learning thread

Thread: Learning Log 1. “This lostness means that we are incapable of rescuing or saving ourselves. In fact, the more we attempt to save ourselves, the worse we make things.” a. This reminds me of how much I need Jesus in every aspect of my life. Without Him, I would be hopeless, and I would not have any means of rescuing myself. Through Him alone, I am able to have hope and salvation. 2. “This love is not based on our ability to keep our promises to God. Rather, it is based on Christ’s ability to keep his promise to God.” a. This shows the significance of what Jesus’ life and death gave us. Through Him, we are graced with God’s continual love, salvation, mercy, and a relationship with God through Christ. I tend to forget that I cannot keep promises to God. It is impossible for me, but it shows me that I need to remember how Jesus kept His promises and that I do not need to worry. 3. “Jesus’s miracles primarily served as a sign that he was who he claimed to be. They validated his message and ministry.” a. We need to remember every part of Jesus’ life because each part was important in some way. Without His miracles, there would not be the additional proof that He was who He said He was. This validation solidifies our ability to have hope in Jesus. 4. “ Is Jesus communicating specifically to his disciples, as in John 17:6–19 , when he prays for them? Or is Jesus communicating to a broader audience… Such analysis will help the reader discover, where possible, if a command, teaching, or promise is intended to be applied in a limited way to a specific audience or to a broader audience.” a. I have struggled interpreting the Bible in certain passages, but especially when it is Jesus talking to His disciples. I always get confused with where the message is directed. Now I can look at these passages (specifically in Matthew 10) to determine if the verses continue to todays Christians, or if they are meant to be only for the disciples. 5. “Whereas the rest of the Bible is often appropriately described as God’s Word to us, the Psalms are really written to God.” a. This interested me because I did notice that Psalms seemed to be a way to worship God, but I never thought of it as being written to God. I always heard the Bible as God’s complete word, so I assumed Psalms was just an example of how to worship God. This makes me look at that book of the Bible in a different manner. 6. “Each genre dictates how it ought to be interpreted, and the student of God’s Word must not read it flatly as if it is all the same.” a. I never thought of the Bible as having various genres. I always thought of it as one book with one overarching theme as God’s word, but that was it. Knowing that there are numerous genres in the Bible, and various ways each book portrays its’ information, makes the Bible easier to understand. 7. “ This false perspective fits well in our contemporary culture with its philosophy that a person is the master of his or her own destiny. However, the Bible is not primarily a book about the path I must choose to follow in order to successfully navigate this life. Instead, the Bible tells us the path that God chose in order to redeem humanity.” a. I fall into this trap as I feel the Bible is for me , making myself the center of attention rather than focusing on God. It is easy to forget that the Bible is not all about me