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What does it mean to have a personal relationship with God? What is the role of obedience in this relationship? Dietrich Bonhoeffer explains that a personal relationship with God is how discipleship works—and that obedience is at the center. A true disciple seeks to obey Jesus. Keep reading to learn about obedience within a personal relationship with God.
Can a Christian lose their salvation? Is salvation guaranteed? Are there categories of sin? According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, salvation can be forfeited. However, his views on sin and the loss of salvation differ in some ways from the perspectives of the Catholic church, John Calvin, and other Christians. Read more to learn about these various theological views.
Do you experience suffering as a result of following Christ? Should you expect to? According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, suffering for Christ is central to the discipleship experience. He argues that, as disciples become more and more like Christ, they are treated more and more like Christ was treated on earth. So, Christians should expect to be persecuted. This is part of the cost of discipleship. Read more to learn about suffering for Christ.
What is fasting? How does it contribute to spiritual growth? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book The Cost of Discipleship, urges Christians to practice fasting for spiritual growth. He argues that the suffering that comes from fasting builds self-discipline. Other religious traditions differ in some ways regarding their views toward fasting, but many still see it as a part of spiritual life. Read more to learn about fasting for spiritual growth.
What are the various religious views on poverty? How do they perceive wealth? In the Christian classic The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer argues that Christians should build wealth in heaven, not on earth. He asserts that earthly belongings contribute to worry, as we have more to lose. However, some religions—even other Christian traditions—disagree with him. Continue reading to learn about various religious views on poverty.
Should Christians practice pacifism? What exactly does pacifism mean? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book The Cost of Discipleship, argues that Christians should practice pacifism to follow Christ’s example. Other Christians—and other religions—handle the matter of pacifism in a variety of ways. Keep reading to learn about Christian pacifism and other perspectives.
Are you looking for The Cost of Discipleship quotes? What did Dietrich Bonhoeffer say about following Christ? Bonhoeffer was a Christian pastor and seminary professor living in Germany in the 1930s. He wrote The Cost of Discipleship as a wake-up call for the church, which he felt had rendered Christianity somewhat meaningless by making discipleship too “easy.” He lived as he preached—his Christian beliefs compelled him to speak out against Hitler’s regime and ultimately led to his execution in 1945. Below are four quotes from The Cost of Discipleship with explanations and context.
What makes information easy to remember? What are some specific factors of memorability? If you want to get information to stick in your memory, it helps to recall it often. Of course, it also has to be memorable to begin with. Memorability increases as the information connects to more and more parts of your brain. Read more to learn how to remember something by making it more memorable in the first place.
How well do you remember what you learn? What are some techniques that can help? Barbara Oakley, in her book A Mind for Numbers, discusses how to improve your memory for studying. She shares ways to make information more memorable and techniques for effective recall. These strategies, combined with insights from Moonwalking with Einstein author Joshua Foer, can help you remember what you learn. Keep reading for ideas on how to improve your memory for studying.
How do you learn? What are the actual brain mechanics of absorbing and recalling information? Understanding how people learn is helpful if you want to maximize your learning. You can alternate between your two modes of thinking in order to learn and solve problems more effectively. You also can store and recall more information when you have a handle on how memory works. Read on to better understand how people learn.