Week in Review

Writing Assignment #7 – Synthesis (part 3)

Prison Fellowship believes that crime is rooted in moral and spiritual brokenness. Therefore, the best solution to crime has to start with the changing of people’s hearts. This is true with changing any person’s life for God, there has to be a change of heart. Prison Fellowship does not overlook the innocent victims of crime, the children of prisoners. Prison Fellowship work with churches to present gifts, camping and other items to the children so they do not feel forgotten.

The church reaches outward (externally) to the lost and those in need of hearing the truth of God. This is the mission of the Church, to reach the lost. The internal benefit of the church is to grow brothers together. Roberts states, “If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. If one soul is in destitution, those who have, are ready to supply his necessities” (1). The Love of God grows within the heart of the believer and it helps one to have love toward his brother or sister in Christ. “We love Him so greatly that we instinctively love His true friends. Those who walk in the light have fellowship for each other. They find each other out, and their hearts naturally run together. Rays of light, coming from the same source, easily mingle. Living streams, however widely separated, unite at last in the ocean. Holy persons feel that union of spirit, which is properly called, the communion of saints” (Roberts, 2)

One takes the offering of salvation to be set free from death’s grasp when one understands his need to be liberated. When a person receives this gift from God, there are changes that the Holy Spirit must make within the heart. The believer must willingly release the control of their life over to God’s Spirit. This release allows the Holy Spirit to change the heart and root the believer in Christ. “No other religion but that of Jesus will enable a person to do this. There may be the semblance. Anger may be suppressed by force of resolution. But God alone is able to make us really love our enemies, and honestly strive to promote their welfare. The Holy Spirit will enable us to hate sin, and love the sinner” (Roberts, 3). This is why God changes the heart’s of men. Man is placed into a right relationship with God because of his love for man. He offers this love to assure man of an eternal reward, but also so that man could then offer this love to others in need. The church is the avenue that God’s love flows through. Man is not saved only for himself, but so that men can do as the scripture says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Work Cited

Alter, Margaret Gramat. Christianity Today: The unnatural act of forgiveness. Vol. 41 Issue 7, P. 28, 3p 2c. 1997. 22 February 2006. http://library.macu.edu.

ccci.org: How to know God personally. 2006. 22 February 2006. http://www.ccci.org/wij.

Howard, Richard E. Newness of Life. United States of America: n.p., 1975.

Josh.org: Previous Questions -Christianity. 2004. 22 February 2006. http://www.Josh.org/apologetics/.

McGrath, Alister E. Understanding the Trinity. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988.

Palau.org: Scripts – Encourage One Another. Palau, Luis. 2005. 22 February 2006. http://www.palau.org/ryw_new.

Pfm.org: Prison Fellowship. 2004. 22 February 2006. http://www.pfm.org/AM.

Phillips, J.B. Your God is Too Small. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1998.

Rheenen, Gailyn Van. Biblical Foundations & Contemporary Strategies: Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.

Thompson, Frank Charles, D.D., PH.D. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, 5th ed. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbridge Bible Co., Inc., 1988.