Hello, 

I'm not sure if this is allowed and if it isn't please just remove it and my apologies! 

My grandmother has been a devouted Christian since overcoming alcoholism many years ago 
and has always lived by her love of words and poetry related to her belief. As she is now nearing
the end stage of her life she wrote several poems in the hope that these could give others hope
and meaning as much, if not more, as it did her. My mother helped her and designed the books for her.

A lot of these have proven very, very loved by schools in South Africa.

If anybody is interested or wants to spread the word, please let me know or do so. :)

"The collection of Marty van Dyk’s daily sayings and poems is very special and poignant. From a broken life she built a very special relationship with God in her later years. Her life is quite an inspiration of how sadness and grief can be converted and translated into a life of victory in Jesus. She is an example and inspiration of how God can change one’s empty life into a meaningful life. It is a privilege to publish her book. She has taught people to persevere when there is no hope. She is an inspiration to all who have met her. Her life was and is one of joys and sorrows, where love is always the winner. This compilation of her sayings and poetry is poignant and touches the heart of every reader, especially because it is in the twilight years of her life. It is with immense pride that we present this book to all devoted Christians and to those who still seek Christ.-A5 pocket books that are easy to take everywhere with you. "

http://summerstra.com/religious_books.html

What do we have that Adam never had?

What is the gospel?

name: thomas

im new and havent been using LJ for long now, im having much trouble with my faith, im shocked to find many scriptures older then jesus christ himself mimicking his great stories and deeds, i wonder since they are so similar did god possibly send those first stories down as a prophecy of the coming jesus? were those stories true also? if its all just the devils tricks, why wouldnt god send jesus sooner? was he trying to teach us a greater lesson about deception? sense church and state union is emanate was obama chosen just like george bush? if what jesus did has been practiced longer is it possible that jesus in his early teens dabbled in things that he practiced latter in life like necromancy? or divination? mysticism?, im a christian with questions(which is horrible i know) but anything would help

The recent post about being born in the image of Adam as well as the post by napoleonofnerds about being made in God's image made me think again about the theological concept of theosis or deification/sanctification - of the transformation of man into something approaching the likeness of God. It also made me think about a recent debate that I had with a friend who attends a Baptist church. We were talking about salvation as a process rather than the idea, common in many Evangelical/Baptist and non-denominational circles, of salvation consisting of a moment of conversion, reciting a Sinner's Prayer and accepting the doctrine that salvation cannot be lost, "once saved, always saved." I was arguing that faith vs. works is a very dangerous dichotomy and that through what we do, we can co-operate with God's grace. I was trying to propose a way to reconcile St. Paul's theology of faith with St. James' theology of works in a way that does no injustice or distortion to the inspired words of both.

All of these things made me think of a recent talk given by Father Behr, an Orthodox scholar-priest who teaches patristics at St. Vladimir's seminary. The final section of his talk really outlines the idea of salvation as a process, a life-long journey of faith and grace that culminates in our deaths and he does this by outlining another aspect of theosis or sanctification that involves not just approaching the likeness of God, but also becoming more and more fully human in the fullness of humanity that Jesus Christ possessed in His Incarnation. ( I wanted to share with you that final section because I nearly wept when I first heard it. )

Comments and questions and disagreements are welcome. =)

Ge 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.

Adam had already fallen. Now he has a son in his own likeness. To say that we are created in God's image is to imply God's perfect image. But the Bible refers to Seth as being born after Adam's image, a fallen creature. What does it mean then to hear that we are created in God's image?