What Makes Jesus Unique? No one else made the claims that He did, He is alive...............
All the great religious leaders of history have one thing in common: they are dead. Only one man has risen from a grave never again to taste death. Jesus Christ died, was buried, remained in the grave for 3 days, then was raised to life again.
Jesus is unique. He is the only one proven to be the Son of God because God validated His Kingship and accepted His payment for our sins all with one incredible stroke: He raised Jesus from the dead!
Paul opens his letter to the Romans with this evidence about who Jesus is:
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which He had promised before by His prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Romans 1:1-4
Because Jesus Christ is very much alive, five things are true right now that wouldn’t be true if He were just another dead religious leader like Confucius, Mohammed or Buddha.
Because Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive…Prayers are answered, We can talk to Jesus 24/7
Comments (2,881)
I'm sorry for keepin' ya up late.
But, I wanna know
If'n you're too busy, I can wait.
You see grandma's been forgettin'
A lot of things. Mamma says so.
She forgot my name, today, Mr. God,
And she's a walkin' kinda slow.
Yesterday, she jest left
Without even sayin' bye.
Daddy brought her back and
He had a tear in his eye.
So, I was wonderin', can you fix her?
She has somthun' called 'all tizers', daddy said.
She forgets who we are sometimes,
And she forgot that grandpa's dead.
Mr. God, you give her a new brememberer
'Cause I miss her playin', and stuff, with me
And the cookies she used to bake.
And, she was so smart, wasn't she?
She used to talk 'bout you a lot.
Now, she jest talks to herself and,
Mr. God, she don't know herself
From the pictures on the shelf.
Sometimes, she calls me 'little boy'
And pats my cheek or hair.
And she don't seem to care.
Please, Mr. God,
Will ya fix her, all new again,
A'fore she gets lost and
Can't bremember where she's been?
She ain't sang a Jesus song
Like I like to hear her to do.
Daddy says 'cause she is getting old.
But, she's not as old as you.
Daddy says you never forget and
You are older than anyone, anywhere.
Mamma says, "All we can do is
Bremember her in prayer.
So, Mr. God, I'm jest askin'
'Cause I don't know how to pray.
'Cause you un'erstand what I try to say.
Does Jesus have a grandma
And does she forget people, too?
I guess she would be your mommy
And wouldn't she be older than you?
Well, I gotta go to bed.
Would ya keep grandma safe, O please,
So as she won't wander off and get lost?
She forgets her hat and coat,
and she could freeze.
I love her lots and
I wish she bremember I'm her little Andy
And bake some good cookies for me,
And even share my candy.
Tell my friend, Jesus, I was here and
Give Him a hug from grandma and me.
She used to know Him and I heard her say,
"Thank you, Jesus, for little Andy."
Good night, Mr. God. Are ya tired?
You work, so hard, all day.
I'll be back a'morrow, to visit,
Before I go out to play.........Andy
7 Facts about the Book of Acts You Might Not Know
by Kathy | Dec 6, 2021
Over the summer, I spent a lot of time pouring through the Book of Acts. Although I’ve read and studiely learned some “new” things.
Chances are that, like me, you’ll know some of the following facts, but not all. I’d love to hear in the comment, if any of these were new to you! (See also “6 Things You May Not Know about the Apostle Paul.“)
7 Facts about the Book of Acts
Only Biblical history of the church – The book of Acts, is unique. Historically, it picks up where the Gospels end. Acts records the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church on the Day of Pentecost, and the spread of the Gospel all the way to Rome.
Covers about 30 years – The events recorded in Acts cover roughly a thirty-year period – from just after the resurrection of Jesus around 30 AD to the early 60’s. When Acts ends, Paul is under house arrest in Rome. But based on Scripture and church tradition, Paul was released (Philemon 22, Philippians 1:19-26, 2:24) and continued his evangelistic work for a few more years (1 Timothy 1:3, Titus 3:12). Then, Paul was arrested a second time in the mid-60’s AD (2 Timothy 4:6-7) and beheaded by order of Emperor Nero.
Probably originally one book with Luke – Acts and Luke were written by the same author, to the same recipient, as two halves of one work. Most scholars believe they were originally circulated as one book and intended to be read together. Later, when the Gospels were grouped together, Luke-Acts was separated.
Likely written by a Gentile – A first-century Christian named Luke is widely accepted as the author of the two-volume collection of Luke-Acts. In addition to the internal evidence, strong external evidence also exists. For instance, a very early and unwavering church tradition holds to Luke’s authorship. Although we have few details about Luke, we do know he was a traveling companion of the apostle Paul and probably a doctor. In one of his letters, Paul described him as the “beloved physician” (Colossians 1:14). Some scholars believe Luke may have been a Gentile (Colossians 4:11).
Acts was written to Theophilus – Although the book of Acts is for all believers of all time, Luke specifically addressed a man named Theophilus (Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1). Luke’s use of “most excellent” to describe him (Luke 1:3) suggests that Theophilus was highly respected and perhaps a high-ranking Roman official. He may have even financially supported Luke’s investigation and writing.
Records two resuscitation – Twice Acts reports the exciting miracle of God resuscitating someone from the dead. In the city of Joppa, Peter resuscitated Dorcas, a believer who faithfully served the widows (Acts 9:36-43). In Troas, Paul resuscitated a teenage boy named Eutychus who fell through an upper window to his death during a long sermon (Acts 20:7-16).
Purpose of Acts – Luke clearly stated his purpose at the beginning of his two-volume work: “Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus,so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught”(Luke 1:3-4 NLT). Luke wanted Theophilus (and other readers) to be certain of God’s truth. So he acted as an investigative journalist. He checked all the facts and closely interviewed eyewitnesses to prepare a thorough, detailed, and reliable account. Some scholars believe Luke may have even interviewed Jesus’ mother Mary.
Rom. 1:1 THE CREDENTIALS OF PAUL THE APOSTLE Part 1
Intro: Tonight, we embark on a study of what is perhaps the greatest Book of the New Testament. I know that is a big statement, however, Romans is, without question, the greatest theological work of the Apostle Paul. This book has been called "The Constitution Of Christianity"; "The Christian Manifesto"; and "The Cathedral Of The Christian Faith". Without a doubt, this book has been responsible for more change in the church than any other.
It was this book that in September 386 AD touched the heart of a North African native who was a professor in the city of Milan, Italy. As Augustine sat weeping in the garden of a friend while contemplating the wickedness of his life, he heard a child singing, "Tolle, lege. Tolle, lege." These words from Latin mean, "Take up and read. Take up and read." Beside of Augustine was an open scroll of the Book of Romans. He picked it up and read the first verses that caught his eyes. They were Rom. 13:13-14. These verse brought about the conversion of Augustine and he became, in the mind of many, one of the greatest theologians and leaders in the history of the church.
1,000 years later, a Roman Catholic monk of the Augustinian Order named Martin Luther, who was a professor at the University of Wittenburg in Germany, was teaching his students the Book of Romans. As he studied the text, his heart was arrested by the theme of justification by faith, Rom. 1:17. The Holy Spirit used this verse to bring Luther to Christ and the Reformation to the world.
A few hundred years later, an ordained minister in the Church of England named John Wesley was repairing to take the Gospel to America as a missionary. However, even though Wesley was a preacher and was going to cross the Atlantic as a missionary, he was confused about the Gospel and was seeking a genuine conversion experience of his own. Then, one Wednesday evening, he attended a Bible Study in London. While there, he heard some of Luther's comments on Romans being read and this brought about his conversion to Christ. Then John, along with his brother Charles, would be the tolls God would use to bring the great Wesleyan revivals to the world.
Over the next several months, as the Lord leads, I intend to preach through this great book verse by verse. As I do, we will find that a great many questions about God and what He has given us in Jesus will be answered. This is a Book that is impossible to exhaust. It will captivate the most brilliant of theological minds and will bring the humblest of God's servants to tears.
Romans was written by Paul the Apostle between 56 and 58 A.D. from the city of Corinth while Paul was on his third missionary journey. The Bible tells us that after Paul was saved, he spent 3 years in Arabia, Gal. 1:17-18. During this time he studies the Old Testament writings and how they speak of Jesus. When he returned to Jerusalem, he came with this great epistle burning in his heart. Let's join Paul tonight in these first 7 verses as he discusses his credentials with the members of the Church in Rome.
As Paul discusses himself and his ministry, he also sheds some light on our mission as we go through life. This is the longest introduction to any of the New Testament epistles. It is also the richest in theological content. Let's spend a few minutes here as we consider The Credentials Of The Apostle Paul.
I. V. 1 THE FACTS ABOUT THE MESSENGER
(Ill. This is a lesson that the modern Christian needs to learn. We have so many who feel that they are in control of their lives and that they have the right to do as they please and make their own decisions. We need to remember that when we were saved by Jesus Christ, we became His bond servants! He bought us, and now He owns us completely - 1 Cor. 6:19-20.)
(Ill. This image of slavery was commonplace to Paul's readers. However, we don't understand it so well. Therefore, I would like to take a moment to share a few facts about slaves and slavery with you this evening. As I do, I want you to let the Lord speak to your heart about your relationship with Jesus and about your own level of surrender to Him.
1. The slave was totally owned by the Master. In the spiritual sense, Jesus saw the wretched condition we were in and He bought us unto Himself. He made us His possession, Rev. 5:9.
2. The slave existed for his Master. He had no other reason for his existence. He had no rights of his own. The only rights he had were those of the Master.
3. The slave existed to serve his Master. He had no other purpose in life but to do what the Master wanted him to do. He was to be at the Master's disposal any hour of the day or night. This is how Paul felt. Does that describe your heart this evening? Our lives should be lived for the glory of the Lord. We are to do His will totally, and without question! (Ill. Eph. 6:6)
4. Even the slave's will belonged exclusively to his Master. He was allowed no will or no ambition outside that which his Master allowed him to have. In other words, there was to be a total surrender of every part of the slaves being to the will of the Master, 2 Cor. 10:5.
5. Note that when Paul mentions his Master, that it is none other than the Lord Jesus. A slave's live, whether it was good or evil, depended upon the character of his Master. In the case of the believer, our Master is Jesus! Therefore instead of cringing and cowering in fear before this One we call Lord, we are servants who have been elevated to the status os priests and kings. Our is a position of honor before the Lord. We are perhaps the only slaves in history who are allowed to sit with their Master in His throne, Eph. 2:6.
(Ill. What does all this mean for us?
1. It is worthy of note that Paul was what he was by the will of God. Notice that he had been "Called". Paul did not just decide to go into the ministry, nor did friends and family persuade him that it was what he should do. he was placed in the ministry by the sovereign will of Almighty God, 1 Tim. 1:12-14. Paul became what he did by the grace of God that was operating in his life, 1 Cor. 15:10. Just as God picked and placed Paul, He also does the same for you and me. He places us in His kingdom work when and where it pleases Him, 1 Cor. 12:11,18.
2. If He could take his worst enemy, 1 Tim. 1:15, and make him His greatest messenger, then God can and will use your life for His glory if you will yield to Him. Never let the Devil or any person tell you that God cannot and will not use your life for His glory. He saved you by His grace and He wants to use you to bring others unto Him. He has a place of service for you and He will place you there if you will yield to Him.
3. While we do not hold the office of Apostle, we are the ambassadors of Heaven. God has commissioned us to be His spokespersons to a lost an dying world. In fact, the Bible plainly tells us that we are the very words of God written to speak to the peoples of the world, 2 Cor. 3:2-3. When the world sees you and me, lets ever let them see a people who are sold out and committed to the will of God in the world. They need to see people who are living like they are indeed the representatives of Heaven, Phil. 1:27. Like salt in a bland world, we should flavor our lives with the glory of God and create a thirst in others for the things of God, Matt. 5:13-16.)
C. His Commission - Paul's next statement tells us that he had been "separated" unto the Gospel of God. There are some great blessings contained in this little phrase.
1. Separated - This word has the idea of being "set apart." Paul is telling us that his life has been set apart for the glory of God and for the Lord Jesus Christ. This literally means that nothing else mattered to Paul but the things that mattered to God.
(Ill. People are concerned with being separated from the world. They will tell you that you have to stop doing this thing or the other thing to be perfectly separated. Their whole life revolves around what they can and cannot do. I personally believe that people like this are missing the boat. Our job is not to separate from the world, it is to separate unto Christ. If we are separated unto Jesus, then we are automatically separated from the world. I cannot be in Nebo and want to be separated unto Morganton without first becoming separated from Nebo. Does that make sense? If I am living in one area, then it is impossible for me to dwell in another! So, if I really want to be separate from the world, and I think that is what God wants, 2 Cor. 6:17, then the secret lies in totally devoting my life the Lord Jesus Christ. If I live to please Him, I will have no trouble with the world!)
(Ill. So it is with every child of God who is in the world today. We have been changed forever! We are headed toward a new horizon. Before, our destiny was an eternity in Hell. Now, we have been saved and are headed to Heaven to be with the Lord forever. Before, our lives were filled with sin and rebellion. Now, we have been called out as ambassadors of the kingdom of Heaven. The very representatives of God in the world today.)
3. Paul then tells us that he has been separated to the "Gospel of God." His commission is that of carrying the "good news" of Jesus to a world trapped in sin and lostness. This Gospel is a special message. Notice this:
a. It is the Gospel of God - This message did not originate in the mind of man. It came from the heart of God. The plan that would culminate with Jesus dying on the cross and then rising from the dead was and is God's plan. It was devised long before man ever stood on the earth, Rev. 13:8. Had man developed the plan of salvation, it surely would have included works and religious rituals. People love that sort of thing. Man would have fixed it so that he got a little of the credit. God, on the other hand, fixed it so that lost sinners could come to Him freely, in faith and receive eternal salvation by the grace o God, Eph. 2:8-9.
b. It is a Gospel born in the heart of God - Why would God want to go to such great lengths to save the world and get His message to the world? The answer is that God is love, 1 John 4:8 and that He does not want to see a single sinner die without Him, 2 Pet. 3:9. His love is so great that He will stop at nothing to get the message out. He will even use people like you and me.
(Ill. Just consider for a moment those people that God calls into the ministry!)
(Ill. This kind of love is illustrated by an old story from France. It seems that there was a young Frenchman who was loved very deeply by his mother. However, when this young man reached adulthood, he fell in love with a very wicked young woman who was able to gain his total devotion. When the young man's mother tried to turn her son away from this wicked and ungodly relationship, the young woman became extremely angry. She told her lover that if he really loved her, he would prove it by going to his mother's home, killing her and returning with her heart to prove that he had done the deed. This young man resisted, but his girlfriend continued to pressure him, until one night in a drunken stupor he went to his mother's home, killed her and cut out her heart. As he returned to his girlfriend's home. As he entered the door, he stumbles and fell to the floor. When he did, the heart is said to have cried out, "Son, are you hurt?")
(Isn't that how things are between God and man? He created us, He loves us and yet man rises up in rebellion against God, ultimately participating in God's death at Calvary. Even with all this against us, God still sees our hurt condition and reaches out to make things right between us and Himself. When we have done our best to keep the Lord out of our lives, He still reminds us of His love and calls us to come unto Him. His Gospel certainly is the Good News!)
c. It is the only Gospel that will save the lost - God only knows of one plan that will save the lost soul - Acts 16:3; Acts 4:12; John 3:16.
Conc: As I bring this first message from Romans to a close, we haven't covered much territory from the standpoint of verses covered. However, I think you will agree with me that the things that have been said this evening are of immense eternal and practical value. Paul considered him self to be a slave to Jesus, an ambassador of God and a proclaimer of the good news of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Did you know that God holds the same expectation for you and me? His will is that we go forth into this world with His message, as His representatives in His Name and power and that we tell His Good News to those who are perishing. When we lay ourselves alongside of the great Apostle, how do we measure up? Is there more we can do? Are we surrendered to the level we should be? Are we consumed with a burden for the lost and with the need to get out the Gospel? If the Lord has dealt with your heart through this message, I invite you to come to the altar and do what the Lord would have you to do!
This letter to the church at Corinth begins, ‘Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth’ (1 Cor. 1:1-2). It is agreed among scholars that Paul was indeed the writer of this letter. Sosthenes, who is also mentioned, was the leader of the synagogue in Corinth, who clearly accepted Paul’s message and converted to Christianity. Sosthenes is also mentioned in Acts 18:12-17, where he is again associated with Paul and his ministry in Corinth.
Paul wrote the letter somewhere around A.D. 53-55, and ‘confirmations of Paul’s authorship can be found as early as A.D. 95 when Clement of Rome wrote to the Corinthian church and cited this epistle in regard to their continuing problem of factions among themselves’.
Context and Background of 1 Corinthians
Acts 18 gives an account of Paul’s time in Corinth and the intense persecution he faced there. Yet it was here that a church was established, and it is clear that Paul continued to encourage and instruct them through his letters while he traveled. Having spent well over a year in Corinth, he was familiar with the congregation and the problems they faced.
Corinth was strategically located on an isthmus serving as a good stopping point between Rome and the East. Because of this geography, Corinth was a major center of commerce and trade. This vitally important city was intellectually proud, materially affluent, and morally corrupt. Such an environment encouraged people to freely indulge their desires, whatever they may be, without fear of consequence.
The letter can be structured into five distinct sections:
Answer to the Report of Divisions (Chapters 1-4)
Paul encourages the believers to join in unity and not divide themselves into factions.
Answer to the Report of s*xual sin among Believers (Chapters 5-7)
s*xual sin is within the Church is not acceptable and ruins relationships. Following Jesus can involve no compromise.
Freedom in Christ, and Sacrificing Liberty for Unity (Chapters 8-10)
Paul addresses the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, lists his rights as an Apostle, and encourages believers to keep one another from stumbling.
Order and Love in Worship Gatherings (Chapters 11-14)
Paul addresses the use of gifts and keeping order in worship and concludes that the greatest gift is love, using the analogy of the church as a body.
Paul Confirms the Resurrection (Chapter 25)
Some in the church denied the resurrection was real or important. Paul confirms that it not only is it historically real but the foundation of our faith.
Main Theme and Purpose of 1 Corinthians
How should a Christian in the local church behave? Paul is writing to a young church in a hostile environment that is encountering many problems such as division, quarreling, s*xual immorality, lawsuits, spiritual gifts, the Lord’s Supper and worship order, theological issues such as the resurrection and freedom in Christ, as well as issues married and single members were facing. The unifying element of this letter is instructing the church in what it means to live as Christians in a non-Christian world, ultimately bringing them to the idea that love itself is the primary driver and conclusion of how to live out faith. As believers, our behavior should set us apart to look different from the world around us.
Paul had several purposes for writing this letter to the Corinthians. His first purpose was to deal with moral problems and the divisions that had formed, as people had divided themselves into followers of Paul, Apollos, Peter or Christ (1:10). His second reason was to deal with several questions that had been asked in a letter the Corinthians had sent to him (7:1). A third purpose that appears throughout the book is Paul’s defense of his apostolic authority.
Paul’s authorship of this epistle is widely accepted in the scholarly community, though it was not the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian people (see 1 Corinthians 5:9). We know that the Corinthians misunderstood an earlier letter from Paul (5:10–11), though that letter has not survived. Therefore, it is Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians that we know as 1 Corinthians—the first letter to the Corinthians that God inspired.
Four years prior to writing the letter we know as 1 Corinthians, the apostle had spent eighteen months in Corinth, so he was intimately familiar with the church and many of its congregants. The recipients of the letter must have understood the letter’s significance, not only to their own circumstances but for the church worldwide. In AD 95, Clement, the bishop of Rome, wrote a letter of his own to the Corinthians in which he invoked the authority of Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians. Only a few decades after its origin, this letter to the Corinthians had traveled outside of Corinth and was considered authoritative beyond its initial Corinthian context.
Where are we?
Paul had been in Ephesus for more than two years on his third missionary journey when he received a disturbing report of quarreling within the Corinthian church, a report he received from people associated with one of its members, Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11). The church he had founded so recently (Acts 18:1–17) had already developed deep divisions, a situation that required immediate action. Paul penned his letter in AD 55, just as he was planning to leave Ephesus for Macedonia (1 Corinthians 16:5–8).
Why is First Corinthians so important?
First Corinthians contains a frank discussion of the church and the issues that impacted real people in the first century. The Corinthian church was corroded with sin on a variety of fronts, so Paul provided an important model for how the church should handle the problem of sin in its midst. Rather than turn a blind eye toward relational division and all kinds of immorality, he addressed the problems head on. In his bold call to purity within the Corinthian church, Paul made it clear that he was willing to risk the good opinion of some in order to help cleanse the sin that tainted the church.
What's the big idea?
First Corinthians addresses reports that Paul received from Chloe’s household, as well as a letter he received from the church itself (1 Corinthians 7:1). In this letter to the church at Corinth, Paul covered a number of different issues related to both life and doctrine: divisions and quarrels, s*xual immorality, lawsuits among believers, marriage and singleness, freedom in Christ, order in worship, the significance of the Lord’s Supper, and the right use of spiritual gifts; he also included a profound teaching on the resurrection.
The line of thought that joins these topics together was Paul’s emphasis on Christian conduct in the local church. The apostle expected that Christian people would live according to Christian ideals, or as he told them, “You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (6:20).
How do I apply this?
Corinth was a large, international metropolis, filled with people from different backgrounds. Idol worship to gods such as Aphrodite was particularly prominent in the city, though Corinth contained numerous temptations far beyond her temples. In this sense, Corinth was very much like a modern urban area, containing unending opportunities to engage in sinful behavior without any apparent consequences.
Such a community clearly had a negative influence on the Corinthian church. But notice that Paul’s instruction to the believers was not to retreat from their city. This was not Paul’s vision for the church then or now. Instead, he directed us to live out our commitment to Christ ever more faithfully in the midst of nonbelievers. Paul expected that we Christians would shine our light into the dark places of their world by worshiping in a unified community that was accountable to one another. He expected that we would settle our problems internally, that we would encourage one another in the pursuit of purity, and that we would strive together by holding tightly to the hope of our bodily resurrection to come.
What can you do within your local church to make this kind of community more of a reality?
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
BIBLE STUDY CHART
1 Corinthians Overview Chart
1 Corinthians Bible chart
View Chuck Swindoll's chart of 1 Corinthians, which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses.
Such a community clearly had a negative influence on the Corinthian church. But notice that Paul’s instruction to the believers was not to retreat from their city. This was not Paul’s vision for the church then or now. Instead, he directed us to live out our commitment to Christ ever more faithfully in the midst of nonbelievers. Paul expected that we Christians would shine our light into the dark places of their world by worshiping in a unified community that was accountable to one another. He expected that we would settle our problems internally, that we would encourage one another in the pursuit of purity, and that we would strive together by holding tightly to the hope of our bodily resurrection to come.
What can you do within your local church to make this kind of community more of a reality?
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Galatians has always been among those Pauline epistles least challenged on the issue of authorship. Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor. Paul’s close relationship to these churches helps to explain the extremely strong tone he took with them from the very beginning of the letter. Galatians exhibits Paul at his angriest, as he risked the good favor of the converts in those churches to make sure they were on the path of truth and not led off into deception. In fact, to emphasize the seriousness of his purpose, he took the pen from his scribe and wrote the end of the letter himself in large letters (Galatians 6:11).
Where are we?
Upon arriving back in Antioch from his first missionary journey after eighteen months on the road, Paul received a report that the churches he had started in Galatia had fallen into hard times—specifically, they had fallen into error. A group of Judaizers—those who sought to make living under the Mosaic Law a requirement of the Christian faith—had gained an influence in the Galatians churches. Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49, a meeting where the apostles would take up this very topic (Acts 15:1–30).
Why is Galatians so important?
In advance of the Jerusalem Council, Paul’s letter speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in its early years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s aggressive tone shows just how important it was to him that the people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. For him, this was no minor issue, as he went so far as to call the Galatians deserters of Christ, people turning from the truth toward a gospel contrary to the one they had received from Paul (Galatians 1:6–9).
What's the big idea?
When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul began the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.
Part of the problem that confronted the Galatians came in one of the arguments made by the Judaizes. These false teachers suggested that to live by grace and in freedom meant to live a lawless and therefore degenerate life. And so in the final chapters of the letter, Paul made clear that justification—an act of grace through faith—need not result in a sinful lifestyle. Because Christians have been freed from bondage to the sinful nature, we now have the path of holiness open to us.
How do I apply this?
Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in your life, or do you find yourself living according to the flesh or “the compulsions of selfishness” (Galatians 5:16–26 MESSAGE)? Too often we lose ourselves at the extremes, ending in a legalistic attempt to earn our salvation or a devil-may-care attitude about our sin.
Use Paul’s words in Galatians as an encouragement to pursue a life of holiness, not in your own strength but in the knowledge of God’s empowering grace in your life.
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
For a brief time at the end of his second missionary journey, and then for more than two years on his third missionary journey, Paul ministered to the church at Ephesus (Acts 18:18–21; 19:1–41). During his time in this city that housed the famous temple to the Greek goddess Artemis, Paul saw many converted to faith in Jesus Christ and many others who opposed his preaching in the synagogues and homes. One prominent silversmith, Demetrius, who made implements for the worship of Artemis, found his business suffering greatly because people were converting to Christianity. The ensuing near-riot led Paul to leave the city, but only after the apostle had done much to stabilize and grow the Christian community there.
Where are we?
Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon, as he sent all three letters by the hand of Tychicus, accompanied by Onesimus (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7–9; Philemon 1:10–12). It was during this time that Paul sat in Rome undergoing his first Roman imprisonment (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1), making Ephesians one of the four epistles commonly known as the Prison Epistles. The others are Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
Why is Ephesians so important?
Second Corinthians and Galatians abound with personal touches from Paul, either about his own life or that of the recipients. Ephesians, on the other hand, stands at the opposite end of the spectrum as one of Paul’s most formal letters. While Galatians offers instructions particularly important for those churches overrun with legalism, Ephesians deals with topics at the very core of what it means to be a Christian—both in faith and in practice—regardless of any particular problem in the community.
What's the big idea?
Paul divided his letter to the Ephesians into two clear segments; applying the truths of the first makes possible the actions and lifestyle of the second. Paul spent the first three chapters of the letter discussing God’s creation of a holy community by His gift of grace in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The members of this community have been chosen by God through the work of Christ, adopted as sons and daughters of God, and brought near to the Father through faith in His Son. All people with this faith—Jews and Gentiles alike—were dead in their transgressions and sins but have been made alive because of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
While Paul was not responding to a particular theological or moral problem, he wanted to protect against future problems by encouraging the Ephesians to mature in their faith. So after laying out profound theological truths in the first half of the book, Paul made his purpose clear: he expected that this community of faith would walk in accordance with its heavenly calling (Ephesians 4:1). As a result of the theological realities Christians accept by their faith in God, several practices should follow in their relationships within the church, in the home, and in the world.
How do I apply this?
How have you grown in your Christian life since you came to faith in Jesus Christ? The latter half of Ephesians makes clear that spiritual growth occurs primarily in community with others, iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17). Your Christian “walk” (in other words, your daily life) is to be characterized by unity, holiness, love, wisdom, and perseverance in spiritual warfare.
Maturity yields benefits in believers’ moral lives, but it extends far beyond that as well. Increased maturity benefits the community at large, leading us as Christians to present a more consistent witness to the working of God in our lives as well as protecting us from the harmful divisions and quarrels that have plagued so many communities throughout history.
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Paul ministered at Phillippi during his second missionary journey, spending about three months in the city. The ministry at Philippi marked Paul’s entrance into Macedonia, which came about as a result of a vision he had in the city of Troas, just across the northeastern corner of the Aegean Sea from the port city of Neapolis and its close neighbor Philippi (Acts 16:8–12).
During this first stay in Philippi—he later briefly visited the city on his third missionary journey (20:6)—Paul brought to faith in Christ people who would form the core of the burgeoning congregation in the city. Among them were Lydia, a businesswoman who opened her home to Paul and his coworkers (16:13–15), and the Philippian jailer, who was converted under Paul’s ministry after an earthquake miraculously broke open the prison (16:22–34).
Where are we?
Of the four Prison Epistles, Paul likely wrote Philippians last, near the end of his Roman imprisonment in AD 61 or 62. Paul sent the other three Prison Epistles—Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon—by the hand of Tychicus, as their destinations were near one another. However, the letter to the Philippians was to be delivered by Epaphroditus, who had come to Paul in Rome with financial help from the church at Philippi (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). But during his time in Rome, Epaphroditus took ill, which delayed his return home and, therefore, the delivery of the letter (2:26–27).
Why is Philippians so important?
The apostle Paul did not write Philippians in response to a crisis, as he did with Galatians and Colossians. Instead, he wrote to express his appreciation and affection for the Philippian believers. More than any other church, the believers in Philippi offered Paul material support for his ministry (2 Corinthians 8:11; Philippians 4:15–18). Paul’s affection for these people is clear throughout the letter as he encouraged them to live out their faith in joy and unity (1:3–5, 25–26; 4:1).
What's the big idea?
Philippians brims over with often quoted passages: “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6), “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21), and “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:13) are just a few. But the portrait of Jesus Christ as a humble servant serves as the core of Paul’s teaching in this letter (2:5–11).
Paul’s joy at the mere thought of the Philippian church is undeniable in the letter, and it’s that same joy that he wanted the recipients to possess as well. To lead the Philippians to this truth, Paul took them directly to Jesus, teaching them that a community of believers living in harmony with one another comes only through mutual humility modeled after the Savior. Paul wrote that he poured out his life as an offering for the sake of Christ, leading Paul to find great joy and contentment in Christ’s service. His letter to the Philippians showed them that by centering their lives on Christ, they, too, might live in true joy.
How do I apply this?
Paul knew, as did the Philippians, that true joy comes only through humble faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ, joining ourselves in harmony with His followers, and serving others in the name of Christ. This was the life experienced by the Philippian believers, and it is a life available to us today.
Allow the joy you find in Christ to keep you from useless quarrels and divisions and to instead guide you into harmonious relationships with God’s people.
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Summary of Colossians: Understanding the Basics of Colossians in the Bible
By John Whittaker | BIO
Here’s a short summary of Colossians: Colossians was written by the apostle Paul to teach the Colossian church that Jesus is all they need to experience the fullness of God. Someone had infiltrated the church and was deceiving them into thinking that they needed to add Jewish rituals, harsh treatment of their body, and mystical experiences to really know and experience God.
Paul reminds them that Jesus himself is the very fullness of God and that in him they have been made complete. If they have Jesus, they already have experienced the fullness of God. They don’t need all those other things. Entering into Jesus and being baptized into him reconciled them to God and gave them a brand new identity. Now they are the people of God and they can live the way God created them to live.
The Backstory to Colossians
The book of Colossians was originally a letter that the apostle Paul sent to a young church in the city of Colossae. When he wrote the letter, Paul was in prison, most likely the house arrest described at the end of the book of Acts.
The city of Colossal lies about 100 miles east of Ephesus to the western side of what is modern-day Turkey. In Paul’s day, it lay within Asia Minor. In the fourth and fifth centuries B.C., Colossal was wealthy and large due to its wool industry, but by Paul’s day it was described by a contemporary geographer as a “small town” (Strabo, Geography. 12.8.13). There was a decent-sized Jewish population in the city, since approximately 2000 Jewish families settled in the area in the second century B.C.
“The city of Colossae lies about 100 miles east of Ephesus to the western side of what is modern-day Turkey.”
Paul had never been to Colossae, but the church there began under the influence of his ministry. On his third missionary journey, Paul spent 3 years in Ephesus. During this time Paul’s coworkers and disciples spread the news about Jesus to the surrounding cities and thus “all Asia heard the word” (Acts 19:10). One such co-worker was Epaphras who was a native of Colossae and was responsible for the founding of the church in there around A.D. 54.
While Paul was under arrest around A.D. 61, Epaphras visited Paul in Rome and shared the progress of the gospel in the region around Colossae, but he also shared some particular problems that were troubling the church there. They were being influenced by some sort of teaching that was undermining their stability in Jesus.
Summary of Colossians: “It appears the false teaching that was undermining the church involved spiritual visions, angels, keeping the Jewish calendar and food laws.”
So it appears the false teaching that was undermining the church involved spiritual visions, angels, keeping the Jewish calendar and food laws, and things like that in order to have a greater experience of the fullness of God. So Paul writes Colossians to emphasize that Jesus is the fullness of God and that anyone who is in Jesus already has received that fullness in him (2:9-10). Paul’s goal is to help the original readers and us realize that Christ is enough. We don’t need Christ plus mystical experience or Christ plus any other thing in order to know God in all his fullness. All we need is Christ.
An Overview of Colossians
Colossians is a short letter with a powerful message. It all revolves around believing in the full sufficiency of Jesus and living in light of that.
Colossians 1:1-2:5
Paul first expresses his care and concern for the Christians in Colossae. He assures them that even though he’s never met them face to face (see 2:4), he prays for them regularly and cares for them deeply.
Paul opens the letter by describing how he thanks God for their positive response to the gospel in 1:3-8. Then in 1:9-23, he records his constant prayer for their continued faithfulness to Jesus. This prayer leads to a profound reflection on the person and work of Jesus, implicitly showing that Jesus is all they need. In fact, as you read Colossians 1:15-20, notice the emphasis on “all” and “everything.”
Summary of Colossians: “…a profound reflection on the person and work of Jesus, implicitly showing that Jesus is all they need…”
In 1:24-2:5, Paul describes his vocation as a minister of Christ and how that leads him to suffer on their behalf. He struggles for their spiritual growth. So even though they haven’t met each other face to face, he cares for them deeply and wants them to come to know all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are found in Christ.
Colossians 2:6-3:4
After expressing his care for them and their spiritual well-being, Paul directly appeals to them that they would stand firm in the truth about Christ that they were taught (2:6-7).
He reassures them that in Jesus they’ve already experienced all God’s fullness (2:8-15). When they entered into Jesus and were baptized into him, they were made complete. Their sins were forgiven. They were buried with him and raised up with him, and thus participate in his victory over all the spiritual powers. They don’t need any other religious thing, Jewish or otherwise, to be truly spiritual (2:16-19).
Summary of Colossians: “He reassures them that in Jesus they’ve already experienced all God’s fullness.”
In the next two paragraphs, then, he draws out the implications of their death and resurrection with Christ in baptism and calls them to live accordingly. Death with Christ makes ascetic practices and harsh treatment of the body unnecessary; they are empty religious rigors (2:20-23). Being raised up with Christ frees us to set our mind on the things above, the eternal things of Christ (3:1-4).
Colossians 3:5-4:6
Since those things are now true about us and we have new life in Jesus, how should we live? Beginning in 3:5, Paul gives specific instructions on the Christian way of life. This is a call to live out the new identity we have been given in Christ.
He first calls us to put to death the old humanity’s way of life: s*xual immorality, anger, malice, and the like (3:5-11). But getting ridding of vice isn’t enough. We must put on the virtues of the new humanity being formed in Christ, things like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, forgiveness, and love (3:12-17).
Our new identity in Christ also affects how we order our homes, so Paul also provides household instructions (3:18-4:1). Notice that the section that gets the most attention here is slaves and masters. The reason for that is the situation dealt with in the letter to Philemon since the Colossians church met in Philemon’s house.
Paul then gives a series of exhortations that involve a call to prayer and encouragement to act wisely towards unbelievers (4:2-6).
Colossians 4:7-18
The last paragraph of Colossians is a number of greetings to Christians in Colossae and from colleagues of Paul. This is fascinating since Paul had never been there, but it’s a way of establishing rapport.
Even though Colossians is a short letter, it’s important not to lose sight of the main point as you read it. The big idea of the letter is: Christ is all; you need no supplements! If you are in Christ, you’ve received God’s fullness and have everything you need for living fully for Him.
Summary of Colossians
1. Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”
—Colossians 1:15
2. “It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
—Colossians 1:19-20
Summary of Colossians: “It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself.”
3. In Jesus “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments.”
—Colossians 2:3-4
4. “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”
—Colossians 2:6
5. “See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ.”
—Colossians 2:8
6. “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete.”
—Colossians 2:9-10
7. “And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings.”
—Colossians 2:13
8. “Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
—Colossians 3:1
Summary of Colossians: “Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
9. “Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to s*xual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
—Colossians 3:5
10. “As those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you.”
—Colossians 3:12-13
All Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard
Summary and Analysis 1 and 2 Thessalonians
Two letters that Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica are preserved in the New Testament. The first letter — 1 Thessalonians — was written to a community of believers who had been Christians for only a short period of time, probably no more than a few months. We learn from the Book of Acts that during Paul's stay in the city of Thessalonica, he preached in a Jewish synagogue on three successive Sabbath days. He evidently stayed in the city for some time thereafter and continued his work among the Gentiles. Although his ministry was successful to the extent that he won converts to Christianity from both Jews and Gentiles, he did encounter opposition, especially from Jews who resented very much that he was able to win Jewish followers. Because of this opposition, Paul wisely left the city for fear that the newly formed Christian community would be persecuted as he had been. He regretted that he must leave the Christians before they were well established in the faith, but he hoped that he might visit them again in the near future. When sickness prevented him from returning, he sent his colleague Timothy to strengthen the group and then report back to Paul on the progress that had been made. When Timothy returned to Paul with the good news that the members of the church were standing firm in their new faith, Paul wrote the First Epistle to the Thessalonians.
Paul congratulates the Thessalonians on their fidelity to the gospel that he had proclaimed while among them, and urges them to remain steadfast in the faith. He warns them against sensuality and various forms of self-seeking, which are contrary to the spirit of the Christian way of life. But the main purpose of Paul's letter is to deal with a special problem that developed after Paul left the city. Paul shared with the Christians at Thessalonica his belief that the end of the age would come in the very near future. In part an inheritance from Jewish apocalypticism, this belief held that the messianic kingdom would be ushered in by a sudden catastrophic event, at which time the heavenly Messiah would descend on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. When the first Christians accepted the idea that the man who had died on the cross was the real Messiah, they were convinced that he must return to earth to complete the work that he had begun. The manner of his second coming was conceived in accordance with the apocalyptic conceptions. This belief was common among the early Christians, and Paul accepted it along with the rest. Although the Christians were quite insistent that no one knew the exact time when this second coming would take place, they felt sure that it would occur during the lifetime of those who were then members of the Christian community.
After Paul left Thessalonica, some of the people who belonged to the church died. Because Jesus had not returned, serious doubts arose in the minds of those Thessalonians who were still living, for they had been led to believe that Jesus the Messiah would return before any of them died. As they saw it, Paul was mistaken on this point, which then caused them to wonder whether he might also be mistaken on other points as well. Obviously, an explanation of some kind was in order, and this situation, more than any other single factor, prompted the writing of Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians.
In his statement regarding Jesus' second coming, Paul says that he has in no way abandoned his faith that the return of Jesus to this earth will take place in the near future. Concerning those who died or who might die before Jesus returns, he states that they will be raised from the dead and will share equally with those who are still living at that time: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet-call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."
Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians is in one sense a follow-up to the first letter. Evidently, the first letter was well received. People were satisfied with Paul's explanation concerning those who died and were ready and willing to suffer persecution if need be in order to remain true to the gospel that Paul preached. However, some members of the Christian community were so overly zealous about Paul's teaching that the end of the age was near at hand that they stopped making any plans for the future. Indeed, some of them stopped doing any work at all, believing that in this way they were demonstrating their faith in the nearness of the great event. Those who did not work were a burden to those who did work, and this situation constituted a new problem. Paul addresses this concern in his second letter.
After commending the Thessalonians for their loyalty and assuring them that God will deal justly with their persecutors, Paul proceeds to the main point of the letter. Although the coming Day of the Lord is near, it is not as close as some people think. Concerning a report that had circulated among the people stating that the day had already come, Paul tells the Thessalonians not to be deceived on this matter, for the Day of the Lord will not arrive until after certain events have taken place, and these events have not occurred yet. The specific events to which Paul refers concern the coming of an Antichrist, someone in whom the power of Satan has become incarnate and who will establish himself in the Temple at Jerusalem, working with signs and wonders to deceive people. The basis for Paul's statement along this line is found in the Jewish apocalyptic writings, which were fairly well known to him. Concerning the coming of this lawless Antichrist, Paul says that the Antichrist's activities are already in operation and would be carried out more fully except that he is now being restrained. (Presumably, Paul means that the Roman government is restraining the Antichrist.) In due time, the Antichrist will be revealed, and "the Lord Jesus will overthrow [the Antichrist] with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." The letter closes with an admonition to the Thessalonians to continue their regular lines of work and not to wait in idleness for the return of Jesus.
Analysis
The two letters to the Thessalonians are of interest from a historical point of view because they reveal conditions that existed in the newly formed Christian communities. They are also of value in that they indicate something of the extent to which the early church was influenced by Jewish apocalypticism in its beliefs concerning the second coming of Christ and the setting up of the messianic kingdom. Jewish apocalypses taught that there would be a resurrection of the dead in connection with other events that would usher in the new age. Paul was able to make use of these apocalyptic conceptions in answering the questions that so troubled the Christians in Thessalonica.
Both of Paul's letters to the Thessalonians were addressed to this one church and were occasioned by the problems associated with that particular group of church members. It is quite unlikely that Paul anticipated any further use to be made of his letters. Little if anything in them throws much light on the theological issues involved in Paul's interpretation of Christianity. The letters do, however, indicate the type of instruction that Paul gave to newcomers in the Christian movement.
The first of Paul’s final series of letters—which along with 2 Timothy and Titus are called the Pastoral Epistles—1 Timothy offers practical and pastoral advice from the aging apostle Paul to a young pastor named Timothy working in the church at Ephesus. More than a decade prior to writing this letter, Paul had first met Timothy in the city of Lystra—in Asia Minor—where Timothy was known and respected by the Christians (Acts 16:1–4). Upon recognizing Timothy’s impressive qualities, Paul recruited the young man to travel with him as he continued his second missionary journey. The presence of Timothy would have met an important need for Paul, their friendship coming on the heels of Paul’s split with his close friend and partner in missions, Barnabas (15:36–41).
Where are we?
The Bible’s silence on the ultimate fate of Paul has engendered a great deal of debate in modern times. The book of Acts ends with Paul sitting in a Roman prison awaiting his hearing before the Roman emperor, a privilege of appeal that all Roman citizens possessed. However, the writing of the Pastoral Epistles clearly dates to a time after the events of Acts. So where was Paul when he wrote 1 Timothy? Paul had expected the Romans to release him from prison, something that likely happened near the end of AD 62 (Philippians 2:24). His release allowed him the opportunity to travel to Ephesus and eventually place Timothy in ministry at that church. Paul then went on to preach in Macedonia, where he heard reports of Timothy’s work at Ephesus that prompted him to write 1 Timothy, probably in AD 63.
Why is First Timothy so important?
First Timothy presents the most explicit and complete instructions for church leadership and organization in the entire Bible. This includes sections on appropriate conduct in worship gatherings, the qualifications of elders and deacons, and the proper order of church discipline. Paul advised Timothy on these practical matters in a way that would have helped the young pastor to emphasize the purity that should characterize Christian leaders and the gatherings they oversee.
What's the big idea?
Timothy’s youth no doubt served him well, allowing for the energy and vigor he needed to serve his people. However, it also caused inevitable difficulties with older Christians who may not have taken quickly to the leadership of such a young man because of his lack of knowledge and experience in leadership. It was important to Paul that Timothy set an example of consistent faith and a good conscience, remaining above reproach and exercising the spiritual gifts that God had given him (1 Timothy 4:12–16).
However, Paul knew that such a task would not be easy for the young man. Therefore, on two occasions Paul encouraged Timothy to “fight the good fight” (1:18; 6:12). Perseverance in what was good often became a slog for Timothy, one that required thick skin and a clear purpose.
How do I apply this?
The leaders of our churches fill important roles as they participate in encouraging the spiritual growth of Christians under their care. We know the significance of these men in our churches and in our personal lives, but 1 Timothy helps us to gain a clearer understanding of the proper qualifications and roles for church leaders. Paul’s letter shows us those things he hoped Timothy would address in his ministry, providing a template of sorts that our leaders can follow in their own ministries.
How do your leaders implement Paul’s exhortations in 1 Timothy? Our churches will be strongest when they are closest to the biblical vision laid out for them. As you look at your church or look for a new one, consider the priorities of the leaders. Look for an emphasis on sound doctrine, on purity within the leaders’ personal lives, and on living out the Christian faith by example. Find those qualities, and you will more than likely find a church where you can thrive.
By the time Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, the young pastor had been ministering to the church at Ephesus for four years, and it had been almost that long since he had received his first letter from Paul. Timothy had been a faithful servant to Paul since he had left home with the apostle more than a decade earlier. Since then, Timothy had ministered alongside Paul for the duration of both the second and third missionary journeys, in places such as Troas, Philippi, and Corinth. Timothy was not unfamiliar to the Ephesians when he settled in Ephesus to minister, having served there alongside Paul for a period of close to three years on Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul wrote again to this young leader in the church at Ephesus to provide him encouragement and fortitude in the face of difficulties and trials.
Where are we?
Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a dark and damp Roman prison cell, just before his death in AD 67. The Roman emperor Nero had been slowly descending into madness since his ascent to the throne in AD 54, a process exacerbated by the great fire of Rome in AD 64 that burned half the city. With the residents of Rome in an uproar, Christians became a convenient target for Nero, who used believers as scapegoats for his city’s own lack of preparedness. Paul was one of those caught up in this persecution and was beheaded by Roman officials soon after writing this letter.
Why is Second Timothy so important?
The second letter to Timothy offers a picture of Paul at the end of his ministry, just before his death. Certain personal details in the letter reveal a man settling his accounts and preparing for the inevitable. At the close of the letter, Paul mentioned a significant number of people—some who had wronged him and others who had served faithfully alongside him (2 Timothy 4:9–21). It is as if Paul were giving Timothy a “state of the church” address, updating Timothy on the current state of their acquaintances and friends so that the young pastor could carry on after Paul’s departure.
What's the big idea?
Paul understood that the ministry would only become more difficult for Timothy with the apostle’s impending death. (Indeed, at some point after this letter from Paul, Timothy was imprisoned for his faith [Hebrews 13:23]). Paul knew that Timothy’s task of keeping the church within the bounds of sound doctrine while encouraging believers to live their lives well for the sake of Christ would be an often thankless and difficult task. Though hardship would come, Paul wanted Timothy to continue in those things he had learned, drawing on the rich heritage of faith that had been passed down to the young pastor, not just from Paul but also from his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5–6; 3:14–15).
The most striking feature of Paul’s encouragement comes when the aging apostle used a phrase that showed up prominently in his letter to Timothy four years prior. In that earlier letter, Paul exhorted Timothy to “fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12). But in this letter, Paul turned that phrase on himself, writing that he had “fought the good fight . . . finished the course . . . kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). What a great encouragement it must have been to the young pastor of the church at Ephesus to know that his mentor boldly modeled his perseverance in the faith, even to the point of death.
How do I apply this?
Second Timothy brings us to the brink of death, forcing us to consider its reality and how we might react when faced with it. Paul’s response instructs us still today. His mind was not on himself, dwelling on the injustice that had befallen him. Instead, trusting that God had him right where He wanted him, the aging apostle turned his attention to others, specifically to the church and to his young protégé, Timothy.
Where do you hope your thoughts linger as you come to the end of your days?
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Paul identified himself as the author of the letter to Titus, calling himself a “bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (Titus 1:1). The origin of Paul’s relationship with Titus is shrouded in mystery, though we can gather that he may have been converted under the ministry of Paul, who called Titus “my true child in a common faith” (1:4). Titus accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey, during which the apostle sent him to Corinth at least once (2 Corinthians 2:12–13; 7:5–7, 13–15; 8:6, 16–24). Paul clearly held Titus in a position of great respect as a friend and fellow worker for the gospel, praising Titus for his affection, his earnestness, and his bringing comfort to others.
Where are we?
Paul wrote his letter to Titus from Nicopolis in AD 63, after the apostle’s release from his first Roman imprisonment. Upon leaving Timothy in Ephesus to minister there, Paul accompanied Titus to the island of Crete, where he intended Titus to lead and organize the island’s churches in their early years of existence. While the gospel had no doubt spread to Crete soon after Peter’s sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:11), Paul and Titus likely did a good deal of evangelism on the island in the weeks before Paul commissioned Titus to a leadership position there.
Why is Titus so important?
Three summaries of the incarnation dot the pages of Titus, providing a framework within which the Christian can view the work of God in the world and in individual lives (Titus 1:1–4; 2:11–14; 3:4–7). All three passages involve the manifestation, or appearance, of God in Christ, rooting the Christian faith in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Only when God the Son took on human flesh in the person of Jesus was the believer’s faith in God made sure. In other words, since God poured out His grace on all humanity, He cleanses His people from their sin and purifies believers for Himself. This grace of God instructs us to live upright and godly lives in this present age (2:11–3:8).
What's the big idea?
The doctrine of the incarnation in the letter to Titus grounds its message of producing right living through the careful attention to theological truth. The churches on Crete were just as susceptible to false teachers as any other church, so Paul directed Titus to establish a group of faithful elders to oversee the doctrinal purity and good conduct of the believers on Crete. Paul exhorted Titus to “speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1), a clear direction that this should be the young pastor’s primary role.
However, Paul also understood that when a body of believers embraces sound doctrine, the result is changed and purified lives that produce “good deeds” (mentioned in Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14). God’s grace is the motivation for all good deeds. Paul gave instructions to Titus about the roles of specific groups of people—older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves—as well as general instructions to all believers about their conduct. Right living was essential because Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed,” saving us “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 2:14; 3:5).
How do I apply this?
For more than two years during his third missionary journey, Paul ministered in Asia Minor among the people of Ephesus. This was a successful period for the apostle to the Gentiles, who saw many converts among both residents of Ephesus and visitors to the city. One of the visitors converted under Paul’s teaching was a man named Philemon, a slaveowner from the nearby city of Colossae (Philemon 1:19). In the Bible book that bears Philemon’s name, Paul addressed his “beloved brother” as a “fellow worker,” a title given to those who served for a time alongside Paul. (Gospel writers Mark and Luke also received this title later in the letter [1:1, 24]). Clearly, a kinship existed between Paul and Philemon, one that would serve a significant purpose in light of the circumstance that brought about the letter.
Where are we?
A slave named Onesimus had escaped from his owner, Philemon, and had run away from Colossae to Rome in the hope that he could disappear into that populous, urban environment. Once in Rome, Onesimus, either by accident or by his own design, came in contact with Paul, who promptly led the runaway slave to faith in Jesus Christ. Paul had already been planning to send a letter to the Colossian church by the hand of Tychicus. So in AD 60 or 61 from a prison cell in Rome, Paul wrote a personal letter to Philemon and sent Onesimus the slave back to Colossae.
Why is Philemon so important?
The letter to Philemon reminds us that God’s revelation to humanity is intensely personal. In more formal biblical works such as the Gospels or the epistle to the Romans or even Paul’s letters to churches at Philippi or Colossae, it might be easy to get the impression that God does not care or have time for the trials and tribulations in a single household. Philemon stands as one piece of strong evidence to the contrary, revealing that lofty doctrines such as the love of God, forgiveness in Christ, or the inherent dignity of humanity have real and pertinent impact in everyday life. The book of Philemon illustrates that principles like these can and should profoundly affect the lives of believers.
What's the big idea?
Paul’s message to Philemon was a simple one: based on the work of love and forgiveness that had been wrought in Philemon’s heart by God, show the same to the escaped and now-believing slave Onesimus. The apostle’s message would have had extra force behind it because he knew Philemon personally. Paul had explained the gospel to Philemon and had witnessed the profound result: new life blossoming in a once-dead heart (Philemon 1:19). Paul knew that conversion is nothing to trifle with, but that it should be honored and fostered.
So Paul made a request. He wanted Philemon to forgive Onesimus, to accept the slave as a brother in Christ, and to consider sending Onesimus back to Paul, as the apostle found him useful in God’s service (1:11–14). Paul did not minimize Onesimus’s sin. This was not some kind of cheap grace that Paul asked Philemon to offer. No, there was sacrifice required in this request, and because of that, Paul approached the topic with gentleness and care (1:21). His letter to Philemon presents in full color the beautiful and majestic transition from slavery to kinship that comes as a result of Christian love and forgiveness.
Live long enough, and you will understand the difficulty of offering forgiveness when you have been wronged. It does not come easy, yet as believers, we have to recognize that our ability and willingness to offer it are the result of Christ’s saving work on the cross. Because of that fact, forgiveness serves as a determining factor in who we say we are and how we hope to live our lives. When we do not forgive, bitterness takes root in our hearts and chokes the vitality out of us.
In what ways has forgiveness been a struggle for you since you accepted Christ’s forgiveness? Allow Paul’s letter to Philemon to encourage forgiveness in your own life, and trust God to foster renewed life in your heart and your relationships.
Copyright ©? 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Book of Hebrews
Author: Although some include the Book of Hebrews among the apostle Paul’s writings, the certain identity of the author remains an enigma. Missing is Paul’s customary salutation common to his other works. In addition, the suggestion that the writer of this epistle relied upon knowledge and information provided by others who were actual eye-witnesses of Christ Jesus (2:3) makes Pauline authorship doubtful. Some attribute Luke as its writer; others suggest Hebrews may have been written by Apollos, Barnabas, Silas, Philip, or Aquila and Priscilla. Regardless of the human hand that held the pen, the Holy Spirit of God is the divine author of all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16); therefore, Hebrews speaks with the same canonical authority as the other sixty-five books of the Bible.
Date of Writing: The early church father Clement quoted from the Book of Hebrews in A.D. 95. However, internal evidence such as the fact that Timothy was alive at the time the epistle was written and the absence of any evidence showing the end of the Old Testament sacrificial system that occurred with Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 indicates the book was written around A.D. 65.
Purpose of Writing: The late Dr. Walter Martin, founder of the Christian Research Institute and writer of the best-selling book Kingdom of the Cults, quipped in his usual tongue-in-cheek manner that the Book of Hebrews was written by a Hebrew to other Hebrews telling the Hebrews to stop acting like Hebrews. In truth, many of the early Jewish believers were slipping back into the rites and rituals of Judaism in order to escape the mounting persecution. This letter, then, is an exhortation for those persecuted believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ.
Key Verses:
Hebrews 1:1-2: "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.”
Hebrews 2:3: "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation…"
Hebrews 4:14-16: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 12:1-2: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Brief Summary: The Book of Hebrews addresses three separate groups: believers in Christ, unbelievers who had knowledge of and an intellectual acceptance of the facts of Christ, and unbelievers who were attracted to Christ, but who rejected Him ultimately. It’s important to understand which group is being addressed in which passage. To fail to do so can cause us to draw conclusions inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.
The writer of Hebrews continually makes mention of the superiority of Christ in both His personage and in His ministering work. In the writings of the Old Testament, we understand the rituals and ceremonies of Judaism symbolically pointed to the coming of Messiah. In other words, the rites of Judaism were but shadows of things to come. Hebrews tells us that Christ Jesus is better than anything mere religion has to offer. All the pomp and circumstance of religion pales in comparison to the person, work, and ministry of Christ Jesus. It is the superiority of our Lord Jesus, then, that remains the theme of this eloquently written letter.
Connections: Perhaps nowhere in the New Testament does the Old Testament come into focus more than in the Book of Hebrews, which has as its foundation the Levitical priesthood. The writer to the Hebrews constantly compares the inadequacies of the Old Testament sacrificial system to the perfection and completion in Christ. Where the Old Covenant required continual sacrifices and a once-a-year atonement for sin offered by a human priest, the New Covenant provides a once-for-all sacrifice through Christ (Hebrews 10:10) and direct access to the throne of God for all who are in Him.
Practical Application: Rich in foundational Christian doctrine, the Epistle to the Hebrews also gives us encouraging examples of God’s "faith heroes" who persevered in spite of great difficulties and adverse circumstances (Hebrews 11). These members of God’s Hall of Faith provide overwhelming evidence as to the unconditional surety and absolute reliability of God. Likewise, we can maintain perfect confidence in God’s rich promises, regardless of our circumstances, by meditating upon the rock-solid faithfulness of God’s workings in the lives of His Old Testament saints.
The writer of Hebrews gives ample encouragement to believers, but there are five solemn warnings we must heed. There is the danger of neglect (Hebrews 2:1-4), the danger of unbelief (Hebrews 3:7–4:13), the danger of spiritual immaturity (Hebrews 5:11–6:20), the danger of failing to endure (Hebrews 10:26-39), and the inherent danger of refusing God (Hebrews 12:25-29). And so we find in this crowning masterpiece a great wealth of doctrine, a refreshing spring of encouragement, and a source of sound, practical warnings against slothfulness in our Christian walk. But there is still more, for in Hebrews we find a magnificently rendered portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ—the Author and Finisher of our great salvation (Hebrews 12:2).
Background of the Book of James
We learn about Jacob's story from the book of Acts and Paul’s letters (
Acts 12, 15
. After Peter moved on from Jerusalem to start new churches, Jesus’ half-brother Jacob rose to prominence as a leader of the mother church in Jerusalem, made up of messianic Jews. This church was the first Christian community ever, and we know the people experienced difficult times during the twenty years that Jacob was their leader. There was a famine that led to great poverty in their region, and these messianic Jews were also being persecuted by the traditional Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Jacob, however, was known as a pillar of this Jerusalem church, acting as a peacemaker who led with wisdom and courage until his untimely death. Sometime around 62 C.E., he was murdered by the priestly establishment in Jerusalem for following Jesus.
In this book, we have the legacy of Jacob’s teaching and wisdom condensed into a short but powerful work. While it begins like a letter, with Jacob greeting all the messianic Jews living outside the land of Israel, the rest of the work doesn’t read like a letter at all because it doesn’t address the specific problems of one local church like Paul’s letters. Instead, this book is a summary of Jacob’s sage wisdom for any and every community of Jesus’ followers. His goal isn’t to teach us new theological information; rather, he wants to get in our business and challenge how we live.
Jacob’s wisdom has been heavily influenced by two sources, the first of which is Jesus’ teaching about life in the Kingdom of God, especially the Sermon on the Mount
The second key influence is the biblical wisdom book of Proverbs, especially the p
. Jacob literally grew up with Jesus and the book of Proverbs, so his own teaching sounds a lot like them both and is stamped with their language and imagery. This book is made up of short challenging wisdom speeches, which are full of metaphors and easy to memorize one-liners.
In essence, Jacob is calling the messianic community to become truly wise by living according to Jesus’ summary of the Torah—love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
As you think about your life, what consistently brings you the most joy? Some might answer, “My family”; but for others, their family is the source of their greatest pain. Some may say, “My friendships” or “this new guy (or gal) I’m dating.” A few may answer, “My job” or “career.” Some may not be honest enough to say it, but they really live for their possessions or hobbies or leisure activities. Or, some might be brutally honest in saying, “I don’t have much joy in my life.”
For every Christian, the true answer ought to be, “The thing that brings me the most joy in life is my relationship with the Lord and the full salvation He has provided.” The Lord and His salvation ought to be the hub of our lives from which radiate out the spokes of joy in our families, our friendships, our jobs, our possessions, and our other activities. If you take away the hub, everything else would crumble into meaningless ruin.
Yet I fear that for too many Christians, salvation is nice, but not necessary. It adds a little fulfillment to their well-rounded lives, but it’s not the essential core without which life would disintegrate. If they were honest, they would ask with a shrug of their shoulders, “What’s so great about salvation?”
God has a sure-fire method of getting us to answer that question: He puts us in the fires of affliction! Trials have a way of getting us to focus on the bare essentials of life. What really matters? What am I living for? What gives life meaning and makes it count? And, of course, the more life-threatening the trials, the more focused we are.
In 1777, Dr. William Dodd, a well-known London clergyman, was condemned to be hanged for forgery. When his last sermon, delivered in prison, was published, a friend commented to Samuel Johnson that the effort was far better than he had thought the man capable of. Dr. Johnson’s classic reply was, “Depend upon it, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”
Peter’s readers were enduring affliction. Some may have been facing martyrdom for their faith. Some were under pressure in their homes from pagan spouses, in their jobs from pagan employers, and in their communities from pagan acquaintances. Some were probably wondering, “Why suffer for our faith? Is it worth all the pain I’m going through?” Peter’s answer is to get them to look up from their suffering to their salvation and see, “It’s more than worth it because our salvation is so great! The salvation we enjoy is that which the prophets struggled to understand and into which the angels long to look!”
Because our salvation is so great, we should joyfully endure present suffering in light of the future glory.
To trace Peter’s flow of thought, in 1:3-5 he points his readers to the greatness and certainty of their future inheritance in Christ. In 1:6-9, he shows how this great salvation results in inexpressible joy, even in the midst of present trials. In 1:10-12, he goes back to the past prophetic revelation about this great salvation to show how unsearchable it is—neither the prophets nor the angels fully grasped it—and how privileged we are who have received it. He means to encourage believers in the midst of trials. Just as Christ first suffered and then was glorified, so Christians may now suffer, but there’s glory ahead. If we focus on the incomprehensible greatness of our salvation, we can joyfully endure present trials.
Our text shows five reasons our salvation is great:
A. OUR SALVATION IS GREAT BECAUSE IT IS THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S GRACE.
Peter uses the word “grace” in 1:10 (and 1:13) as a synonym for the salvation which we have received but won’t completely understand until Christ returns. As I mentioned last week, there are three tenses of our salvation: We were saved from sin’s penalty when we put our faith in Christ; we are being saved from sin’s power as we walk by faith; and, ultimately we shall be saved from sin’s presence as we persevere by faith.
I want to camp on the word “grace” for a minute, both because it is an important word to Peter (used ten times in this book: 1:2, 10, 13; 2:19-20; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 10, 12) and because it is a widely misunderstood concept in our day. Many Christians confuse grace for a hang-loose, laid-back flavor of Christianity that urges us not to be too rough on ourselves and not to be judgmental of others. We end up being tolerant of all sorts of sin that the Bible strongly confronts.
Grace is undeserved favor. You cannot appreciate God’s grace until you both understand cognitively and feel emotionally how unworthy you are to receive anything other than judgment from the holy God. All true Christians agree that we’re sinners, but many quickly turn around and argue that we’re worthy persons, not unworthy. We’re being told that the root of all our problems is low self-esteem. So one of the major tasks for Christians has become to build their self-esteem. One best selling book confronts the notion that we should view ourselves as sinners saved by grace:
Is that who you really are? No way! The Bible doesn’t refer to believers as sinners, not even sinners saved by grace. Believers are called saints—holy ones—who occasionally sin. (Neil Anderson, The Bondage Breaker [Harvest House], p. 44.)
I was raised in a Christian home and believed in Christ at an early age. I’ve lived a relatively clean life. I’ve always subscribed to the biblical teaching that I am a sinner. But as a young Christian, I had no idea how sinful my heart really is. The more I’ve grown in Christ, the more I see how desperately wicked I am, which makes me cling to the cross more fiercely and revel in God’s grace more joyously. I’ve had to learn that grace isn’t God giving a little boost to a basically decent, churchgoing young man. Grace is God’s mercy to me whom He justly could send to hell. It’s only when I feel how much He has forgiven me that I will love Him much because of the wonder of His grace.
God’s grace, properly understood, is not at odds with obedience to God’s Word. Rather, grace is the motivation for obedience (Rom. 2:4). No sooner does Peter tell us that we should fix our hope completely on God’s grace (1:13) than he tells us to be obedient and holy (1:14-15). An emphasis on grace is not opposed to an emphasis on obedience.
But don’t miss the point: Our salvation is great because it’s the message of God’s grace. That means that there’s hope for every sinner, no matter how great his sin! That’s good news! The only thing that keeps you from experiencing God’s grace is your pride that tells yourself that you’re a good person who doesn’t need grace. If you’ll confess your sin, the cross of Christ is sufficient to forgive you completely.
B. OUR SALVATION IS GREAT BECAUSE IT WAS PREDICTED BY THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS.
The Old Testament prophets made careful search and inquiry as they sought to know what time (a better translation than “person”) or circumstances the Spirit of Christ was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow (1:10-11). Peter is saying, “The salvation you have received is the very thing that these great men of God spent their lives looking for!” That doesn’t mean that they weren’t saved. But they couldn’t understand it the way we do because they lived before Christ came.
Some have explained it by saying that the prophets saw two mountain peaks: Mount Calvary, where Christ would die for our sins; and, Mount Olivet, where He will return in power and glory to set up His kingdom. But they couldn’t see the valley between the two peaks, much as we can’t when we look at two distant peaks. So they didn’t grasp that the same Messiah who would suffer for our sins would ascend into heaven for 2,000 years before returning to reign in glory.
Note how Jesus Himself interpreted the prophet Isaiah when He was preaching in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-21): He read a few verses, then stopped in the middle of the verse and announced, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Why didn’t Jesus finish the verse from Isaiah? Because it goes on to say, “And the day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 62:2), which refers to His second coming in judgment. It’s easy to see why the Old Testament prophets missed the 2,000-year gap between the two halves of that verse!
Note also Daniel 9:2-3, where Daniel seeks by prayer and fasting to grasp what Jeremiah had prophesied. In answer to his prayers, God gave him the prophecy of the 70 weeks (9:24-27), which I’m sure Daniel himself did not understand! In 12:8, Daniel admits that he couldn’t understand what the angel was telling him about the future. He was told that these things are concealed for the end time (12:9).
The question arises when we suffer: What if Christianity isn’t really true? What if I’m believing in myths or something purely psychological? What if I’m suffering for nothing? Peter’s answer is that our salvation is rooted in prophecies made hundreds of years before Christ came. Even though the prophets didn’t understand everything the Holy Spirit (here called the “Spirit of Christ” because He bears witness to Christ) revealed to them, it has been fulfilled in the death, resurrection, ascension, and promised second coming of Christ. As Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:19, “We have the prophetic word made more sure.” Our salvation is great because it is nothing less than that predicted throughout the Old Testament.
(2) Apply yourself diligently to understand the Bible. I confess that I’ve never sought the Lord with prayer, fasting, sackcloth and ashes, and confession of sin as Daniel did to understand a portion of Scripture! But so often we just give up in frustration rather than applying ourselves to try to understand and obey God’s Word. Peter admits (2 Pet. 3:16) that some of Paul’s stuff is hard to understand. But God saw fit to put it in Scripture, so we need to seek Him to grow in respect to our salvation.
C. OUR SALVATION IS GREAT BECAUSE IT IS REVEALED BY GOD TO MAN.
The prophets weren’t religious geniuses who invented all the things in the Bible. They got their stuff from the Holy Spirit. Verse 11 establishes the divine inspiration of the Old Testament. As Peter explains (2 Pet. 1:21), “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” The apostles didn’t cook up their own message, either. Peter tells his readers that those who preached the gospel to them did so “by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven” (1 Pet. 1:12).
When we talk about the inspiration of the Bible, we mean that “God superintended the human authors of Scripture so that using their own personalities they composed and recorded without error His message” (Charles Ryrie, Study Graph, “Bible Doctrine I” [Moody Bible Institute]). As Charles Hodge put it (Systematic Theology , 1:154), “Inspiration was an influence of the Holy Spirit on the minds of certain select men, which rendered them the organs of God for the infallible communication of his mind and will. They were in such a sense the organs of God that what they said, God said.”
A critic may argue that we’re reasoning in a circle: We say that the Bible is inspired because the Bible says it’s inspired. Any book can make that claim for itself. But if you sands of years, there is a unity and integrity to the Bible that could not exist apart from supernatural influence. Furthermore, if you reject the divine inspiration of the Old Testament, you must reject the teachings of Jesus Himself, because He repeatedly taught that Scripture is from God (Matt. 5:17-18; 22:31-32, 43; John 10:35).read the Bible, you discover that it is a self-authenticating book. Though written by many different authors over thousands of years
D. OUR SALVATION IS GREAT BECAUSE IT IS A MYSTERY TO THE ANGELS.
Peter says that even the angels long to look into our salvation! The word “look” means to stoop to look into (it was used of Peter stooping to look into the empty tomb--John 20:5) or to gaze intently at something (James 1:25). It implies intense interest. When Satan and the other fallen angels sinned, God did not provide salvation for them. He provided it only for fallen human beings, and that at great cost: He took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and died in our place on the cross. His plan is that His manifold wisdom might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places (Eph. 3:10). Jesus taught that the angels rejoice over the salvation of one repentant sinner (Luke 15:10).
Whatever angels know, we can assume that they know a lot about God. They stand in His holy presence (Isa. 6:1-3). They are sent out to do His will (Heb. 1:14). They have tremendous authority and power (2 Pet. 2:11; Jude 8-9). They’re impressive beings! And yet, there is something about the majesty of God’s Being that He is teaching even the angels through our salvation! How privileged we are to enjoy such a great salvation!
E. OUR SALVATION IS GREAT BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE SUFFERINGS AND GLORIES OF CHRIST.
Jesus Christ is the center of world history. His coming to this earth, His dying for our sins, His resurrection, His ascension into heaven, and His promise to return bodily, are the most important facts in human history. Nothing else comes close by way of comparison. He is the center of all Scripture. As the risen Savior spoke to the men on the Emmaus road, “‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:25-27). Christ is at the center both of human history and of Scripture.
And the cross is the central reason Christ came to this earth. Thus, as Alexander Maclaren declares (Expositions of Holy Scripture , 1 Peter, p. 47), it is not enough to preach Christ; we must preach Christ crucified. It is not enough to preach the ethical teachings of Jesus, although we must seek to live by them. It is not enough to point to Jesus as our great example, although His life should be our model. It is not even enough to speak of His death as a brave sacrifice, unless we make it clear that He “died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). He accomplished that salvation through His death on the cross.
When Paul reasoned from the Scriptures with the Jews in Thessalonica, he explained and gave evidence “that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead,” saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ” (Acts 17:3). The sufferings of Christ refer to His death that satisfied the justice of God as payment for our sins. The glories of Christ refer to His resurrection, His ascension, His present exalted place at the right hand of the Father, His bodily return, and His future reign in power and glory. Our salvation is great because it is centered on these, the most crucial truths in history.
This point stems from the context of our text. Peter is arguing that our salvation is so great that whatever we must endure for Christ’s sake now is nothing compared with the glory that awaits us. Just as Jesus first wore the crown of thorns and then the crown of glory, so with us who follow Him. We may suffer now, but we already have tasted of this great salvation that the prophets foretold and into which the angels long to look. We can’t even fathom all the riches which God has in store for those who love Him. So when you suffer for Jesus’ sake, hang in there with joy, knowing that glory lies ahead!
Conclusion;
When you study your Bible, one secret is to look for words that are repeated for emphasis. Sometimes these words are not significant in themselves, but their repetition makes them significant. In our text, there is a word that occurs once in 1:10 and three times in 1:12 that drives home Peter’s message: the word “you.” He writes of “the grace that would come to you“ (1:10); “they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven” (1:12). The point is simple: Even though the message of God’s salvation is the greatest message in human history, it does you no good unless you personally lay hold of it by faith.
I began this message by asking, “What consistently gives you the most joy in life?” The Reformed Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 begins with a similar question: What is your only comfort in life and death? It’s a personal question with both temporal and eternal implications. If your honest answer is anything other than, “Jesus Christ and the salvation He has given to me by faith,” you need to do some serious soul-searching. You may be a church member or even involved in Christian ministry, but if you’ve never responded personally to the great salvation God provided in Jesus Christ, you are lost. I fear that as in Jesus’ day, so today it is often the most outwardly religious who have the most difficulty responding to the salvation Christ provides because it requires admitting that we are not good people; we’re undeserving sinners.
Years ago, Bishop John Taylor Smith, a former chaplain general of the British army, was preaching in a large cathedral on the text, “You must be born again.” He said, “My dear people, do not substitute anything for the new birth. You may be a member of a church, ... but church membership is not new birth, and our text says, ‘You must be born again.’ The rector was sitting on his left. He continued, “You may be a clergyman like my friend the rector here and not be born again, and you must be born again.” On his right sat the archdeacon. Pointing at him, he continued, “You might even be an archdeacon like my friend here and still not be born again, but you must be born again. You might even be a bishop like myself and not be born again, but you must be born again.”
He finished his message and went his way. But several days later he received a letter from the archdeacon which read, in part, “My dear Bishop: You have found me out. I have been a clergyman for over 30 years, but I have never known anything of the joy that Christians speak of. I could never understand it. But when you pointed at me and said that a person could be an archdeacon and not be born again, I understood what the trouble was. Would you please come and talk with me?” Of course, Bishop Smith did talk with him and the archdeacon responded to Christ’s call to salvation (H. A. Ironside, Illustrations of Biblical Truth [Moody Press], pp. 49-50).