Assignment:
"In chapter 17 of our text, our author does a nice job of giving us an overview of Paul's life. Beginning on page 240, we encounter a discussion of several topics related to Paul's theology (pages 240-251). For the forum this week, each student should choose one of those theological topics and describe how this section helps them understand Paul better."
My Work:
The Theory of One, All-Powerful God
Paul says who and what God is and who and what God isn't. He signifies that God is one, single being that knows everything about everything. He goes on to say he is everything about everything in every way. This is an Old Testament type of preaching, in that the text does not discuss "what" is not God, things like sin and the devil. Then, he further prays and says we are to worship God, that is God alone.
He says God is there for other races with other religions. He shows off God by saying He can reach out and bring dead people back to life. He pretty much goes on to saying God is everything and can do anything for people. Like, he says God is in Heaven.
He goes on to deny polytheism, Stoicism (where different beings and things are worshipped or seem to be an entity encompassing one feature of Godliness,) and the pagan belief. He simply goes on that God is better because He is One. This is like technically saying God is more efficient because he is more powerful than all the other beliefs. He doesn't sound very organized or mature in these early days, the way the Old Testament was nastier than the New Testament as far as teaching beliefs go, like "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."