Are our modern day churches teaching New Testament Christianity? Are they teaching that to be saved, truly saved, one must repent of their sins?
Some time ago, I heard a very disturbing statistic. The statistic was that 50% of all newborn Christians were dropping out of their walks wit the Lord withing the very first year after they had been "saved".
Getting saved and being truly born again by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior has to be the greatest experience any person can have this side of heaven, because with the gift of eternal salvation comes forgiveness of all of our sins and entrance into heaven when we die. We also receive the Holy Spirit, who will come and live on the inside of us in our human spirits at the moment of our salvation with the Lord.
There can be no question that with all of these benefits and blessings, that the gift of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ has to be the greatest experience any of us can have down here on this earth. So if that is really the case - how than can you logically explain such a disturbing statistic?
Were they really saved in the first place? If so, have they lost their salvation? Obviously only God the Father will know all of the answers. But this statistic is telling us that there might be something wrong with some of these salvation experiences.
If you look very closely at the wording of the Scripture verses listed below, and then examine some of the ways in which some of these newborns are being saved - you will quickly discover that there is a missing ingredient in some of their salvation experiences. As a result of this missing ingredient, some of these people are either not truly getting saved in the first place or if they are, they are quickly falling away.
This one key missing ingredient may be the word "repentance." Repentance means that you have a full realization of what a sinner you truly are, that you are willing to accept that Jesus' death on the Cross will save you from your sins, and that you will then be willing to make every effort to turn from those sins and start living a new life in the Lord.
Some salvation experiences are people getting too caught up in the moment at their churches with some of their friends, and they are going up for the altar calls with no idea of what they are really doing.
There is no true repentance, sorrow, or realization of their sinful states. As a result, they did not have full realization as to why they needed to get saved in the first place.
Here are some key verses from Scripture that will tell us that a true repentance from the heart is one of the main ingredients that is needed for a true salvation experience:
"For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10)
Notice these two things. The word "repentance" is linked to the word "salvation". In other words, you cannot get truly saved in the Lord unless you are first willing to repent. To repent means that you are willing to turn from the sins you have been living in. It means to have a change of heart and a change of mind. However, you cannot be willing to turn from the sins you have been living in unless you have full realization that these are sins in the first place and that you are a sinner in need of a Savior!
Then notice that this verse starts out with the words "For godly sorrow." This godly sorrow will be what will actually cause this repentance to occur in the first place. This is why the word "godly" precedes the word "sorrow". This sorrow will be coming direct from God the Father through the Holy Spirit to you so as to help make you realize that you are truly a sinner in need of a Savior! When that happens, you will be feeling a sorrow, a very deep and intense sorrow, once you fully realize the depth to which we are all sinners and that we are all in need of God's grace and mercy to save us.
"Godly" sorrow" will help produce the actual repentance that is needed to lead us into being able to get saved with the Lord. The next verse then goes one step further and tells us that the "goodness of God" will actually lead to this repentance... "the goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4).
In these next four verses, God and Jesus are literally "commanding" that all repent before they can actually be saved and converted:
"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent." (Acts 17:30)
"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19)
"I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)
"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Mark 2:17)
The first verse is telling us that God is commanding everyone to repent. The second verse is once more trying the word "repent" with the word "converted". The third verse is telling us that God is not giving us any other options. Either be willing to repent - or we will perish!
Once a person really realizes how good, loving, and merciful God and Jesus really are in making a way for them to be able to be rescued out of this predicament - they are then more than willing to accept Jesus and what His death on the Cross means for them. When you combine the godly sorrow that God will produce to help start the conviction and repentance process, and then top it off with the revelation that it is the goodness of God that will actually save them - there is simply no way one can walk away from such a powerful encounter with the Lord!
This fact is telling us that some of the people being "saved" today may not be going through a proper repentance and conviction process with the Holy Spirit, and thus their experiences may be a bit suspect.
The one big missing ingredient before an altar call to accept Christ as our Savior is the instructions on true "repentance" and what it means. Without these instructions, many are missing the mark and are not truly saved. I pray that, in the meantime, they will take to reading their Bible and finding our for themselves just how important "repentance" truly is before accepting Christ for salvation that may lead them nowhere!
(Some quotes taken from Bible Knowledge Ministries)
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Book of 1 Thessalonians
Because Paul was forced to leave Thessalonia so suddenly, his young converts to Christianity were left with little support during a time of fierce opposition. Up to that point, they had received very little instruction about the Christian life. When Paul learned from Timothy about their present circumstances, he wrote this letter to express his joy over their strong faith and determination to remain strong against the persecution, to proved further instructions about spiritual growth, purity, discipline and godly living and to clarify certain beliefs, especially about what happens to Christians who die before Jesus returns.
Paul joyfully praises the Thessalonians for their enduring passion for Christ and their firm faith in the face of adversity. Paul responds to criticism by reminding the church of his pure motives in ministry, his sincere love and concern for the church and the integrity of his conduct while he was with them.
Paul stresses the importance and necessity of holiness and power in the Christian life. Jesus' followers must be holy, and the gospel must be accompanied by a genuine display of the Holy Spirit's fire. He was referring to the gift of prophecy.
A major theme in this letter is Christ's return to take His faithful followers to heaven and spare them from God's wrath that will come to the earth in the end times. Paul ends the letter with a prayer that God would continue to work in their lives - spirit, soul, and body - by developing, purifying and preparing them for God's purposes until Christ returns.
Four major features characterize this book. It is among the very first books written in the New Testament. It contains key passages about God raising the deceased Christians when Jesus returns and about "the day of the Lord." All five chapters contain some reference t Christ's return and its significance for His followers. It provides unique insight into the life of an enthusiastic but immature church in the mid-first century and into the quality of Paul's ministry as a pioneer of the gospel of forgiveness, spiritual salvation, a personal relationship with God and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul joyfully praises the Thessalonians for their enduring passion for Christ and their firm faith in the face of adversity. Paul responds to criticism by reminding the church of his pure motives in ministry, his sincere love and concern for the church and the integrity of his conduct while he was with them.
Paul stresses the importance and necessity of holiness and power in the Christian life. Jesus' followers must be holy, and the gospel must be accompanied by a genuine display of the Holy Spirit's fire. He was referring to the gift of prophecy.
A major theme in this letter is Christ's return to take His faithful followers to heaven and spare them from God's wrath that will come to the earth in the end times. Paul ends the letter with a prayer that God would continue to work in their lives - spirit, soul, and body - by developing, purifying and preparing them for God's purposes until Christ returns.
Four major features characterize this book. It is among the very first books written in the New Testament. It contains key passages about God raising the deceased Christians when Jesus returns and about "the day of the Lord." All five chapters contain some reference t Christ's return and its significance for His followers. It provides unique insight into the life of an enthusiastic but immature church in the mid-first century and into the quality of Paul's ministry as a pioneer of the gospel of forgiveness, spiritual salvation, a personal relationship with God and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The Book of Colossians
The occasion for this letter was to challenge and completely put down the false teaching that threatened the spiritual future of the Colossian church. Paul never describes in specific words the exact nature of the Colossian heresy because the original readers were already well aware of it. Whatever it was, it seemed to have been undermining some of the people's dependence on Christ as the central focus of their faith and life. From Paul's statements opposing the false teaching, it seems to have been a strange mixture of Christian teaching, Jewish traditions, and humanistic philosophy. This is similar to the belief mixture of many cults and misguided religious philosophies today.
Paul wrote to fight against the dangerous false teaching at Colosse because it was displacing their faith and focus on Christ as the supreme power and authority over all creation, true revelation, spiritual salvation and the church; and to stress the true nature, characteristics an necessary standards of new life with Christ.
Paul focuses on two key issues: correct doctrine and practical challenges and instruction.
As a foundation for the rest of what he will say, Paul looks at the spiritual principle of the true character and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. "He is the image of the invisible God", the fullness of God in bodily form, the Creator of all things, the head of the church, and the complete source of salvation and renewed relationship with God. While Christ is completely adequate, the Colossian heresy is totally inadequate. It is hollow, deceitful, humanistic and worldly, spiritually shallow and arrogant and powerless against the sinful, rebellious desires of the body.
Paul challenges the Colossians to live out true holiness in every aspect of life. He stresses that this is only possible through total dependence on Christ.
Three major features characterize this letter. More than any other New Testament book, Colossians focuses on the two-part truth of Christ's power and authority over everything and His complete adequacy to fulfill every need and purpose in people's lives. It strongly affirms that Christ is fully God and contains one of the most clearly worded passages in the New Testament about His glory and superiority over all. It is sometimes recognized as the "twin letter" to Ephesians because the two have certain similarities in content and were written about the same time.
Paul wrote to fight against the dangerous false teaching at Colosse because it was displacing their faith and focus on Christ as the supreme power and authority over all creation, true revelation, spiritual salvation and the church; and to stress the true nature, characteristics an necessary standards of new life with Christ.
Paul focuses on two key issues: correct doctrine and practical challenges and instruction.
As a foundation for the rest of what he will say, Paul looks at the spiritual principle of the true character and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. "He is the image of the invisible God", the fullness of God in bodily form, the Creator of all things, the head of the church, and the complete source of salvation and renewed relationship with God. While Christ is completely adequate, the Colossian heresy is totally inadequate. It is hollow, deceitful, humanistic and worldly, spiritually shallow and arrogant and powerless against the sinful, rebellious desires of the body.
Paul challenges the Colossians to live out true holiness in every aspect of life. He stresses that this is only possible through total dependence on Christ.
Three major features characterize this letter. More than any other New Testament book, Colossians focuses on the two-part truth of Christ's power and authority over everything and His complete adequacy to fulfill every need and purpose in people's lives. It strongly affirms that Christ is fully God and contains one of the most clearly worded passages in the New Testament about His glory and superiority over all. It is sometimes recognized as the "twin letter" to Ephesians because the two have certain similarities in content and were written about the same time.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Attributes of God - part 2
(PLEASE READ "THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD - PART 1 BEFORE READING THIS SECOND PART.)
Love: love is such an important part of God's character that the apostle John wrote, "God is love." This means that God holds the well-being of others as His primary concern. For a full definition of love, read 1 Corinthians 13. To see love in action, study the life of Jesus. His sacrifice on the Cross for the sins of others is the ultimate act of love. God's love is not a love of emotion but of action. His love gives freely to the object of its affection, those who choose to follow His Son, Jesus.
Omnipotence: Literally this word means all-powerful. Since God is infinite and since He possesses power, He possesses infinite power. He does allow His creatures to have some power, but this in no way diminishes His own. "He expends no energy that must be replenished." When the Bible says God rested on the seventh day, it was to set an example for us and our need for rest, not because He was tired.
Self-existence: When Moses asked who he was talking to in the burning bush, God said, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS." God has no beginning or end. He just exists. Nothing else in all the universe is self-caused. Only God. In fact, if anything else had created Him, that thing would be God. This is a difficult concept for our minds since everything else we will ever encounter comes from something other than itself. The Bible says, "In the beginning, God." He was already there!
Self-sufficiency: The Bible says that God has life in Himself (John 5:26). All other life in the universe is a gift from God. He has no needs and there is no way He can improve. To God, nothing else is necessary. He does not need our help with anything, but because of His grace and love, He allows us to be a part of advancing His plan on earth and being a blessing to others. We are the ones who change, but never God. He is self-sufficient.
Justice: The Bible says that God is just, but it is His character that defines what being just really is. He does not conform to some outside criteria. Being just brings moral equity to everyone. When there are evil acts, justice demands there be a penalty. Since God is perfect and has never done evil, no penalty would ever be necessary; however, because of His love, God paid the penalty for our evil deeds by going to the Cross Himself. His justice needed to be satisfied, but He took care of it for all who will believe in Jesus.
Immutability: This simply means that God never changes. It is why the Bible says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Mercy: Mercy is the attribute of God which disposes Him to be actively compassionate. Since God's justice is satisfied in Jesus, He is free to show mercy to all those who have chosen to follow Him. It will never end since it is a part of God's nature. Mercy is the way He desires to relate to mankind, and He does so unless the person chooses to despise or ignore God, at which time His justice becomes the prominent attribute.
Eternal: In some ways, this fact about God is similar to His self-existence. God always has been and will forever be, because God dwells in eternity. Time is His creation. It is why God can see the end from the beginning and why He is never surprised by anything. If He were not eternal, God's promise of eternal life for those who follow Jesus would have little value.
Goodness: The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. This attribute of God is why He bestows all the blessings He does on His followers. God's actions define what goodness is, and we can easily see it in the way Jesus related to the people around Him.
Gracious: God enjoys giving great gifts to those who love Him, even when they do not deserve it. Grace is the way we describe that inclination. Jesus Christ is the channel through which His grace moves. The Bible says, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
Omnipresence: This theological term means "always present". Since God is infinite, His being knows no boundaries. So, clearly He is everywhere. This truth is taught throughout the Bible as the phrase "I am with you always" is repeated 22 times in both the Old and New Testaments. These were even Jesus' words of assurance just after giving the challenge to His disciples to take His message to the entire world. This is certainly a comforting truth for all who follow Jesus.
The Conclusion: This is the description of the God of the Bible. All other ideas about God are, according to the Bible, false gods. They are from the imagination of mankind. By learning the attributes of God, you may praise God for who He really is and for how each of His attributes impacts your life in a positive way.
Love: love is such an important part of God's character that the apostle John wrote, "God is love." This means that God holds the well-being of others as His primary concern. For a full definition of love, read 1 Corinthians 13. To see love in action, study the life of Jesus. His sacrifice on the Cross for the sins of others is the ultimate act of love. God's love is not a love of emotion but of action. His love gives freely to the object of its affection, those who choose to follow His Son, Jesus.
Omnipotence: Literally this word means all-powerful. Since God is infinite and since He possesses power, He possesses infinite power. He does allow His creatures to have some power, but this in no way diminishes His own. "He expends no energy that must be replenished." When the Bible says God rested on the seventh day, it was to set an example for us and our need for rest, not because He was tired.
Self-existence: When Moses asked who he was talking to in the burning bush, God said, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS." God has no beginning or end. He just exists. Nothing else in all the universe is self-caused. Only God. In fact, if anything else had created Him, that thing would be God. This is a difficult concept for our minds since everything else we will ever encounter comes from something other than itself. The Bible says, "In the beginning, God." He was already there!
Self-sufficiency: The Bible says that God has life in Himself (John 5:26). All other life in the universe is a gift from God. He has no needs and there is no way He can improve. To God, nothing else is necessary. He does not need our help with anything, but because of His grace and love, He allows us to be a part of advancing His plan on earth and being a blessing to others. We are the ones who change, but never God. He is self-sufficient.
Justice: The Bible says that God is just, but it is His character that defines what being just really is. He does not conform to some outside criteria. Being just brings moral equity to everyone. When there are evil acts, justice demands there be a penalty. Since God is perfect and has never done evil, no penalty would ever be necessary; however, because of His love, God paid the penalty for our evil deeds by going to the Cross Himself. His justice needed to be satisfied, but He took care of it for all who will believe in Jesus.
Immutability: This simply means that God never changes. It is why the Bible says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Mercy: Mercy is the attribute of God which disposes Him to be actively compassionate. Since God's justice is satisfied in Jesus, He is free to show mercy to all those who have chosen to follow Him. It will never end since it is a part of God's nature. Mercy is the way He desires to relate to mankind, and He does so unless the person chooses to despise or ignore God, at which time His justice becomes the prominent attribute.
Eternal: In some ways, this fact about God is similar to His self-existence. God always has been and will forever be, because God dwells in eternity. Time is His creation. It is why God can see the end from the beginning and why He is never surprised by anything. If He were not eternal, God's promise of eternal life for those who follow Jesus would have little value.
Goodness: The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. This attribute of God is why He bestows all the blessings He does on His followers. God's actions define what goodness is, and we can easily see it in the way Jesus related to the people around Him.
Gracious: God enjoys giving great gifts to those who love Him, even when they do not deserve it. Grace is the way we describe that inclination. Jesus Christ is the channel through which His grace moves. The Bible says, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
Omnipresence: This theological term means "always present". Since God is infinite, His being knows no boundaries. So, clearly He is everywhere. This truth is taught throughout the Bible as the phrase "I am with you always" is repeated 22 times in both the Old and New Testaments. These were even Jesus' words of assurance just after giving the challenge to His disciples to take His message to the entire world. This is certainly a comforting truth for all who follow Jesus.
The Conclusion: This is the description of the God of the Bible. All other ideas about God are, according to the Bible, false gods. They are from the imagination of mankind. By learning the attributes of God, you may praise God for who He really is and for how each of His attributes impacts your life in a positive way.
The Attributes of God - part 1
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." So says A. W. Tozer in his classic book on the attributes of God, The Knowledge of the Holy. Why would he make such an extreme pronouncement? Tozer goes on to say, "Man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God."
In our hearts we know the above is true. It is not enough to follow "god". That word has come to mean so many different things today that it actually means very little. If we just make up our own minds concerning what God is like, then we are just creating an idol in our heads.
Jesus came to reveal the God of the Bible. And God has revealed Himself in His Bible. Any deviation from that insight from Him is a made-up god. Tozer finds eighteen characteristics of God in the Bible. They are repeated here.
The Bible says to praise God for who He is, especially in prayer. Much of the psalms is a good example of this. Most people concentrate their praise in just a few areas, such as God's love, and then spend the rest of their prayers asking Him for things. Here is a list which gives us the attributes of God (His character):
Wisdom: wisdom is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve these ends by the most perfect means. In other words, God makes no mistakes. He is the Father who truly knows best, as Paul explains in Romans 11:33 "Oh how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge!" How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!
Infinitude: God knows no boundaries. He is without measure. This attribute by definition impacts all of the others. Since God is infinite, everything else about Him must also be infinite.
Sovereignty: This is the attribute by which He rules His entire creation. It is the application of His other attributes of being all-knowing and all-powerful. It makes Him absolutely free to do what He knows to be best. God is in control of everything that happens. Man still has a free will, and is responsible for his choices in life.
Holiness: This is the attribute that sets God apart from all created beings. It refers to His majesty and His perfect moral purity. There is absolutely no sin or evil thought in God at all. His holiness is the definition of that which is pure and righteous in all the universe. Wherever God has appeared, such as to Moses at the burning bush, that place becomes holy just for God having been there.
Trinity: Though the actual word is not used in the Bible, the truth of God revealing Himself in three persons is included. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all called God, given worship as God, exist eternally, and are involved in doing things only God could do. Although, God reveals Himself in three persons, God is One and cannot be divided. All are involved completely whenever One of the Three is active.
Omniscience: God possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn. God has never learned and cannot learn. Omniscience means all-knowing. God knows everything, and His knowledge is infinite. It is impossible to hide anything from God.
Faithfulness: Everything that God has promised will come to pass. His faithfulness guarantees this fact. He does not lie. What He has said in the Bible about Himself is true. Jesus even said that He is the Truth. This is extremely important for the followers of Jesus because it is on His faithfulness that our hope of eternal life rests. He will honor His promise that our sins will be forgiven and that we will live forever with Him.
(continued in next post - The Attributes of God - part 2)
In our hearts we know the above is true. It is not enough to follow "god". That word has come to mean so many different things today that it actually means very little. If we just make up our own minds concerning what God is like, then we are just creating an idol in our heads.
Jesus came to reveal the God of the Bible. And God has revealed Himself in His Bible. Any deviation from that insight from Him is a made-up god. Tozer finds eighteen characteristics of God in the Bible. They are repeated here.
The Bible says to praise God for who He is, especially in prayer. Much of the psalms is a good example of this. Most people concentrate their praise in just a few areas, such as God's love, and then spend the rest of their prayers asking Him for things. Here is a list which gives us the attributes of God (His character):
Wisdom: wisdom is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve these ends by the most perfect means. In other words, God makes no mistakes. He is the Father who truly knows best, as Paul explains in Romans 11:33 "Oh how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge!" How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!
Infinitude: God knows no boundaries. He is without measure. This attribute by definition impacts all of the others. Since God is infinite, everything else about Him must also be infinite.
Sovereignty: This is the attribute by which He rules His entire creation. It is the application of His other attributes of being all-knowing and all-powerful. It makes Him absolutely free to do what He knows to be best. God is in control of everything that happens. Man still has a free will, and is responsible for his choices in life.
Holiness: This is the attribute that sets God apart from all created beings. It refers to His majesty and His perfect moral purity. There is absolutely no sin or evil thought in God at all. His holiness is the definition of that which is pure and righteous in all the universe. Wherever God has appeared, such as to Moses at the burning bush, that place becomes holy just for God having been there.
Trinity: Though the actual word is not used in the Bible, the truth of God revealing Himself in three persons is included. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all called God, given worship as God, exist eternally, and are involved in doing things only God could do. Although, God reveals Himself in three persons, God is One and cannot be divided. All are involved completely whenever One of the Three is active.
Omniscience: God possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn. God has never learned and cannot learn. Omniscience means all-knowing. God knows everything, and His knowledge is infinite. It is impossible to hide anything from God.
Faithfulness: Everything that God has promised will come to pass. His faithfulness guarantees this fact. He does not lie. What He has said in the Bible about Himself is true. Jesus even said that He is the Truth. This is extremely important for the followers of Jesus because it is on His faithfulness that our hope of eternal life rests. He will honor His promise that our sins will be forgiven and that we will live forever with Him.
(continued in next post - The Attributes of God - part 2)
Monday, January 2, 2012
The Book of Philippians
The church in Philippi was founded by Paul on his second missionary journey in response to a God-given vision at Troas (Acts 16:9-40). A strong bond of friendship developed between Paul and the Philippian church.
From prison (1:7, 13-14), most likely in Rome, Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians to thank them for their generous git brought to him by Epaphroditus, and to update them on his present circumstances. In this letter, Paul assured the congregation that God's purposes were being worked out through his imprisonment. He also assured the church that their messenger ad fulfilled his mission faithfully and was not returning to them before he had served as fully as possible. Overall, Paul encouraged the Philippians to press on in their relationship with Christ and to grow in unity, humility, joy and peace.
Unlike many of Paul's letters, Philippians was not written specifically to address church problems or conflicts. It's basic tone is one of gracious affection and appreciation for the congregation. From greeting to closing, the letter focuses on Christ Jesus as the purpose for living, the source of joy and the hope for eternal life for all who follow Him.
Paul does address three minor problems at Philippi. Some were discouraged over his extended time in prison. There was tension and disunity between two women in the church who had previously served with Paul. There was the constant threat of false teachers. In connection with these three potential problems, we have Paul's richest teaching about joy in the middle of all life's circumstances, Christian humility and service and the supreme value of knowing Christ.
Fire major features characterize this letter. It is highly inter-personal, reflecting Paul's close relationship to the Philippian believers. It is highly Christ-centered, reflecting Paul's deep relationship with Christ. It contains one of the most insightful and inspiring statements about Christ in the Bible. It stands out as the New Testament "letter of joy." It presents an especially dynamic and challenging standard of Christian living, including the need for humility and servanthood, striving with determination toward the goal, freedom from anxiety, being content in all circumstances and doing all things through Christ's strength.
From prison (1:7, 13-14), most likely in Rome, Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians to thank them for their generous git brought to him by Epaphroditus, and to update them on his present circumstances. In this letter, Paul assured the congregation that God's purposes were being worked out through his imprisonment. He also assured the church that their messenger ad fulfilled his mission faithfully and was not returning to them before he had served as fully as possible. Overall, Paul encouraged the Philippians to press on in their relationship with Christ and to grow in unity, humility, joy and peace.
Unlike many of Paul's letters, Philippians was not written specifically to address church problems or conflicts. It's basic tone is one of gracious affection and appreciation for the congregation. From greeting to closing, the letter focuses on Christ Jesus as the purpose for living, the source of joy and the hope for eternal life for all who follow Him.
Paul does address three minor problems at Philippi. Some were discouraged over his extended time in prison. There was tension and disunity between two women in the church who had previously served with Paul. There was the constant threat of false teachers. In connection with these three potential problems, we have Paul's richest teaching about joy in the middle of all life's circumstances, Christian humility and service and the supreme value of knowing Christ.
Fire major features characterize this letter. It is highly inter-personal, reflecting Paul's close relationship to the Philippian believers. It is highly Christ-centered, reflecting Paul's deep relationship with Christ. It contains one of the most insightful and inspiring statements about Christ in the Bible. It stands out as the New Testament "letter of joy." It presents an especially dynamic and challenging standard of Christian living, including the need for humility and servanthood, striving with determination toward the goal, freedom from anxiety, being content in all circumstances and doing all things through Christ's strength.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The Book of Ephesians
Ephesians is one of the high points of God's revelation and teaching in the Bible, and it has a unique place among Paul's letters. It is not focused on spiritual problems, leadership issues or controversy within the church, as many of Paul's other letters are. Instead, Ephesians reflects a depth of spiritual maturity, gratitude and insight growing our of Paul's personal prayer life. Paul wrote this letter while in prison for spreading the message of Christ. Ephesians has many similarities to Colossians.
It is commonly believed Paul wrote Ephesians with a wider audience in mind that just the church in Ephesus. many think that Ephesians is the so-called letter to the Laodiceans, mentioned by Paul in Col. 4:16.
Paul's immediate purpose for writing Ephesians is suggested in 1:15-18. He deeply desires for ll the believers to grow in faith, love and wisdom in what God had already done for them. His aim is that they might better know God as Leader of their lives. Paul tries to strengthen their faith by revealing a more complete picture of God's eternal purpose of spiritual salvation and restoration in Christ. He applies this to the church and to individuals.
There are two basic themes in the New Testament: how people are redeemed by God and brought into a right relationship with Him and how those who are spiritually saved must continue to live in relationship with God. Chapters 1-3 are one of the most profound and insightful passages in the Bible. This great declaration of praise celebrates how God chose and set a course for those who by faith accept Him as Father and become His children. God's Son, Jesus, provides forgiveness and spiritual salvation through His own blood for all who accept His sacrifice. Paul stresses how God graciously restores those who surrender their lives to Christ and brings them into a personal relationship with Himself.
Chapters 4-6 contain practical instructions that relate to the demands that following Christ places on people's lives. It contains guidance for fulfilling God's purpose in practical and spiritual ways. Among the 35 directives given in Ephesians, three broad categories are given special attention. 1. Christians are called to a new life of moral and spiritual purity, separation from the ungodly practices of the world and devotion to God's purposes. 2. Christians are called to a new way of life in personal, family and social relationships. 3. And finally, believers are called to stand firm against all the devil's schemes.
Five major features characterize Ephesians. 1. The presentation of great spiritual truths about our relationship with God in chapters 1-3 is interrupted by two of the most powerful prayers of the New Testament. 2. The phrase "in Christ", or its equivalent, which Paul uses 160 times throughout all his letters, is key in Ephesians (36 times). "Every spiritual blessing" and every practical issue of life relate to being "in Christ." 3. Ephesians stresses God's eternal purpose and goal for the church. 4. The many and varied roles of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life also receive much attention in this letter. 5. Ephesians is sometimes recognized as a twin letter" with Colossians because the two have certain similarities in content and were written about the same time.
It is commonly believed Paul wrote Ephesians with a wider audience in mind that just the church in Ephesus. many think that Ephesians is the so-called letter to the Laodiceans, mentioned by Paul in Col. 4:16.
Paul's immediate purpose for writing Ephesians is suggested in 1:15-18. He deeply desires for ll the believers to grow in faith, love and wisdom in what God had already done for them. His aim is that they might better know God as Leader of their lives. Paul tries to strengthen their faith by revealing a more complete picture of God's eternal purpose of spiritual salvation and restoration in Christ. He applies this to the church and to individuals.
There are two basic themes in the New Testament: how people are redeemed by God and brought into a right relationship with Him and how those who are spiritually saved must continue to live in relationship with God. Chapters 1-3 are one of the most profound and insightful passages in the Bible. This great declaration of praise celebrates how God chose and set a course for those who by faith accept Him as Father and become His children. God's Son, Jesus, provides forgiveness and spiritual salvation through His own blood for all who accept His sacrifice. Paul stresses how God graciously restores those who surrender their lives to Christ and brings them into a personal relationship with Himself.
Chapters 4-6 contain practical instructions that relate to the demands that following Christ places on people's lives. It contains guidance for fulfilling God's purpose in practical and spiritual ways. Among the 35 directives given in Ephesians, three broad categories are given special attention. 1. Christians are called to a new life of moral and spiritual purity, separation from the ungodly practices of the world and devotion to God's purposes. 2. Christians are called to a new way of life in personal, family and social relationships. 3. And finally, believers are called to stand firm against all the devil's schemes.
Five major features characterize Ephesians. 1. The presentation of great spiritual truths about our relationship with God in chapters 1-3 is interrupted by two of the most powerful prayers of the New Testament. 2. The phrase "in Christ", or its equivalent, which Paul uses 160 times throughout all his letters, is key in Ephesians (36 times). "Every spiritual blessing" and every practical issue of life relate to being "in Christ." 3. Ephesians stresses God's eternal purpose and goal for the church. 4. The many and varied roles of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life also receive much attention in this letter. 5. Ephesians is sometimes recognized as a twin letter" with Colossians because the two have certain similarities in content and were written about the same time.
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