(south)WESTERN CIVILIZATION» Jonathan Pacheco

Essay

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:03:00 +0000

For years the early church fathers have been neglected in our churches. Most believers are oblivious as to who they are or what they have done for us modern day believers. The question remains, why don’t we study the church fathers? One of the big reasons that Evangelicals do not learn about the church fathers in Sunday school is because of the belief that they all belong to the Roman Catholic Church. This misconception rubs us of our heritage and the precious lives that where sacrifice so that we could know the truth today. The word Catholic comes from the Greek word Katholicos which means pertaining to the whole or universal. When used to describe the Christian church referred to the unified group of believers in the world; having nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church. To better appreciate our faith we must learn about our church fathers. We must learn about the great persecutions that they went through and the lives that were lost for the sake of sound doctrine. We must realize that believer at that time where willing to be martyred for their faith. Some of them where put into leather bags with scorpions and snakes then thrown into the ocean. Some where burn at the stake or had their eyes burned out so they couldn’t read their Bible. But, this didn’t stop them the word was in their hearts. I believe that a lack of respect for God and our faith derives from our lack of respect for anything now days. People now leave their church because the music style changed or because they changed the carpet to a wrong color. People leave church and go from one to another until they find one that fits. This would be fine except that we are not in church for carpet or music; we are in it for the word and to grow in our walk with Christ. Some of the church fathers include Ignatius of Antioch which battled the legalistic Jews confusing the Christians. Also, Antioch was the first city where the term Christian was used to describe a Christ follower: Justin Martyr, the first apologist; Iraneus of Lyons who unified believers into a unified Christianity; Tertullian, the first Christian to write in Latin; Athanasius, who protected sound doctrine from the Arians; and Augustine, often referred to as the Theologian of grace. He gave us his testimony of his struggles with sin called Confessions. He stood be the belief that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and that by grace (Jesus’ sacrifice we were saved). If we were to study this amazing individuals who lived and died for Christ we would better appreciate our faith and stop taking it for granted. The church fathers focused unity with the body of Christ. They forgot about themselves and focused on preserving and living out a life pleasing to God. If we were to united and stand together we would be able to fight all those new ideas and religion that are confusing and lying to people everyday. A new movement called the Charismatic movement has plagued our country and the world into believing that a Christian must by rich and healthy to fully show salvation. This movement can be compared to Arianism, in the fact that neither had sound doctrine. Athanasius fought until his death to maintain sound doctrine for the people. Athanasius lived and died for Christ, if he could then we should be able to as well. Today Christianity is separated into denominations because of preference such as music, etc. The church fathers deemed it necessary to die for their faith and to set an example for future believers. We as the decedents of these courageous men and women should continue their legacy as protectors of truth and go against not the people but the doctrines that are deceiving them. By studying the early church fathers we can learn how they struggled and also learn their faithfulness through those struggles. Their main focus was on God and His will for their lives. Most believers desire God will for their lives, but give up when things get hard. By following their example we set the example for the future generations to come.

Book Report

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:15:00 +0000

“God never called a Christian army and Jesus never promised salvation by bloodshed” These words describe the main theme of the Caners’ Book Christian Jihad. In Christian Jihad the Caner brothers shed light on Christianity’s darkest time. The crusades. The crusades were fought because of the belief that they were doing it under Gods command. To them they were fighting for their own salvation.

In the beginning of the book we see an assassination take place, at fist I thought that it of course had to do with Muslim terrorist attack, but to my surprise it did not have to do with Allah at all! This threw me off because of my ignorance about the crusades I really had no idea what they were or were about. Nowadays we as Americans are so focused and fixated on the bad guys, because of their terroristic attacks on 911 but we seem to forget or are simply unaware of the lives and blood that was shed on our part. By our part of course I’m speaking of believers and followers of Christ or Christians. Sadly as I continued reading I found myself constantly asking the question, what if they never happened, would we have peace? Sadly after much thought on the subject I found myself in my own battle defending my Christianity against, to what I guess would be classified in religious terms as infidels. I fought not for their peace or salvation, but for my own agenda my own selfish desires to prove my victory. Sadly even if the crusades did not happen, peace would still not exist because deep inside every man there is a selfish ambition burning ferociously inside of us. This is what causes men to fall, to stumble, to disobey, and sadly to achieve those selfish ambitions regardless the case. If we who have been forgiven and redeemed by Jesus, still battle with this how can we expect others who don’t know Christ to keep their selfishness at bay? If anything this lesson should teach and remind all Christians that we were forgiven not by force but by mercy. Not by hate but by love, not by selfishness but by humility Christ’s sacrifice was one without personal gain. In this we see a, merciful God desiring a relationship with his creation. Having been forgiven for our transgressions we in turn should forgive all of those supposed bad guys and all other religions, because they are desperately searching for the treasure that we have found. Luckily for them this treasure is infinite, endless without limit available to all who call on the name of the Lord! As hard as it is to realize, God loves every single human being who has ever lived and doesn’t focus on a particular event in history to pass judgment, he focuses on the thing that has separated his creation from him, sin.

Quote

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:14:00 +0000

Quote:
2. “Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”

This is my favorite quote by Augustine it constantly reminds me of the reward through our hard times reminding me that this is not the end.

About Me

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:06:00 +0000

I’m Jonathan Pacheco, i’m 18 years old, and I love Jesus with all of my heart. This is my second semester here at Southwestern. I’m in a motorized wheelchair due to an injury between c-1 and c-2 of my cervical spine. Doctors tell me that i’m very lucky to be alive. I found the Lord at a very young age. I’ve lived in Texas all of my life, and never want to leave! Believe it or not i’m in a band:] I play keys/samples for a called braver than you, we are currently writing our music and will start playing shows in april. It has been a blessing coming to Southwestern and from what I hear I probably won’t Graduate for another ten years so its a good thing I enjoy it here!