The River

Megan
Christians in the World-6
October 30, 2012

The River

1987: "To cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us," referred to page 6, when the preacher said you would be washed away of your pain in the river. Pain could be a symbol of sin, which is being washed away by the river, just like grace from the holy spirit cleanse our sins.

1988: "Being born to a new life," referred to page 8, when the preacher said, "You count now, you didn't even count before." Before Bevel "didn't count" but after being baptized, he was counted, or born into a new life, he was created.

1989: "Conversion" occurred when the woman says, "I know from it that this preacher can heal. My eyes have been opened! I testify to Jesus!" when the preacher asked her to testify to either Jesus or the devil.(page 7) The boy was also converted when he was baptized because he wanted to find the kingdom of God in the river, which caused him to drown himself.

1990: "Purifies his heart from sin, detaches man from sin," is present on page 7, when the preacher says, "if i Baptize you, you will be able to go to the Kingdom of Christ. You'll be washed in the river of suffering  son, and you'll go by the deep river of life." Being in the river to purify one's heart is kind of an on going theme.

1991:"Acceptance of God's righteousness" was on the last page, when the author talked about the Kingdom of Christ in the river. Bevel wanted to be one with God, and had accepted this, so he went to the river to find the kingdom.

1992:""blood has become the instrument of atonement for all the sins of man," is talked about when the preacher says that the river is the river of life made of Jesus's blood

1993:"establishes cooperation between God's grace and mans freedom," happens at the end of the story when God pulled Bevel into the river, and he gave up his freedom to go to God.

1994:"Wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth; the most excellent work of God's love," was shown when the preacher said something about how if you haven't come to river for Jesus, you haven't come for him. meaning you have to come for the grace of God, not just to be healed, which in essence is being wicked.

1995: "Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life," which for me was best shown when the author said Bevel was overcome with surprise at the coming of the Kingdom of Christ.

1996:"Grace is favor," was best shown when Mrs. Connin taking Bevel to babysit as a favor to his mother, and then takes him to be baptized and then prayer for his mother.

1997:"Grace is the participation in the Life of God," happens when Mrs. Connin gives Bevel the book "the life of Jesus Christ for readers under twelve." He entered in the participation of of the life of God with this book.

1998:"vocation to eternal life is supernatural." This occurs when Bevel come up for air the first time, could have been a sign that he was not ready for eternal life, but he showed his devotion and was eventually accepted in to the Kingdom of Christ

1999:"grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us his own life." this was kind of hard. I said it was when Bevel find out he was "made" by a carpenter named Jesus. Meaning that God Made us himself.

2000:"Gods intervention" This occurs when Bevel come up for air the first time, could have been a sign that he was not ready for eternal life, but God still wanted him in the Kingdom of Christ, so he intervened.

2001:"God brings to completion in us what he has begun." This is repeated when the preacher says, "All the rivers come from one River and go back to it like the ocean sea." it is like everything come full circle.

2002:"created man in his image by conferring on him," goes back to this idea of Bevel finding the Kingdom of Christ in the river.

2003: "Sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments." Baptism is the theme in the short story, and Bevel received sacramental graces with Baptism

2004:"Responsibilities of the Christian life and ministries within the church." Being baptized is part of the ministries 

2005:"we can not rely on feelings or our words to conclude that we are justified and saved." On page 5, the preacher says you have to come to the healing for Jesus, you can't just come to see. You can't rely on what you see in order to know that you are going to be saved in the end.