�I am the way, and the truth, and the life" John 14:6

Tower of babel

Jacobs wrestles with God

Egyptian magicians perform sorcery

There exists others Gods.

Samsons riddle

Benjamites rape

Saul prophesies

Hebrew 11:1
Faith is not knowing but believing anyway.

What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us.

Reject Gods love not God's existence

Sin is rebellion of God through pride and greed. We want more than what we know is
enough but feel impelled to pin down our superiority over all else.

If you look at any coin with the Queen�s portrait on it you will see round her head
�ELIZABETH II D.G. REG. F.D.� This is short for �Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina
Fidei Defensor�. This can then be translated as �Elizabeth II, by the Grace of
God, Queen, Defender of the Faith�.

The Queen�s position is inseparable from the Christian faith as the supreme
governor of the Church of England. As a country we are in the privileged position
of having a monarch who has a deep personal faith. One commentator on Radio 4 this
morning was describing how the Queen gains strength and inspiration from her
Christian faith to carry out her difficult and complex role. If you look back on
her Christmas speeches over the last few years, it quickly becomes apparent just
how much her faith means to her:

The simple facts of Jesus� life give us little clue as to the influence he was to
have on the world. As a boy he learnt his father�s trade as a carpenter. He then
became a preacher, recruiting twelve supporters to help him. But his ministry only
lasted a few years and he himself never wrote anything down. In his early thirties
he was arrested, tortured and crucified with two criminals. His death might have
been the end of the story, but then came the resurrection and with it the
foundation of the Christian faith.

Even in our very material age the impact of Christ�s life is all around us. If you
want to see an expression of Christian faith you have only to look at our
aweinspiring cathedrals and abbeys, listen to their music, or look at their stained
glass windows, their books and their pictures.

But the true measure of Christ�s influence is not only in the lives of the saints
but also in the good works quietly done by millions of men and women day in and day
out throughout the centuries.

Many will have been inspired by Jesus� simple but powerful teaching: love God and
love thy neighbour as thyself � in other words, treat others as you would like them
to treat you. His great emphasis was to give spirituality a practical purpose.

To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of

Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I
try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult
times from Christ�s words and example.� (2000)

�I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and
the bad. Each day is a new beginning, I know that the only way to live my life is
to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that
the day brings, and to put my trust in God. Like others of you who draw inspiration
from your own faith, I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian
gospel.� (2002)

�For me, as a Christian, one of the most important of these teachings is contained
in the parable of the Good Samaritan, when Jesus answers the question, Who is my
neighbour?

It is a timeless story of a victim of a mugging who was ignored by his own

countrymen but helped by a foreigner, and a despised foreigner at that.
The implication drawn by Jesus is clear. Everyone is our neighbour, no matter what
race, creed or colour. The need to look after a fellow human being is far more
important than any cultural or religious differences.� (2004)

�I hope that, like me, you will be comforted by the example of Jesus of Nazareth
who, often in circumstances of great adversity, managed to live an outgoing,
unselfish and sacrificial life. Countless millions of people around the world
continue to celebrate his birthday at Christmas, inspired by his teaching.

He makes it clear that genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving
than receiving; more in serving than in being served.

We can surely be grateful that, two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, so
many of us are able to draw inspiration from his life and message, and to find in
him a source of strength and courage.� (2008)

�Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we

sometimes need saving from ourselves � from our greed and selfishness.

God sent into the world a unique person � neither a philosopher nor a general,
important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families,
it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in
forgiveness that we feel the power of God�s love.

In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, there�s a
prayer:

O Holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin
And enter in.
Be born in us today.

It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for
the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.�
(2011).
We should be thankful to God for our Queen, irrespective of our views of the
monarchy as a whole, for in her we have a great evangelist to our nation.

Arminianism vs Calvinism
- Partial depravity- every aspect of humanity is tainted by sin, but not to the
extent that human beings are unable to place faith in God of their own accord.
-Conditional election: God elects individuals to salvation based on His
foreknowledge of who will believe in Christ unto salvation, thereby on the
condition that the individual chooses God.
- Unlimited atonement: Jesus died for all, but that His death is not effectual
until a person receives Him by faith.
- Resistible grace states that God calls all to salvation, but that many people
resist and reject this call.
-Conditional salvation is the view that a believer in Christ can, of his/her own
free will, turn away from Christ and thereby lose salvation. Note - many Arminians
deny "conditional salvation" and instead hold to "eternal security."

Purpose of sermons:

Compatibilism vs determinism.

Pope Paul VI-"Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of
Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and,
moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the
dictates of their conscience -- those too may achieve eternal salvation."

�I think that everybody that loves Christ or knows Christ, whether they�re
conscious of it or not, they�re members of the body of Christ�� Dr. Graham
answered. �Whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the
Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the body of Christ
because they�ve been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus, but
they know in their hearts they need something that they don�t have and they turn to
the only light they have and I think they�re saved and they�re going to be with us
in heaven�

Pope Benedict XVI made a related statement in a speech, summarized by Catholic news
agency Zenit: �Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure
conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if
he lacks biblical faith, says Benedict XVI� (emphasis added).

Our eternal security is purchased by Christ, promised by the Father, and sealed by
the Holy Spirit.

God fills the void. Fulfilment in every shape and form comes from him.

A person can essentially �know� Christ, but not know that he knows Him.

True faith is shown in the reality of life lived in the face of the struggle with a
falling world.

The Bible is a story; a narrative. It records for us a conversation between God and
his creation down through the years from creation and on to the final judgement and
the new heaven and new earth. When we read the Bible we are effectively listening
in to this conversation. We are not a part of the conversation, but we have the
privilege of listening in to it as God engages with mankind. As we overhear (as it
were) God�s conversation we are get a huge picture of the nature of this world we
live in, insights into human nature and an understading of how God works in the
life of people. We often turn to the Bible looking for answers to specific
questions (and God, graciously, sometimes answers them) but the Bible can do much
more than that for us. Repeated exposure to the Bible, we can develop a world view
which is shaped by God�s thoughts � not our own. This allows us to see things the
way that God would see them, and so we can answer the questions ourselves. The
Bible doesn�t simply give us the answers � the Bible gives us the tools to know the
answers for ourselves � this is much more powerful.

Evan Almighty:
Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them
patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for
courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be
courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps
them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each
other?

In our hearts we are aware that the �here-and-now� is not all that there is.

Compatiblism, determinism

~St James King St Church~

Our overall aim is that we are informed, articulate and confident about our faith
as Christians.

Psalm 63:Because your love is better than life.

Jesus desires mercy not sacrifice.

He provides rest to the weary.

The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

Sinful nature vs spirit

For when I am weak then I am strong.

The Father's love, the grace of The Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:31-33-never speak ill of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 7:21-24-doing the will of the father vs proclaiming the Christ.

Matthew 18:17-18-binding and loosing in earth as it shall be in heaven.

Daniel 3:16-19-keep the faith even in trials and tribulations.

Matthew 21:22-23-pray in the belief that it will be answered eventuates a

affirmative response.

Mark 14:51-52-naked man and his linen cloth.

Luke 9:57-62-don't look backward at your dark past or burdens.

Luke 14:25-27-family and self-hate.

Luke 16:19-Lazarus
John 6:65-66-God wills those who come to Jesus.

All of Romans (but especially towards the end)

Philippians 4:4-9-virtues and God of Peace

2 Thessalonians-'the man of lawlessness'

Hebrew 11:1-2-Faith
James 1:5-8-ask in faith without wavering
1 Peter 4:1-12-purpose of the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18-seen and unseen

1 Corinthians 7,11-to each man his own
1 John 2:15-18,28-30-of the world, doing righteousness.
1 John 3:14-24-truth and deeds-if our hearts condemn us not then we have confidence
in God.
1 John 4:7-21-God and Love
1 John 5:13-16 a sin that does not lead to death

*1 Thessalonians 1:5-Those who have been transformed by God's power need never fear
scientific nor any other argument, because the man with an experience is not at the
mercy of a man with an argument. "For our Gospel did not come to you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance& "

*1 Corinthians 26-therefore i do not run like a man running aimlessly, I do not

fight like a man beating the air. No i beat my body and make it my slave so that
after i have preached to others, i myself wil not be disqualified for the prize.

*Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6-In the multitude of counsel there is wisdom"

*Jude 3-God commands us to not only preach the gospel but also "to content for the
faith."
Furthermore, all belief systems cannot be true since they often contradict each
other in profound ways -- and truth is not self-contradictory.

*1 Cor. 14:33 God is not the author of confusion.

*Matthew 22:36-38 God expects us to use our minds as part of the Christian faith.

*Luke 6:45-the good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart,
and the evil man brings evil things things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

*Peter 5:6b-be clothed with humility:for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace
to the humble.

*Rom. 14:1-5-"Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of
passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One man has faith that he may eat all things,
but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 Let not him who eats regard with
contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats,
for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his
own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him
stand. 5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike.
Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind,"

*Psalm 103:15-Our days on earth are like grass;like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

*John 15:13- Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends.

Jeremiah 31:31-35-Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah :
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I
took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt ; which my covenant
they brake, although I was a husband
unto them, saith the Lord : but this shall be the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel ; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their
inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and will be their God, and they shall
be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the least
of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for I will forgive their
iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Proverbs 16:9-10-A man�s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:19-20-Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly,than to
divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 18:12-13-Before destruction the heart of man is haughty ;and before honor
is humility.
Proverbs 18:22-23-Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of
the Lord.
Proverbs 18:24-A man that hath friends must show himself friendly :and there is a
friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Psalm 16

What do you think of Jesus Christ? Do you want to belong to Him?

God does not demand instant perfection - but a lifetime of repentance and Christian
growth. Baptism does not save you. it is only a sign to others that you are
allowing Jesus to remake you into his own image.

Except that Anglicanism is lex credendi lex orandi. We pray what we believe.

Reasn, Love and forgiveness are unique traits of humanity.

~Progressive Christianity~

Progressive Christianity is an approach to the Christian faith that is influenced

by post-liberalism and postmodernism and: proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Christ,
Savior, and Lord; emphasizes the Way and teachings of Jesus, not merely His person;
emphasizes God�s immanence not merely God�s transcendence; leans toward panentheism
rather than supernatural theism; emphasizes salvation here and now instead of
primarily in heaven later; emphasizes being saved for robust, abundant/eternal life
over being saved from hell; emphasizes the social/communal aspects of salvation
instead of merely the personal; stresses social justice as integral to Christian
discipleship; takes the Bible seriously but not necessarily literally, embracing a
more interpretive, metaphorical understanding; emphasizes orthopraxy instead of
orthodoxy (right actions over right beliefs); embraces reason as well as paradox
and mystery � instead of blind allegiance to rigid doctrines and dogmas; does not
consider homosexuality to be sinful; and does not claim that Christianity is the
only valid or viable way to connect to God (is non-exclusive).

There have been some excellent points expressed already in the answers above.

When I was growing up, I yearned for God's presence in my life. Yet I struggled to
fully commit myself to God through Christianity. And since Christianity was the
only religion seeking my membership, I felt I had no choice but to seek God on my
own path.
Why was I turned off to Christianity? The main reason: because it seemed, to me
that Christianity was all about heaven and hell. According to Christians I had met,
my father, mother, most of my relatives and friends, Gandhi, and many others were
doomed to hell, because Jesus was the only way and they (and I) were rejecting him.

I could not belong to a religion then, and I could not attend a church now, that
holds such beliefs. Luckily, while many Christians (especially the loud ones)
believe strongly that Jesus is the only way, many others, including most Catholics
and Protestants from mainline denominations, have a different view.

How is this so? Well, for progressive Christians, there is the belief that The
Bible is not the literal, perfect word of God. The Bible is a guide, a way to
connect with the loving Father, a way to engage with God and help us on our
journey. The Bible, to us, is not a textbook. It is a book of faith, and an
important one.

For progressive Christians, seeking answers is not the main goal. The main goal is
journeying through this crazy life with the God that Jesus illuminates to us. If
God the Father is compassionate, forgiving, patient...shouldn't we be this way
also, even (especially?) with people who believe differently than we do?

Thank you for asking the question, and thanks for reading all of this. There are
many ways to live a life with Christ; being exclusive, judgmental, and self
rightous do not have to be included in the Christian faith journey. Ask most
progressive Christians and Catholics from all backgrounds, and you will see that
this is so. Peace.

Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Bishop of the Episcopal Church, was asked, "Is
belief in Jesus the only way to heaven?"

She replied, "We who practice the Christian tradition understand him (Jesus) as our
vehicle to the divine.

"But for us to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, to put God
in an awfully small box."