Reflection Paper

In this class so far, we have discussed a myriad of topics about theology and Christianity. Our instructor asked us to pick two topics to discuss in depth. Two of the topics that I have really been interested in studying further are the ideas of grace and spiritual gifts. In this paper I will discuss both of these topics in depth, including giving a theological definition of each concept, giving some biblical foundation of each concept and lastly I will explain some ways I can apply these concepts to my own life.
What is grace? Grace can be defined as God’s unmerited favor, or the idea of God doing good for us that we do not deserve. (Website) God has given us more than we could ever deserve and it not because of anything we have done or will ever do. We are saved by grace because of God’s willingness to sacrifice His son to cover our sins. Our sins originally kept us separated from God and “God took the initiative and made a way for us to literally be saved from an eternity apart from him.” (Etzel and Gutierrez, 87) Romans 3:23-24 is a perfect example to describe this. Romans says “for everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares we are righteous.” (New Living Translation) He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Biblical Foundation: Grace is a topic that is mentioned throughout the bible several times. However I feel that 2 Corinthians 12:9 is a great example that gives some insight to God’s grace. This verse tells us “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (New Living Translation) This is a powerful verse. It reminds us that God’s grace is more than enough to get us through any problem or situation that we may have as long as we seek him in these difficult times. Another verse that illustrates God’s grace to us is 1 Corinthians 15:10. This verse states “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (New Living Translation) This verse serves to remind us that we are who we are because of the grace that God has given to us. We did nothing to earn His grace and favor and even while we continue to sin, God continues to cover us with His grace.
Practical application: Grace is something that I constantly work on applying to my life. The idea of giving grace to people that do not deserve it is something I struggle with however, at the same time I am reminded that is what God did for me. A reminder of this grace that God has extended to us can be found in Ephesians 2:8 this verse states “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (New Living Translation) God chose to extend his grace to us and cost him a great price—his son Jesus. If God was willing to make that kind of sacrifice for me, when I definitely did not deserve it then I should be willing to extend that same grace to others willingly. Not only should I continue to give grace to others willingly, but I also must continually thank and praise God for his grace. While grace is something that may “cost” me a little, it has cost God so much more.
Theological Definition: “A spiritual gift is a special attribute given by the Holy Spirit to every member of the Body of Christ according to God’s grace for use within the context of the body. (Bible.org) The bible states “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who des the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” God has given each member of his body multiple gifts they should use to help build His kingdom. Each member of the Body of Christ should not be selfish with their gifts, but they should share them with the other members willingly. Not only does sharing our spiritual gifts help each other when needed, but they also bring glory to God.
Biblical Foundation: The bible speaks about how important our individual gifts are important to his kingdom. One of the places in the bible this can be found is Romans 12: 6-8. This verse states “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. This verse tells us that we each have different gifts that God has blessed us with and we are to use these gifts to bring glory to His name and to serve in his kingdom. Another verse that reiterates how important our spiritual gifts are is 1 Peter 4:10. This verse states “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well serve one another.” (New Living Translation) This verse reminds us we are not to be selfish with the gifts that God has given us, we should use these gifts to serve each other.
Practical application: Before last year I hadn’t really given much thought to what my spiritual gift was and how to use my gift to serve in God’s kingdom. I had an idea of a ministry I wanted to serve in, but that was it. After a retreat I ended with my high school kids we had a class that talked about spiritual gifts and ways to use them to serve in God’s kingdom. We filled out a questionnaire to find out what gifts we showed proficiency in. I actually scored highly and equally in more than one spiritual gift. I found out that my top three spiritual gifts are teaching, mercy, and music. Since completing this test I have found multiple areas in my church to serve and use my gifts/talents. I currently serve in the children’s ministry where I teach a small group of children as well as lead them in worship each week. I also help my children’s ministry director to put the curriculum together that we use for our ministry. For my spiritual gift of music I serve on my church’s vocal team. I love being able to lead our congregation in worship and it is an honor and privilege that I do not take lightly. So far in this course we have talked about many Christian theories and topics and the many ways we can apply these theories to our lives. The two topics that I was interested in examining further were the ideas of grace and spiritual gifts and how they impact my own Christian journey. Both of these topics are areas that I have experienced some growth in and will continue to seek God’s guidance and not only continue to grow but to share these ideas with others to help them along their own Christian walk.

Works Cited
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Learn The Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.learnthebible.org/what-is-grace.html
Etzel, G., & Gutierrez, B. (2012). Atonement. In Praxis Beyond Theory (p. 87). Virgina beach, Virginia: Academx Publishing.
Boa, K. (2006, May 11). The Gifts of the Spirit. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from https://bible.org/article/gifts-spirit

Reflection Paper Grading Rubric
Select the entire rubric below; then, copy and paste it into the final section of your Reflection Papers (this must be the last page of your paper).
Student:
Criteria
Points
Possible
Points
Earned
Instructor’s Comments
Content: Does the paper cover the subject as thoroughly as possible? Are 2 topics covered? Does it demonstrate a personal understanding of the subject?
65

Introduction: Is there a clear introductory paragraph including a thesis?
10

Structure: Are there headings provided for each section?
10

Conclusion: Is a concluding paragraph given?
10

Mechanics: Is paper free of glaring errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation and is it posted by the deadline?
30

Grading Rubric: Is this page provided as the last page of the paper?
10

Format: Is the paper formatted using current APA, MLA, or Turabian style (whichever corresponds to your degree program)?
15

Total
150

Cited: Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Learn The Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.learnthebible.org/what-is-grace.html Etzel, G., & Gutierrez, B Boa, K. (2006, May 11). The Gifts of the Spirit. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from https://bible.org/article/gifts-spirit Reflection Paper Grading Rubric