Actions Speak your Salvation

   This morning Pastor Joe preached from 1John 5:1-15. He said that your belief  is  not seen if you  do nothjing but sit around and act as if what you believe is a  privayte affair between you and God. Your actions are. And John points out that your behavior towards others and toward Jesus, who did come in the flesh, shows your salvation.
     But basicly, Jesus did come in a body. The body is the package that carries the real man. Jesus had a real body. Only a real body can be hungry. Only a real body can bleed. Only a real body can eat food. Only a real body can ascend into heaven. And only a real body can come back again.

     If Jesus were not in a body He wouldn't be anyone to follow. We must be Christ like, John calls us sons of God, if we are Christians. As sons we represent all others are going to see of God. All we do we should do knowing that fact.
      Not too many of us are called to stand on street corners and preach. No,  But we all are called to act daily in the awareness that we may be the only link between God and man when it comes to the decision he will have to make.
     When we get to heaven God is going to ask, "What did you do with  my Son, Jesus?"  "Why should I let you into my heaven?"
  

People Study- Geographical Study, and Grammatical Study

  Relax now. It should get easier. At least when I use this method it seems to get easier. It is a study of people.  As I do the analytical study I run across people. The whole Bible is about people. This method is similar to your topical study only it is a person not a topic you are doing.
   The steps are simple.

• Collect all the passages in which the Bible character appears. This is useful in the study of  the gospels or when you go through Samuel, Kings, Chronicles.
•  Compare or classify the material
•   Construct or orginize the material

   It is not unlike the biographical reports you did in school. That is why I say this one is an easier one. It is not expecting you to do something you don't know how to do.  

  Also as you did your analytical study you ran across areas. Some of the place names have changed over the years but they are still there. You can trace the journey of the Biblical Character or you can use your maps at the back of your Bible to find the city or place spoken of. This is very important so I would suggest you don't skip over this.
 
  Another thing that can be done is a Grammatical Study. This is similar to your English teacher's request you do a diagram of the sentence. Each main statement is placed to the extreme left-hand side of the page. Subordionate clauses are placed above or below and indented. Co-ordinate clauses connected by and, but, either, or, neither, nor are usually main subjects. You should also be on the lookout for the two words therefore-wherefore.

   In essence this is another form of analysis. It has proved for me to be a great help in private Bible Study.

 Please feel free to leave me comments or remarks. 
 How am I doing? What should I clarify?
 Do you feel I am leaving anything out?