The Fool Who Would Be Holy > Salvation > Restoration of God's Image

Restoration of God’s Image

Salvation is the restoration of God’s image in us

About Jesus in the Earliest Christianity

December 28, 2020 1 Comment

This post is a detailed index of what the earliest Christian churches appear to have understood, this time about the Person of Jesus. Most of these ideas were later distorted, leading to divisions in the Church and historical consequences in the world. Further links to this outline will be added as new articles are written.

A God who Speaks, Church History, Islamic History and Secular History Interaction, Eternity, God is Love, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God was never our enemy, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, God's sovereignty, Immanence, Index, Jesus the Son, Reconciliation, Salvation, Show us the Way of Truth, Son of Man, The Invisible God's Self-Existence, Through Jesus, To see God's glory, Topic Index, Transcendence, Trinity, Victory, What is God's Word

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Truths of the Earliest Christianity that Mutated Leading to Formation of Later Divisions

December 24, 2020 3 Comments

This is an outline of the first part of my attempt to link early errors of organized Christianity to the state of the modern world–specifically, in this part, by explaining some of the foundations of the earliest Christianity from which later errors diverged. Links will be added as future posts are written.

A God who Speaks, Adoption, Background Information, Church History, Islamic History and Secular History Interaction, Complex unity, Eternity Present, Free will, God Speaks to Us, God was never our enemy, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, God's sovereignty, His Children, His Friends, Historical Background, In the Church, Index, Meaning of Unity, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Peril of Seeking Numbers, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Prophecy, Purpose of the Church, Reconciliation, Regeneration, Restoration of God's Image, Salvation, Show us the Way of Truth, Sin, Sins versus sin, The Invisible God's Self-Existence, The universal Church and local churches, Through others, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, To be in his image, Topic Index, Trinity, What is God's Word, What is sin?

, , , , , , , , , ,

NO MERIT

December 22, 2020 1 Comment

This is the index to a group of posts on the subject of whether salvation, and all that follows it, is judged by personal merit at all–either our own merit or that of Christ (or others). Links will be added as future posts are written.

God was never our enemy, Index, Is forgiveness of sins the focus of salvation?, Merit, Merit, Reconciliation, Restoration of God's Image, Salvation, Topic Index

, , , , , , ,

Authority Figures in the Church — Elders

November 21, 2020 4 Comments

The term term translated “elder” refers to the age and wisdom of persons functioning in this role in the Church. It often seems to be used interchangeably with “overseer” (or “bishop”), and the way a person legitimately functioning in this capacity is to be recognized (often called the “qualifications”) is the same as for an overseer. Like overseers, elders teach and lead by example, not by fiat.

A God who Speaks, Discipline or Correction, God Speaks to Us, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, Through others, Through the church, Uncategorized

, , , , , ,

Mutual Submission is the Key

November 8, 2020 2 Comments

Unity in the church arises, not from submission to a power structure, but from mutual submission to each other, seeking each other’s good above our own, in submission to Christ.

A God who Speaks, Desire to have our own way, God Speaks to Us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Reconciliation, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Nature of Angels–Messengers and Ministering Spirits

October 26, 2020 4 Comments

The place and function of angels is not often mentioned in Scripture, because they exist as messengers and ministering spirits, serving us on God’s behalf, not themselves, bringing God’s message not their own. They are never the dominant subject of any scripture.

A God who Speaks, Angels, Discipline or Correction, God Acts by Speaking, God Speaks to Us, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Reconciliation, Show us the Way of Truth

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The “Heretick” in Titus 3

August 6, 2020 3 Comments

Titus 3:10 instructs whenever a divisive person approaches ME and tries to start an argument, I am to warn them twice about their behavior and then excuse myself. Thereafter I should ignore them, until they repent of their argumentativeness. It is a simple instruction by which I can avoid being influenced by divisiveness. It is not an instruction to the Church or the State to burn heretics.

Authority Contests, Disputes about words, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Personality cults, Quarrels, Restoration of our Relationships

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

From Early Christianity to Islam and Back — 1. The Earliest Christianity

July 13, 2020 6 Comments

This post is the first in a series of six outlining a broad view of how things in the Church and the world got to be as they are now, including contributions early Christianity and Islam made to each other. This post attempts to outline the basic positions of early Christianity. Comments are invited!

A God who Speaks, Adoption, Background Information, Church purpose versus church growth, Complex unity, Conversation with God, Desire to have our own way, Emotions, Eternity Present, Free will, God Acts by Speaking, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God was never our enemy, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, God's rationality, God's sovereignty, God's Voice, His Children, His Friends, Historical Background, Human Rationality, Is forgiveness of sins the focus of salvation?, Jesus the Son, Knowing good and evil, Language and Speech, Logical thinking, Male and female, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Prophecy, Reconciliation, Regeneration, Rejecting God, Restoration of God's Image, Salvation, Sin, Sins versus sin, Son of Man, The Bible, The Invisible God's Self-Existence, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, To be in his image, To live in unity, Trinity, Unity, What is God's Word, What is sin?

, , , , , , ,

Rejection of Unity Makes Us Vulnerable to Divisive Leaders and their False Teachings

July 5, 2020 2 Comments

Our disunity also leaves us vulnerable to exploitation by false teachers and their distorted religious teachings, with which they seek to win a personal following for their own gratification or profit. proper recognition of the oneness of the Body, and of the importance of living in oneness, protects against divisive people.

Divisions in the Church, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Religious violence and persecution, Restoration of our Relationships, Wars as consequences

, , , , , , ,

God Provides for Our Needs through Our Unity

July 3, 2020 3 Comments

God’s pattern shown in the Early Church was to provide for the needs of its members through its unity. In unity, we regard ourselves and everything we own as God’s, and give unselfishly to the needs of others, as he directs us. This gives the world a picture of God himself.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Restoration of our Relationships, The universal Church and local churches, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

, , , , , , , , ,