God Can Use You!

 I have known Clement of Rome, Irenaeus, and Justine Martyr through our lecture this week. Plus the Gnosticism belief have I known and how people had different view of what they believe in about God.

St. Clement was the early bishop of Rome that's why he was known to be Clement of Rome. He wrote the epistle to the Corinthians known as “1 Clement,” which dealt with ecclesiastical order and authority. On the other part, Irenaeus was also a bishop but not in Rome. He was a bishop of Lyons who wrote “Against Heresies” as an attack on Gnosticism. He emphasized the authority of scripture. Gnosticism was a prominent heretical movement of the 2nd-century Christian Church, partly of pre-Christian origin. Gnostic doctrine taught that the world was created and ruled by a lesser divinity, and that Christ was a representative of the remote supreme divine being, deep knowledge (gnosis) of whom enabled the redemption of the human spirit. This belief has two parts: First, Dualism which deals with eternal battle of light versus dark which means they are equal and opposite. Second, Docetism believed that the human element in the person of the redeemer was as illusion. However, Justin Martyr who was reported by Keziah was the most important early Christian apologist, who defended Christians against false charges and who argued that Christianity was the only true philosophy.

Knowing three people in just 1 hr. and 45 mins. was overwhelming. I can see God's work and it is indeed true that God can use anything and anyone just for the sake of His glory to be revealed to every mankind. I believe that the mentioned names above were used by God and have honored Him through their lives. Through the lives of those people, the Gospel has been passed on to us and the dilemma still exist even until now. And it can be used as a proof that the Bible is true and it is timeless. Many people in the early times had believed with Gnosticism but still God has His purpose. In his foreknowledge He had foreseen everything that will happen here on earth. For us who knew the truth may find this belief as absurd.

As to my own, I have to see to it that I am living a life that is pleasing to God. A life that other people can look up to. I may not be as great as Clement of Rome neither Irenaeus nor Justin but I believe that God created me and is molding me to be the person that He wants me to be. I have my own role and that is to glorify Him and live on by faith and spread the Gospel to all nation. On my own resources, I can use that so God may made known to everyone such as posting Bible verses in facebook, instagram, and/or pinterest. Post pictures that cannot cause others to stumble. Make everything in accordance to His will and purpose not just merely entertainment. Let things be done with an eternal purpose perspective.