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Making Sense of the Reformation

By Nathan Rutan Leave a Comment

The Reformation was a wild and tumultuous time in European history. It was a time when many different groups of people pulled away from the power and control of the Roman Catholic Church. Previously in the year 1054, the Church (then called the Holy Catholic Church–Catholic meaning “universal”) split off into two main groups, the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Protestant Reformation, taking place in the early 1500s, represents another major split in the Roman Catholic branch of the Church, this time splintering into many different subgroups roughly called “Protestant” meaning those that were “protesting” against the Roman Catholic Church.

The ideas and changes brought about during that time have made a lasting impact on the world. However, like the War in Afghanistan or the Civil Rights movement, the Reformation was not a monolithic period of history with easily defined borders and ideas. In fact, there were many different themes and societal forces at work that collectively produced many of the changes attributed to the Reformation. In order to speak meaningfully about the Reformation and due to the scope of this topic, I will have to limit our discussion of the Reformation to a few main points.

The Rumblings of Change

There are a few important focal points that can be used in order to begin to trace a broad outline of the Reformation. To start, one of the most important background issues is the socio-economic change across Europe in the late Middle Ages. During this period, Europe began to see a huge burst in population. This population explosion gave rise to new forms of society, government, business and trade. The economy of Europe during this time saw an unprecedented explosion in growth as well as rising rates of inflation. In addition, a new “money economy” was created in place of the more labor-based economy of the past. This meant that bankers were now lending large sums of money and also outsourcing labor which created a separation between money and labor. And because the economy was rising so fast in scale and scope, almost everyone began charging payments, rents and fees. Indeed, everyone got in on the game as the Roman Catholic Church, landholders, nobility, kings and nation-states began charging heavier fees, collecting taxes and progressively overburdening the population.

Adding to the rise of population and a new economy undergirded by money lending and haunted by inflation, the political situation was changing as well. For centuries following the collapse of the Roman Empire in late antiquity, the Roman Catholic Church had operated more or less like a monarchy with the Pope in control of not only the spiritual realm, but also the temporal political realm. And while all along there had been different territorial governments and parliaments, the Church and the Pope for the most part exercised control over much of Europe. This began to slowly change sometime around the 1200s and leading up to the threshold of the Reformation in the early 1500s.

During this time, many nation-states began to develop and pull away from the power and influence of the Pope, challenging the authority of the Church on a more frequent basis. Even as this happened, the Church appeared to be ever-more vital in it’s religion and it’s grip on the everyday lives of the people. As the socio-economic situation developed into less of a blend of Church and state, and different “states” began to untangle themselves from the Church, there were also a host of technological developments that greatly aided the Reformation. The two most important developments were Gutenberg’s printing press and the newfound ability to manufacture cheap paper. In fact, some scholars wonder whether the Reformation would have been possible without the invention of the printing press and it’s cheap paper counterpart. Nevertheless, as these technologies began to spread across Europe, they were received by an increasingly educated lay audience. During the 13th and 14th centuries many universities were founded and the education of the general populous was on the rise.     

The teaching of the Church created a sense that one was always in spiritual danger, and without the constant application of the sacraments one was in danger of being lost forever into eternal suffering.

It must be noted here as well that the Reformation initially spread the quickest in the urban centers across Europe as these were the places where the young, educated and wealthy tended to live. It has been said by some scholars that the uneducated rural locations around Europe were slower to adopt the reforms set out by the Reformation.

Doctrine that birthed the Reformation     

We now come to the key question; what were the reforms about? Was it just about getting rid of the Pope and all of the flashiness of the Roman Catholic Church, or was there something more profound happening here? The truth is that it’s difficult to easily discuss all of the doctrinal issues that were at stake during the Reformation, however, we can highlight the most important problems that needed addressing. Probably one of the most important issues at stake was the system of sacraments that was slowly developed and refined by the Church over the centuries. Indeed, probably the most important “sacrament” or operation of the Church which touched the lives of regular people frequently was the sacrament of “penance.” This is sometimes referred to as the “penitential system.” It’s important to see here that the penitential system, in other words, the confession of sins to the priest and the “satisfaction” (some form of giving alms, prayers and/or other acts of “humility”) that the priest prescribed to the sinner, became more complex but at the same time failed to address the inner anxiety experienced by everyday believers in the Church.     

The religious climate of the Middle Ages was highly superstitious and in many ways focused on the supernatural. As well, the teaching of the Church created a sense that one was always in spiritual danger, and without the constant application of the sacraments one was in danger of being lost forever into eternal suffering. The general feeling of the people during that time was that the world was fundamentally supernatural and filled with all manner of demons, fairies, spirits and angels. In addition, the Church was seen as the only source of salvation and to be excommunicated was the ultimate form of punishment because it left the victim open to the wiles of the devil and his demons and ultimately the eternal fires of hell.

Enter Martin Luther          

One of the best ways of getting a glimpse of the inner life of a believer during the Middle Ages is to understand that no one truly had a strong assurance of salvation. The phrase “assurance of salvation” is important theologically as this was a point of reference going into the Reformation and beyond. Enter Martin Luther. In Luther we find a former “monk’s monk” who had tried his hardest to find perfection in his religious duties as a monk, even to the point of being told by the headmaster of his monastery that he basically needed to take it easy on himself. Eventually Luther had an epiphany as he read the writings of St. Paul one day in the “cloaca” or on the toilet and he emerged to declare that righteousness was through faith alone and that the righteousness of Christ could be transferred to the account of the sinner solely on the basis of faith and not by any works done by the sinner. Indeed, this is the core of Martin Luther’s objections to the system of his time and really the core of his entire life’s work.     

So it can be said with a good amount of confidence that the real issue in the Church in the Middle Ages, and what set the stage for the Reformation is the two-pronged problem of power abuses by the Church and also a failure of the whole system to bring about a real sense of assurance for the believer. This situation, coupled with the socio-economic situation and the new ability to quickly and cheaply disseminate information in the form of tracts, pamphlets and books across Europe all came together to create the explosion in change that we call the Reformation.     

Of course, there were many other names involved in the Reformation and indeed many “reformations” in different regions. In fact, many scholars refer to “Luther’s Reformation” the “Swiss Reformation,” “English Reformation” and so on. Many others were involved in the general dissent against the abuses and ineffectual system of the Roman Catholic Church. Once the Reformation was underway, one of the most important uses of the printing press was not only to print tracts and pamphlets, but “vernacular” versions of the Bible, which means translations of the Bible from Greek and Latin into basic languages like German, English and French, such that the common people could read with ease.    

The printing of vernacular Bibles became a huge source of inspiration, fanning the flames of the Reformation as the Word of God was taken out of the hands of the elite and put into the hands of everyday people. And, while Martin Luther and others such as someone named Erasmus produced their own translations of the Bible, a man named John Wyclif helped to launch the whole Bible translation endeavor a couple hundred years earlier. Both Wyclif and a priest named John Huss had a major impact on the people in the area of Bohemia in the 1300s. They helped to spark a pre-cursor movement to the Reformation spearheaded by a group called the “Lollards.” It’s important to see that some of these pre-Reformation movements closely resembled much of what the later reformers such as Luther, Calvin and Zwingli taught.

Teachings of the Reformers          

While a discussion of the finer points of the reformer’s teaching is not possible here, we can at least skim the surface. Basically, in keeping with the growing unrest among the people due to both the inability of the Church to provide relief for a gnawing sense of anxiety among believers as well as a continual abuse of power and overburdening of the people at almost every turn, the thrust of the Reformation was focused on the “priesthood of believers.” This refers to the notion in 1 Peter 2:9 that all believers were able to come to God on their own accord without the aid of some medium like a priest or clergy member. Christ was the mediator between God and people according to the scriptures and the reformers felt that it was time to press this against the ineffectual and alienating system of the Church. Many times there is a misconception that the Roman Catholic Church had become lax about sin with all of the indulgences and special privileges given to clergy, but the opposite was actually true. The sacraments and the system of penance had become such a burden to the people that they were ravenous for a Christianity that could be practiced by the individual, and one that brought forth a sense of being satisfied or assured that one’s personal salvation was secure.     

As the Reformation rolled on, spurred by the soon-to-be famous “Ninety-Five Theses” of Luther and his three other most important essays “The Freedom of a Christian,” “To The Christian Nobility Of The German Nation” and “The Babylonian Captivity Of The Church,” the people of Europe found that they were liberated by a new sense of individual freedom. And, while it may not have assisted in the the healthiest formation of community, the new individual freedom brought about a certain sense of empowerment as households began to feel that they could teach their own children straight from the Bible without the instruction of a priest or interference from the Church. This idea of the “Bible alone” became important later as the reformers did away with much of the sacramental system of the Roman Catholic Church. In place of the traditional sacraments, the new Protestants affirmed both preaching and the Word of God as their main sacraments.     

Later in the Reformation, figures such as John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli would go on to challenge many of the former teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and eventually set out the new Protestant beliefs in great works such as Calvin’s “Institutes” which helped to bring the teachings of the Reformation into sharp focus. As well, much of Luther’s writings were later brought into focus by people such as Philip Melancthon and used on a regular basis by believers (in this case German believers) in the form of the Augsburg Confession and later the Book of Concord (among other works).     

In conclusion, some of the most important things to remember about the Reformation are the complementary ideas of the assurance of salvation, along with the notion of righteousness by faith alone. These ideas sum up much of what the Reformation was about. Of course, there were all of the preceding socio-economic factors leading up to the Reformation, as well as the rising tide of Church abuses along with heavier government control of the people. But, even given all of the socio-economic forces, what really fueled the Reformation at the core was a desire to connect with God in an intimate and individual way. During that period in history there was a collective yearning for a sense of peace that could only be found in the Gospel message. The problem was that the powerful were attempting to hold captive the Gospel. We know from God’s Word however, that “the Word of God is not bound…” [2 Tim. LEB] Indeed, as in other times and places in history, the Gospel message and the work of the Holy Spirit brought about profound and deep changes in the lives of many, many people. This is the power of the Word of God at work on a broad scale. But the beauty of the Gospel and the power of God is that it’s like the sun, it can warm the entire earth while also warming an individual blade of grass.

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New Identity | Exploring Faith
📖⁠ And every day he was teaching in the templ 📖⁠
And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.⁠
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Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.⁠
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Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. [Luke 21:37-22:6 ESV]⁠
With our busy get-up-and-go lifestyles, it might s With our busy get-up-and-go lifestyles, it might seem more difficult than ever to find time for God or where we can fully make time for the essential aspects of the Christian life like prayer and Bible reading. Yes, like working out or eating healthy, it comes down to the priority and importance of those things in our lives and whether or not they’re important enough to us. At the end of the day we will make time for the things that are most important to us in our lives. Though God is not a “thing” to be fit into our schedules, I believe it’s more than possible to make a place and priority in our lives for connection with him.⁠
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✍🏽: Nicholas Sowell in "ENGAGING WITH GOD" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📖⁠ “Hear another parable. There was a maste 📖⁠
“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”⁠
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Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:⁠
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“‘The stone that the builders rejected⁠
has become the cornerstone;⁠
this was the Lord's doing,⁠
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?⁠
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”⁠
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When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet. [Matthew 21:33-46 ESV] || For more of these eventful 24-hours for Jesus, read Matthew 21:20-25:46.⁠
"I wanted to take my own life. It was a dark and s "I wanted to take my own life. It was a dark and scary time, and it was only God who prevented this act from occurring.  When I was going through this period of anguish and anxiety I did not think that I would ever again enjoy the sunshine as God meant for me to enjoy it. Yet it was this dark pit, devoid of any light or even an atom of hope, that brought me to the place where I was able to reach for light from the only true source of eternal light."⁠
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✍🏽: Shannon Clark-Rivera in "FROM THE LAND OF THE DEAD TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📖⁠ On the following day, when they came from 📖⁠
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.⁠
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And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city. [Mark 11:12-19 ESV]
How do I get my life together when it seems like a How do I get my life together when it seems like a mess?” That is how I translate Psalm 119:9. Most English language Bibles use something similar to the NIV’s translation of “How can young people keep their way pure?” However, I am no longer a young man, and the word “pure” does not seem to apply to all of the ways that I feel like I stumble. For me, the word “pure” sounds like it has more to do with a priest in the book of Leviticus getting ready for a ceremony. I am also not an ancient Israelite priest. Instead, when I think of the ways I fail in my own life, they are more akin to what Paul describes in Romans 7, when he says, “what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”⁠
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✍🏽: @jefffrelatable in "Trading Bad Habits for Zakah" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"Holy Week, a central point of remembrance during "Holy Week, a central point of remembrance during the Christian calendar, focuses upon the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is no surprise. Had Jesus not risen from the dead, our faith would be useless, and we would still be guilty of our sins (1 Cor. 15:17).⁠
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Holy Week helps us reflect upon the last week of Jesus’ life. There are a number of ways that Christians celebrate Holy Week, but there is a common commitment to expressing deep gratitude for Christ’s death and celebration of his resurrection! –@lukegeraty in Elevating Easter⁠
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Join us each day this week to read Scripture and see what each day was like in the life of Jesus, leading up to his death and resurrection. It's a good way for us to be present and remember what took place those many years ago.
If you missed it, the new issue is out this week! If you missed it, the new issue is out this week! Check in with some of your favorite writers, and we don't think you'll be disappointed! The link in our bio will take you to in the full issue!⁠
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Many thanks to our wonderful contributors:⁠
@the_christopherscott⁠
@mayotron⁠
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@slimkeman⁠
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You're the best!
Everyone has experienced a “wilderness season” Everyone has experienced a “wilderness season” before, perhaps more than once. A wilderness season is when you feel stuck or lost in a difficult situation, and your only options are to endure patiently and wait with the expectation that the situation will eventually pass or be resolved. For some people, this period may last a few days, for others it may last years—or for so long that it feels like it will never end.⁠
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We all encountered a wilderness season at the same time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses closed their doors—some for good. Anticipated events were cancelled. Schools closed with awkward transitions into remote learning. Jobs were lost, hours were cut. Those who lost loved ones were unable to gather to mourn their dead. Church services became virtual, and some may remain that way.⁠
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✍🏽: Chitara Ellis in "Waiting In The Wilderness" | Continue reading at newidentitymag.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
We are pleased to announce the launch of our lates We are pleased to announce the launch of our latest issue with an added brightness and fresh design – while still bringing you the inspirational depth and thoughtful encouragement that you’ve come to expect from us.⁠
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Hope is around the corner and spring is in the air as we celebrate the renewal of life and the great miracle of Easter. We hope that the articles in this issue would help you during this transitional time of winter to spring, and the hopeful horizon ahead of pandemic to post-pandemic. Be inspired by hearing the thoughts of our passionate contributors. ⁠
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Take a look inside, and let us know what you think! The link is in our bio! Enjoy!
Sadly in our world today, kindness has lost its va Sadly in our world today, kindness has lost its value. But as we see from some of the examples in Scripture, kindness is to be shown in all of our interactions with others. It is a gift from God through the work of the Holy Spirit, and taught by Jesus Christ. We can no longer walk past. Now, more than ever, we need to bring kindness back. We have to especially show the younger generation’s constant examples of kindness. We can hold the door for one another; allow someone to go ahead of us in line. Smile with compassion at the clerk whose line is one person too long and everyone is staring at him or her as if it’s their fault. ⁠
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✍🏽: Crystal Alexander in "Kindness: The Forgotten Fruit"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by @cottonbro from Pexels⁠
Charles Swindoll writes, “Wisdom isn’t somethi Charles Swindoll writes, “Wisdom isn’t something that is exclusive to those who have exceptional IQs or advanced degrees. Rather, wise behavior in the eyes of the Lord comes as a result of obeying the Lord’s commands.” Resist the urge to think that a smart person with a lot of knowledge is wise. Author Paul David Tripp says there “is a huge difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is an accurate understanding of truth. Wisdom is understanding and living in light of how that truth applies to the situations and relationships in your daily life. Knowledge is the exercise of your brain. Wisdom is the commitment of your heart that leads to transformation of your life.” ⁠
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✍🏽: Christopher L. Scott @the_christopherscott in "God, What Do You Want Me To Do With My Life?" Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"While you can spend time in God’s creation appr "While you can spend time in God’s creation appreciating his beauty, or with him in prayer, you can also get to know him more intimately through his Word."⁠
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✍🏽: Christopher L. Scott @the_christopherscott in "How Anyone Can Study The Bible"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"Discovering God’s will and finding direction fo "Discovering God’s will and finding direction for your life from God is like the lead and follow of dancers. God’s the lead. You are the follow and must know the lead and respond to him."⁠
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✍🏽: Christopher L. Scott @the_christopherscott in "God, What Do You Want Me To Do With My Life?" Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by @EJ.Officiel from Pexels⁠
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#iamachildofgod⁠
#faithfulmess⁠
#godslove
"The Creator of the Universe promises to be with y "The Creator of the Universe promises to be with you. You’re not alone. You’re his. And as long as he has work for you to do on this earth, you’re immortal. Sparrows don’t hit the ground without his knowledge, and the hairs on your head are numbered. He’s got you."⁠
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✍🏽: T.J. Woodard in "Be Anxious For Nothing"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"If Jesus is speaking with subordinates, those wit "If Jesus is speaking with subordinates, those without power, he is instructing them to actively and non-violently make the statement that they are also human beings worthy of dignity. To turn the left cheek after being backhanded on the right was a statement of human dignity."⁠
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✍🏽: Nathan Rutan in "An Eye for An Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
We're happy to announce that the Fall/Winter 2020 We're happy to announce that the Fall/Winter 2020 Issue is out today! There are some great articles inside that we hope you'll love! Enjoy! 🤗 #linkinbio⁠
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#newissue #newidentitymag #liveidentified #magazine #kindness #anxiety #waiting #worththewait #mcu #eatableheroes #marvel #godswill
Prayer isn’t about making the things we selfishl Prayer isn’t about making the things we selfishly want happen; it’s about making us want what God wants.⁠
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✍🏽: @sarahjoysly in "Prayer - The Alignment of Our Souls With God"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by @maryannkariuki from Pexels⁠
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it th “The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” – Haldir⁠
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In Lothlorien, Haldir is encouraging a downcast Fellowship with a glimpse of the larger story in which they find themselves. His words reflect the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the church, that we “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). For there is a form of grief from which there is no recovery – one in which there is no resurrection of the dead. If death is the final word, then we must suffer grief without hope, grief that diminishes our love for life because of the crushing weight of the loss we’ve experienced. But Tolkien believed that death was not the end; therefore, we may experience the beautiful juxtaposition in our own lives of deep sorrow mixed with rivers of joy. Instead of crippling us, our grief may actually help to cultivate in our character the virtues of faith, hope, and love that are necessary to continue to carry our heaviest burdens. ⁠
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✍🏽: @slimkeman in "Memorable Middle Earth"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
#faithhopelove #lotr #thefellowshipofthering #thelordoftherings #middleearth
The Bible stresses that despite our differences we The Bible stresses that despite our differences we are called to love each other above our political positions. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14). You may feel like how politics and religion intersect in the public sphere communicate the exact opposite of this, and you’d be right. Media outlets report drama and conflict. Gracious and loving political opponents are not newsworthy.⁠
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✍🏽: Matthew Hamilton in "Our Identity In Christ Is Always Greater"  Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Lum3n from Pexels⁠
#politics #voting #love #loveyourneighbor #loveyourneighbornotmattertheirpolitics
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The night before we left for Juarez, Mexico our team of three had dinner at La Capilla restaurant in Torrance, California to get us in the mood for our trip. After … [Read More...]

Jesus Is

My paraphrase of the beginning of John says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was light and came into the … [Read More...]

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