BIL 102 WORKSHOP 5.4 FINAL PAPER
Download Introduction and Alignment Throughout this course, we have been reading various books of the New Testament with an eye on what they have to say about salvation. This final paper will have you summarize, synthesize, and apply 3 of those perspectives. Thus, it will draw together several of the elements regarding salvation that we have studied in class and ask you to use some of your skills of interpretation to apply that synthesis to a contemporary issue or situation.
Upon completion of this assignment you should be able to: • § Synthesize three aspects of salvation as presented in various parts of the New Testament and apply this synthesis to contemporary issues.
Resources •
§ All course materials
Background Information The New Testament is made up of various books and blocks. One way to survey the New Testament is to gather some of those books and blocks into groups with shared themes and characteristics and study them in that grouping. Even though we can subdivide the New Testament canon in this way, the New Testament as a whole still speaks together like a rich choir of voices all inspired by God, and thus there are deep points of consistency and balance. This paper will ask you to describe three perspectives on salvation and then integrate them in a way that balances their different emphases and demonstrates their connections.
Here is a summary of the various groupings we have studied in this class and their respective perspectives on salvation.
•
§ The Gospel of Mark (and Matthew): Jesus is the Son of God who came to proclaim and usher in the Kingdom of God. Through his miracles, exorcisms, and death, Jesus defeats the power of Satan. Jesus dies in accordance with God’s will, placing his trust in God, and we must believe that he is God’s Son. Jesus is the example for all disciples to trust and obey God through any and all circumstances. • § Luke and Acts: Jesus Christ came to offer freedom from sin and Satan. Jesus dies according to God’s plan, but God raises him from the dead and gives him the authority to grant salvation and liberation to anyone who trusts in him. God pours out the Holy Spirit as part of the gift of salvation. • § The Letters of Paul: Human beings are separated from God because of the power of sin. Jesus the Messiah came to die as an act of grace and faith and through our trust in him, to defeat sin and death. When we believe in Jesus, we are in Christ – we have died to sin with him and share in his new resurrected life. God’s righteousness is satisfied and we can live a new life of righteousness through the Spirit in a reconciled relationship with God.
•
§ The Writings of John: Jesus was sent by God to take on flesh, teach us about God and himself, and then ultimately return to God after his death and resurrection. This entire process is launched by God’s love. When we believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, we come into a new relationship of love with God. This new relationship means that we know and share the eternal life of God and the presence of the Spirit. We express that new life through loving obedience to God and loving service to others. • § Revelation: Jesus is the Lamb of God who came to die in order that we might be freed from our sins and formed into God’s holy people. In the present time, we may experience trouble and suffering, but our hope in God’s salvation enables us to trust and wait patiently. Ultimately, God will send Jesus to destroy the Devil and evil, judge the world according to what is good and right, and graciously restore creation to its proper relationship with God.
Now, your job in this final paper is to select three of these perspectives on salvation, summarize each one in your own words with appropriate supporting quotations from each book, and then integrate them in a balanced synthesis. Here is some advice on how to synthesize this material. •
§ Look for shared or similar themes. Begin by finding points of clear connection and overlap. Note places where very similar concepts are expressed through slightly different language. • § Find complementary elements. Not every book or perspective can express everything about salvation. One perspective might bring a certain aspect of salvation to the foreground that another leaves primarily in the background. Together, they create a balanced and full-bodied expression of salvation. • § Avoid combining everything into a general soupy mix. Do not be afraid of differences or tensions. We want to maintain the clarity of the various perspectives while showing how they connect or integrate with one another. Mention points of connection, balance, and difference in your synthesis.
Finally, you should take your synthesis and apply it to a contemporary issue or scenario. You have practiced the process of application in your interpretation journals each week. Here are some final pointers on how to apply this synthesis of perspectives on salvation in the New Testament.
•
§ Be specific. Quote specific passages in your application, and apply your synthesis to a specific contemporary issue or situation. Provide detail whenever possible. • § Find a best “fit.” Not all biblical material is immediately and directly applicable to every situation. Try to find a good fit where your synthesis addresses the issue or scenario you select clearly and directly. Demonstrate the points of analogy and relevance. • § Clearly state how your synthesis of biblical material changes how you think about an issue or changes what you should do in a particular situation. Focus on function and impact. • § Be creative. Allow the Holy Spirit to use your imagination to enable to you see how God’s word applies to your life and the world around you.
You are ready to write your final paper for New Testament survey. Keep in mind all of the advice above, and follow the instructions provided below.
Instructions 1. Review and follow all of the pointers provided above. 2. Your paper must include the following three sections clearly marked with headings: 3 summaries of specific perspectives on salvation found in the New Testament, a synthesis that integrates those three summaries, and an application of that synthesis to a contemporary situation.
3. The paper must cite at least 7 passages of scripture taken from at least 4 different books of the New Testament. An excellent paper will also incorporate material from the readings and the lectures. 4. The paper should be 1200-1400 words, and it must follow APA formatting guidelines. The paper can follow this general division: approximately 600-700 words for the summary of the 3 perspectives, approximately 300-350 words to the synthesis, and approximately 300-350 words for the application. 5. Submit your paper using the Final Paper assignment tool in Workshop Five. The paper is due by the end of Workshop five and will be graded according to the following rubric.