Four Gospels Course

I believe that the teachings in this book are brilliant. The way that Jesus answers the question to Pharisees about taxes was so smart. He answered the question honestly and without offense. I believe that the teaching about loving others as you would want to be loved is one of the most important lessons taught.

 

                             I think that the lessons about greed talk so much about the trouble the world is having today. I know that The times that we are living in now are what Jesus was talking about and I do believe that being prepared means spiritually. I think that everyone should find and get to know God and be prepared for everything has has prepared for us.

 

                    I think the story of Jesus being captured and betrayed teaches us that real trust is very hard to come by. I enjoyed this whole book I think that it taught a lot about today's life.

                                                                                         Gwen Simpson

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Master of Religion

Lesson 5 had questions that went along with the reading. If you could post them on the forum and send them along to the instructor that'd be great. Many thanks!

-Alex

Master of Religion 5

Do you believe that the hypothesis of evolution agrees with the Bible?

The Bible says that God made man, it never really spells out his recipe. I believe that if God said “creature, evolve” that creature would indeed evolve.

What is your reaction to the evidence in the lesson showing the accuracy of the Bible in history, geography, and science?

At the end of the day the Bible is a beautiful document that generally outlines how we should live and conduct ourselves. The code of ethics detailed in this beautiful book is what really counts. The message of love and acceptance Yeshua preached in his parables and his sermon on the mount is really what’s most important.

Which view do you believe agrees best with what we observe in nature: evolution or creation?

I believe that there is a happy medium between the two. If God is all powerful, is it too hard to believe that the method with which he used to create the human race was evolution?

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

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Master of Religion

I enjoyed this degree path:  “Master of Religion”.  It covered a lot of material from basic to advanced, and was done in a clear and logical way.  The instructor is clearly knowledgeable and sincere.

I was intrigued by the two “versions” of Ten Commandments as given in Exodus and Deuteronomy.

And especially insightful was how the first few verses of the Protestant, Catholic and Hebrew versions of the 10 Commandments in Exodus differ (The Protestant and Catholic versions leaving out the context of who G-d was speaking to).

Also, the instructor said that the Jew and Gentile are saved the same way.

However, some denominations teach the Jew was saved by keeping the law before the time of Christ (BCE, before Common Era), but NOW (CE, Common Era) the Law is done away and everyone is saved by faith.

However:

1. The Dead Sea Scrolls have shed light that the Jews of  BCE  did not believe in salvation by works. They believed they were saved through the Covenant of Abraham, the covenant of faith. And the Law was simply the lifestyle of an already redeemed community. The giving of the Law (Torah), the covenant of Mt. Sinai, does not negate the covenant of Abraham. All of G-d’s covenants are eternal. As an Israelite they were born into the covenant of Abraham. And had a part in the Olam Haba (the World to Come) by virtue of this covenant of faith unless they did something heinous to lose this status. According to Jewish understanding gentiles could also be assured a place in the World to Come by obedience to the covenant they received from G-d through Noah. In which one was considered a Noachide Chassid, a Righteous of the Nations. It too is a faith covenant with the Noachide laws as the halachah, or lifestyle, of  a righteous non-Jew.

“Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.” Acts 15:19-21

The Jewish Encyclopedia states that the Acts 15 reference is the first written example of the Noachide laws (outside of the Torah itself).

2. The denominations who claim the Law/Torah is done away cannot even agree on what parts of it are done away. In addition the Torah itself states that it is to endure as long as heaven and earth remains (which were the two witnesses G-d called on to witness the giving of the Torah in the first place).  Jesus agreed saying “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17.

Also, the Jews that believed in Christ (who constituted the first congregation) continued to keep the Torah/Law:

“And when they heard [it], they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many myriads (tens of thousands) of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:” Acts 21:20.

Paul is twisted by many to be interpreted that the Law is done away in Christ. I do not believe he taught that. If he in fact did, it would invalidate Paul since he would be contradicting the Torah itself as well as Jesus. Peter warned regarding misinterpreting Paul’s writings by those unlearned in Torah: “As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” 2 Pet 3:16

Also in the course Constantine is mentioned.

True he did stop persecution of the Christians. However, he was no sweetheart. He was the head of the Emperor Cult of his time being worshiped as God (Sol Invictus, the Unconquerable Sun). He merged the prominent state religion of Mithraism with the faith in Christ, creating a new religion. He was a Sun worshiper and murdered some of his family for fear that they might seek his throne. He outlawed the Biblical holy days of Sabbath (the 7^th day) for SUNday (in honor of the Sun God), Passover for Easter (1^st SUNday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox, the feast of Ishtar). The church then exterminated those who would not go along with it by abusing the power of the state.

Universal Life Church

Rev. Sheldon Lampson

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Master of Religion

-Alex 

1. Create a list of arguments why the Bible reflects the true word of God the almighty.

The myriad prophecies and their startling accuracy in foretelling future events is a list in and of itself. It has been argued that Jesus Christ is the only man on the planet whose biography was written prior to his birth. Every aspect of his life coincided beautifully with what had been prophesized for countless generations. What other evidence is needed to prove the authenticity of God’s own divine word?

2. Explain the differences between translations and paraphrases.

Translations: the product of taking words written in one language and conveying the same meaning behind those words in another.

Paraphrases: what’s left after condensing one or more phrases into simpler and less wordy text

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Master of Religion

Master Of Religion Lesson 8- The Religious Title

             This Lesson was short, but interesting to the titles of the men and women, with God calling to mankind.  The Religion, Position, and on Envelopes, Salutation, Direct Address helps to correctly write, read, communicate with the formal name calling of God's will for his leaders, and servants. The information did enlighten me with some new and different Religious titles for other beliefs in the high power of God grace and mercy.

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Master of Religion

Universal Life Church

To me, sin is the result of action -- the whole concept of cause and effect, actually. Sin means "choice." If we make wise choices, the consequences are positive, thus generating "good" karma for present and future. If the choice made is such as to bring about "negative" consequences, that is usually what falls into the area of "sin." To me, too, the idea of sin is the consequences that we accrue from actions taken that bring us away from Enlightenment. As a Buddhist, I believe we live in what is known as the Ten Worlds or conditions every second of every moment we live. This means we have the potential of creating everything from hell to Buddhahood each day in our life condition. Sin then means the consequences of living in the lower realms that cause us suffering and pain as opposed to living in the Higher Realms of Buddhanature (Christ-Consciousness) and that is what comprises "sin."

The idea that a God stands in judgment over us for our "sins" is anathema to me. I cannot believe in a God or a Goddess who is waiting with anticipation to punish us for "sinning" against them. First of all, since man was given free will in the Garden of Eden, doesn't that mean just that -- free will? Does not that mean we are ultimately responsible for our actions, that we reap literally what we sow? If so, we don't need a parent to stand over us with a stick, ready to strike -- our own consequences will affect our karma or our Path towards Enlightenment, thus bringing us what we have affected by our causes.

At least that is how I see the idea of "sin." It is what we do to ourselves, to our own spiritual progress. We alone decree our karmic course.

Dr. Bell

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar