waltzing with bears
Tomorrow is the carwash for our class. If you have a car, bring it! I'm very pleased, because we have enough help this time, as opposed to last time, where most people who helped us weren't even in our class. Please pray for no rain tomorrow! The forecast says it will rain tonight, and that it will be windy tomorrow (I still haven't decided if that's a good thing, although the cars will dry faster:), but who knows what the weather will bring.
Today was our biology test, and I think I did well...am I correct in thinking that, Mr. Q?:) I always study for all of my school subjects and diligently complete my homework, of course; especially for biology, because Mr. Q is the best *cough* *cough.* Actually, I do like biology. Which is shocking, because I've always hated science. Maybe it's all those years of taking the same physical science that was boring me to death. I also never thought I'd appreciate algebra as much as I appreciate it now. I would rather take five algebra classes than take geometry. I hate it. Mr. Gross is a good teacher because he explains everything, but geometry is just one of those subjects that's impossible for me to like.
Mr. Q is right, I'm very random on my blog, but every now and then I might stick to the same subject. As you can probably tell, this isn't one of those.
Your description of the three types of students at our school is intriguing. I would have to question them, though. In case the comment hasn't been read, I'll paste the three types of students according to Mr. Q.
1) Those that are not saved and need to accept Christ.
2) Those that are saved, but not serving Him.
3) Those that are saved and serving Him.
Now, this sounds accurate, but the second one strikes me as odd. Is it really possible for one to be truly saved, yet not serving God? My position on this "no." James 2:14, 17 says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Perhaps by now you are saying, "Exactly. That's why we need to tell them to continue to act, and serve God, so that their faith can be complete." That seems logical, doesn't it? Not to me:)
If we must perform works in addition to our faith, doesn't this imply that works are necessary for salvation? My position is that those who claim to be saved but are not serving God are, in fact, not saved at all. This doesn't mean that those who are saved cease to sin and do everything right. But there is a difference between a life that has been powerfully influenced by a higher power and is driven by it, and a life that neglects. One who has truly been saved is greatly influenced, driven, and motivated by the Holy Spirit, and this is what causes them to do good works. Good works are not just something we start doing. Conviction must first take place. In other words, good works are not possible without God, and access to God is not availabe except through faith and his Grace, and access to faith is not possible without a change of heart, which can only be brought about by God. God, by his Holy Spirit, can work through us (those who are already saved) to change the heart of those who are unsaved, but we ourselves are not the ones who bring about that change of heart. This is important for us to remember, because we start trying to hard to change someone, when we ourselves can't really do anything about it. If it's not God's timing, then it's not God's timing.
So in conclusion, I would say that there are two types of students at Alma Heights (or, just people in general):
1. Those who are unsaved.
2. Those who are saved.
I think, even in serving God, the gospel is applicable. Without the gospel, works are nothing. They talk about serving God in many places, but not all places preach the gospel of Christ. As Christians, we constantly need to be remembering how our beliefs are unique, and that we are saved by Grace, and not by works.
I agree completely, that worship is the entertainment of God and not of man. It's enjoyment for man to worship, of course, but we must strive to honor God in our worship, since it is him that we are pleasing. I also agree that it would be great to get some old hymns alongside the contemporary ones, which is what they are starting to do, apparently.
I would have to say that thought it is mathematically true that more and more people are going to hell, it is also mathematically true that more and more people are going to heaven. Now, perhaps it's just me, but the thing that always fails to motivate me is finding out how many people exactly are going to hell. Seeing the numbers actually makes me feel depressed and smaller. Like when we had a missionary presentation last year, and he had a programmed his computer to count how many people died every minute, and by the second day it was over 1400 or something like that. When I saw that, it made me sad, and mad. Hell is a word we use try to use as motivation, but it is always seen as manipulation (which it is). What motivates me is hearing how much God loves everyone, and how much he desires me to do his will. Knowing that he has sacrificed so much for me, it gives me joy to do his will. It's not always easy, but it's definitely easier than trying to be effective with Hell as your motivation. In the same way, Christians do not believe the gospel simply to "stay out of hell," but to be united with God, which is an experience of endless bliss. Should we not, then focus on the joy and mercy and grace and gospel, rather than seeing it as an emergency exit from the fire?
Ok, so that's all. I've posted quite a bit more than I normally do in the past week. Btw, Mr. Q, I think you'd like Coldplay! You should check them out! Let me know if you want me to burn you a CD. I just downloaded Switchfoot's new album today, and so far it's pretty great. I particularly like "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine."
Today was our biology test, and I think I did well...am I correct in thinking that, Mr. Q?:) I always study for all of my school subjects and diligently complete my homework, of course; especially for biology, because Mr. Q is the best *cough* *cough.* Actually, I do like biology. Which is shocking, because I've always hated science. Maybe it's all those years of taking the same physical science that was boring me to death. I also never thought I'd appreciate algebra as much as I appreciate it now. I would rather take five algebra classes than take geometry. I hate it. Mr. Gross is a good teacher because he explains everything, but geometry is just one of those subjects that's impossible for me to like.
Mr. Q is right, I'm very random on my blog, but every now and then I might stick to the same subject. As you can probably tell, this isn't one of those.
Your description of the three types of students at our school is intriguing. I would have to question them, though. In case the comment hasn't been read, I'll paste the three types of students according to Mr. Q.
1) Those that are not saved and need to accept Christ.
2) Those that are saved, but not serving Him.
3) Those that are saved and serving Him.
Now, this sounds accurate, but the second one strikes me as odd. Is it really possible for one to be truly saved, yet not serving God? My position on this "no." James 2:14, 17 says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Perhaps by now you are saying, "Exactly. That's why we need to tell them to continue to act, and serve God, so that their faith can be complete." That seems logical, doesn't it? Not to me:)
If we must perform works in addition to our faith, doesn't this imply that works are necessary for salvation? My position is that those who claim to be saved but are not serving God are, in fact, not saved at all. This doesn't mean that those who are saved cease to sin and do everything right. But there is a difference between a life that has been powerfully influenced by a higher power and is driven by it, and a life that neglects. One who has truly been saved is greatly influenced, driven, and motivated by the Holy Spirit, and this is what causes them to do good works. Good works are not just something we start doing. Conviction must first take place. In other words, good works are not possible without God, and access to God is not availabe except through faith and his Grace, and access to faith is not possible without a change of heart, which can only be brought about by God. God, by his Holy Spirit, can work through us (those who are already saved) to change the heart of those who are unsaved, but we ourselves are not the ones who bring about that change of heart. This is important for us to remember, because we start trying to hard to change someone, when we ourselves can't really do anything about it. If it's not God's timing, then it's not God's timing.
So in conclusion, I would say that there are two types of students at Alma Heights (or, just people in general):
1. Those who are unsaved.
2. Those who are saved.
I think, even in serving God, the gospel is applicable. Without the gospel, works are nothing. They talk about serving God in many places, but not all places preach the gospel of Christ. As Christians, we constantly need to be remembering how our beliefs are unique, and that we are saved by Grace, and not by works.
I agree completely, that worship is the entertainment of God and not of man. It's enjoyment for man to worship, of course, but we must strive to honor God in our worship, since it is him that we are pleasing. I also agree that it would be great to get some old hymns alongside the contemporary ones, which is what they are starting to do, apparently.
I would have to say that thought it is mathematically true that more and more people are going to hell, it is also mathematically true that more and more people are going to heaven. Now, perhaps it's just me, but the thing that always fails to motivate me is finding out how many people exactly are going to hell. Seeing the numbers actually makes me feel depressed and smaller. Like when we had a missionary presentation last year, and he had a programmed his computer to count how many people died every minute, and by the second day it was over 1400 or something like that. When I saw that, it made me sad, and mad. Hell is a word we use try to use as motivation, but it is always seen as manipulation (which it is). What motivates me is hearing how much God loves everyone, and how much he desires me to do his will. Knowing that he has sacrificed so much for me, it gives me joy to do his will. It's not always easy, but it's definitely easier than trying to be effective with Hell as your motivation. In the same way, Christians do not believe the gospel simply to "stay out of hell," but to be united with God, which is an experience of endless bliss. Should we not, then focus on the joy and mercy and grace and gospel, rather than seeing it as an emergency exit from the fire?
Ok, so that's all. I've posted quite a bit more than I normally do in the past week. Btw, Mr. Q, I think you'd like Coldplay! You should check them out! Let me know if you want me to burn you a CD. I just downloaded Switchfoot's new album today, and so far it's pretty great. I particularly like "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine."
posted by John Mark at 5:06 PM
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