..if you really want the Christ and truly love him, there is nothing that will prevent his coming and taking up his abode with you provided your love for him manifests..." through loving inner spirit of Christ instead only the outside. One may appear to be a Christian yet the Lordship of Christ in the life of the Christian means that present is love, compassion and forgiveness for others. The Christian loves the 'inner spirit of Christ because to desire only the outside of Christ will not allow Christ true Lordship in our lives. Loving the inner spirit of Christ requires loving the spirit of love...faith...compassion... The spirit of forgiveness." (Lindsey-Weinman, 19? -2000)

Humanity tends to only: "...desire the outside of Christ..." (Lindsey-Weinman, 19?

-2000) the Christian loves more than simply an image of Christ as 'Lordship of Christ' does not mean loving the image of Christ in his white robe and sandals and long-flowing hair because in Jesus came today he would: "...wear conventional clothes like all men wear...." (Lindsey-Weinman, 1970) as Christians we must be sure that we: "...would not reject him as the Jews did before...who were themselves eagerly awaiting the messiah clothed in robes like Moses?" (Lindsey-Weinman 1970) the Christian must be sure! The Christian loves the 'inner spirit' of Christ and not merely a Christ they conceive of who comes: "...clothed in some manmade doctrine or creed for indeed to do so would be to miss him! The Lordship of Christ is understood clearly to be Christ as Lord of our daily life accompanied by the real desire for Christ to rule over us in both flesh and spirit and laying down of our own will for the will of God and for the sake of the Kingdom.

The United Methodist Church holds that Scripture, tradition, experience and reason are sources and norms for belief and practice, but that the Bible is primary among them. What is your understanding of this theological position of the Church? (¶330.4. a) (4) for deacon; or ¶335(7) a) (4) for elder).

It is the belief of the United Methodist Church that the Holy Scripture contains all information necessary to salvation and that whatever is not found within the scriptures and what cannot be proven by the scriptures is not required of anyone that they belief it to be an "...article of faith..." (Article V - of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation, 2007) the canonical books are the authority and comprise the Old and New Testaments. Both the Old Testament and New Testament reveal the fundamental element of God's great for humanity. In the New Testament of the Bible, God's divine grace is revealed as well as is the great love God has for humanity, and as well, through God's gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was God in Human form who administers to man through the Holy Spirit who guides humanity in his study of scripture and his search for union with God and the Son. While the New Testament is the New Covenant and is the seal of redemption for everlasting life between Christ and Christians, still the Christian is responsible in the way they live their life and as to whether they following the calling of Christ and will of God in the manner in which they live their lives. The sermons of the Wesley's, serve to assist the Methodist believer in their understanding of the application of simple common-sense and the practical aspects of the Christian beliefs and how tradition is held important by the Wesleyan tradition. This is evidenced in the revival 'renewals' and the importance ascribed to the Lord's Supper in the early days of Methodism. Jesus taught through parables providing both moral and spiritual principles to humanity to better engage their understanding concerning the principles of the Kingdom and finally through and by the Holy Spirit who leads humanity in their search for understanding of God's love and plan for humanity.

How do you understand the following traditional evangelical doctrines: (a) repentance; (b) justification; - regeneration; (d) sanctification? What are the marks of the Christian life? (¶330.4. a) (5) for deacon; or ¶335 (7) a) (5) for elder).

Repentance is demonstrated through a spiritual conviction of the believer by the Holy Spirit of sin and wrong-doing in the life of the individual and is the overpowering of God's grace and makes a requirement of the individual repenting and turning aside from their sins...

Through this renewal, believers are reconciled to God and empowered in serving God in love and in obedience. Methodists believe regeneration is the renewal of man in righteousness through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby we become partakers of the divine nature and experience newness of life. By this new birth, the believer becomes reconciled to God and is enabled to serve him with the will and the affections. Sanctification is believed by the United Methodist Church and its membership to be a result of God's grace through the Word and Spirit, and that it is a process in which those who have been born again or cleansed from sin in their thoughts, words, and acts, and are enabled to live in accordance with God's will, and to strive for holiness, a required condition for spending life eternally in the presence of the Lord. Full Sanctification is believed to be a perfect state of righteousness, love and holiness" which is required to live eternally with the Lord. It is possible for the believer to enter a state of entire sanctification, it is our believe that the state of entire sanctification is able to be obtained by "every regenerate believer" and that every believer may be delivered from sin's power through loving God heart, soul, mind and strength and through neighbor as loving self. The Christian must be careful of too much pride in spiritual matters and must constantly guard against sin in a total response to God's will thereby weakening the power of sin of the flesh thereby putting aside the flesh with the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.
Marks of a Christian life

Describe the nature and mission of the Church. What are its primary tasks today? (¶330. 4. a) (8) for deacon; or ¶335 (7) a) (8) for elder).

The Church's nature and mission is defined by its' call from God to follow the commandments of the risen Christ who said to his disciples: "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. (Matthew 29: 19-20) the purpose of the United Methodist Church has as its' basis this commandment of Christ which is referred to as the 'Great Commission' which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The Church accomplishes this through churches providing the environment and conditions in which 'disciple making occurs'. (the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church - 2004 p. 87, 2000. The United Methodist Publishing House) the Church's mission is to make disciples, which is four-pronged and includes: (1) worshiping; (2) welcoming; (3) nurturing; and (4) sending. Furthermore, the Church has a calling for responsibility for individuals within the world within reach of the church in the community of the church and in which the church interacts with others at work, at play and in other areas of life. The church has a responsibility to open doors for others to grow closer to God and grow in their relationship with God. The church is called to mission, to support others in their ministry and to be a servant in ministry both with and to others. The church fulfills this role in daily activities, through groups and institutions, and through initiatives enacted to reach into the community and through our service, our gifts and our time.

What is your understanding of: (a) the kingdom of God; (b) the Resurrection; - eternal life? (¶330.4. a) (9) for deacon; or ¶335(7) a) (9) for elder).

The Kingdom of God, the Resurrection and Eternal Life combined make up eschatology. Paul writes in Colossians Chapter 1 and verse 13 that God has "...delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son." Therefore, we can understand that at the time we are saved by God's grace that our soul has entered or been translated into the Kingdom of God by God's grace and because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ we are given the gift of eternal life with Christ. Paul goes on to state in Colossians 1:20 that: "And having made peace…