Understanding Christian Faith: All Men Need Jesus

Reflective Journals 1 & 2 Paper
Student’s Name
University
Course
Professor’s Name
Due Date
Reflective Journal 1
Reflect upon how your foundational understanding of the Christian faith/worldview has been reinforced, enhanced, or become complicated as a result of the current course readings and interactions. Your journal entry should be approximately 450 words and is due on Monday of week two. Referenced materials should be properly cited within and at the end of your journal entry.
Note: my worldview is that all men need Jesus.
The course readings have significantly enhanced my understanding of the Christian faith. I now completely believe that every person in the world needs Jesus. The Bible indicates in Genesis chapter 1 verse 27, "So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female, he created them." This means that by His authority, every creature on the phase of the earth exists. Similarly, John chapter 15 verse 5 states, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing." This verse alone emphasizes that Jesus is our only source of life and the key to a fruitful life. According to Plantinga (2002), nothing in the world can satisfy us because to attain joy that fills us to the brim, we need to acknowledge Jesus, who will fill us beyond the walls of the world. In this vein, Christians should follow Jesus' mandate to live the life God intends for us.
Rykens' (2013) course reading has reinforced how our worldviews apply in different aspects of life, including during a conflict and how we live. For instance, during a recent debate with my friend about immigration, I relied on the importance of compassion and hospitality to immigrants as the next course of action. In contrast, my friend believed more in the enforcement of immigration laws. As much as this may sound like a political argument, a deeper analysis is rooted in our worldviews. According to Jesus' Doctrines, we are supposed to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, which, by extension, means caring for the vulnerable population. Only when the Holy Spirit leads us can we be fruitful; stretching a helping hand and expecting nothing in return is also important.
In order to live with Jesus, we need the holy spirit, the third person in the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is often regarded as the helper or a comforter. Through the Holy Spirit, we can live a pleasing life to God and bear the fruits that Glorify him. This has reinforced the idea that I need to rely on the Holy Spirit in my own life and appreciate the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. The only challenge I encountered was understanding the Christian faith, especially regarding the problem of evil and suffering in the world. However, through much research, I realized that God disciplines those he loves the same way a father disciplines his child. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 6 indicates that discipline is not necessarily a punishment for sin; instead, God uses it to shape his children. The readings have been beneficial in reinforcing my worldview that we need Jesus in our lives and appreciate the importance of faith in God's Sovereignty and the p...