Mark 8:27ff is the pivotal moment of Mark’s gospel. Before the conversation in this section of Scripture, Mark records 20 miracles performed by Jesus. There are only six miracles recorded in the last half of Mark, which follows this conversation. People have been marveling at Jesus and people have been trying to determine who He is. So Jesus’ question here, “Who do people say that I am?,” is not just important for the disciples walking with Jesus in Mark 8, but for those of us who read the book today. Notice a few answers we glean from Mark 8:27-9:1.
He is “Jesus” (27). The name means “Savior,” and is, in fact, the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua” (“Jehovah saves”). Matthew connects the name and the person of this Jesus with the salvation He came to bring. An angel of the Lord explains to Joseph, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (1:20-21). “Jesus” also expresses His humanity, as it is the name He goes by and even used with His hometown when He is called “Jesus of Nazareth” (1:24; 10:47). The fact that my Savior shares my humanity encourages me. I know He can empathize with me (Heb. 2:14; 4:15; 5:7).
He is “Christ” (29). While this designation of Jesus is found seven times in the gospel, He does not use it of Himself until after Peter confesses Him to be the Christ (9:41; 12:35; 13:21). It is this claim that enrages the High Priest (14:61) and draws the mockery of the crowd at His crucifixion (15:32). “Christ” means “anointed one” or “Messiah.” In the Old Testament, the anticipated deliverer is called “Anointed” (Ps. 2:2) and “Messiah” (Dan. 9:25-26). Kings (1 Sam. 24:7), priests (Lev. 4:3), and the patriarchs (Ps. 105:15) are said to be anointed. All of these have connection to Jesus. He came to become “King of kings” (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16). He is our great High Priest (Heb. 4:14). Those patriarchs are part of the Messianic lineage. No wonder Jesus (John 14:6) and His disciples (Acts 4:12) communicate that salvation from sin can only come through Him. Peter correctly discerned that Jesus is no mere prophet or harbinger. He is the expected deliverer. I must come to, live with, and share with others this conviction! That fact is the central difference in how I live my daily life!
He is “Son of Man” (31,38). Jesus connects this designation with more than one thing. First, He connects it to His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection (31). Then, He connects it to His Lordship (8:34-9:1). Properly understood, “Son of Man” will “convey if possible a (messianic) sense of dignity, authority, and responsibility. Strictly to be avoided is any translation which would equate the title merely with ‘man,’ ‘a human being” (Bratcher-Nida, Handbook on Mark, 81). It is Mark’s most common designation for Jesus, found thirteen times in this book (2:10,28; 8:31,38; 9:9,12,31; 10:33,45; 13:26; 14:21,41,62). But by using this designation, which Jews would equate with authority and majesty (Dan. 7:13-14), Jesus is connecting dots in revealing the great mystery of God’s eternal plan. The majestic Messiah was about to suffer. It’s this aspect that Paul shares with us in the necessary development of our mindset, illustrated by God emptying Himself and lowering Himself for the purpose of sacrificing His life for us (Phil. 2:5-8). When I consider this designation for my Savior, I am reminded of the greatness of service and His worthiness to be completely followed and obeyed. But, His suffering does not indicate weakness, but rather power (9:1). The Lamb will one day be the Judge.
In his book The Essence Of Life: The Book Of Answers, Ralph B. Smith noted that children ask 125 questions per day (many parents can attest to this being a reasonable estimation). Adults ask only six questions per day, on average. Yet, there is one question we all must ask and properly answer. Who do we say that He is (29)? Is He my Savior? Is He my King and High Priest? Is He my Deliverer? Is He my Lord and Master? Is He my Authority? He must be my everything and my all! If not, I have missed who He is but I will also miss all He came to offer. I cannot do that!
It’s not hard in today’s world to find things that discourage us. There are plenty of things that can bring us down. At times it really does feel like wherever we go, whatever we do, or say, there is something ready to discourage us. Unfortunately, people can be those roadblocks as well. That’s far from what we as Christians are called to do.
It was important in the days of the early church to encourage one another. So important that God commands it. It was important to God then – its important now. Thankfully we have blessings such as the church and our church family to help us through those discouraging times. How do we go about finding ways to encourage each other? Is it the way we speak or how we live, or is it in our faith? Is it all the above? The fellowship we have with our friends, our family, along with worshipping and singing praises, and studying God’s Word are just a few. These are blessings that we receive when we meet together no doubt, but let’s not contain our encouragements just to the assembly. Our everyday lives are just as important and those around us everywhere need to feel encouraged regularly. I just want to share briefly a few examples of what the Bible says about encouraging others and ways we can do just that.
Encouraging others is important, it’s necessary, it’s a command. Paul was one, if not the, most influential apostles of the first century church. He was a great teacher, preacher, mentor, and guess what? He was great at encouraging people. At the beginning of most of his letters he would begin with words of praise and thanks. (1 Thess. 1:2-3,) (Phil. 1:3-8,) (1 Cor. 1:4-5) are a few examples. In (Romans 1:12) Paul writes that he longs to be with them so that they can encourage one another in the faith. These types of encouragements were part of his everyday life.
We can’t discuss encouragement without mentioning Barnabas, the “son of encouragement.” He is mentioned several times in the New Testament, but he wasn’t a main character like Paul – he played a smaller, but still very important role. Paul spent his early life persecuting Christians. The people of the first churches, as well as the disciples feared this man, and rightfully so. After he became a Christian, the disciples didn’t believe he was one of them, so what did Barnabas do? He encouraged Paul by standing up for him in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-31). He was a fellow missionary with Paul, Mark, Titus, and others. He encouraged those in Antioch to remain faithful in the Lord with steadfast purpose, (Acts 11:23.) Paul and Barnabas visited these churches, they taught, and they lived out their teachings. They encouraged them in their works and through their faith. They instilled hope, strengthening the church’s faith. (1Thessalonians 5:11) – Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. We can all benefit from their examples.
Let’s face it, life is hard at times. Certain situations bring us discouragement and can distort and change our thinking. Who wouldn’t want to be encouraged and uplifted in these hard times? It might not seem like a big deal to some, but kind words of encouragement and praise could make all the difference in the world. (Proverbs 16:24) – Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (Proverbs 12:25) -Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. We shouldn’t be surprised that little things like sending a card or giving a compliment, sending a text message, phone call or email, could make a big difference. How underrated but so appreciated those things can be! It’s hard not to smile and be filled with some kind of encouragement if someone messages you to say they’ve missed you, and been thinking about you, been praying for you. Check in on those you haven’t seen recently – Invite someone new to dinner – someone not typically in your crowd or someone new to the church. Practice hospitality as it says in (Romans 12:13.) Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor, (Romans 12:10.)
When we encourage people we show our love, compassion, understanding, and we give them hope. It helps reset our minds, builds our confidence in each other, and allows us to see God more clearly. More than anything we are showing others how we live our faith just as Paul and Barnabas did. We show we want to be like Christ and people can see God through our actions towards them. Encouragement is powerful! Just remember that sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impacts.
In Romans 8:34 Paul says, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Rather than receiving condemnation, God sent His only Son to justify us.
Christ Died
That question, “Who is to condemn?” Is clearly answered as Christ. He is the one that should, but instead Paul goes on to say, “Christ Jesus Is the one who Died.” As proof of God’s love for us, rather than condemn us, He offers the Gift of His Son.
This isn’t the first time Paul has brought up Christ’s Death. This act of sacrificial love is the foundation of our faith. Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” His death was not a mere historical event; it was the ultimate act of love and redemption. While we were sinners, worthy of condemnation, Christ DIED for us.
Do you see how wonderful this is? Do you like forgiving someone while they are actively hurting you? This is almost impossible for us. On a much larger scale, while we were actively living in sin, Christ died for us. While we were cursing God, Jesus was dying for us. When we consider the weight of our sins, we might feel overwhelmed by guilt and shame. However, we must remember that Christ took our sins upon Himself, allowing us to stand before God blameless. His death paid the penalty we owed, and through Him, we find forgiveness and grace. As believers, we can face our past without fear because Christ has already dealt with it on the cross.
Paul further explains that rather than condemning us…
Christ Was Raised
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised…”
There is more to our salvation than the death of Christ. What good would a dead savior do for our sin? Christ came back!
“MORE than that, who was RAISED.” The resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith and a declaration of victory over death and sin. Romans 6:9 says, “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” His resurrection assures us that death does not have the final say. And with it, the fear of death is removed.
Because Christ conquered the grave, we too are given the hope of eternal life. Our resurrected Savior enables us to live in victory today. We no longer have to walk in the shadows of condemnation; instead, we can live boldly, knowing that we have been granted new life through Him. The resurrection not only affirms our salvation but also transforms our lives, enabling us to rise above our struggles and experience freedom from fear and sin.
What is there to fear in death? Death for the faithful christian will be a wonderful reunion.
Rather than condemning us, Christ died, was raised, and now…
Christ Intercedes
Romans 8:34, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Paul asks, “Who is to condemn?” He answers this question by affirming that Christ Jesus is the one who died, was raised, and now is at the right hand of God, interceding for us. Picture this: Jesus, our advocate, standing before the Father, speaking on our behalf. What a comforting thought! When we face accusations—whether from the enemy, our own doubts, or the world around us—Christ stands as our defense. He is our advocate in the courtroom of God, ensuring that we are not condemned. Instead of condemnation, we receive grace, mercy, and love. This truth should fill our hearts with hope and assurance.
Want to see a powerful example of Christ’s intercession? Luke 23:34, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Do you know who this prayer was said for?
Jesus prayed to God, asking for their forgiveness, because He would rather see His murderers forgiven then condemned.
So what do you think He is doing for you now?
The same Savior that died for you, is your advocate to the Father.
Everyone on earth was intentionally designed by God. This fact should help us to remember that every person we meet is an opportunity to serve someone made in the image of God.
God created us by making a deliberate choice to design us based on what He desired. Basically, who we are is no mistake. Who we are is intentional. Who we are is by design.
Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Both men and women are equally created in the image of God. Not just male, or just female; both are created in His image.
Nothing else on earth can be what we are. God intentionally designed us this way, and that means we matter to God! Men and women were created to be a reflection of the community God has had from the beginning. Complementary in function and design, equal in value, and created to create.
God could have made a fresh batch of humans each time one died. God could have made us like self reproducing amoebas. Instead, God designed humans to multiply and fill the earth. He designed us for community. There would be a lot less division if we would remember this.
Though he designed us perfectly, our decision to reject God’s path brought brokenness into this world–affecting bodies, gender relationships, and even the ability to have healthy families. But God loved the world. He desires for all people to know him because all are equally valuable in his sight.
So God sent his son into the world. Jesus was the perfect image of the invisible God. As we saw Jesus’ perfect love, we learned of God’s perfect love and nature. He died to create a family, a spiritual family made up of every age, race, and culture and a family formed into a church who is like his bride (A bride he died to save so that we could be united with Him for all eternity).
May we never forget that we are the product of intentional design. A design created by Almighty God!
Discussing a spiritual problem with one of our excellent elders, we were trying to pinpoint how our subject could be making the choices they were making. I said the problem starts with “s” and ends with “n.” He quickly said, the solution also starts with “s” and ends with “n.” Look at the difference at not just a single vowel, but what is represented by both.
Sin is a “contrary desire” (Gen. 4:7). Sin is “against God” (Gen. 39:9). Sin blots one out of God’s book (Ex. 32:33). Sin can be doing what God has not commanded to be done (Lev. 5:17). Sin is to act unfaithfully against the Lord (Lev. 6:2; Num. 5:6). Sin causes one to become guilty (Lev. 6:4). Sin is “impurity” (Lev. 16:16). Sin is to act with hostility against God (Lev. 26:24,28). Sin is to go astray (Num. 15:28). Sin is “doing evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger” (Dt. 9:18). Sin is “transgression” (Josh. 24:19). Sin is to forsake the Lord (1 Sa. 12:10). Sin is linked to guilt (2 Chr. 28:13). Sin is synonymous with “rebellion” (Job 13:23). Sin can make one “full of anxiety” (Ps. 38:18). Sin is spiritual filth (Ps. 51:2). Sin is an injury to self (Pr. 8:36). Sin is “a disgrace to any people” (Pr. 14:34). Sin weighs one down with iniquity (Is. 1:4). Sins are like a heavy mist (Is. 44:22). Our sins testify against us (Is. 59:12). Sin withholds good against us (Jer. 5:25). Sin brings spiritual death (Ezk. 18:4,20). Sin is to “act wickedly” and turn aside from God’s commandments and ordinances (Dan. 9:5). Sin is “impurity” (Zech. 13:1). Sin a “fault” (Mt. 18:15). Sin brings death (Jn. 8:21; Rom. 6:23; Js. 1:15). Sin is enslaving (Jn. 8:34). Sin is common to all (Rom. 3:23). Sin can come to reign in our bodies (Rom. 6:12). Sin is “whatever is not of faith” (Rom. 14:23). Sin is synonymous with “trespasses” (Eph. 2:1). Sin may be led on by various impulses (2 Tim. 3:6). Sin is perverting and self-condemning (Ti. 3:11). Sin is “deceitful” (Heb. 3:13). Sin is “entangling” (Heb. 12:1). Sin is knowing the right thing and not doing it (Js. 4:17). Sin is “unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 5:17). Sin is “of the devil” (1 Jn. 3:8).
Oh, but the Son! The passages about Him exceed even those about sin! The Son came to take away sins (Rom. 11:27; 1 Jn. 3:5). He came to destroy sin’s power (1 Jn. 3:8). The Son condemned sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3). The Son cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn. 1:7). That only begins to scratch the surface of the power of the Son to absolve us of the guilt of sin, if we desire to put sin away and come to Him.
What will give us the strength and heart to turn from the sin to the Son? Maybe the difference is in those vowels, “I” and “O.” When I truly understand my debt, I will deal with this problem. Sin is a spiritual debt “I owe.” I cannot pay it. But the Son can (Col. 2:14)! As the song suggests, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.” Yet, to exchange a debt of guilt for a debt of gratitude is the difference between a life of misery and a life of fulfillment, the difference between an eternity of regret and an eternity of rejoicing.
The Bible is devoted to alerting us to our problem, but equally devoted to sharing the solution! May we have the humility and honesty to seek it!
Love and forgiveness, two tenets of our Christian faith. Love and forgiveness, something we all desire and something God commands us to give to others. The New Testament is replete with scriptures on love and forgiveness. In Matthew chapter 5, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus instructs us to love our enemies. He also commands us to forgive others knowing the debt He paid for our forgiveness.
I recently attended a funeral. I did not know Elizabeth well, but I knew a lot about her influence. Tommy did her eulogy; she had asked him to do it.
I need to tell their story. A story the world would think odd but not those that know and understand the love and forgiveness we have in Jesus.
Elizabeth and Frank, her husband, had one son, Ted. Ted was coming home for Christmas break from college when he was killed by a drunk driver. Tommy was that drunk driver.
Tommy received what some may consider a light sentence … minimal jail time and community service to talk at schools about the dangers of drunk driving.
In the eulogy Tommy recalled how he felt as if nobody cared about him and that God had turned away from him. He realized the destruction and pain he caused in Elizabeth and Frank’s life.
As Tommy recalled, “I was walking home to my apartment one late evening and Elizabeth thought she recognized me and pulled over to the side of the road. I was fearful and reluctant when she rolled down the window of her car and asked if she could talk to me. She asked me to get in the car, that she just wanted to talk with me. As I got in, she explained that she did not want to harm me. She was desperately wanting to know who I was, how I felt about what I had done. She also wanted me to understand the great harm I had done. I felt the weight of my crime and I could not bear the sorrow. She asked about my past and alcoholism and why I would do something so careless. After several minutes Elizabeth asked me to promise I would not take a drink that night. We cried together and I promised I would not take that drink. Elizabeth had compassion for she could see a life of waste and a lost soul.”
Through her anger, grief and despair, Elizabeth saw a lost soul…someone in need of Jesus. Elizabeth and Frank fully understood the example Christ left us about love and forgiveness even when it is painful and not easy. The thought of a lost soul was greater than their grief. They began studying the Bible with Tommy and eventually he obeyed the gospel. They became active in Tommy’s life helping to guide him as a young Christian. Tommy is an active faithful Christian some forty years later.
Love and forgiveness – they are choices we decide to give or withhold.
Sometimes it’s loving and forgiving ourselves as Tommy did – sometimes it’s loving and forgiving others as Elizabeth and Frank did … always mindful of what Jesus did for us. HE did not withhold from us.
Love and forgiveness – God has it for each of us – we all need it – and HE freely gives it.
There’s a story told of a man who came forward every Sunday to ask for prayers.
He continued responding every week for several months. Every time he would confess this same sin he would say, “Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life.”
Finally, one Sunday, the man responded again with the same sin, and asked for the cobwebs to be taken out of his life. To which the preacher responded, “just kill the spider already.” Often, we come to God asking for forgiveness from the same sin time and time again, and yet we continue to leave the source of temptation in our lives.
Sin always requires forgiveness. Forgiveness requires repentance. Repentance requires change! Repentance is a topic we are all familiar with. The word repent/repentance is used over 170 times in the Bible It is stressed as a part of the process by which we are forgiven of our sin. Verses like Acts 2:38 come to mind when we hear this word. To repent means to change your mind which leads to a change in direction. It means to feel remorse for sin, and it includes a change in lifestyle.
When faced with temptation, true repentance is choosing not to sin. When caught in sin, repentance is a godly remorse. It is sincerity in your desire to “go and sin no more.” We understand this. It’s important for the born again Christian, but also for those who are wanting to be immersed and added to the body of Christ.
We know what it is, but we also need to realize what it isn’t. Repentance isn’t just feeling sad. Paul tells us that worldly remorse is just feeling sorry that you were caught. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” Godly grief that leads to repentance is remorse that you have sinned against the God of our salvation.
Worldly repentance is hollow and empty.
It isn’t feeling remorse just because you were caught doing what you shouldn’t. True repentance is so much more. True repentance does not regret parting with sin, false repentance does. True repentance hates sin, false repentance hates the consequences of sin. True repentance accepts godly counsel and accountability, false repentance avoids accountability.
Our goal must be to practice true repentance, and we can’t fool ourselves. We are ALL in need of forgiveness, but we must be willing to confess our sins, to hate the sin, and change our lives to mirror Christ.
Why Is repentance needed? Whether it is in relationships, in the church or in the world, God will not forgive us if we are unwilling to change sinful behavior.
Repentance isn’t just guilt, although guilt can sometimes motivate us to repent.
In Luke 13:3,5, Jesus tells those who come to him to repent or they will perish. In this section several people come to Jesus to talk not about their own sins, but the sins of others. It’s a whole lot easier to see the faults in others rather than the blatantly obvious faults we have in our own lives.
Here the people have done exactly what we continue to do today, talk about the sins of others rather than their own. But Jesus tells them they are horribly mistaken. There is power in repentance, and twice in this one conversation Jesus tells them to repent.
If I am honest, there have been far too many times I have failed to just “kill the spider.” I am ashamed of the sin I continued to feed all the while pointing out sin in everyone else’s lives. God will look at each and every one of us. He sees our sins and there is no one to blame but ourselves. Repent. Before your conscience is seared or the end comes. Repent.
The late George Bailey was known for saying, “A man wrapped up in himself makes a pretty small package.” Truly, there is a little “i” in Christ! Paul exemplifies the way a servant of Christ and steward of the gospel (4:1) behaves. How can we humbly serve Christ and, through such, contribute to unity in His body?
Do Not Deceive Yourself (3:18-23)
Paul draws on his contrast between wisdom and foolishness back at the beginning of the letter. The wisdom of this world is foolishness before God (3:19). Why does Paul say that here? In part, it is to drive home the point that they should not boast in men (like himself, Apollos, and Peter). But it is also to remind them that their glory and worth are tied to their being in Christ and belonging to Him. We wrestle so much with pride in our earthly accomplishments and attributes, but none of those things, of themselves, get us into heaven or bring about unity. Paul drives the point home by quoting from Job and Psalms. Worldly wisdom is a dead-end street.
Be A Faithful Steward Of The Mysteries Of God (4:1-2)
Instead of being spiritual heroes to be idolized, Paul says that he and other church leaders were servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1). The mysteries of God are the testimony of God (2:1), God’s once-hidden mystery (2:7) now revealed in the preaching of the gospel (see Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:1ff). Paul wanted to be seen as a trustworthy steward (manager) of that unparalleled message (cf. 3:11-15). Here’s the point. Paul knew he had only so much time, energy, and other resources to spend on accomplishing his purpose, and he wanted to be the most effective worker for Jesus that he could be. If that’s how we see ourselves, our purpose and work, it will keep us from focusing on who we are and what we have done.
Remember Who Is Examining Your Work (4:3-5)
The previous point is made more powerful by the fact that not only should we not think more highly of ourselves than we ought, but we need to remember God is examining us. Ignore the idle critic or the armchair quarterback. Don’t spend a lot of time polishing your trophies and reading your “press clippings.” “Wait until the Lord comes” (4:5) and let Him acknowledge you and reward you. He will reveal all the secrets and He will disclose men’s motives. In other words, do the right things for the right reason and you will be richly rewarded by Christ in the end. God will praise you at The Judgment.
Follow Good Examples Of Humility (4:6-13)
Paul and Apollos did not view each other as rivals, measuring who was more successful, more loved, or more influential among the Corinthians. He urges them to look at their example, and let God’s Word be the measuring stick of success and failure. The end result would be preventing arrogance and rivalry. These servants of Christ had been doing their service to Him at great personal cost–they were a spectacle to the world (4:9), fools for Christ’s sake (4:10), weak (4:10), without honor (4:10), physically deprived (4:11), reviled, persecuted, and slandered (4:12-13), and, in summary, “we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now” (4:13b). Doesn’t sound like a condition to brag about, does it? Paul is not trying to portray himself as some spiritual superhero. Neither is he whining or complaining. He is trying to get the Corinthians to understand what matters. It’s not about jockeying for the top spot in the kingdom. It’s about being a faithful steward of the gospel and servant of the Christ. Focus so hard on that goal that you can ignore the praise and the persecution, and let Jesus exalt you at the end. A mindset like that kills division and disunity.
Background To Paul’s First Letter To Corinth (Acts 18)
Neal Pollard
Paul leaves Athens for Corinth (Acts 18:1) near the end of his historic second missionary journey. He was taking seriously his Christ-given commission to bear His name “before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15). On this journey, he had taken the gospel to a continent it had not been and now he was taking it to one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the first-century world.
Corinth was a wealthy commercial city, and was at the time the capitol of Greece (Lange 334). “More than twenty times larger than Athens, Corinth officially counted only its free citizens—Greeks, Italians, Roman army veterans, business and commerce people, and Orientals including a large number of Jews. Corinth was also home to nearly a half million slaves, bringing its overall population to about 700,000” (Gangel, Vol. 5, 301). It was renowned for its sexual immorality, an influence we will see in the Corinthian epistles. There was even a common term in usage for half a millennia, “to Corinthianize,” to describe sexual immorality among the Greek-speaking world (ibid.).
But we notice how Paul’s relationship with the city, so far as his work as a missionary, begin by reading Luke’s inspired account of his initial preaching in this city. This effort would be the foundation of the first epistle to the Corinthians. Notice what we discover in Acts 18:1-18.
HIS COWORKERS (2-3,5)
When he first arrives, he finds a Jewish couple, Aquila and Priscilla, whose secular profession was the same as his–tent-makers (3). The couple had been expelled, along with all other Jews, from Rome by the emperor Claudius (2; it is almost universally believed to have occurred around 49-50 A.D. The Roman historian, Seutonius, says Claudius “expelled all the Jews because of a tumult instigated by ‘Chrestus,’ Polhill, 382). Until his fellow missionaries join him in Corinth, Paul works his trade with Aquila and Priscilla and reserves his preaching to apparently his day off (4). Eventually, Silas and Timothy arrive from Macedonia and “Paul began devoting himself completely to the word” (5). He was still working, but the nature and type of work changed. He would go on to “teach the word of God among them” for 18 months (11).
HIS CHALLENGES (4-6,9-10, 12-17)
Paul will later tell in graphic details all his challenges as a missionary and preacher (2 Cor. 11:23-33), and we get a glimpse of what would be relatively minor for this much-persecuted man.
One challenge was trying to persuade Jews and Greeks (4)
Another challenge was the resistance and blasphemy of the Jews (5-6)
He was challenged by feelings of fear (9-10)
There was the challenge of the false accusations of the Jews before the Roman proconsul, Gallio (12-17).
He knew from experience what he would tell one of these coworkers, Timothy, that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12; cf. Acts 14:22).
HIS CONVERTS (7-8, 18).
His teaching resulted in the establishment of the church at Corinth. This would include possibly Titius Justus (7), Crispus, the leader of the synagogue and all his household (8), many of the Corinthians (8b), Ironically, it also included Sosthenes (Crispus’ successor or coworker), who was beaten by the Jews here (17) but called “a brother” in 1 Corinthians 1:1. Truly, the Lord had “many people in this city” (10).
So, when you read along with me in this first epistle, don’t forget this vital background and the events that led to the church’s establishment in Corinth. While Paul will have much to say by way of correction and admonition, they were among the most receptive to the gospel we read about in Paul’s mission work. The second letter reveals a people who, despite their problems, were willing to work on them and overcome them. Their struggles, which we get clear insight into in the first epistle, are those we can all relate to today. Don’t lose sight of an important principle throughout, that God’s Word is the remedy to any and all such struggles.
We read of several men and women in scripture who died and were brought back to life. Elijah raised a widow’s son in 1 Kings 17. Elisha raised the son of a Shunamite woman in 2 Kings 4. Jesus saw a funeral procession in Luke 7, He felt compassion towards the widow who had lost her only son and He brought him back to life. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after three days in John 11. He also raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Coming back from the dead wasn’t unheard of when Jesus rose from the grave.
The power of His resurrection is found in the fact that He rose to never die again. With His death, He defeated the grip that death has on us. Elijah raised the widow’s son, but that son eventually died. It’s the same with the son in Luke 7, with Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus. They were raised through the power of God, but they died again.
The Son of God came to be killed, to die in our place. Never to die again! Christ has saved us, there is power in His sacrifice because He continues to live today! He lives to Intercede for us! Muhammad is dead. Joseph Smith Is dead. Buddha is dead. But Christ, the author of our faith, is ALIVE.
We sing a song with these lyrics, “I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world TODAY!” Do you truly believe that? His Resurrection gives us eternal life. At least, that’s what scripture tells us. How certain are you that Jesus came back from the dead? Did you see it happen? For many, The Bible’s an old book, a lot has happened since then. Is Jesus really at the right hand of God today?
How can we know this is the truth?
The Power of the cross is only life changing because of Who died on it. Christianity focuses on the cross but Jesus was one of many who were killed by the Romans. The symbol of our faith is just an instrument of torture. The Resurrection is what gives the cross its meaning. If Jesus would’ve died on the cross and stayed in the ground, our faith is worthless. What happened after the cross is what gives us eternal life.
The Bible is clear in teaching that Jesus rose from the dead. Matt. 28:6 tells us the few words that changed the course of history. Words that changed the world. “He is not here. He has RISEN.” The power of the gospel is grounded and built on 4 essential facts. If just one of these is wrong, there’s no point in being a Christian. No point in coming together to worship, no need to change the way you live, and no eternal life.
We know from Scripture as well as secular history that He lived, He died, He rose, and one day He is coming back! The next four weeks we will look at these more in depth as we look at the Truth of the Gospel!
We can learn a lot about an epistle just by looking at its imperatives. An imperative is a command. Paul’s letters become especially clear when listing out the commands in them! There’s more to understanding a letter than this, but it’s a great place to start. For example, here are the imperatives in Colossians:
Follow Christ Only (2.6)
Do not Follow Man’s Traditions (2.8)
Don’t Let Anyone Force You into Traditions (2.16)
Live for What is Above (3.1)
Think Only about What is Above (3.2)
Kill Every Immoral Behavior You Have (3.5)
Throw Away Bad Behaviors (3.8)
Do not Lie to Each Other (3.9)
Adopt Godly Traits (3.12)
Always be Grateful (3.15)
Let Jesus’s Teachings Live in You (3.16)
Wives, Submit to Your Husbands (3.18)
Husbands, Love Your Wives (3.19)
Husbands, do not do Things that Make Your Wife Bitter (3.19)
Children, Submit to Your Parents (3.20)
Fathers, do not Harass Your Children to the Point of Exasperation (21)
Servants, Submit to Your Masters in Everything (22)
Servants, Act as Though You Work for God, not a Human Master (3.23)
Servants, Remember that You are a Slave for Christ First (3.24)
Masters, Remember that You Have a Master in the Sky (4.1)
Never Stop Praying (4.2)
Make Sure You Behave around People Who don’t Believe (4.5)
Say Hi to Everyone in Laodicea for Us (4.15)
Read This Letter to the Church in Laodicea (4.16)
Tell Archippus, “Do the Work God Gave You” (4.17)
Remember Me in Prison (4.18)
See? You can use the commands to make a simple outline of the letter and get a good idea of what’s going on! There’s a good chance I’ve missed a couple, so if y’all find an imperative that isn’t on this list, shoot it my way.
Very clearly seen in His ministry, Jesus believed that prayer worked. He realized the effectiveness and power of prayer. Because of this, He had an intimate relationship with the Father. Before He came to this earth, He was close to the Father. He refused to let His flesh separate Him from God. He had a desire to spend time with the Father.
Sometimes, our motivation to pray is put out because we doubt that our prayers will work or make a difference. I for one have gone through periods of time where I failed to pray as I should, solely because of doubt.
This is straight from the mouth of Satan. What better way to weaken our faith than to place doubt in our minds in the Creator to which we pray through the Son?
What happens is we get this view of prayer that its all about the prayer requests. Not that it’s wrong to ask God for help, or pray for the sick, but all too often we see prayer as a help wanted billboard. We miss the point of prayer if this is all we see it as! Prayer is about talking with our Father, building and maintaining our relationship with our Savior!
How close would you be to your physical father if the only reason you called him and talked to him was to ask for favors? Prayer is all about connection. If we reduce prayer to nothing more than asking for things, we have failed to pray like Christ.
Making requests is one of the many needed aspects of prayer. It is true that Jesus spoke confidently to God, and requested things.
God is more than willing to answer His obedient children. James tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is effective. Jesus believed and acted on the confidence that God would answer or hear His prayers. We need to understand the heart and mind of Christ if we are to imitate His prayer life.
Jesus Was Not Passive. Far too often we believe (or act) as though once we pray about something, we don’t have to do anything more. It’s almost as if we see devotion to God and helping others as being mutually exclusive. We will pray for someone who is hurting, sick, or hungry and then do nothing more. Jesus prayed often, for long periods of time, but He was never passive. He didn’t separate faith from action. Jesus would pray, then heal. He believed, then acted. He would preach, then live what He taught. Why do we think it would be any different? Could it be that we are the answer to our prayers more often than we realize?
Maybe we are the ones to comfort those who are mourning. Maybe we are the ones who are supposed to feed the hungry. Maybe we are the ones who need to study with the lost. It’s important we pray for others, but we cannot be passive and expect our prayers to be answered.
Jesus warned against being passive in Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus is teaching about the final judgment we will all face in the end.
Notice how Jesus rejects those who aren’t concerned for the physical wellbeing of others. He will have nothing to do with Christian’s who fail to have an active prayer life (33-40). A prayer by itself won’t clothe someone. Prayer by itself won’t fill an empty stomach. A prayer with no action will never give someone a drink. Jesus accepts those who DO SOMETHING. Prayer should open our eyes to the needs of those around us.
If we have a say in the matter, if we have the ability to change someone’s circumstances WE ARE THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS.
Jesus will reject a spirituality that is not concerned for the tangible needs of those around us. People matter to God. So much so that our eternity depends on how we care for anyone we may meet. Don’t get me wrong, God expects us to pray for others (Jesus’ example of prayer included praying for our enemies, and those we love), but He also expects us to be His hands and feet.
James 2:14-17, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Unfortunately, we often use prayer as a substitute for action. In fact, it sounds so spiritual to say that we will pray about it; but highly hypocritical to have the tools and resources to do something about it but not act. Wives, how would you feel if you went to your husbands and asked them to put together that piece of furniture you bought from the store and they answered by saying “I’ll be praying about it.” Maybe you need the oil changed on your car and they say, “I’ll definitely be praying that gets taken care of.” How frustrating would that be?
At some point our prayers should open our eyes to the works we should be doing! Like Jesus, we should pray as though it all depended on God, but act responsibly and obediently as though it all depended on us.
Paul made a statement in Galatians 6.17 that is worth considering. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he declared, “From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (ESV). This statement raises the question: was he speaking literally? Did his fearless preaching of Jesus Christ result in physical marks? Considering the hardships listed in 2 Corinthians 11—195 stripes from the Jews, beatings with rods, and being stoned in Lystra—it’s plausible that Paul bore physical scars from these experiences. It’s unlikely any of us bear such marks for Jesus.
However, Paul’s message delves deeper than the physical scars. His letter to the Galatians also defended against accusations of being a false apostle. Critics claimed he received his message from men, not from divine revelation. Paul countered this by pointing to his scars as evidence of his apostleship and dedication to God’s truth. Thus, his physical marks were not just scars but proof of his faithfulness and the truth he preached.
This proof leads to a reflective question: if someone examined your life closely, would they see the truth of God’s Word as clearly as they might see the physical scars on Paul? It’s a challenging thought. Paul encourages us to bear the marks of Jesus, the marks of truth, in our lives. Remember Jesus’ words in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (ESV). God’s word, the Bible, calls us to bear its marks in our lives actively.
Bearing the marks of Jesus Christ means living in alignment with His teachings and principles, allowing His truth to permeate every aspect of our lives. This involves reflecting His love, grace, and forgiveness in our interactions and consistently seeking to grow in understanding and applying His Word. As we embody God’s truth, we become living testimonies of His transformative power and a beacon of hope to those around us.
In conclusion, the marks of Jesus Christ that Paul bore are a profound metaphor for Christian life. Whether physical scars from persecution or the spiritual imprints of living according to Christ’s teachings, these marks signify a life committed to the gospel. Paul’s dedication serves as a reminder of discipleship’s cost and divine truth’s strength. As followers of Christ today, we are challenged to bear our own marks through our actions and life choices, not necessarily through physical suffering but through a commitment to living out His teachings. Let us strive to make the gospel’s truth visible in our lives, serving as clear indicators of our faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, thereby honoring the legacy of apostles like Paul and contributing to the witness of God’s kingdom on earth.
There were some members of the early church who had difficulty accepting some of the basic teachings of Christianity. The Hebrews writer told them, “We have many things to tell you about this. But it’s hard to explain because you’ve stopped trying to understand. You’ve had enough time by now that you should be teachers. But you need someone to teach you again the first lessons of God’s teaching. You still need the teaching that is like milk. … Anyone who lives on this is still a baby and not able to understand much about living right. But solid food is for people who have grown up. From their experience they’ve learned to see the difference between good and evil” (Hb 5.11-14).
What’s the basic stuff that prevents us from being mature?
6.2 — Baptisms. This is probably Jewish washings and other irrelevant customs from the old system. They should’ve been past this by now.
6.2 — This one doesn’t really apply to us today, but “laying hands on people”, usually to give them God’s blessing or supernatural power.
6.2 — The resurrection of the dead and final judgment.
These basics should be a given for every Christian. The Hebrews writer’s audience had “had enough time by now to become teachers” only a couple decades after Jesus’s work. It’s been about 2,000 years for us. We have no excuse to be stuck in the basics!
So what should we be doing?
Hebrews 7-10 — Understand that Jesus is far superior to any other system of belief, he’s in the highest position of power in the universe, he lives to serve as our perfect high priest, the old system (Old Law) is irrelevant now (8.13), that Jesus’s sacrifice cleared humanity of how the Old Law convicted us of sin (9.15), understand that his return means rescue for those of us who are waiting for him (9.28), to think about and encourage each other to show love and do good things for other people (10.24-39), and to never lose our confidence in the power of our king (10-11).
This is a very simplified list for the sake of brevity, but a mature Christian tries hard to be like Jesus in how they live. They don’t give in when pressured by circumstance to deny Jesus through bad behavior. They accept suffering with grace and patience. Their confidence in who Jesus is and what he will do for us is never severely shaken. Their love for Christian family compels them to do good for them, and to encourage them by living like Jesus.
I want to talk about something that everyone has some experience with: guilt. I think it’s safe to say whether you’re a little kid sneaking cookies from the pantry, lying to a friend, or disappointing someone you care about, we’ve all felt guilt and shame. I know I’m not an exception. Not long ago, I went to a friend’s house. It was supposed to be a stay at home night with a few friends. At least that’s what I thought, and what my mom had signed off on. Little did my mom or I know, my friends had other plans in mind, and that chill night went out the window. I ended up driving around harmlessly with my friends. I ‘forgot’ to tell my mom that things had changed, or that I would even be leaving my friend’s house. I thought that if I acted normal it would be fine, and what my mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right? But, I forgot about a minor detail. That little detail was that I had Life360 constantly giving my phone’s location to my mom. So, imagine her surprise when she looks at it, and sees me on the other side of the town when I was supposed to be at my friend’s house. I came home apologizing for breaking my mom’s trust, and lying to her. I learned my lesson, and luckily, my mom forgave me since it wasn’t as big of a deal as I thought it would be.
Sometimes in life we feel guilt or shame from our sins, and we think we have wandered so far away from the path God wants us on that he’ll never take us back. But, God never gives up on you, and you can always get back on track. The first example that comes to mind is the parable of the Prodigal Son, which is found in Luke 15. We all know the story. The younger son wanted his inheritance early, which his father graciously granted him. It didn’t take long for the son to lose every last cent of his dad’s money, and he then found himself at a low point in his life. He had no choice but to go back home poor, dirty, and ashamed. He just knew his dad was going to be so mad at him, and if he was lucky, maybe his dad would let him come back as a servant . But look at verse 20 through 24 “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” You see the son made a lot of mistakes, but His biggest was underestimating the love his father had for him.
God has that same love for us, and Romans 5:8 reassures us of that, saying, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Turn with me, also, to 1 John 4 verse 16 ”So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.“ God’s love for us is stronger than any mistake we could make. All that matters to God is that we trust him and are willing to follow his commandments.
When we take Christ on in baptism we are supposed to stop walking our own path and follow him. If you disobey His commandments, you are denying Him, therefore you are separating yourself from him. But, even though you may be temporarily lost, that does not mean you’ve lost your salvation. One great analogy that Hiram mentioned at a recent Bible study, was for us to imagine our Christian walk as a literal walk. Everyone starts in one place and with each step that you take forward you stay on the path of God. Many people think that when you disobey God’s word and you go off the path, that you’ve lost your salvation, and are away from God. What Hiram reminded us however, is much different. I was told that every wrong direction that we take in life is just us taking one step back. It isn’t getting off the path of Christianity, it’s just a slight mistake in this long walk of life. I know many times I’ve taken a step back in my faith. In the story of the prodigal son, he took several steps back and his father was still waiting for him to come home. Our Father waits for us too, just like my mom was waiting for me when I got home that night.
Each Year towns and cities all over the country participate in New Year’s Eve parties and parades. One in particular is called the Tournament of Roses parade. Several years ago one of the floats that had entered in sputtered and died right in the middle of the parade. Turns out it was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone ran to get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float belonged to the “Standard Oil Company.”
Despite its vast resources the float still ran out of gas. Even though Christians have access to almighty God, if we don’t dedicate our lives to Him, we will run out of Power.
It doesn’t matter who you know, it matters what you do. Someone once observed that a wasted life is really nothing more than a collection of wasted days. As God gives us life, each one of us starts the new year with the same number of opportunities—365—that we can choose to either use and invest in eternal things or allow to drift by without taking advantage of the gift we have been given.
The difference between those who succeed and those who fail is not found primarily in talent but in diligence and effort. And so the question we should constantly be asking ourselves is, “what are we doing with this new year?” Biblical Christianity requires growth. If who you are now (January 11th) is the same as you were last January, something must change!
God expects us to grow, and if we aren’t growing we have become complacent. So what will we do with this new year? We have the resources, we have the opportunities, so what’s stopping us?
I believe what happens to many of us is we don’t know where to start. We want to be better so we make a plan to read the Bible through in a year. Then we hit Leviticus and it goes out the window. We resolve to pray more and our lives get so busy we forget. We have got to better ourselves since we know it must be a priority, but what are some ways we can be better in 2024?
I’m glad you asked! Here are 6 ways to be better in 2024 from Philippians 4:1-9. Chapter four is where Paul brings everything to a point. Every example, every command, every prayer and request has been said in anticipation of this chapter. Paul desires nothing more than unity for this church at Philippi. He used Timothy, Epaphroditus, Christ, and himself as examples of humility and service because that is what it takes to be united as a body.
Paul gives us ways we can be better as individuals and as a church family:
Stand firm (1)
Work Together (2-3)
Be Joyful (4)
Learn To Be Gentle (5)
Pray More (6-7)
Control Your Thoughts (8-9)
Make this new year a time of growth as a Christian. Let’s be better!
Even though his name wasn’t on the list of scheduled participants, you could tell the debate was centered on him. All of the candidates had no choice but to acknowledge his influence. Ironically, the show’s biggest winner wasn’t even there in person, though he certainly was in spirit.
I’m talking about Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States. Trump, the current Republican frontrunner, opted out of the first debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle. He didn’t need to attend. The debate host, Fox News, repeatedly mentioned Trump’s absence and decision to skip the first debate. Many questions focused on Trump, including a request for a show of hands from those who would vote for him as the Republican nominee in 2024.
Although several candidates, like DeSantis, raised their hands cautiously, only Asa Hutchinson abstained. Moderator Bret Baier referred to Trump as “the elephant not in the room.” Even though Trump wasn’t there in person, he still managed to steal the show.
Preacherpollard.com isn’t a political blog; instead, the primary goal of this space is to delve into the Bible and talk about how to apply its teachings to daily life. Nonetheless, occasionally, mundane occurrences trigger spiritual musings. In this case, Trump’s conspicuous absence from the debate prompted such a notion on my part.
Archaeological discoveries and ancient history have always piqued my interest. Beginning in the late twentieth century, I began to notice an increase in the usage of “BCE” and “CE” instead of “BC” and “AD” in historical dating. I was initially perplexed, but I quickly realized that these titles meant “Before the Common Era” and “Common Era,” respectively. What, I thought, made this time “common”? The response, unsurprisingly, was Jesus Christ. The impact of His followers, notably in the West and its global financial influence, led to the worldwide adoption of this calendar system, often for economic objectives.
Although I was late to the party, the attempt to downplay Christ’s temporal relevance has historical antecedents. In the 17th century, Johannes Kepler referred to it as the “vulgar era,” where “vulgar” translates to “common” in Latin. Similarly, “BCE” and “CE” were used by a few scholars in the 1800s.
However, the 1990s saw an explosion in the adoption of these nontraditional words for dating. During this time, there was a broader shift toward diversity, multiculturalism, and secularism, particularly in academic contexts. Many textbook publishers and academic publications adopted the BCE/CE system to be more “inclusive” and “unbiased.” This nomenclature gradually became standard in textbooks, and eventually, museums adopted it.
The paradox is that the system isn’t more inclusive when Christ’s name is left out. The “common era” still has Him as its starting point. His absence only emphasizes His power, much like how our current calendar system, which has been in place for over 1500 years, finds it more convenient to change nomenclature than history.
Jesus Christ’s influence extends far beyond religious belief. He is also a historical figure. He has profoundly impacted global culture, values, and history, and we inseparably perceive time through Him. Whether or not one acknowledges it, His legacy has had and will continue to impact how people think about and experience time.
Thus, I remembered Him while noticing how another figure, a much more flawed and insignificant figure, was still the winner of a debate the latter won in absentia.“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4.12 NASB)
It’s existed since the beginning. We’ve heard it ourselves and we’ve seen it with our own eyes. We’ve studied it and touched it with our own hands. This is the word of life, and this life was shown to us. Everything we’ve heard and witnessed and told you about is this eternal life. He came from the father and was revealed to us. We’ve told you everything we’ve seen and heard so you can partner with us. We have this partnership with the father, as well as with his son Jesus Christ. We’re writing this to you to make our joy complete.
The message that we’ve been hearing from him is the same one we’re giving you: God is made of light, and no darkness exists in him whatsoever. If we claim to be partners with him while our lives are defined by walking in darkness, we’re liars and can’t even practice the truth. But if our lives are defined by walking in light, we have partnership with each other. On top of that, the blood of God’s son Jesus gets rid of any and all sins we have!
If someone says they don’t have sin, they’re lying – no truth exists in them. If we admit that we have sin in our lives, he is consistent and morally pure, so he’ll forgive us and get rid of our moral impurity. If someone says they’ve never even sinned, they make God a liar. His word will have nothing to do with them.
My children, I’m writing all of this to you to help you avoid sin. But when we do sin, we have someone who came from God and who advocates for us: Jesus Christ, the morally perfect one who gets rid of every one of our sins. He doesn’t just take care of our sins, he does the same thing for everyone in the world!
We can know for sure that we know him if we do what he’s told us. Anyone who claims to know God but doesn’t do what he’s told us is a liar. The truth doesn’t exist in them. If we do what he’s told us to do, the truth is in us and God’s love is, too. That’s how we know we’re with him. If we claim to be with him, we’re obligated to live by the same standard Jesus lived by.
Loved ones, I’m not giving you a new commandment here. It’s the same one that’s existed since the beginning of time: love each other deeply. You’ve heard this before. It is new in a way, though. The same truth that existed in Jesus now exists in you. Darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining through.
If someone claims to be in this light but hates their Christian family, they’re actually in darkness. If you love your Christian family, you’re a part of this light. You don’t trip other people in their walk, either. Anyone who hates their spiritual family lives and walks in darkness. They’re lost because the darkness has blinded them.
Children, I’m writing to you because Jesus forgave your sins.
Fathers, I’m writing to you because you’ve known this from the beginning.
Teens, I’m writing to you because you’ve defeated the evil one.
Children, I’m writing to you because you’ve always know the father.
Fathers, I’m writing to you because you’ve known this from the beginning.
Teens, I’m writing to you because you’re strong. God’s word lives in you, and has defeated the evil one.
My loved ones, do not love this world or anything in it. If you love the world, God doesn’t love you! There’s nothing good in this world. Unhealthy sexual desire, materialism, and unhealthy pride are not from God. They’re exclusive to the world, which is disappearing along with everything in it. Anyone who does what God wants, though, will live forever.
Little children, the end is coming soon. You’ve already heard that enemies of Christ are coming. Well, many of those enemies are already here. That’s how we know the end is coming soon. They left us, but they were never really with us or they would’ve stayed. They showed their true colors when they left.
But you have been chosen by the holy one, and you know everything you need to know. I’m not writing to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, unlike those who lie.
Anyone who denies that Jesus is the chosen king is a liar. Anyone who rejects the father and the son is an enemy of Jesus. Anyone who rejects Jesus rejects his father, too.
But anyone who acknowledges Jesus partners with the father, too! It’s important that you stick to what you’ve heard from the start. If you do, you are partners with the son and the father. Through this message we’ve been promised eternal life.
I’m writing to you because people are trying to deceive you. He chose you, and that stands – no one needs to teach you anymore about it. When he chose you, you learned everything you needed to know. His choosing you was true, not a deception. Stick with him. Stick with him so that when he comes back, we can have confidence without having to feel ashamed. You know that he’s morally perfect.
Look into the kind of love the father gave us: we can be called “God’s children,” and we actually are! The rest of the world doesn’t know us, but that’s because they never knew God.
We are God’s children right now, but we have no information about what we’re going to be in the future. What we do know is this — when it’s made known, we’ll be just like him. We know this because we’ll be able to see him the way he is now! Anyone who has the kind of hope that comes from him is pure, the same way he’s pure.
Anyone who continuously, consciously sins is anti-law. Sin itself is anti-law. We’ve known that Jesus was revealed to everyone1 so that he could lift away sin, and sin doesn’t exist for you when you’re partners with him. Everyone who sticks with him avoids sin – if you continuously sin, it means you’ve never seen or known him.
Children, don’t let anyone fool you. If you continually practice moral excellence, you’re as pure as he is. If you continuously practice sin, you’re an ally of satan. He’s been a sinner since the very beginning.
God’s son was sent here for a specific reason: to destroy satan’s work. Anyone who joins God’s family for real is able to avoid sin. How? His very essence lives in you, so you’re unable to commit sin because you came from God.
This is how you can tell the difference between God’s family and satan’s family: if they aren’t practicing moral goodness, they aren’t God’s. If they don’t selflessly love their Christian family, they aren’t God’s.
This is what you’ve heard from the beginning: you should love each other. Don’t be like Cain, he was evil. He slaughtered his own brother. Why would he do that? Because he did evil things, and his brother was morally pure.
Don’t be surprised, family, if the world hates you. You know you’ve transferred from death to life when you love your Christian family. Those who don’t love their Christian family are still dead. Anyone who hates their Christian family is a murderer — and you know that no murderer lives forever.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus gave up his own life for everyone. We owe each other our lives, too. Let’s say one of you is living life to the fullest, financially comfortable and stress-free. If you notice that one of your brothers or sisters needs basic necessities and you suppress your feelings of compassion, can God’s love exist in you at all? Children, don’t just say you love each other — prove it by how you treat each other.
This is how we know we exist in the truth: we can pacify our guilty consciences in front of God whenever our hearts condemn us. God is more powerful than our hearts and he knows everything! Loved ones, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we can be completely confident when we pray to God. If we ask him for something, he’ll give it to us. This is because we do what he’s asked and we listen to his commands.
These are his commands: believe in his son (Jesus, the king), and selflessly love each other. Everyone who carefully practices those commands is with God, and God is with them.
This is how you know you’re with him: he gave us his spirit. Loved ones, don’t believe every spirit, but really put them to the test to see if they came from God. You’ll need to test them because a whole lot of fake teachers were sent to the world.
This is how you know if a spirit came from God: every spirit that comes from God will acknowledge that Jesus was sent to earth as a human. If a spirit refuses to acknowledge this, it isn’t God’s. In fact, it’s the spirit of Jesus’s enemies. You heard that the spirit of Jesus’s enemy was coming — it’s here now.
Young ones, you are from God and have already beaten these spirits. How? Jesus is far more powerful than his enemies, and he’s with you. These enemies come from the world, so they talk like it — and the world listens to them. But we came from God. If you know God, you’ll listen to us. God’s enemies are the ones who don’t listen to us. This is how you can tell the difference between a legitimate spirit and a fake one.
Loved ones, we should make a habit of showing each other selfless love. This is because love comes from God. Everyone who makes a habit of showing love is part of God’s family. They show that they know God well, too. If someone fails to practice selfless love, they don’t know who God is. God is love.
This is how we know God loves us: he made it pretty clear when he sent his only son to earth to give us life forever. That was real love — not the same way we love God. No, God loved us so much that he sent his one son for the purpose of taking away all of our sins. Loved ones, since God showed us that kind of love, we owe each other love, too.
At no point has anyone ever taken a good look at God. But since we love each other, he’s with us. He continues to grow his love in us!
This is how we know that we’re with him and he’s with us: he gave us his spirit. We were there, we saw firsthand that the father sent his son on a mission to save the world. Whoever agrees that Jesus is actually God’s son is with God, and God is with them. Because we saw him, we came to believe and really understand the kind of selfless love that God has for us. God is love. The one who practices love is with God, and God is with them.
This love is being matured in us for a reason: so we can be completely confident on the last day when everyone is judged. If we have selfless love, we’re considered to be as pure as Jesus was when he was on earth. Love leaves no room for being afraid. If we mature our love, that love keeps us from being afraid. If we live in fear of judgment day, it’s because we haven’t matured in our love.
We practice love because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but still hates their Christian family, they’re a liar. How’re you supposed to love a God you can’t see while failing to love a Christian family you can see? It’s not possible. Remember the commands he gave us: we have to love God and love our Christian family, too.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the king who came from God should also love everyone who belongs to God. When we love God and practice what he commanded, that’s how we know we love his family, too. We prove that we love God when we do what he’s commanded, and those commands aren’t difficult to live out.
If you’re a part of God’s family, you’ve already beaten the world. Our faith is how we’ve won — if you believe that Jesus is God’s son, you’ve won against the world already!
Jesus Christ is the one who came to earth with water and blood — notice that he didn’t just come here through water, but also with his own blood. And the true spirit attested to this, because it’s true. In fact, there are three proofs of who Jesus is: the true spirit, the water, and the blood. All three of these agree with each other. We accept what people say about Jesus when it’s true, but God’s testimony about Jesus is far superior.
This is what God said: if you keep believing that Jesus is God’s son, you have God’s approval. If you don’t believe God, you make him a liar. It means you never believed what God said about his son. God gave us eternal life, which exists only in his son. If you have his son, you have life. If you don’t have the son, you don’t have life.
We’re writing this to you so you’ll know you have life forever. This is for those of you who believe the name of God’s son. We can be confident when we talk to God — if we make a request that aligns with his will, he listens to us. We know he listens whenever we ask, and that he’ll give us what we ask for.
If one of you sees a Christian family member sin (not the kind that causes death), ask God to give them life, and he will. This only applies to the kind of sin that doesn’t cause death. There is a kind of sin that leads to death, and I’m not saying you should pray for someone who commits that kind of sin. Every morally wrong act is sin, but there are sins that don’t lead all the way to death.
We know that no one in God’s family continues to sin. God’s son personally protects us, and evil can’t affect him at all. We know that we belong to God, but evil controls the whole world. We know that when God’s son came to earth, he gave us the ability to understand the true one. We live in truth through his son, Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and he is life forever. Children, keep each other away from idols.
The second half of the Ephesian letter is addressed to showing how the redeemed walk in Christ. That cannot be divorced from the Christian’s function within the body of Christ, the church. It has often rightly been observed that Paul, in this epistle, is exalting the church of the Christ. It is valuable to God and to us because (1) It is the body of Christ, His Son (1:22-23; 4:4), (2) It is His means of reconciling all people together (2:16), (3) It makes us members of His household (2:19-22), (4) It is the means through which He shows His manifold wisdom and eternal purpose (3:9-11), (5) It is the means through which He receives glory (3:20-21), and (6) It is where and how God intends for us to use our talents and abilities to grow individually and collectively (4:11-16). Added to that list is what Paul says in what we call Ephesians 5:22-33. Paul makes it clear that the material he covers in this text illustrates a profound mystery; what he is saying “refers to Christ and the church” (32). Therefore, whatever else we take away from this text as inspired guidelines for marriage–which it is–we must understand that the church is the bride and Christ is the groom. When we see God’s binding legislation on the husband and wife in this text, we must remind ourselves that it illustrates the relationship between Christ and the church. Paul repeatedly gives this reminder (23, 25,27,29, 30,32). But, it’s not exclusively about that, as Paul concludes, “However, let each of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (33). In other words, Paul is saying, “Even though my underlying point is about Christ’s love for the church and the church’s need to submit to His authority, apply this to the marriage relationship!”
This illustration is about submission (22-24). The command here builds on the command previous to it, in Ephesians 5:21, that being filled with the Spirit is fulfilled by “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” That is more generally about each member of the church. But, in a marriage between Christians, there would also be this mutual submission. Yet, in a specific way, God commands the wife to submit to the headship of her husband. Paul speaks “of submission involving recognition of an ordered structure… of the entity to whom/which appropriate respect is shown” (BDAG 1042). Louw and Nida add that it means “to bring something under the firm control of someone” (475). Kittel tells us that in the middle voice (i.e., the one commanded acting upon himself/herself) this is voluntary submission, but it is according to a divinely willed order (1159). The wife places herself under the leadership of her husband in a way that shows that she respect him (33). God commands this because, as previous commands in this letter, it does not come naturally or easily. It requires self-discipline and effort. The close the loop on the metaphor, Paul says, “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands” (24). This is neither vague nor unclear, though it is difficult.
This illustration is about sacrificial love (25-30). The command here complements the one Paul gives to the wife. The husband is commanded to love his wife “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (25). The specific “love” mentioned here is not erotic, familial, or companionship centered. It is the highest form of love, “to have love for someone or something, based on sincere appreciation and high regard—‘to love, to regard with affection, loving concern, love” (Louw-Nida 292-293). This is the love used to describe why God gave His Son (John 3:16). Likewise, Paul here is saying that what husbands are called to show their wives is what prompted Jesus to lay down His life on the cross. Picture the intensity, the fierce devotion, the selfless care involved in that (as you read 5:26-27)! But that active interest also leads the husband, in love, to nourish and cherish her (29) as carefully as one acts to preserve self (28). Paul sharpens the focus of husbands on the sacrificial love Christ heaps on the church, and that is the bar God sets for the husband in the marriage. A husband is to be driven by concern, care, and genuine interest for the needs of his wife! Her greatest need is spiritual, so he will never abdicate the role of spiritual leadership. He will lovingly exercise it.
This illustration is about severing (31). When the old saying goes, “Marriage takes three,” it does not mean the husband, his wife, and a parent. In fact, a prerequisite of forming a marriage presupposes what Paul explicitly states here: “Therefore a man shall leave his father & mother & hold fast to his wife, & the two shall become one flesh” (31). Did you know that this is one of the first commands in the whole Bible? Paul quotes Genesis 2:24)? Jesus reiterates it in His teaching to restore marriage to its original state (Mat. 19:5; Mk. 10:7). Suffice it to say, this is a foundational principle. Just as God does not want any outside influences to interfere in the church’s relationship to Christ, He does not want any undue influences upon the marriage relationship. That includes the parents of the bride and/or groom! The legislation is spoken to the husband, but it is applicable to the wife. It is also a warning to the parents whose children leave their home and form their new home. While this does not mean total isolation and desertion of responsibilities to parents, whom we must always honor (6:3), it does mean that the relationship changes. The married couple are not under the rule of parents. They leave that relationship and form a new one, beautifully described as a “one flesh” relationship.
This metaphor is to help the church at Ephesus understand their relationship to Christ. But, let’s not miss the bottom line application, either. “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (32-33).
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