Week 12
655 words by Michael Landry
Paul’s message is that God loves all and extends to anyone who wants to be within God’s favor. We are all born with Original Sin, which is the idea that everyone is born with sin due to the indiscretions of Adam and Eve defying God by eating off of the tree of knowledge but through faith and prayer, salvation will come to those to yearn for it. Faith is the confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, thing, or idea. It does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. It also manifests loyalty. In terms of Christianity, it is the theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God’s will. Paul also says that God has not forgotten his promises to the Israelites and that God will fulfill them with the time comes. Some other sub themes that Paul wrote were to share with people in need, even when someone who treats you bad is unfortunate, Love one another as if they were your closest sibling, do not believe that you are better than anyone else and to use that to not talk to people who are not as fortunate in society, always try to put others before yourself, maintain peace with everyone, and kill hatred with kindness Paul’s letters to the Romans are still considered today as one of the most prospective literature not to just theology, but to the world as well. Unfortunately, there are many who would disagree with such a statement.
James the Lesser, the brother and disciple of Jesus, had a different approach to seeking ways of divination from God. He believed actions spoke louder than works, that if one is going to talk the talk, then they must walk the walk, and that sticks and stones really do really break bones and words never hurt anyone. The main idea to this is that James focused on the works rather than the words. Works are the physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something. In terms of Christianity, they are the moral or righteous acts or deeds. James believes it is okay to have faith, but one cannot just have faith alone. He feels that Paul is letting people to be hypocrites if they believe in God but do not act in such a matter. James thinks that one should have faith, but also act as Jesus did when he was alive and follow the Ten Commandments.
All in all, Paul’s letter became more favorable for Christianity mainly because there were fewer guidelines. Paul’s main theme was just to have faith and believe in God. Of course he had some extra themes in this writings, but they were easy to obtain and follow. James’ writings had more guidelines, which meant that one would have a harder time entering the Kingdom of God. Not only would a person have to have faith, but they would have to follow every single one of the Ten Commandments. Personally, following the last of the Ten Commandments, thou shall not covet thy neighbors goods, wife, property, is quite difficult. Although I agree with what James was trying to explain, which does the idea that only believing is not going to guarantee a place in the Kingdom of God, I believe he just went about it the wrong way. Preferably, Paul set the record straight the right way and that was to believe in God but also act Christ-like or be Christian. I believe that there is omnipotent, omniscient being above us. I do not believe one has to go to a church to obtain any divination. I do believe that one should live life to the best of their ability, loving and caring for all and acting towards others as they would want done to themselves.