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Variety of meanings for ‘Son of God’

Last week we looked closely at the word begotten; this week we will focus on the word Son or Son of God. Again, I must give credit to The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary (ZPBD) for information and some of the quotes. Exactly what does the phrase Son of God mean? In the Bible, the word son can have a variety of meanings. Sometimes it can refer to any offspring regardless of sex; or it can simply mean descendants. Many times, it refers to a person, a male who was the direct child of his father. Sometimes the word sons can be referring to a group, or kind of person; like sons of God, ...

Christians go to Church, that’s what we do

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus approaches Simon Peter and Andrew his brother, “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) In our day when there seems to be such easy believism, it is necessary that one qualifies what it means to be a Follower of Jesus Christ. If someone says they are a Christian that is certainly a step in the right direction. To be a saved child of God a person begins by confessing Christ. Paul gives simple instruction for becoming a Christian in the book of Romans. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord ...

Why Muslim countries are passing new blasphemy laws

By Ahmet T. Kuru San Diego State University THE CONVERSATION On Jan. 17, 2023, Pakistan’s National Assembly unanimously voted to expand the country’s laws on blasphemy, which carries the death penalty for insulting the Prophet Muhammad. The new law now extends the punishment to those deemed to have insulted the prophet’s companions, which could include thousands of early Muslims, with 10 years in prison or life imprisonment. Human rights activists are concerned that the expanded laws could target minorities, particularly Shiite Muslims who are critical of many leading early ...

Religion Briefs

Editor’s note: To submit a nonprofit announcement to The Sentinel’s Religion section, contact Tom Laub at (717) 248-6741 or by email at living@lewistownsentinel.com. Items also may be faxed to (717) 248-3481 or sent to The Sentinel, 352 Sixth St., Lewistown, PA 17044. Items must be received by Tuesday for publication in the Saturday edition. Submissions will be published as space allows. The editor reserves the right to edit all submissions. ••• UMC to host Bible study LEWISTOWN — First Bakers United Methodist Church will host a Bible study every Wednesday at 7 p.m. ...

In The Dark, Warming Arctic

LONGYEARBYEN, Norway (AP) — The warm glow of Svalbard Kirke’s lights gleams on the mountain slope from where the church stands over this remote Norwegian Arctic village, cloaked in the polar night’s constant darkness. A century after it was founded to minister to the coal miners who settled Longyearbyen, the Lutheran house of faith is open 24/7, serving as a beacon for the community navigating a drastic change in its identity. The last Norwegian coal mine in Svalbard — an archipelago that’s one of the world’s fastest warming spots — was slated to close this year and ...

Hope for Mifflin County

By Deb Yoder Kish Valley Grace Brethren Church Jan. 22, 2023 was National Sanctity of Human Life Day, designated as such by President Ronald Reagan on Jan. 22, 1984. If you are like me, you may be quite familiar with this annual observance of the need to protect and save lives, born and unborn. You may even have said on more than one occasion that you believe in the sanctity of human life and know that this term describes the preciousness of human life and have a moral conviction about how human beings are to be perceived and treated. If you are like me you may have offered up a ...