Twelve Extraordinary Women

I received this book from my parents on my eighteenth birthday, the day when I officially became a woman. John MacArthur’s book makes an important read for Christian women who can learn what their duties are as Christian daughters, wives and mothers. This book is also important for men to read so they can appreciate their mothers, wives and daughters.

Through the lives of twelve different women from the Bible, Eve, Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Hannah, Mary the mother of Jesus, Anna, the Samaritan Woman, Mary of Magdalene, Mary and her sister Martha, and Lydia, John MacArthur embraces the biblical role of women almost foreign in today feminist views.

I think as a girl I am in the best position to comment on this book. This book helps you realize that women have a vital and special role. In today’s society women seem to strive to be more like men and no longer treasure just being a woman and doing things that only women can do.

The book shows the different assets of women, the strength of Rahab and Lydia, loyalty of Ruth, the faithfulness of Hannah and such. Above all, these women from different times and backgrounds are all bound together by faith in the hope that is Jesus Christ.

Inerrancy of the Bible

(Prisy says it like it is)

Reliability in religion is sometimes a difficult thing to discuss. Take Hinduism for instance. Most Hindus believe that the events, which take place in their legends, are only symbolic and it is the essence of the stories that count. Christianity and the Bible is another matter. It is absolutely vital that as Christians we believe that every tiny particle of the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Some question the authenticity of the Bible from the fact that it is 2000-3500 years old. How can we believe that it is still accurate and undisturbed by time? The answer lies between the time the books were composed and the earliest known manuscript.

Take for example: The earliest known manuscripts of some of Sophocles’ plays date around 1400 years after they were written. But they are still believed to be accurate.
This is true with so many manuscripts.

“In no other case is the interval of time between the composition of the book and the date of the earliest extant manuscripts so short as in that of the New Testament.” Sir Frederic G. Kenyon

This is where the Bible has an incredible advantage. The earliest known manuscripts of the New Testament date to about 300 years after they are written. So we can assuredly say that the New Testament we hold is our hands is accurate to the original.

(Reference: History and Christianity by John Warwick Montgomery)

Grace

(Lydia’s words)

Grace is God’s unmerited favour to those who are totally undeserving. Grace is an undeserved gift from God.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4,5)

But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. (Romans 5:15)

The Greek word for grace is CHARIS( χαρις)

VINE’S dictionary also gives another meaning: It is applied to the beauty or gracefulness of a person.

In a similar way, though not quite the same, the words grace and charisma are used in everyday English.

Example: We definitely need someone like Cynthia Adams to be the president because she has charisma.

The word ‘grace’ is also used instead of the word charisma.

Example: Hannah carries herself with grace and poise.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye

(Book Review by Tim)

Author: Joshua Harris

As the title suggests, this book does talk about dating, though not about dating being necessarily wrong. It talks about the author’s experience with dating and shows us the negative aspects of dating. In this way it teaches us to approach dating with caution.

I found this book a very useful stepping stone to kick off my interest in reading Christian books, as it is easy to read. This book teaches us to live a pure Christian life and I would encourage all young people to read it.

Propitiation

(Lydia’s words)

Meaning:

appease

Examples for the classical use:

Rani and Rahul offered a hen to propitiate the gods.

Chandi sacrificed his lamb as a propitiation for his crimes.

Bible examples:

Jesus offered Himself to propitiate God’s just anger.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)