The Mark of a Christian’ Review Essay
Write a two (2) page MLA formatted essay reviewing the main points from Schaefferâ€
s book, The Mark of a Christian. In addition, write one (1) page that describes three (3) ways you feel this book will influence your philosophy of mentoring and discipling. This essay will be a total of three (3) pages.
The Mark of a Christian is a short book that was written by Francis Schaeffer who placed central emphasis on the centrality of love for all Christians. He has demonstrated this by claiming that a genuine Christian is not determined on the basis of the church they attend or doctrinal beliefs but rather in the love they show to others through their actions. A prevailing theme in the entire book is that if people exercised love for one another they would make the world a far much better place and extend the knowledge that they are all followers of Christ. The first section of the book starts by analyzing the commandment of loving ones neighbors (Schaeffer 13). Delving on this, the author asserts that the theme of love is central to Christian faith and that it is required of all Christians to show love through action. The author further stresses the need for everyone to seek love by giving love and insists that actions are stronger than feelings. The Mark of a Christian’ Review Essay
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A second theme addressed in the text is Christian unity whereby Schaeffer stresses the importance and value of practicing unity as a Christian. This theme was influenced by the realization that Christians are diverse as they come from different denominations and have different beliefs and practices. What’s more, Schaeffer argues that in spite of these differences, these Christians can still unite around their common faith in Christ. In explaining the concept of unity in Christianity, Schaeffer highlighted that it is not the same as uniformity (Schaeffer 23). This means that in acknowledging the differences among themselves, Christians can respect these differences and still work together to fulfill their ultimate mission of evangelizing the gospel through discipleship. Schaeffer wrote in his book that it is important for Christians to be wary of the way they act and treat one another since because others observe them keenly to determine whether their actions are in line with what they evangelize. Drawing from this, the way Christians love one another is a powerful testimony to the truth of their faith. In addition to this, the author has also examined the role that love plays in evangelism and has contended that Christians should go beyond telling people about the gospel, but they should also demonstrate it through their actions (Schaeffer 44). He has called upon all Christians to review their mannerisms, actions, and conduct by insisting that people learn more from how one acts than what they say verbally. The Mark of a Christian’ Review Essay
A theme that has been covered broadly in the book is the danger of cultural accommodation. Explaining this, Schaeffer has warned Christians not to compromise their faith at any one time (Schaeffer 65). He stated this with the full awareness of the pressures that Christians endure as they try to create a balance between their Christianity practices and cultural beliefs and practices. Furthermore, he argues that Christians must be truthful to their beliefs at all times even when it means being at odds with the prevailing culture. To justify this call for commitment to the gospel, Schaeffer reminds readers that culture, unlike Christianity, is dynamic and is constantly changing placing it in conflict with biblical teachings. What’s more, the author acknowledges that it can be difficult to resist cultural pressures, but he implores Christians to be diligent in examining their own hearts and minds to guarantee that they are following biblical principles rather than simply conforming to cultural norms. The Mark of a Christian’ Review Essay
Part B
There are several ways in which the teachings of the book will influence my philosophy of mentoring and discipling. The emphasis of love as the mark of a Christian will influence me to practice my faith by demonstrating love to others even as I mentor and engage with them. In the text, Schaeffer has insisted that it is not sufficient for a Christian to simply hold doctrinal beliefs or attend church regularly and presume that they are the ideal Christians. The emphasis on love insists that Christians should focus on building deep, meaningful relationships that are characterized by love, care, and respect for others (Schaeffer 57). As a Christian mentor and disciple I will continue nurturing and practicing love trusting that in doing this I will play my part in spreading Christian ideals. Call for Christian unity will also be invaluable as it will guide me to liaise and team up with Christians from different denominations and culture. His will be in recognizing that what matters is that in spite of the differences we possess, the fact that we have a commonality of reading and practicing by the rules of the same Bible makes us brothers in Christ. The third and equally important is understanding love as an action. In my practice in mentorship and discipleship, understanding of love enable me focus on action and service more and less on the differences that might exist between us. Importantly, mentors and disciples are called upon to look for practical ways to demonstrate their love for one another. Examples include offering support during difficult times and volunteering together in service projects. The Mark of a Christian’ Review Essay