Category: Mining the Scriptures

The apostle Paul was thankful to God for the Colossians. He prayed on their behalf out of a sense of appreciation for their faith, and the expressions of their love for other Christians. He had heard of this faith and love from their brother Epaphras, who declared it while visiting with him (vs. 7-8).

It is interesting that Paul’s expression of thanks came in the form of supplication to God. By expressing his thanks to God, he prayed God’s blessings on their behalf. This is a wonderful practice, and should be emulated by all Christians.

Paul also described their motivation for such faith and love — the hope of heaven! This hope was made known to them in the preaching of the gospel, and it was this hope that led them to bear fruit for Christ.

John wrote that God showed His love for us by sending “His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” He continued, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:10-11). Christ’s death and resurrection secures for us the hope of heaven. In return, we are obligated to faith, and love for one another.

Paul’s salutation in this epistle is similar to other letters he wrote. His letter is addressed to the “saints in Christ Jesus.” The term saint indicates one who has been set apart by God. It denotes those who have been cleansed from sin, and are called to obedience and good works. This is, of course, accomplished through the work of Jesus Christ.

Bishops and deacons are given special note. The term “bishop” is a term used interchangeably with the terms “elder” and “pastor” indicating men who are ordained to the position of oversight in a local congregation. The term deacon indicates a man who is given a special work of service. The term indicates an attendant or servant.

Both of these offices are important, and the men who serve in them are first to be qualified (cf. 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1), and then treated honorably for their work’s sake (cf. 1 Timothy 5:17). It is proper that they were singled out by Paul in his greeting.

Paul, in expressing his desire that they receive grace and peace from God and His Son, relates perhaps the most precious sentiment possible for the Philippians.

In his epistle to the Philippian church, Paul identifies himself and Timothy as “bondservants of Jesus Christ.” The term is from the Greek doulos, and indicates subservience and submission. They were slaves to Christ. On another occasion, Paul wrote, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Their purpose was to please Christ, and Him alone.

In the same text, Paul identified the Philippians as “saints.” The Greek word is hagios, and indicates holiness and consecration. The Philippian brethren had been separated by Christ to live righteously before Him. This call to holy living is a call Jehovah has always made to His people, “For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

Every Christian should consider himself a slave to Christ. Emulating Paul’s example, he should consider his standing with God a call to holy living. In so doing we please Him, and secure for ourselves the hope of heaven.

Paul begins his epistle to the Ephesians with a few long sentences that are challenging to understand because of their complexity. One sentence covers verses 3-6. Another verses 7-10.

The first two verses of the epistle, however are simple.

Paul starts by identifying himself as an apostle of Christ, and affirms that his apostleship was from God rather than usurped. This was a common claim made by the apostle due to attacks levied by Judaizing teachers.

Paul next identifies his readers as saints. The term signifies a special relationship with Christ, as those who are separated to a life of godliness. Paul regarded the Christians in Ephesus to be faithful to God.

To such brethren, Paul pronounces a blessing. Grace and Peace. There is nothing difficult here, but the sentiment is sublime. God’s undeserved favor, extended ultimately through the death of His Son, is the means through which true Peace is obtained. This shows that the ultimate gifts can come only from God, and, that God indeed has granted such gifts to those who proclaim their fidelity to Him.

Paul begins his epistle to the Galatians in a manner typical to him. In the first few verses he defends his apostleship, and asks blessings upon his readers.

His defense of himself is especially appropriate in that the churches of Galatia had been influenced by Judaizing teachers. These false teachers not only advocated false doctrine, they also sought to destroy the reputation of Paul at every opportunity. Their chief tactic was to claim that since Paul was not one of the original apostles, he had usurped the position. In response, Paul declared that his apostleship was “not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father…” (vs. 1). The truth of this is evident in the reading of his conversion (Acts 9).

In praying for Grace and Peace for the Galatians, Paul identified Jesus as the Savior. He expressed the purpose of Jesus’ sacrifice, “that He might deliver us from this present evil age.”

In that Jesus accomplished this wonderful objective, Paul rightly noted that He is solely worthy of “glory forever and ever. Amen” (vs. 5, cf. Revelation 5:1-7).

A few short truths to take from Paul’s introduction in his second letter to Corinth:

First, Paul’s apostleship was genuine. Here he states as fact what he argued strongly in other places, his apostleship was from God (cf. Galatians 1:1).

Second, the church at Corinth is described as “the church of God.” This is not a denominational name, but a description. It affirms that the church at Corinth belongs to God. It is in this same way (and only in this way) that congregations may identify themselves as churches of Christ (cf. Romans 16:16). The phrase indicates ownership.

Third, the designation “saints” applies to all Christians. It is not limited to a few. All of us, when separated from the world, are called to a holy life. We are sanctified, hence, we are saints. Our lives should demonstrate that calling (cf. Titus 2:11-12).

Fourth, true grace and peace comes from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We have a peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Great things can be learned from every verse in God’s wonderful word.

In these verses, the apostle deals with a particular situation involving sin in the congregation. He identifies a man who was guilty of having sexual relations with his father’s wife. The wording here would indicate a stepmother.

However, Paul does not deal with the man himself. In fact, he says that he has already judged in the matter (vs. 3). The man was guilty, and stood condemned before God.

Here Paul is addressing the Corinthians lack of action. He tells them that they should have already removed the man from their midst, and called their refusal to do so an act of pride (cf. vs. 2, 6).

Here Paul reveals the congregational action that is required when an individual is in rebellion to God. By Christ’s authority the congregation is to come together, and mark and banish him as one unworthy of Christian fellowship. Other reasons for this action follow in later verses, but in verse 5 he states one of the most compelling ones, “that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

Brethren, congregational discipline saves men’s souls.

Paul’s introductory comments in Romans are typical. In them he identifies himself as a bondservant of the Lord, engaged in the task of preaching His gospel.

He affirms his apostleship, and that the gospel had its inception in the prophets. (Remember, Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian using the text of Isaiah 53).

He affirms Jesus to be the Son of Man “born of the seed of David according to the flesh”, and to be the Son of God, attested “by the resurrection from the dead.”

It is amazing how often the apostle repeats those two facts throughout his writings: 1) I am an apostle by God’s choosing; 2) I am bound by God to preach the gospel of the Lord.

Paul also revealed something about the Roman Christians. He wrote, “among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.” This calling is the process of sanctification. We are called out of the world, called to holiness. All of Paul’s instructions come from this fact concerning his brethren. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (6:2-3).

Acts 1:1-5

The books of Acts is the second volume written by Luke to his friend Theophilus. Luke was a companion of Paul in his missionary journeys and a physician (cf. Colossians 4:14).

He describes himself in his first work (the gospel of Luke) as one who had a “perfect understanding of all things from the very first” regarding the teaching and actions of Jesus. He gave that as the motivation for his first missive to his friend.

Luke finished his gospel with an account of Jesus’ ascension, and takes up the narrative at that exact place in the book of Acts. He relates again the promise of Jesus that his disciples would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and preach first the gospel of the kingdom in Jerusalem.
Later in the book we read of the fulfillment of this promise (cf. chapter 2), one of the most important events in the history of God’s dealings with mankind.

The book of Acts is a book of history. It recounts the first gospel sermon, the establishment of the Lord’s church, and the spread of the Christian faith in the first century. It is a message all men should read avidly.

John 1:6-13

John the Baptist’s ministry is here described by the apostle as a “witness.” This agrees with other descriptions of John. He was revealed in prophecy as the one who would “prepare the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). His purpose was to introduce the world to “one who is coming after,” (cf. Matthew 3:11), the savior of the world.

John here describes that One as the “true light which gives light to every man” (vs. 9). In that phrase is an understanding of Christ as Lord and Savior. It is His will that gives man understanding, and His incarnation and sacrifice that brings man out of the darkness of sin and “into His marvelous light” (cf. 1 Peter 2:9).

Not all embrace Jesus as the Light. Though He made the world, he was not known or received by many in the world. Only those described here as having been born of God, or having received Him are identified as children of God. The idea is echoed in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:3-5. Consider carefully His words, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (3:3).

Luke 1:1-4

In Luke’s introductory comments to Theophilus, he acknowledges that others had written accounts of Jesus’ life and accomplishments. Matthew, Mark and John are the three we have included in the New Testament in addition to this effort by Luke.

His desire was to share these things with Theophilus, putting them in order, so that his friend could “know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed” (vs. 4)

There are two reasons we can trust in Luke’s account of Jesus’ life. The first is that he was an eyewitness, “having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first” (vs. 3).

The second is that Luke’s account is inspired of God. Paul wrote, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16).

The name Theophilus means, “lover of God.” In fact, all who love God can look to Luke’s gospel, and in it find accurate records of Jesus’ life, teaching, works, death and resurrection. In so doing, we can have confidence in the validity of that Gospel. We can know, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” (cf. 23:47).

Mark 1:1-8

Mark begins his gospel with quotes from Malachi (3:1) and Isaiah (40:3), describing a messenger sent by God to prepare the world for the coming Messiah. Mark identifies that messenger as John the Baptist, who came “preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

When an angel announced to John’s father Zacharias the impending birth of his son, he said he would “go before Him [the Christ] in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17).

Jesus extended high praise to John for his person and ministry saying, “among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist,” and, “…he is Elijah who is to come, (a reference to Malachi 4:5)” (Luke 1:11,14).

John’s message was preparatory to the Messiah’s coming. One, John said, “whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose” (vs. 7). Where John baptized with (in) water, the Messiah would baptize with (in) the Holy Spirit, a reference to His divine nature. When the apostles received that baptism on Pentecost, Peter said it had come from the Christ (Acts 2:33).

Revelation 3:14-22

Our Lord’s final letter to the seven churches in Asia was addressed to the Laodiceans. Laodicea was about 100 miles inland of Ephesus, just northwest of Colosse.

The city was a wealthy one, and apparently the church was as well. This letter is unique among the twelve, in that there is nothing positive said about the congregation.

Though rich materially, Jesus said that the church was, “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.”

The sin of the Laodiceans was apathy, colorfully described as being “lukewarm.” Equally colorful is the response of the Lord, “because you are lukewarm … I will vomit you out of my mouth” (vs. 16).

The Lord rebuked the Laodiceans because He loved them. He loves us as well. Remember, apathy is unpalatable to Him. If we are going to stand acceptable in His sight, we must give ourselves wholly to His service. Nothing less will suffice.

Jude 1-2

Even the salutations of scripture contain wonderful lessons for the discerning reader. For example, in our text Jude describes himself as at “bondservant of Jesus Christ.” The word literally indicates a slave, and shows clearly the concept of submission and subservience. We are all to be bondservants of our Lord, submitting wholly to His will.

Jude refers to his readers as “sanctified by God the Father.” The word sanctified literally means to be set apart. God separates us from the world when we obey the gospel. But, the concept of sanctification requires that we live a life worthy of that separation (cf. Ephesians 4:1).

Finally, among the first words of Jude is the phrase, “preserved in Jesus Christ.” As Christ is our Savior, we are “more than conquerors” (cf. Romans 8:37). There is nothing on this earth, or under the sway of the devil, nor the devil himself that is able to separate us from Jesus Christ. As our Savior, he is “able to keep” what we have committed to Him “until that Day” (cf. 2 Timothy 1:12).

“Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.”

3 John 5-8

Gaius was a wonderful and hospitable man. This is evident from our text, where the beloved apostle John commends him for the love he showed for “the brethren and for strangers.”

Though hospitality is a physical thing, it is a spiritual work. It is a means of supporting the Christian laborer, as evidenced by the words of our text, “If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well.” One who is doing the Lord’s work should be encouraged and helped in that work. This is something that even the babe in Christ is able to do. To put it simply, you may not be able to eloquently share the word, but you can supply a comfortable bed and warm meal for those who do!

2 John 9-11 also indicates that the work of hospitality is a spiritual endeavor. John there indicates that the offer of your home to a teacher is the equivalent of extending the hand of fellowship. That is why we are not to extend such hospitality to a false teacher, for “he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (11).

Hospitality is the Lord’s work!