Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • Free Essays • My Term Papers • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Religion Reflection Paper On Vision Reflection Paper On Vision The disciples of Jesus Christ were called to ?baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19)?. The book made it clear that God exists as three Persons, which is known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There are some differences between These Three but they are one and united. We are asked by God to bring His message of salvation, love, hope, and unity so that the Church may be one also. In addition, I also believe that baptism is a symbol that serves as trigger for us to be united because our being baptized as equals signifies the start of our being Christian. Through the chapter, ?vision?, I have come to realize that the definition of the Church has varied and evolved through time. Different writers, both from the old and new testament have different definitions of the Church. Nevertheless, despite the variations of the Church?s meaning, it still leads to a single description, which is ?God?s people?. However, because of so many reasons, issues, and circumstances of the world today, the Church has become divided. We as people of God are obliged to perform our mission and heal the divisions of the Church. The only possible way to unite the divisions is through the Holy Spirit, which is the soul of the Church. There should be a restoration of the communion between and among the people of God that the Holy Spirit provides. The Holy Spirit, according to an article that I?ve read by Dick Tripp is at work of our spiritual growth and transformation in building the Church. The restoration of the communion would happen if all the people empowered by the Holy Spirit would see in each other the Church in its extensiveness. Having stated this, I began to ask myself, ?How should we see the Church in ourselves?? Based on what I?ve read, I think that we should see the Church as the light towards God. Our relationship with God is what makes up the Church in us. How can we establish our relationship with God? There?s a line in the book that best explains how we can know God. It states that the Church ?is an enlightening invitation to know God beyond the intellect, to enter, through love, the realm of doxology, and there to taste God through the soul?s spiritual senses.? We have to remember that learning about God doesn?t establish our relationship with Him. We will never know God through reason, nor can we comprehend Him through science but what we can do, is know Him through our faith and love. In analogy with the Church, many of the churches today focus in teaching but doesn?t develop fellowship or love for fellowmen, which is entirely wrong because the apostles of Christ were made to devote themselves not only into teaching but also into fellowship. We should also see the Church in us as a communion meaning we should unite with God through Jesus Christ. We don?t often realize this but when we perform the sacrament of Eucharist, we unite with God through Jesus. The Holy Trinity is present in the Church that is within us as stated by George Tavard, ?It is God who creates the Church through Christ and who in the Holy Spirit initiates the conditions for worship.? We may not think about that fact too often; but in the Church that is inside of us, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all present. George Tavard explained the Church as the bride of the Holy Spirit. In reference to this, I believe that we can now go to God through the Holy Spirit who has come to live within us. Because of this, I can say that the Church within us is equal. Thus, barriers of race, color, cultures, traditions among the people should be destroyed because as a Church, we all should be one. We have to make the Church live in us through love -- "No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is truly in our hearts (1 John 4:12 ).? We should see the Church in ourselves if we experience the grace of God and our obligation as God?s people is to remove the barriers and hostility among us, and create wonderful and fruitful relationships with one another. Bibliography: Word Count: 741
Copyright © 1998-2008 College Term Papers, INC All Rights Reserved. DMCA Notifications and Requests