Christian Publishing House Blog
Apologetic Defense of the faith, the Bible, and Christianity
"You should live like the person you have become. Live in unity and mutual ministry with others and in holiness before God. Because Jews and Gentiles have been united by God in Christ, we should manifest the spiritual unity by being united in our actions." - Max Anders
A mystery, in this biblical sense, is not to be understood in the same sense of mystery in modern usage. It does not mean that the truth Paul is proclaiming is mysterious or puzzling. Rather, mystery is a technical term, meaning “something that has not previously been made known.” - Max Anders
"Superficial, artificial 'faith' is actually the enemy of true, biblical faith. True faith persists, guided by humility and truth. True faith can be found in even the most unlikely people." - Stuart K. Weber.
The Christians in Thessalonica were urged to adhere to what they had been taught. This passage can furnish no authority for holding the teachings which have come down from church leaders. No one should ever refer to themselves as a Calvinist, an Arminian, a Lutheran, a Wesleyan, and so on. You're either a Christian or you are not.
God, out of the richness of his mercy and his great love, has made you alive, though you were dead in your sins. This is all due to His mercy and your faith and is not a result of any works of your own; although, any works you have are evidence of your faith.
In addition to being ambitious, proud, disrespectful of apostolic authority, rebellious, and inhospitable, the apostle John says that Diotrephes tried to hinder those desiring to show hospitality to the brothers and to expel these from the congregation. What can we learn from this short account?
There is a brief expression of pleasure at the tidings of the sweet and gracious hospitality of Gaius which was brought by certain missionary brethren to Ephesus, coupled with the assurance of the truth and consistency of his whole walk.
IN a certain sense, Paul has done now with the explanation of Justification. He has brought us on, from his denunciation of human sin, and his detection of the futility of mere privilege, to propitiation, to faith, to acceptance, to love, to joy, and hope, and finally to our mysterious but real connection in all this blessing with Him who won our peace.
THE third chapter of Philippians contains the portion of this Epistle in which, perhaps, one is hardest put to it to keep pace with the writer. Here he gives us one of his most remarkable expositions of the true Christian religion as the Holy Spirit shared it with him, and as he maintains it must essentially exist for all Christian up until Christ returns. He does this in a burst of thought and feeling expressed together, so that, if we are to take his meaning, the fire and the light must both alike do their work upon us; we must feel and see both at once.
AFTER the salutation, the first thing in the Epistle is a warm utterance of the feelings and the desires which Paul habitually cherishes in relation to his converts at Philippi. This is expressed in Philippians 1:3-11.