Maintaining Sexual Purity – Part Two 1 Thessalonians 4:4-8 ▸ Sexual Sins Defile the Body The end result of avoiding sexual immorality is “that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (4:4). This applies to all Christians: “each of you”. No one Read more…
Maintaining Sexual Purity – Part One 1 Thessalonians 4:4-8 Like almost every preacher, when Paul says “finally then, brethren” (1:1a), he doesn’t really mean “in conclusion.” The word indicates the division of Paul’s epistle. He is now entering the half of the letter dealing with practical application. He told the Read more…
Owe No Man Paul told the Romans, “owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). Is it wrong for a Christian to borrow money? Can Christians have and use credit cards? Paul has just been talking about the Read more…
The Parable of the Two Builders 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and Read more…
Living In the Present In View of the Future 1 Peter 3:11-18 Mark Twain once said, “most people are bothered by those passages which they cannot understand; but as for me, I always notice that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand”. The Read more…
Keep on Being Strong in the Grace – Part Two (2 Timothy 2:5-7) The Discipline of an Athlete Metaphors from athletics is another of Paul’s favorite means of illustrating the Christian life. He may have even witnessed the Olympic or Isthmian games in person. “Paul would not have been content Read more…
Keep on Being Strong in the Grace – Part One 2 Timothy 2:1-4 In his book, Holiness, Bishop J. C. Ryle wrote: “I will never shrink from declaring my belief that there are no spiritual gains without pains. I should as soon expect a farmer to prosper in business who Read more…
Fathers Raise Your Children Ephesians 6:4 – And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonishing of the Lord. Nearly two thousand years ago Paul spoke of the need for godly fathers who would step up and fulfill their duties to Read more…
Children Honor Your Parents The second responsibility is for children to honor their parents. According to the Amplified New Testament this means to “esteem and value as precious.” Whereas to obey one’s parents is a recognition o their authority, to honor them recognizes their value in the parent/child relationship. Just Read more…
Children Obey Your Parents Mankind is at a stage where everyone is clamoring for their rights. Even children are demanding the right to sue their parents for divorce. The traditional family is seen as a violation of the rights of children. Certainly Paul’s views would be rejected as archaic. He Read more…