understanding as it often the case, the Holy Spirit often led them to uncover much of the biblical doctrines that were forgotten or dumped during the papal hierarchy. I may not be in a position to know whether they lived up the light of their discovery till their day but the simple conclusion that I can make is that the Holy Spirit was leading them all through till their day of rest. In contrast and as is the case of Martin Luther, those who came behind these reformers they never went far in the discovery of truth and as the result divisions occurred in a movement that meant restore the universal church into the purity of the gospel and the love of the word of God.
Through the class debates particularly in the beginning of the course whether the spirit of God worked through the Catholic Church, the way the Dr.Hanna expounded this text in a holistic approach I came to understand it in a wider perspective than before. It is true even now that the lord has a people in different religions, in the different denomination who have not had the opportunity to be in the Adventist church but they are faithful to the little knowledge they have gained of the creator. To such the Lord is keeping their faithful path to shine ever brighter till the perfect day.
In my life and ministry ,as the reformers invested more time on the word of God there is nothing more I can do than that. I do realize that we are living in the critical age where people need the stuff and not the milk and because of that I need to study to shew myself approved of God a workman who need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. There are my aspects of our doctrines that have not been clearly understood by those who profess to be Adventist and I feel it is my duty to contribute to their understanding through study and narration of whatever I find to be of more meaning and that can assist myself and others to keep their feet on the path of the just.
Another important aspect of the ministry that I learned through verse is that as Adventist we are quick in judging other people especially those that are not of our Adventist faith. This aspect of judgment is more common in Africa particularly in Kenya the country of my origin I don’t about other parts of the world nevertheless the point I want to drive home is that salvation is of God. He is the one who has the perfect record of everyone and He is the only one who can make the right judgment on salvation depending whether we received the gift that He gave wrapped in the form of only His begotten son.
Fred Okemwa.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Final exam.
Q.Discuss a sentence from the bible, the text book or from the class notes that sum up an important insight you have learned or reminded during the class. Clarify the meaning of your selected sentence and its relevance to life and ministry.
The sentence that I have selected for the discussion and often featured in the class notes is from the book of proverbs 4:18 which according to the King James version reads:“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shined more and more unto the perfect day.”
According to my understanding of this verse, it implies that the path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, (Mt. 5:16). They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa. 58:8, 10) and puts an end to the works of darkness. It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honors which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing. It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day.
In the protestant theological heritage course, during our study we discovered great things and perhaps in a more abroad perspective in the light of the above cited text. For instance toward the end of the Dark Ages many lights were lit, often on Campuses, for truth and reform. Martin Luther recovered the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus. For Luther, the task to bring the Catholic Church to acknowledge the truth of the word of God was not a soft one, it was the part that involved peril, but as the word of God says that my Grace is sufficient, indeed that Grace of God kept Luther on the shining path till his last day. It is paramount also to note that Luther had no intention to move out of the Catholic Church but upon his death, his followers never went far for the search of truth than did Luther.
The reformers that followed after Luther, like Zwingil, Calvin and others the word of God was central in their rediscovery of truth. Though limited in understanding as it often the case, the Holy Spirit often led them to uncover much of the biblical doctrines that were forgotten or dumped during the papal hierarchy. I may not be in a position to know whether they lived up the light of their discovery till their day but the simple conclusion that I can make is that the Holy Spirit was leading them all through till their day of rest. In contrast and as is the case of Martin Luther, those who came behind these reformers they never went far in the discovery of truth and as the result divisions occurred in a movement that meant restore the universal church into the purity of the gospel and the love of the word of God.
Through the class debates particularly in the beginning of the course whether the spirit of God worked through the Catholic Church, the way the Dr.Hanna expounded this text in a holistic approach I came to understand it in a wider perspective than before. It is true even now that the lord has a people in different religions, in the different denomination who have not had the opportunity to be in the Adventist church but they are faithful to the little knowledge they have gained of the creator. To such the Lord is keeping their faithful path to shine ever brighter till the perfect day.
In my life and ministry ,as the reformers invested more time on the word of God there is nothing more I can do than that. I do realize that we are living in the critical age where people need the stuff and not the milk and because of that I need to study to shew myself approved of God a workman who need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. There are my aspects of our doctrines that have not been clearly understood by those who profess to be Adventist and I feel it is my duty to contribute to their understanding through study and narration of whatever I find to be of more meaning and that can assist myself and others to keep their feet on the path of the just.
Another important aspect of the ministry that I learned through verse is that as Adventist we are quick in judging other people especially those that are not of our Adventist faith. This aspect of judgment is more common in Africa particularly in Kenya the country of my origin I don’t about other parts of the world nevertheless the point I want to drive home is that salvation is of God. He is the one who has the perfect record of everyone and He is the only one who can make the right judgment on salvation depending whether we received the gift that He gave wrapped in the form of only His begotten son.
Fred Okemwa.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Final exam.
Q.Discuss a sentence from the bible, the text book or from the class notes that sum up an important insight you have learned or reminded during the class. Clarify the meaning of your selected sentence and its relevance to life and ministry.
The sentence that I have selected for the discussion and often featured in the class notes is from the book of proverbs 4:18 which according to the King James version reads:“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shined more and more unto the perfect day.”
According to my understanding of this verse, it implies that the path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, (Mt. 5:16). They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa. 58:8, 10) and puts an end to the works of darkness. It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honors which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing. It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day.
In the protestant theological heritage course, during our study we discovered great things and perhaps in a more abroad perspective in the light of the above cited text. For instance toward the end of the Dark Ages many lights were lit, often on Campuses, for truth and reform. Martin Luther recovered the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus. For Luther, the task to bring the Catholic Church to acknowledge the truth of the word of God was not a soft one, it was the part that involved peril, but as the word of God says that my Grace is sufficient, indeed that Grace of God kept Luther on the shining path till his last day. It is paramount also to note that Luther had no intention to move out of the Catholic Church but upon his death, his followers never went far for the search of truth than did Luther.
The reformers that followed after Luther, like Zwingil, Calvin and others the word of God was central in their rediscovery of truth. Though limited in understanding as it often the case, the Holy Spirit often led them to uncover much of the biblical doctrines that were forgotten or dumped during the papal hierarchy. I may not be in a position to know whether they lived up the light of their discovery till their day but the simple conclusion that I can make is that the Holy Spirit was leading them all through till their day of rest. In contrast and as is the case of Martin Luther, those who came behind these reformers they never went far in the discovery of truth and as the result divisions occurred in a movement that meant restore the universal church into the purity of the gospel and the love of the word of God.
Through the class debates particularly in the beginning of the course whether the spirit of God worked through the Catholic Church, the way the Dr.Hanna expounded this text in a holistic approach I came to understand it in a wider perspective than before. It is true even now that the lord has a people in different religions, in the different denomination who have not had the opportunity to be in the Adventist church but they are faithful to the little knowledge they have gained of the creator. To such the Lord is keeping their faithful path to shine ever brighter till the perfect day.
In my life and ministry ,as the reformers invested more time on the word of God there is nothing more I can do than that. I do realize that we are living in the critical age where people need the stuff and not the milk and because of that I need to study to shew myself approved of God a workman who need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. There are my aspects of our doctrines that have not been clearly understood by those who profess to be Adventist and I feel it is my duty to contribute to their understanding through study and narration of whatever I find to be of more meaning and that can assist myself and others to keep their feet on the path of the just.
Another important aspect of the ministry that I learned through verse is that as Adventist we are quick in judging other people especially those that are not of our Adventist faith. This aspect of judgment is more common in Africa particularly in Kenya the country of my origin I don’t about other parts of the world nevertheless the point I want to drive home is that salvation is of God. He is the one who has the perfect record of everyone and He is the only one who can make the right judgment on salvation depending whether we received the gift that He gave wrapped in the form of only His begotten son.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Final exam.
Q.Discuss a sentence from the bible, the text book or from the class notes that sum up an important insight you have learned or reminded during the class. Clarify the meaning of your selected sentence and its relevance to life and ministry.
The sentence that I have selected for the discussion and often featured in the class notes is from the book of proverbs 4:18 which according to the King James version reads:“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shined more and more unto the perfect day.”
According to my understanding of this verse, it implies that the path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, (Mt. 5:16). They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa. 58:8, 10) and puts an end to the works of darkness. It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honors which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing. It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day.
In the protestant theological heritage course, during our study we discovered great things and perhaps in a more abroad perspective in the light of the above cited text. For instance toward the end of the Dark Ages many lights were lit, often on Campuses, for truth and reform. Martin Luther recovered the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus. For Luther, the task to bring the Catholic Church to acknowledge the truth of the word of God was not a soft one, it was the part that involved peril, but as the word of God says that my Grace is sufficient, indeed that Grace of God kept Luther on the shining path till his last day. It is paramount also to note that Luther had no intention to move out of the Catholic Church but upon his death, his followers never went far for the search of truth than did Luther.
The reformers that followed after Luther, like Zwingil, Calvin and others the word of God was central in their rediscovery of truth. Though limited in understanding as it often the case, the Holy Spirit often led them to uncover much of the biblical doctrines that were forgotten or dumped during the papal hierarchy. I may not be in a position to know whether they lived up the light of their discovery till their day but the simple conclusion that I can make is that the Holy Spirit was leading them all through till their day of rest. In contrast and as is the case of Martin Luther, those who came behind these reformers they never went far in the discovery of truth and as the result divisions occurred in a movement that meant restore the universal church into the purity of the gospel and the love of the word of God.
Through the class debates particularly in the beginning of the course whether the spirit of God worked through the Catholic Church, the way the Dr.Hanna expounded this text in a holistic approach I came to understand it in a wider perspective than before. It is true even now that the lord has a people in different religions, in the different denomination who have not had the opportunity to be in the Adventist church but they are faithful to the little knowledge they have gained of the creator. To such the Lord is keeping their faithful path to shine ever brighter till the perfect day.
In my life and ministry ,as the reformers invested more time on the word of God there is nothing more I can do than that. I do realize that we are living in the critical age where people need the stuff and not the milk and because of that I need to study to shew myself approved of God a workman who need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. There are my aspects of our doctrines that have not been clearly understood by those who profess to be Adventist and I feel it is my duty to contribute to their understanding through study and narration of whatever I find to be of more meaning and that can assist myself and others to keep their feet on the path of the just.
Another important aspect of the ministry that I learned through verse is that as Adventist we are quick in judging other people especially those that are not of our Adventist faith. This aspect of judgment is more common in Africa particularly in Kenya the country of my origin I don’t about other parts of the world nevertheless the point I want to drive home is that salvation is of God. He is the one who has the perfect record of everyone and He is the only one who can make the right judgment on salvation depending whether we received the gift that He gave wrapped in the form of only His begotten son.
Fred Okemwa.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Final exam.
Q.Discuss a sentence from the bible, the text book or from the class notes that sum up an important insight you have learned or reminded during the class. Clarify the meaning of your selected sentence and its relevance to life and ministry.
The sentence that I have selected for the discussion and often featured in the class notes is from the book of proverbs 4:18 which according to the King James version reads:“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shined more and more unto the perfect day.”
According to my understanding of this verse, it implies that the path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, (Mt. 5:16). They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa. 58:8, 10) and puts an end to the works of darkness. It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honors which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing. It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day.
In the protestant theological heritage course, during our study we discovered great things and perhaps in a more abroad perspective in the light of the above cited text. For instance toward the end of the Dark Ages many lights were lit, often on Campuses, for truth and reform. Martin Luther recovered the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus. For Luther, the task to bring the Catholic Church to acknowledge the truth of the word of God was not a soft one, it was the part that involved peril, but as the word of God says that my Grace is sufficient, indeed that Grace of God kept Luther on the shining path till his last day. It is paramount also to note that Luther had no intention to move out of the Catholic Church but upon his death, his followers never went far for the search of truth than did Luther.
The reformers that followed after Luther, like Zwingil, Calvin and others the word of God was central in their rediscovery of truth. Though limited in understanding as it often the case, the Holy Spirit often led them to uncover much of the biblical doctrines that were forgotten or dumped during the papal hierarchy. I may not be in a position to know whether they lived up the light of their discovery till their day but the simple conclusion that I can make is that the Holy Spirit was leading them all through till their day of rest. In contrast and as is the case of Martin Luther, those who came behind these reformers they never went far in the discovery of truth and as the result divisions occurred in a movement that meant restore the universal church into the purity of the gospel and the love of the word of God.
Through the class debates particularly in the beginning of the course whether the spirit of God worked through the Catholic Church, the way the Dr.Hanna expounded this text in a holistic approach I came to understand it in a wider perspective than before. It is true even now that the lord has a people in different religions, in the different denomination who have not had the opportunity to be in the Adventist church but they are faithful to the little knowledge they have gained of the creator. To such the Lord is keeping their faithful path to shine ever brighter till the perfect day.
In my life and ministry ,as the reformers invested more time on the word of God there is nothing more I can do than that. I do realize that we are living in the critical age where people need the stuff and not the milk and because of that I need to study to shew myself approved of God a workman who need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. There are my aspects of our doctrines that have not been clearly understood by those who profess to be Adventist and I feel it is my duty to contribute to their understanding through study and narration of whatever I find to be of more meaning and that can assist myself and others to keep their feet on the path of the just.
Another important aspect of the ministry that I learned through verse is that as Adventist we are quick in judging other people especially those that are not of our Adventist faith. This aspect of judgment is more common in Africa particularly in Kenya the country of my origin I don’t about other parts of the world nevertheless the point I want to drive home is that salvation is of God. He is the one who has the perfect record of everyone and He is the only one who can make the right judgment on salvation depending whether we received the gift that He gave wrapped in the form of only His begotten son.
Fred Okemwa.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Final exam.
Q.Discuss a sentence from the bible, the text book or from the class notes that sum up an important insight you have learned or reminded during the class. Clarify the meaning of your selected sentence and its relevance to life and ministry.
The sentence that I have selected for the discussion and often featured in the class notes is from the book of proverbs 4:18 which according to the King James version reads:“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shined more and more unto the perfect day.”
According to my understanding of this verse, it implies that the path of the just, which they have chosen, and in which they walk, is as light; the light shines on their ways (Job 22:28) and makes them both safe and pleasant. Christ is their way and he is the light. They are guided by the word of God and that is a light to their feet; they themselves are light in the Lord and they walk in the light as he is in the light. Their way shines to themselves in the joy and comfort of it; it shines before men, who see their good works, (Mt. 5:16). They go on in their way with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that walk in the light. It is as the morning-light, which shines out of obscurity (Isa. 58:8, 10) and puts an end to the works of darkness. It is a growing light; it shines more and more, not like the light of a meteor, which soon disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim and burns down, but like that of the rising sun, which goes forward shining, mounts upward shining. That joy which is the pleasure of this way, that honors which is the brightness of it, and all that happiness which is indeed its light, shall be still increasing. It will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day.
In the protestant theological heritage course, during our study we discovered great things and perhaps in a more abroad perspective in the light of the above cited text. For instance toward the end of the Dark Ages many lights were lit, often on Campuses, for truth and reform. Martin Luther recovered the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus. For Luther, the task to bring the Catholic Church to acknowledge the truth of the word of God was not a soft one, it was the part that involved peril, but as the word of God says that my Grace is sufficient, indeed that Grace of God kept Luther on the shining path till his last day. It is paramount also to note that Luther had no intention to move out of the Catholic Church but upon his death, his followers never went far for the search of truth than did Luther.
The reformers that followed after Luther, like Zwingil, Calvin and others the word of God was central in their rediscovery of truth. Though limited in understanding as it often the case, the Holy Spirit often led them to uncover much of the biblical doctrines that were forgotten or dumped during the papal hierarchy. I may not be in a position to know whether they lived up the light of their discovery till their day but the simple conclusion that I can make is that the Holy Spirit was leading them all through till their day of rest. In contrast and as is the case of Martin Luther, those who came behind these reformers they never went far in the discovery of truth and as the result divisions occurred in a movement that meant restore the universal church into the purity of the gospel and the love of the word of God.
Through the class debates particularly in the beginning of the course whether the spirit of God worked through the Catholic Church, the way the Dr.Hanna expounded this text in a holistic approach I came to understand it in a wider perspective than before. It is true even now that the lord has a people in different religions, in the different denomination who have not had the opportunity to be in the Adventist church but they are faithful to the little knowledge they have gained of the creator. To such the Lord is keeping their faithful path to shine ever brighter till the perfect day.
In my life and ministry ,as the reformers invested more time on the word of God there is nothing more I can do than that. I do realize that we are living in the critical age where people need the stuff and not the milk and because of that I need to study to shew myself approved of God a workman who need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. There are my aspects of our doctrines that have not been clearly understood by those who profess to be Adventist and I feel it is my duty to contribute to their understanding through study and narration of whatever I find to be of more meaning and that can assist myself and others to keep their feet on the path of the just.
Another important aspect of the ministry that I learned through verse is that as Adventist we are quick in judging other people especially those that are not of our Adventist faith. This aspect of judgment is more common in Africa particularly in Kenya the country of my origin I don’t about other parts of the world nevertheless the point I want to drive home is that salvation is of God. He is the one who has the perfect record of everyone and He is the only one who can make the right judgment on salvation depending whether we received the gift that He gave wrapped in the form of only His begotten son.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Reflection paper 3
Fred Moseti Okemwa
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Reflection paper 3.
The THST 624 class over the last week opened my wide understanding regarding the protestant reformation. The pioneers had to struggle with heavy scriptural issues as we do today. It is interesting that most of the doctrines that were discovered during the reformation are among the many modified doctrines of the Adventist church today. Through the study I have also noted that some of the doctrines that caused debate during the era of the reformation like the doctrine of the free will, Salvation and others are the same doctrine that we as Adventist we are struggling today with.
It was also amazing to note that during the reformation era, there were people who could interpret everything to extreme as it is today. The antinomian controversy-that denied the place of the law in the gospel of salvation can be equated to those who say that the law ended at the cross of Calvary and thus we are not under the law but under grace. It is true that even today we have the antinomianists around the world.
The fight between Melanchthon and john Agricola about faith and repentance which precedes the other I can compare it with the debate of universal justification on the Adventist church that is going on. Another interesting issue that I noted through the study is that all the controversies that came, the Lutheran church came up with the formula of concord in 1577 to address the issues that were raised by other reformers regarding Luther’s theology and through that formula of concord mitigation was done.
The presentation of different proposals from different students was also another interesting part of the class last week. I saw the students in the spirit of wanting to more in the various topics and that gave me the heart of proceeding with my research to know more about the topic which I had chosen about the concept of Paul on the doctrine of predestination on the book of Romans chapter 8:29-30.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Reflection paper 3.
The THST 624 class over the last week opened my wide understanding regarding the protestant reformation. The pioneers had to struggle with heavy scriptural issues as we do today. It is interesting that most of the doctrines that were discovered during the reformation are among the many modified doctrines of the Adventist church today. Through the study I have also noted that some of the doctrines that caused debate during the era of the reformation like the doctrine of the free will, Salvation and others are the same doctrine that we as Adventist we are struggling today with.
It was also amazing to note that during the reformation era, there were people who could interpret everything to extreme as it is today. The antinomian controversy-that denied the place of the law in the gospel of salvation can be equated to those who say that the law ended at the cross of Calvary and thus we are not under the law but under grace. It is true that even today we have the antinomianists around the world.
The fight between Melanchthon and john Agricola about faith and repentance which precedes the other I can compare it with the debate of universal justification on the Adventist church that is going on. Another interesting issue that I noted through the study is that all the controversies that came, the Lutheran church came up with the formula of concord in 1577 to address the issues that were raised by other reformers regarding Luther’s theology and through that formula of concord mitigation was done.
The presentation of different proposals from different students was also another interesting part of the class last week. I saw the students in the spirit of wanting to more in the various topics and that gave me the heart of proceeding with my research to know more about the topic which I had chosen about the concept of Paul on the doctrine of predestination on the book of Romans chapter 8:29-30.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Fred M Okemwa.
TSHT 624 Protestant theological Heritage.
Reflection paper 2.
The course TSHT 624 is becoming interestingly valuable for the lovers of history. It of great interest to note that in the past God has worked with many people regardless of their faith and religion. The history of the reformers who in one way or another have contributed to our Adventism today is clear indication that in every generation God has always had a people to spearhead the work of reform whether within the Christian circles or outside the sphere of Christianity.
The holistic approach used by the prof. of the course to expound the biblical texts is of much value because of the integritness of his methodological way of thinking and let no one take it slightly. For many years, we in the Adventist circle we have been so closed up to an extent that we limit God’s Salvation within our Adventism context. This was the Jewish problem too( ref: john 4;22).In matters of God’s salvation we need to be extra careful not to judge others on the basis of their religion or denomination for God alone is the right judge .
Regarding the class debate on apostasy and reformation it is absolutely true that in every movement within the Christian church there has been moments of apostasy and reform as well. In the Roman Catholic, I believe that before the element of corruption cropped up, it did much good for the children of God. When apostasy entered, there were some men within the Catholic Church itself who raised up their voices against the corrupt influences to an extent that some were burnt alive. So let’s accept the fact that in any movement in as much that God is leading, the Devil as well is behind to destroy and to cause to perish. Let’s be positive the direction is clear. The path of the just will keep on to shine more and more till the perfect day.
TSHT 624 Protestant theological Heritage.
Reflection paper 2.
The course TSHT 624 is becoming interestingly valuable for the lovers of history. It of great interest to note that in the past God has worked with many people regardless of their faith and religion. The history of the reformers who in one way or another have contributed to our Adventism today is clear indication that in every generation God has always had a people to spearhead the work of reform whether within the Christian circles or outside the sphere of Christianity.
The holistic approach used by the prof. of the course to expound the biblical texts is of much value because of the integritness of his methodological way of thinking and let no one take it slightly. For many years, we in the Adventist circle we have been so closed up to an extent that we limit God’s Salvation within our Adventism context. This was the Jewish problem too( ref: john 4;22).In matters of God’s salvation we need to be extra careful not to judge others on the basis of their religion or denomination for God alone is the right judge .
Regarding the class debate on apostasy and reformation it is absolutely true that in every movement within the Christian church there has been moments of apostasy and reform as well. In the Roman Catholic, I believe that before the element of corruption cropped up, it did much good for the children of God. When apostasy entered, there were some men within the Catholic Church itself who raised up their voices against the corrupt influences to an extent that some were burnt alive. So let’s accept the fact that in any movement in as much that God is leading, the Devil as well is behind to destroy and to cause to perish. Let’s be positive the direction is clear. The path of the just will keep on to shine more and more till the perfect day.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
reflection paper
Fred M Okemwa.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Reflection paper one.
I have read on the textbook the Christian thought the topics, the End of Era and the theology of Martin Luther. In the end of era I learned about the reasons as to why the early reformers protested from the Roman Catholic Church. Some of the reasons of their break away include the growth of nationalism, the declining of the Roman Catholic Authority, Mysticism and Nominalism.
In the theology of Martin Luther, it was interesting to discover how his spiritual life began to unfold. He entered the monastery at his early years desiring to make his relationship right with God. His life as a monk he was not still settled before there was longing that had not been satisfied. Bible issues such as Grace, Love, Sin and Justice were some of the issues that he wrestled with and still had not come to perfect understanding.
His beginning of the study of the book of psalms in an Christological way began to shed some glimmers of hope. The study of the book of Romans brought him to greater discovery on the doctrine of justification and not willing to hide his discovery, he wrote the ninety seven theses and he was willing to defend them. Issues that he began to wrestle with include indulgence, purgatory issues among others. His path of spiritual journey though tedious was perfect till his last day.
In the class lectures I have began to wrestle with issues such the Sanctuary it true meaning from the biblical perspective. On reformation the topic was clearly presented but on close examination the early reformers had tangible reasons in support of their breaking away from the Catholic Church. But how can we account for those movements in Adventism where people have started their own churches on grounds of ethnicity, leadership and the like do we call such movement’s reformation? On the hand between modernism and post modernism what is the Adventist position on the two lines of thought.
THST 624 Protestant Theological Heritage.
Reflection paper one.
I have read on the textbook the Christian thought the topics, the End of Era and the theology of Martin Luther. In the end of era I learned about the reasons as to why the early reformers protested from the Roman Catholic Church. Some of the reasons of their break away include the growth of nationalism, the declining of the Roman Catholic Authority, Mysticism and Nominalism.
In the theology of Martin Luther, it was interesting to discover how his spiritual life began to unfold. He entered the monastery at his early years desiring to make his relationship right with God. His life as a monk he was not still settled before there was longing that had not been satisfied. Bible issues such as Grace, Love, Sin and Justice were some of the issues that he wrestled with and still had not come to perfect understanding.
His beginning of the study of the book of psalms in an Christological way began to shed some glimmers of hope. The study of the book of Romans brought him to greater discovery on the doctrine of justification and not willing to hide his discovery, he wrote the ninety seven theses and he was willing to defend them. Issues that he began to wrestle with include indulgence, purgatory issues among others. His path of spiritual journey though tedious was perfect till his last day.
In the class lectures I have began to wrestle with issues such the Sanctuary it true meaning from the biblical perspective. On reformation the topic was clearly presented but on close examination the early reformers had tangible reasons in support of their breaking away from the Catholic Church. But how can we account for those movements in Adventism where people have started their own churches on grounds of ethnicity, leadership and the like do we call such movement’s reformation? On the hand between modernism and post modernism what is the Adventist position on the two lines of thought.
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