How to Know Peace: A Walk Through Galatians (Part 4)

A Walk Through Galatians (What happens in Failure?)

Part 4: Chapter 2 versus 11-21 ( Peter’s Failure!)

The Bible is a historical account of God redeeming his people for his glory. But, it doesn’t leave out the dirtiness of relationships, the hardships of life, or even the failure of God’s people. We do not normally expect to see such transparency: Or at least, I am not used to seeing it. People tend to minimize or hide their flaws and failures. They amplify their strengths and successes, especially when someone is trying to get your vote and mine.

Like, let’s say, the American political system where you have each candidate highlighting each of their successes and accomplishments. They disregard their views or opinions of the past, to win your vote, while completely ignoring their failures and faults. Then they drag each other through the mud, slandering one another much to their enjoyment. The Bible does just the opposite. Today is going to be one of those stories of failure, but keep in mind that we know how the story ends.

Personal Failure

But I won’t act as though I’m any better. I’m not even sure I should be here in front of you all. There is nothing special about me. I can give numerous accounts of my failures. And I could tell of my disappointments, life tragedies, and broken relationships. I can tell of heartaches, distressing situations, betrayals of trust, or poor choices that I have made.

Hang around me long enough, and you will probably hear some of them. And I’m sure just about each and every one of you can do the same, on some account. But do you know what I need to remind myself of, even with all my failure, and the mess that I am? There is Someone out there that loves us despite all our failures. He has a use for us, and wants me and you to spend eternity with him.

Personal Results of Salvation, Despite my Failure

I can’t help but try to tell everyone about him. Romans 10:14-15 says, ¹⁴ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? ¹⁵ And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

I’m just a nobody, trying to tell everybody about Jesus.

I’m reading from the NLT. If you want to turn to Galatians 2:11-21, you can follow along with whatever translation is your preferred choice. I also would like to give my sources credit they deserve. The NLT Life Application Study Bible, A Layman’s Look at the Epistle to the Galatian Churches, and the Bibleref app. Thank you.

(Read Galatians 2: 11-21) Peter’s Failure

Galatians 2:11-21 ¹¹ But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. ¹² When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. ¹³ As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

Confrontation

¹⁴ When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? ¹⁵ “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. ¹⁶ Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

¹⁹ For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. ²⁰ My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

(Read Galatians 2:11)

¹¹ But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. (It was a serious failure!) After Paul and Barnabas (and Titus, if you remember from last time) went to Jerusalem, they had full support from the apostles. Peter and John and the leader of the church in Jerusalem (James) fully approved of the Good News they preached.

At some point Paul and Barnabas went back to Antioch, and Peter also made his way there. God does not give this sequence in an exact timeline. But we will see that what happened was not out of character for Peter. Especially when he was in a situation of accountability, or extreme pressure. Peter, once known as Simon, experienced failure a couple different times even when He was with Jesus in the Gospels. Probably the most recognized is Peter’s denial of knowing Jesus. Matthew 26: 69-75, Mark 14: 66-72, Luke 22: 54-65, and John 18: 25-27.

Read Galatians 2:12-13 (Failure spread to others)

¹² When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. ¹³ As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. Peter arrived in Antioch after the Jerusalem council in 48-50 AD as documented in Acts 15.

(We went over that, in part three of “A Walk Through Galatians”.) That was where Paul and Barnabas got full approval from Peter, John, and James for the Good News they preached, that salvation is by grace, through faith, in Christ, and it was for everybody, and the original apostles accepted Barnabas and Paul as co-workers. There was no legitimate cause for Peter’s failure.

Peter’s Failure: Hypocrisy

Peter had no problem when he arrived in Antioch. He even shared meals and sat with the other Gentile believers at first. But some Jewish men from Jerusalem (connected to James) who still promoted circumcision and the law, came to Antioch. Peter then separated himself from the Gentile believers for whatever reason. Paul said it was due to fear. Some speculate that it was also to protect James’s prominent position he held in Jerusalem. But, Paul went and confronted Peter for his actions. Peter was implicitly supporting their claim that Christ alone was not sufficient for salvation. His failures had even caused Barnabas and others to question things and to separate themselves from the Gentiles.

Peter had to know that what he was doing wrong. James 4:17 says, ¹⁷ Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

This confrontation with Peter, that Paul is describing, reminded me of something I have heard of: A passage I find comfort in, during my walk with Jesus, and the war that rages inside me. It comforts me to know that Paul also struggled with failure, and the exact war that’s going on inside me.

The two Natures

Romans 7:14-25 ¹⁴ So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. ¹⁶ But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. ¹⁸ And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ¹⁹ I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

²⁰ But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. ²¹ I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. ²² I love God’s law with all my heart. ²³ But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. ²⁴ Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? ²⁵ Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Other Interpretation

While I was studying this confrontation between Paul and Peter, it reminded me that I have heard that some people believe Paul was only talking about himself before he believed and accepted Christ in these verses. I don’t believe that is what Paul is describing here. Hearing that this is what some believe Paul is describing, it would lead me to assume they think that after Paul had trusted in Christ, he didn’t sin anymore. I guess they call it “sinless perfectionism”.

People seem to believe this view because of the chapter breaks added later. They fail to see the letter of Romans as a whole. The chapters and verse numbers we have in our bibles today are there to help us with locating and memorization of passages, They didn’t exist before. If Paul really was just describing who he was before salvation, then I’m done for. But as I said, through my studies and the understanding that God has given me, that is not the case. I think, “How can those people go and put that burden on anyone by teaching that? Much less themselves?” I pray every day that the struggle with my old nature would just end, but the more I pray for it to end, the more I see my need for Jesus!

What God Says

We know the truth about anyone who says they have no sin, or that they don’t sin. They are claiming they have no failure! We can look to 1 John 1:8 ⁸ If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. I have yet to personally meet one person that holds this view, so I don’t know how prominent this position is, but I guess they are out there. But I do wonder what they think of Peter during this confrontation in Galatians 2:11-21 in regards to James 4:17?

All I can tell you is this fact, Romans 8:1 ¹ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And when I do fall, (and I inevitably will) I know that Jesus is there defending me in my failure, for in 1 John 2:1 says ¹ My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

(Read Galatians 2: 14)

Paul, Peter, and Barnabas were all Jews. (I say “were,” because for those of us who have put our faith in Christ, there is no distinction, and to hold on to those labels does nothing to benefit us.) Colossians 3:11 says, ¹¹ In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. And it’s also in Galatians 3:28, but we will get there eventually.

Historical Context

But for context of the confrontation between Paul and Peter, we should know that there was a culture barrier between Jews and Gentiles, and of Jewish customs at the time. Peter lets us in on this detail on the customs of the time, after God sent him a vision and had him go to Cornelius’s place, in Acts 10:28. ²⁸ Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.

So, Paul publicly confronted Peter. Peter being a leader of the church, was acting like a hypocrite, and not being true to the Good News. Paul knew he had to put a stop to it before his actions damaged the church, so he opposed him to his face. Any one of us is prone to make a mistake, even the best of leaders, and we should rely on each other to get us back on track.

(Read Galatians 2: 15-16)

¹⁵ “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. ¹⁶ Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

Both Paul and Peter were all too well aware of the Old Testament law and the sacrificial system, but that Jesus had changed everything. Paul is not saying the law is bad, for in Romans 7:12 Paul says, ¹² But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. Paul is instead saying the law can never make us right with God, and for it to make us right with God we would have to follow it perfectly, and not one of us is perfect, except for Jesus. He is the human that came to be the kind of human that none of us could ever be.

And through trust in His finished work at the Cross, in His death and resurrection, he offers us forgiveness and eternal life by his grace. John 3:16-18 ¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

(Read Galatians 2: 17-19)

¹⁷ But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! ¹⁸ Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. ¹⁹ For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.

I want to recommend for anyone who is listening, that you read Romans 5:12-21. We will just be highlighting a few verses here. Paul studied the Old Testament scriptures, and he understood that the law can’t save us. Sin has infected us all, as shown in Romans 5:12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. And in this way Sin has separated us from God. We are unable to keep God’s laws perfectly: Fortunately, God made a way to deliver us through an act of love by Jesus Christ and not by our own efforts.

Romans 5:18 ¹⁸ Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Knowing this truth, we must guard against the temptation of thinking that acts of service, good deeds, or any other effort that you can think of can be a substitute for faith.

(Read Galatians 2:20-21)

²⁰ My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

When we are crucified with Christ, it means we surrender to Jesus every aspect of our sinful lives–our goals, plans, desires, ideas, and even relationships. We treat these things as though they died with Jesus at the cross. Then we live a life of surrender to the Author of life. Because Jesus came back to life, and He now lives in us by the Holy Spirit, filling up all the empty places that we have given to Him, which all our old pursuits could never really fill. Our self-centered way of life ends, and our new Christ-centered way of life begins. It does not mean we will be free from failure.

To be honest, letting go of these desires, goals, plans, and relationships is hard, and failure is common. But I know that whatever God has in store for me will be far greater than I can even understand or imagine right now, or maybe even ever will on this side of life. But I can continue to trust God, who loves us and has a greater understanding than I can ever see myself having.

How have our old selves been crucified with Christ? It was when Christ was crucified for our sin. Through faith, we trust that His death paid for our own personal sin. In this way, we are crucified with Him.

How God Sees Us, Regardless of Our Failure

Legally, God sees us as if we died with Christ, because Jesus took the penalty for all our sins when he died. Paul says in Colossians 2:13-15 ¹³ You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. ¹⁴ He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Relationally, we have become one with Christ, and His experiences are ours. Our Christian lives begin when we are joined with him: We die to our old life and begin a new life. Romans 6:5 says ⁵ Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. The focus of Christianity is not on death but on life. Because we have been crucified with Christ we have also been raised with Him, receiving a new resurrection life as He did, we have a new power, a new vision, and a new community, and we have been reconciled with God, despite our failures. We are no longer alone, because Christ lives in us. He is our power for living and our hope for the future.

The Danger of False Teachers

False believers today can still be a danger for us, and they are a danger to anyone not in Christ. They act as if Jesus did not have to die, by replacing Jewish legalism with their own form of Christian legalism, by believing they can earn God’s favor by what they do. Such teaching denies our own continuing failure. They do not trust completely in Christ’s work on the cross. By struggling to believe in God’s power to change them, they do not rest in God’s power to save them.

It is only because of Him that anything good comes from me. It is only because of Him, that the things that need to be changed can change. And it is only because of Him that I am saved. If we could be saved by “being good,” then Christ did not have to die. The Cross is the only way to salvation.

Please follow me to Acts 4:11-12 as this comes to an end ¹¹ For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ ¹² There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Did you find it? Your name, is it there? Yeah, I didn’t see mine either. Praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

July 9, 2026July 12, 2026

How to Know Where a Deceased Loved-One Has Gone

How to Know Where a Loved-One Has Gone

2^nd Corinthians 5:1-9

¹For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: ³If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. ⁴For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

⁵Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁶Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷(For we walk by faith, not by sight🙂 ⁸We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

⁹Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

1^st Thessalonians 4:13-18

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Introduction:

We have touched upon this passage repeatedly, over the years. Why? Because it is a universal concern and a frequent question, regarding a loved-one who has died. “Where is (name)?”

When people who have been believers for many years still have to ask this question, I am sad. They are fearful for their husband, wife, or other person they have lost. God wants us to know this truth, and to comfort one another with this knowledge.

So, How CAN we Know?

We read the twin passages with which we opened. We see that our confidence in the eternal life God has given is not based upon supposition or human reasoning. God gave it to us “By the Word of the Lord!”

Also, we immediately see that God commands us to comfort one another with these words. Why? Because it is something He wants us to KNOW. As individual believers, we begin by learning how we were saved. Then we try to understand why, and how permanent that positional change truly is. We are now His literal offspring, through the new birth, and we cannot become UN-Born-again!

Personal Assurance: What Should YOU Know?

If we read 1^st John 5:11-16, we gain a personal assurance of our own eternal life. God clearly says He wants us to KNOW that we have eternal life.

1^st John 5:11-13 says, “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Our initial, timid faith can grow strong as we consider the evidence binding us to The Eternal Savior, Jesus, the Messiah…the Christ.

The Beginning

Jesus promised in John 5:24, “He that heareth My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath eternal life, and shall not come unto condemnation, but has passed from death unto life.”

If you have heard the Good News that Jesus died in your place at the Cross, and have placed your trust in Him, trusting His finished work at the Cross for your salvation, God says it’s a done deal!

You have eternal life! (Present tense! You do NOT have to wait until you die to find out!)
God will never again Condemn You!. (Future tense…it will never happen!)
You have permanently crossed over from death into Life! (Past perfect tense! It is a “done deal,” and you can’t go back to being lost!)

That specific promise of Jesus is the basis for our confidence before Him. We lay claim to that Promise by Faith. When we share that mutual confidence with one another, we gain confidence about others as well. Can I actually see inside someone else’s heart, and know for sure about their faith? No: But Their responses to God and to other believers, and to the ordinary trials and stresses of life can pretty well tell me where their heart really is.

Collective Assurance: What should “WE” Know?

In 1^st Thessalonians 4:13-18, we read what is coming for all believers, living and dead. We see that Jesus will return to the Air, and collect all the church-age believer’s bodies.

How do we know the bodies are in view and not the souls…the Spirits…the non-physical portions of our three-part humanity? Because 2^nd Corinthians 5:8 states that when we leave these bodies, we will instantly be present with the Lord. And 2^nd Corinthians 5:2-4 states that we will simultaneously be “clothed upon” with an immortal body of some sort. It evidently is not our own physical body resurrected, but something temporary.

1^st Corinthians 15:50-54 says that we will all get our own resurrected bodies at the same time.

⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible (body) must put on incorruption, and this mortal (body) must put on immortality.

⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

So, we seem to have found a paradox!

**Is There Truly A Paradox?**

One passage says we get an immortal body the moment we leave these mortal bodies. The other says “…we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.”

Let’s go back and read the 1^st Thessalonians 4:14 passage again: It says that Jesus will bring the dead in Christ “with Him.” Yes, we could read it as merely saying that they will “follow Him in resurrection.” But the point of this passage, when combined with 1^st Corinthians 15, is that all the dead bodies of dead believers will be resurrected immortal. That means regardless of where they are, or what has happened to them during the centuries in which they have undergone decay, or have been digested by scavengers, or even burned to ashes, and scattered who-knows-where.

And then (in the next moment, according to both 1^st Thessalonians 4 and 1^st Corinthians 15,) the living bodies of those who are still alive at that time will be transformed into the eternal, immortal state “in the twinkling of an eye!”

But, When?

It is also important to read 1^st Thessalonians 5, understanding that originally, there were no chapter divisions. Chapter five developed directly out of chapter four. If chapter four describes the rapture of the church, then we see that the tribulation begins at that moment!

The “Rapture of the Church” is the portion of the “Day of the Lord” that “Comes as a thief in the night.” It is the only portion of all the grief that is to come and the joy and peace that follows, that can (and will) come as a “surprise.”

All the rest of it is literally “laid out” just as tightly “choreographed” as a play! The Book of the Revelation of Jesus gives us the script, and the world will see those events unfold exactly as written. And all of it follows the removal of the Church, simply because we are not a part of the Coming Judgment on Earth and Israel. (If you have questions about that, read Daniel 9:23-27.)

Nor are we part of the Millennial Kingdom, in the strictest sense: We will all have resurrected, glorified bodies, whereas the Tribulation Saints will enter the Kingdom in their mortal bodies, marrying, bearing children, and living for the full age of the Kingdom in most cases.

So, Where IS Grandma? (Grandpa? Dad? Mom? Wife? Husband?)

It ultimately depends on one thing. Jesus died for their sins, because He died for the Sins of the Whole World. (1^st John 2:2 states it undeniably! “And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”)

But…did they believe His promise, and so receive Him as their Savior?

Each of us has the choice: we can choose the way of life or the way of death. Jeremiah 21:8 says, “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.”

Hebrews 9:27 says, “…it is given unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Two Possible Destinations

To an unbeliever, that judgment is the “Great White Throne Judgment” in Revelation 20:11-15.

To a believer, that Judgment is the “Judgment Seat of Christ,” in 2^nd Corinthians 5:9-13, but explained in 1^st Corinthians 3:11-15.

If your loved-one was a believer, having placed his or her trust in Jesus’s shed blood as their only hope for salvation from the final judgment of Sin, then I can say with full assurance, that they are with Jesus right now. (And they are looking at Him, by the way, not watching over you!)

If they died still rejecting His offer of eternal life, then, sadly, all I can say is what Jesus said. “They died in their sins.” Can I know whether they, in fact, rejected Him to the end? No! But I can say that Jesus said most of the human race will do just that, and be lost forever!

In Matthew 7:13, 14 Jesus says, “¹³Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

That is just Reality. Hard truth, but honest.

**Now: Do I Like That Judgment?**

No! But I see the justice in it: God hates sin, and He judges sin! He has offered one escape from the destruction that His Judgment is bringing. We can either accept it or reject it, but the Judgment is already in place.

I spent my first eighteen years on God’s “Death Row.” Had I died during that time I would be in hell today. But Jesus stepped in and died in my place, just as he did in your place and in the place of the entire human race. But it took me over eighteen years to realize and to confess that I was a lost sinner, and that I needed a Savior.

That was in 1973. Since that time, the Lord has worked to teach me to walk with Him, and to believe His Word. I certainly have not “arrived.” I am increasingly aware of the fact that I can literally do nothing without Him. I’m sure that the majority of the people here would fervently agree with that conclusion.

But we want our lives to count for eternity. Some friends we have watched pass out of this life and we were sad, because we don’t know for sure where they are. But when those died, whose lives had been transformed by His Grace and His Power, we knew that they had simply “graduated early.” So, we comfort one another in our losses and in our hard times, and we support one another in our striving to walk with Jesus.

Lord Jesus, teach us to love Your Word, and desire Your constant presence and oversight in our lives. Let us rejoice to press on to the mark of that high calling of God in Christ Jesus!

April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

Do You Know how the Resurrection Affects the Church?

How Does the Fact of the Resurrection Affect the Church?

In the Context of John 14:3 “That, where I am, there ye may be also”

Ephesians 1:13, 14; 2:6; 1^st Corinthians 12:13; 15:3, 4; 15:22, 15:16-19;
Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 3:1-4

Introduction:

We often hear Easter messages that either immerse us in the horror of the Cross, (Therefore, the enormity of our guilt and sin that necessitated the Cross), or in the mystery of the burial and resurrection, and the fulfilled prophecies. In addition, the messages often refute the various false myths that have sprung up from those rejecting the truth of the scriptures. Also, sometimes the messages even immerse us in the joy of the resurrection itself: They emphasize the effect that it had upon Mary Magdalene and the other disciples—Peter in particular—and on the newborn Church, at Pentecost. Those are all good things.

All these approaches are valid; all have appropriate results in the hearers, and all have reasonably good grounding in the scriptures themselves, as a rule. (Some may wander a bit, but most are pretty solidly grounded in the Word of God.)

But: What about today? What effect should the Resurrection have upon believers, today?

The Promises of Jesus the Messiah:

Jesus made an important promise in John 5:24: He said that whoever hears his word (regarding himself, and God’s redemptive plan), and believes on Him who sent Him (Places their trust in His redemptive work at the Cross), has everlasting life (present tense) and shall not (future tense) come into condemnation, but has passed over (past perfect tense) from death into life.

He also stated (John 14:3) that he was leaving Earth, to prepare a place for his followers, that where He was they should also be. He also stated (John 14:16) that the Holy Spirit, whom He was sending in place of Himself, would be with His disciples forever.

In the light of these explicit promises, let’s examine the historical facts about the Resurrection:

The Historical Facts:

1^st Corinthians 15:3, 4;

Paul stated the bare facts of the Gospel here, but he prefaced the facts with a reference to their result. To begin with, He stated the results of faith, (we have received the Gospel, and believed it, and our standing with God is dependent upon its truth.) Then he simply stated the facts, as follows:

Christ died for our sins, according to (in keeping with…in fulfillment of) the scriptures.
He was buried (also fulfilling prophecies), and that
He rose again the third day, also in keeping with Biblical prophecies.

None of these things were “just happenstance.” All were called out, far in advance, by prophecy; some of them by a multitude of prophecies. The fact of the “three days and three nights in the tomb,” for example, was in fulfillment of two very explicit prophecies, and perhaps others not so plain. The facts of the crucifixion and resurrection, however, were in fulfillment of scores of clear prophecies and more or less clear Old Testament figures…pictures of the coming Christ.

1^st Corinthians 12:13;

This one—the fact of the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”; the Act of the Holy Spirit placing each believer (us) into our respective places in the Body of Christ— is only dependent upon us being believers: When any sinner sees his own need for the Savior, and trusts in Jesus’s finished work at the Cross—Jesus’s shed blood—being full payment for his sins, the Holy Spirit immediately places him permanently into the Body of Christ. We remain there forever. Jesus said that, of all the souls given to Him, He will lose not one, but shall raise them up at the last day (John 6:39).

Ephesians 1:13, 14;

This one, too, is only dependent upon a person’s one time choice, to believe in Jesus as their only Savior and only Hope. It says that those who heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation (and who trusted in it), after they trusted in Him, were immediately sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit of Promise who is the Earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. Several important points are made, here, for us to cling to.

Obviously, this promise reiterates the promise of Jesus: that those who heard the Gospel and believed, have eternal life now: (Not waiting to see if they were “among the chosen.”)
Another is that we are “…sealed in Christ”: It says “in Whom, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise”
Finally, it says that we are sealed in Him “until the redemption of the purchased possession to the Praise of His Glory.” We will not be lost. We have been sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit…how long? Until the redemption of the purchased possession (the Church) unto the praise of His Glory. We are secure in Him.

This is a stated fact: not just a promise of things to come. All of it is stated as a “done deal”—past tense fact—not dependent upon events still to come. Nothing is hanging in the balance.

Ephesians 2:6

Here’s another “historical fact” which we can’t see, but which God says is already a done deal, as well: Paul says, here, that the believers have already been raised up (resurrected) together with Christ, and have already ascended with Him, and are already seated with Him in Heaven! (This is absolutely beyond my comprehension, but it is clearly stated as a “past-tense fact.”

The Personal, Current Facts: (On the basis of the Historical facts)

Romans 6:2-5; Three things:

We are Dead with Him. (v. 2, 3)
We are Risen with Him. (v. 4, 5)
We are Ascended with Him. (implied, in v.4; stated in Ephesians 2:6)

We have been baptized (not by water baptism, but by the real baptism; the Holy Spirit having placed us into the body of Christ); we have been baptized into his death and his resurrection, and (Ephesians 2:6) we are currently seated with Him in the heavenlies. These are each stated as being current realities, not future possibilities.

God does not exhort me to “Die to sin;” He says I am already dead to sin.
God does not encourage me to “be risen with Christ:” He says that I am already risen with Him.
He does not command me to “seat myself in the heavenlies:” He says that I am already there.

What Incredible Statements!

How can God say that I am “already dead with Christ?” Well…the fact is, it is true! In the Scriptures, Death always has to do with “separation” of some sort: Adam was separated from fellowship with God the moment he ate the forbidden fruit. He was spiritually dead, instantly. 930 years later, he died physically, when his spirit and soul were separated from his body.

As a result of Adam’s sin, every human is born spiritually separated from God. Any person who is still spiritually separated from God, never having been reconciled to Him, and who dies physically, is then permanently separated from God. (God calls this the “second death,” in Revelation 20:14.)

So How am I “Dead to Sin?”

My old sin nature (the only nature I had before re-birth) was and is entirely committed to self, committed to sin. God says that it cannot be repaired, cleansed or redeemed. It cannot become subject to God’s righteousness. (Romans 8:7; Ephesians 4:22)

The only way God could save me was to give me a new nature: One that was in harmony with Him. Ephesians 4:24 says that my new nature is created, after God (in His likeness) in righteousness and true holiness. That, too, is a “done deal!”

I have been separated from my old sin nature to the extent that I am no longer enslaved to it, and I have a choice: I can obey God, with a clean heart, because I have a new nature. God never proposed to “fix” my old nature: as far as He is concerned it is dead…it is irretrievably corrupt. God sees the new “Me” separated from that old sin nature. He says I am dead to sin. I do not have to submit to its desires any more.

Romans 6:2-5 says that we are also risen with Christ: His death, burial and resurrection became ours. For Eternity, God now sees us only in the person of Christ. Ephesians 2:6 says that His ascension is also ours. We are already safely at home with Him, in God’s eyes: All we are doing, here, in our earthly lives, is living out that reality. Both by word and deed, we are supposed to be demonstrating to the lost world around us, the truth of the Good News of Christ. Our lives are a living Gospel Sermon!

How Should The Resurrection Affect the way we Think?

Since these things are true, and if we are willing to accept them as fact (the Gospel and all God says about it); how should it affect our thinking and our response toward the people and circumstances with which we live?

Can I genuinely exhibit the Love of Christ, because He lives in me, and not be offended by the petty offenses people or circumstances may bring? They truly are petty, compared to the absolutely criminal abuse that was heaped upon Jesus, by the Human Race.

(And, yes, we are ALL guilty: Our sins made it necessary for Him to go there.) Consider the abuse that he endured, both on the way to the Cross, and in the Crucifixion itself: Is there anything in our experience that is worth losing sight of the Promises and Peace of the Savior?

Can we see our tormentors as precious souls, for whom Jesus died? Can we grieve for their lostness, and pray for their salvation? Can’t we choose to be a blessing to them, in hopes of turning them away from eternal condemnation? Or must we secretly feel satisfaction, that “Well, they will surely pay for that!” What an incredibly selfish response! I am equally guilty before God, and His Grace was extended to me, a completely lost sinner: Can’t I extend my feeble grace and forgiveness to them, as an act of Worship to the God who first loved me?

How Should those facts affect the way we live?

Can I stop acting as if everything revolves around “how I feel about things?” Can I literally put others first, as Jesus did? Or will I continue to concern myself primarily with my own comfort, my own safety and my own future security?

God calls us to offer our bodies a living sacrifice to Him, so that our lives will be lived out in a manner that honors Him. He calls this our “reasonable service” of worship. (Romans 12:1) That offer has to be renewed often: The problem with being “living sacrifices” is that we keep crawling off the altar! We don’t just “die, and get it over with.”

We are called to “die to self:” to “take up your cross, daily, and follow” Him. Notice that we are not called to “die to sin”…that has already been accomplished. We are called to continually renew the conscious setting aside of sin, and to live in the newness of life:

To live out the resurrected Life of Christ, not just continue in our own self-centered way.
He calls us to become the living “Love of Christ” in the unloving world around us:
To become the living “Light of Christ,” in this dark world in which we live.
He calls us to become a clean source of the Living Water, to any soul who is thirsty.
To become a clean source of the Bread of Life, to any soul who is hungry.

Live as Those Risen From the Dead

Colossians 3:1-4 (Read it!) calls us, as those risen from the dead, to set our affections on things above: He says to change our priorities. He says, since we are seated with Him above, to see things from His perspective, and count His priorities to be our own. God reiterates that we are dead, and that our lives are “hid in Christ.” God only sees us there: In Christ. He concludes that, when Christ Himself appears, we shall appear with Him, in Glory. It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus!

We are Ambassadors of the Risen Christ. That is the confidence that we have in Him: it is the assignment that we have in Him, and it is the direct result of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for the clear news of your death, and burial and, especially, your resurrection. Please use these truths to shape us into your likeness, and to transform our lives into your own image. Make us profitable servants of God.

March 7, 2026March 7, 2026

Did You Know Jan Marie Larsen? Eulogy and Final Message

Jan Larsen’s Graduation

1^st Thessalonians 5:16-19; 1^st Corinthians 15:22; Numbers 21:5-9; John 5:24, etc.

Introduction:

Unquestionably, today all of us are missing Jan Larsen, our precious sister. She encouraged all of us with her joyful approach to life and faith. Jan finished her course in this life, and she graduated into God’s presence. She was the living embodiment of Paul’s commands, in 1^st Thessalonians 5:16-19 “¹⁶Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ¹⁹Quench not the Spirit.”

Rejoice Evermore

To begin with, Jan found the joy of the Lord in all of her life. As a result, she was an encourager to others to do the same. She sat people down and told them exactly what she so much appreciated in them.

Unsurprisingly, her last words to me, when she was lying in a bed, struggling to breathe, were “You are awesome!” (Obviously, that could have just been the meds talking, I will concede, but it is just the kind of thing she would say.)

Moreover, Jan blessed the Lord with all of her heart, and spoke her blessings aloud, not just thinking about Him quietly. She blessed all of us with that abundance of Joy, as well.

Pray Without Ceasing

Jan and Rick prayed together and they studied scripture together every day of their married life. Jan was an eager student of God’s Word, and fervent in prayer. She studied God’s Word as a whole. She knew that the Old Testament comprises nearly 80% of the Bible. And, she knew that the Holy Spirit authored the entire Written Word of God. So, she chose to read it her desire to be the best that she could be at whatever service The Lord assigned to her.

In Every Thing Give Thanks

Jan and Rick gave thanks together for God’s provision in their lives, whether it was the stream of tiny bird visitors they saw outside their apartment, or the people around them in church every week. Even in her sickness, she thought of ways to honor the Lord in the giving of thanks.

Finally, when Brandy Pedigo visited Rick, after Jan died, she brought him eggs and fresh-baked bread. He was thrilled with her kindness and care. But she was thrilled at seeing the Peace of God glowing in Rick’s face and in seeing his Joyful demeanor. That is the effect that Jan had on many people. She encouraged us to focus on Jesus and to learn Joy and Peace.

For This is the Will of God, in Christ Jesus, Concerning You!

Let’s make this a little more personal: Jan took this passage personally, and she went out of her way to communicate it with those around her. She knew that this passage was God’s Will for her life as a believer, because she was in Christ Jesus! She wants YOU to know it, too!

Jan also knew how it is that God invites a person to move from his or her natural position (where they have been from birth,) to a new, eternal position, in Christ.

1^st Corinthians 15:22 tells us that there are only two positions, or locations in which a human can be: “…in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” We are either still in Adam, via our natural birth, or we are permanently in Christ, by means of the New Birth.

Jesus Explained It

Beginning in John 3, Jesus explained this concept to Nicodemus, first emphasizing (v. 3) that without that new birth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus found the idea of being born again very confusing. So, Jesus spent some time explaining.

Next, in verses 14-16, He said that, just as the people in Numbers 21:5-9 were invited to look away from their own devices and efforts and look to God’s solution for their sins (in their case a bronze serpent high on a pole) even so, today, God invites us to Look Away from our own philosophies and self-made piety, and moral posturing, and recognize that we are lost sinners. He invites us to turn our eyes upon Jesus, as the full payment for our sins, and thereby to gain eternal life.

Finally, Jesus told Nicodemus “Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness,” (As God’s provision for those punished for sin by snakebite) “…even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (In the crucifixion: As God’s solution for the Sin of the Human Race.) “…that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Then He reiterated, by stating it clearly, “For God so loved the World that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever (that means you and me) believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Jesus’s Promise

In John chapter 5, Jesus said we can have eternal life now and not wait until we die to find out whether we have been accepted by God: John 5:24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life [present tense], and shall not come into condemnation [future tense]; but is passed from death unto life.” [past-perfect tense: it can’t be undone!]

In Ephesians 1:6, God says to those who have trusted in Him, that they have already been “made accepted in the beloved.”

In Acts 16:30, 31, the Philippian Jailer asked Paul and Silas “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!”

Our Sister Jan knew all these things: She loved the Lord with all her heart, and she sought to “pass along” that eternal life and supernatural joy to anyone willing to listen.

Quench not the Spirit

The last verse in this passage (verse 19) is easy to overlook: It says, “Quench not the Spirit.”

Jan Larsen never put a “damper” on joy. She did not dwell on the wreckage of the world around her, nor the political posturing and false “virtue signaling,” of evil people. She saw the people of the World as the souls for whom Jesus died, and she cared for them as such. But, she did not allow them to take her focus away from the Lord Himself. He came first, though she grieved for the lost, and prayed for their salvation. He came first!

Jan remained focused on Jesus and on the various assignments she had from Him. She allowed Him to handle the World and all of its threats. She just kept her eyes on Him: the One who bought her with His Blood at the Cross!

And she would encourage each of us to do the same!

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026

How to Understand the Hope of the Resurrection (Part 2)

The Hope and Truth of the Resurrection

1^st Corinthians 15:8-28

⁸And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

¹²Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

¹⁴And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

¹⁵Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. ¹⁶For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ¹⁷And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ¹⁹If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

²⁰But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. ²¹For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

²⁴Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

²⁷For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. ²⁸And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Introduction:

We began studying the truths and the Eternal Hope of the Resurrection, and we at least saw how vital that hope is to the entire Christian faith. We skipped through 1^st Corinthians 15, hoping to come back the next time and fill in the blank spots.

**What Would Be the Results if the Resurrection Never Happened?**

Paul builds a sort of “legal case outline,” here. He points out several connected ideas:

He himself was the last of the Eyewitnesses. Not because he was good…quite the opposite. And he underscores the fact that he is not worthy to be called an apostle, since he had viciously persecuted the Church.
Whatever the case, “it is what it is:” He says, “I am what I am.” He had to accept what he was, and start there, just as we do.
And Paul testifies that by the Grace of God, he had accomplished more than the others, but not on his own: God did the work. However, regardless of which apostle did the preaching, the people had received the Gospel and believed it.
But, now some among them were denying that the Resurrection was a reality. He said:
- If that is true, then Jesus is still dead.
- If Jesus is still dead, then the Gospel (which is dependent upon the truth of the Resurrection) is not true!
- Those who trusted in Him have a vain hope.
- All those who preached salvation by Jesus are liars and false witnesses.
- Those who believed in Him are still dead in their sins.
- Those who died, believing in Him, are in Hell, and lost forever. (Wow!)
He concluded that, if the Hope we have in Christ is only valid for this earthly life, we are of all men most to be pitied.

BUT! Christ IS Raised from the Dead!

Paul refuted all the connected side-effects (of the resurrection hypothetically being a lie,) with the single statement: “He is Risen!” The Gospel is true!

Jesus is the firstfruits of the believing dead who will be raised to be with Him. He says:
- Death came by Man (Adam,) thus the Resurrection also came by Man (Jesus.)
- All in Adam die: All in Christ shall be made alive. (Resurrected.)
- All will occur in proper order: Jesus first, afterward, all the rest of us.
The Resurrection will culminate in final victory for Jesus,
- Jesus will reign until He supersedes all other kingdoms and authority.
- All enemies will be under His feet.
- The final enemy to be destroyed is Death.
- The Final Kingdom and all glory will return to God the Father.

So, What Do We Do With All That Information?

Point One

The first thing we perhaps ought to notice is that only Paul lays hold of these three claims:

I am not worthy to be called an apostle. (1^st Corinthians 15:9)
I’m less than the least of all saints. (Ephesians 3:8)
I am the chief of sinners. (1^st Timothy 1:15)

If others had made similar claims, we might simply consider it a mark of humility. If Peter had said it, I might have assumed it was self-condemnation, for his having denied Jesus. But only Paul said these three things: So, I have to conclude that, because the Holy Spirit chose the words, and He chose they would only come from Paul, then there must be some sense in which all are true, and only true of Paul, since all are exclusive statements.

Why is this important? Because it means if these were literally true of Paul, they cannot be true of me or of you, even if we “feel” they are true. Feelings are not reliable reflections of reality. If God could use Paul, He can use anyone.

And, just as Paul was forced to do, we have to start where we are, and choose to obey Jesus, and submit our lives to Him, if we hope for God to accomplish anything through us. This is not a “Do-it Yourself” project! Jesus said, “…apart from Me ye can do nothing!” (John 15:5)

Point Two

The Truth of the Resurrection, and the Hope of the Resurrection are central to the Truth of the Gospel. In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” If Jesus did not literally, physically rise immortal, from the dead, then all the rest of the Gospel falls apart.

If He is still dead, then the whole Bible is a lie! The Central Theme of the entire Bible is the Redemptive Plan of God, foreshadowed in Genesis and repeatedly confirmed, in stronger and stronger terms, throughout all of the Word of God. Thus, if the Central Theme is negated, the entire structure is fatally flawed.

The “Gospel” would not be “good news.” All who believed it would have made a fatally bad decision, trusting a false messiah, and they would be just as fully lost as if they had no savior… because they truly would not have one.

Paul concludes that if our faith in Jesus has only temporal results, then it is no different than all the “world religions.” If we have been following a false messiah, then we are pitiable, miserable wretches, and still headed for destruction. But!

Point Three

Jesus is Alive! All of the above questions and speculation about the “result of a false messiah” are pointless, in the face of the eternal fact of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul went on to teach the logic of the resurrection, showing that it was entirely fitting that a man (Jesus) should undo the damage done by the first man, Adam. Although He doesn’t elaborate, here, this fits the requirements of the Kinsman Redeemer from the Old Testament:

The Redeemer had to be a near relative (which is why Jesus became a man.)
He had to be free, Himself (Jesus was sinless and free from the taint of sin.)
The Redeemer must have the price of Redemption (a sinless body, with untainted blood.)
He had to be Willing.

Two Positions, Two Heads of a Race

Adam sold out the entire Human Race: Jesus bought back the entire Human race, but He left it up to the individual to choose whether to trust in His completed work at the Cross. All who choose to remain in Adam simply remain spiritually dead; separated from God. All who choose to believe God, and trust His plan of salvation, are placed into (literally “baptized into… immersed into”) the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, and we are permanently bound to Him by His Grace and Love.

Why will we be resurrected? Because He bought our salvation at the Cross. All we did was to believe His Word, and receive Him. He has already been resurrected, but God said that from His perspective, if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, then, in Him, you are already resurrected, too! Ephesians 2:6 says you are already seated with Him on the throne in Heaven!

Point Four

Because He is already the Victor, (and we have joined Him in that victory,) we will see His ultimate victory over the entire world, as well as over all the unseen evil beings. We will see Him triumph over all His enemies, including Death! Revelation 20:14 says “Death and Hell will be cast into the Lake of fire.” After that, He will deliver the eternal Kingdom to the Father, with the Glory that goes with it.

How Does All This Truth Affect Us?

Does it make a difference in our lives, knowing that the Resurrection of Jesus The Messiah is a fact, and that we are already resurrected with Jesus? It truly ought to make a difference! Pat James used to conclude, regarding this sort of truth, “We’re bullet proof!” meaning that we simply cannot fail to end up with God for eternity, as we are already there, and Jesus promised, “He that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out!” (John 6:37)

How much more confident would we feel in daily life, if we truly grasped how completely He has redeemed us, and how fully He has made us His own?

Romans 6:2-6 explains that through our being baptized into Christ, by the Holy Spirit, we are now fully identified with Him in His death, burial, resurrection and eternal life. He says we are dead with Him. He says we have been buried with Him, and that we shall be like Him in the resurrection. Ephesians 2:5, 6 makes it more explicit, saying that we have been (past tense) brought to life in Him, and raised up (ascended) with Him, and seated with Him in the heavenlies. It’s a done deal!

That truth should set us free to serve without fear and without holding back. I do not claim to have fully grasped this, because, like most people, I sometimes suffer doubts and fears. But I do know this truth, and I believe that it is fully applicable today.

Lord Jesus, please bring the truth and the hope of the resurrection to life in our minds and hearts, and use it to set us free from our fears, our doubts, and our besetting sins. Teach us to walk in the newness of life.

February 7, 2026February 7, 2026

How do the Other Gifts Compare to the Foundation of Agapé?

Other Gifts, Compared to the Foundation of Agapé

1^st Corinthians 13:1-3, 8-13

¹ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

²And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

⁸Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

⁹For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

¹⁰But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

¹¹When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

¹²For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

¹³And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Introduction

We spoke about the supremacy of Agapé love in God’s valuation. We saw that Jesus’s “New Commandment” was specifically that we practice that care for one another. Finally, we saw the 15-point outline of the character of Agapé in 1^st Corinthians 13:4-8.

Now, we will back up and look at two questions:

How much value do the gifts have without Love (Agapé) and
How long will the other gifts last as compared to Agapé?

Value of the Gifts, without God’s Love

Paul lays out a very clear, and rather curt dismissal of all the gifts absent the core value of Agapé:

¹ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

[Only verse in the Bible that suggests (or reveals) that angelic language may be different than human languages. We are given no further information on this subject, so I am going to let it rest as stated.] The real issue? If the “gift of tongues” is there, but agapé love is not, then it is just “noise.” Maybe a thrilling noise, like a gong or cymbals or the rattle of a tambourine, but it is still just noise.

²And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Aren’t those Gifts Important?

Prophecy seems pretty important! Speaking for God is an honor and a terrific responsibility. Supernatural Wisdom that “sees through” all mysterious puzzles is also a wonderfully valuable gift. Supernatural Knowledge seems to be able to answer all questions. That seems pretty powerful as well. And supernatural Faith that can (perhaps) move mountains…. They all seem great!

But Paul says all these things amount to nothing of value, unless the Love of God is both empowering them and motivating their application. More specifically, he says that a person manifesting the gifts, but not the Love, is nothing!

³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

He says that generous, heavy giving and personal sacrifice, too, (even including martyrdom,) are valueless without the Agapé love. The person who lives this way is investing their time and effort and money and life itself in something that has no eternal value.

**The Gifts Themselves are Not Eternal**

Paul lists some of the gifts and points out their limitations:

⁸Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

These three gifts, specifically, he says, will cease. He goes on to give us some hints about when they will cease. People argue endlessly about the time-line, but verse 12 pretty much clears up the controversy.

⁹For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

“Partial” as compared to “completion” is the issue. The Greek word translated as “perfect” is “teleios,” and it always means “complete” or “ripe” or “mature,” not “without flaw.” But usually it means complete. So, Paul contrasted our partial knowledge against complete knowledge. Prophecy has always told only part of the whole story. The fulfillment virtually always includes some sort of irony, or a twist in the tale, so to speak.

A Biblical Example: The prophet informed a rich, political official that although he would see plentiful food, the next day, he would not get to eat any of it. He undoubtedly thought, “Oh yes I will!” But when they A Biblical Example: The prophet informed a rich, political official that although he would see plentiful food, the next day, he would not get to eat any of it. He undoubtedly thought, “Oh yes I will!” But when they opened the city gates, the starving people pressed through. In their frenzy to reach the food outside the gates, they trampled that rich, arrogant man to death in the gate!

The prophecy only told the truth. It did not tell how it would be fulfilled.

What Is the “Perfect” that Shall Come?

This is a passage over which there has been a fair amount of controversy. One fairly standard reply to the question is that the “perfect” (or “complete”) here is the completion of the Bible, specifically, the completion of the New Testament.

Yet another is the completion of the Body of Christ, the Church.

Another is the second coming of Christ, Himself.

Whatever it is, we have to agree that when that “perfect” comes, there will be no more of those three gifts, at least. (Perhaps it actually applies to all the miraculous gifts.)

¹⁰But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

He doesn’t leave much room for argument on that issue. So, the main question left is “What is the “Perfect” that he predicted?”

“Growing Up” Issues

¹¹When I was a child, (Greek, “nepios”…a baby who can’t talk yet.) I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, (Greek “aner” …a man, or in some cases, a husband) I put away childish things.

Paul uses the example of a child growing up to maturity. He demonstrated that some things will be best left behind as one matures to adulthood. So, let us compare this passage to the passage in Ephesians 4:11-16, where God tells us to “grow up into Christ,” and see what He means.

Ephesians 4:13-15 says “grow up into Christ.” Paul begins by saying that all the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11-12 will continue until the events in verses 13-15 have been completed.

He then goes on and tells us to grow up into the measure of Christ Himself, to a perfect man. If the “perfect” in 1^st Corinthians 13 is the completion of the New Testament, then the passage in Ephesians is wrong, as the office gifts in Ephesians 4:11 have not produced the Church as a completed man, in the stature of Christ. Sorry, the Church at large is far from complete, and its members are, on average, far from mature!

“New Testament Completion” Problems

If I say that the “perfect” is the completion of the New Testament, then I have to face verse 12, and ask myself, “Do I truly see Jesus, face to face? Do I know God as well as He knows me?”

¹²For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

If my answer to that is, “No!” then there are only two possible things I can say:

Either I have failed to know the written Word well enough to allow me to see the Living Word, face to face (Can that even be done?) And I must have failed to apply His Word diligently enough that I know God as well as He knows me (That sounds somewhat blasphemous, to me!)
Or, I have to admit that the completion of the New Testament is not the “Perfect” to which Paul is referring.

Church Completion problems

As we noted, the Church is neither complete nor mature, and the gifts will not be needed, by the Church, once the Church is completed and raptured. We will be with the Lord face to face! We will “know him as we are known,” etc. It all seems to fit! But the rest of the world will not know him, nor will the tribulation saints: those who come to faith during the Tribulation.

Forty years ago, someone told me that the word translated as “Perfect,” in verse ten was a feminine word. So I reasoned that it could not refer to either the Written Word of God, or to the Second Coming of the Living Word of God, as both are about Jesus, and He is fully masculine.

But they were wrong! And, as a result, I taught it wrong! I recently looked up the word for “perfect,” in the interlinear, and it is the Greek word, “teleion.” This is not to be confused with the word “teleios.” (What’s the difference?) “Teleion,” the word used in 1^st Corinthians 13:10, is masculine, NOT feminine! It cannot refer to the Church, which is the Bride of Christ.

Combine that with the dreams and visions that Israel will experience during the Tribulation, after the Church is gone, and the prophetic judgments that will be laid upon the world during that time, and we have to concede that the “perfect” cannot be the completion of the Church.

“Second Coming” Answer

The Return Of the King obviously seems a great option, simply because Jesus certainly is “perfect,” both in the sense of being flawless, Holy, etc., and in the sense of “completed.”

Also, we realize that after His return, there will be no more need for prophecy or tongues or special gifts of knowledge, because every living human will have seen Him face to face, and “The knowledge of the LORD will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)

And, yes, the entire Body of Christ will be “All Grown Up!”

Combine that truth with the fact that the noun translated as “Perfect” in verse ten is masculine, and we can see that the Personal Return of Jesus, to reign in Jerusalem as the immortal King, is what the “perfect” has to be.

So, What will Remain?

Some things will remain, even after the Return of Christ:

¹³And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Faith, Hope and Love will remain after the Kingdom begins. There will still be people born who will reject faith, and secretly hate the Lord. They will be revealed at the end of the Kingdom age. But believers will still be saved by faith, and they will hope in the final fulfillment of God’s Word. They will Love the Lord with agapé love, and love those around them in the same manner.

But Evangelism will no longer happen. The knowledge of the Lord will be complete. People will still have to decide whether they will enter into a faith relationship with Him, but they will all know who He is.

So, What Should We Do With This Information?

To begin with, I think the principle in Matthew 6:33 applies. “But, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” I entered into a permanent relationship with Him by His Grace, through faith. That placed me into His kingdom, and into His body, the Church, but it also implanted in me His righteousness. Not “something I do,” but rather, “all that He did!” 2^nd Corinthians 5:21 says that “He (who knew no sin) became sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him.”

Philippians 3:9 says that we need to be found “in Him,” “…not having my own righteousness,” which is by the Law (by our works,) “but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

We need to learn to walk with Jesus in such a way that our works conform to His, by Faith and by Love. This gives us great assurance of Hope, knowing that we are aligned with His Love.

Lord Jesus, Please free us from our slavery to sin, and pride, and public opinion. Lift us up, every day, to continue walking with You.

January 2, 2026January 2, 2026

How to Refocus on the Gifts of God For the New Year

Re-Focus on the Gifts of God For the New Year

John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Ephesians 1:3-14; 1^st Peter 1:3; 2^nd Peter 1:2-4; James 1:17

Introduction:

Last week we spoke briefly about the whole concept of “spiritual gifts.” We observed that God structured an outline of sorts, in 1^st Corinthians 12, that there are many gifts, but one Spirit, etc.

1^st Corinthians 12:4-6 reads, ⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Since there are more gifts of God listed in the various scriptures we will read today, and since the majority of the gifts of God are unconditional, I would like to begin by re-focusing our attention upon the Gifts of God, as we begin the New Year.

The “Gift of God” (Singular)

All of us have heard on multiple occasions, the verse we know as “John 3:16” where it says that the manner in which God demonstrated His love toward us is “that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That means Jesus is the Gift. He is the Central Gift that makes all others possible.

Because of that “Central Gift,” the latter half of Romans 6:23 became a reality. (The first half was already true!) “The wages of sin is death (already true!) but the GIFT of God is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This latter half is a living reality today, for whoever chooses to place their faith in Jesus for salvation.

Salvation is not earned…at any level! If your “good works” are involved at any point in securing your salvation (getting saved or staying saved) then ultimately, your salvation depends entirely upon your works, because, without question, your works will always be the “weakest link.”

But God spells it out for us in Ephesians 2:8, 9. He says, “By Grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourself, it (the salvation) is the Gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Paul also reiterates the point, in Galatians 2:21, saying “I do not frustrate the Grace of God, for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (The point being that, if it is at ALL possible for our works to save us, then Jesus died needlessly.)

So, How is that “Central Gift” Implemented?

Acts 16:31 assures us that it is very simple: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!”

And John 1:11-13 says,“¹¹He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he power (authority…the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Born of God!)

Everyone who chooses to believe in Jesus: (Everyone who trusts in His finished work at the Cross, for salvation,) immediately is reborn as a child of God: they are His legitimate offspring.

1^st Peter 1:3 says that “God has begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” He sired you! You are his genuine offspring, in Christ! He is your REAL Father!

At that moment, another thing took place as well: The Holy Spirit placed you into the Body of Christ. (1^st Corinthians 12:13 literally says, He immersed you…baptized you…into the Body of Christ, so that you are permanently identified with Him in every area! (His righteous life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and enthronement. See Romans 6:3-5; Ephesians 2:6)

And then, from that moment forward, all the other Gifts of God could take hold in your life!

The “Gifts of God” (Plural)

To every believer, God says that He has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenly places, “In Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Then He lists about sixteen more things:

If you have placed your dependence upon Jesus Christ as your Savior, then:

You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. (v.4)
You are holy and blameless before him, in His Love. (v.4)
You are predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God. (v.5; compare Romans 8:23)
You are predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will (v.5)
You are predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace. (v.6)
You are already accepted in the beloved (that is, “in Christ”). (v.6)
You already have been redeemed through His blood. (v.7)
You already have full forgiveness of your sins, according to the riches of His Grace. (v.7)
God has already abundantly blessed you in His wisdom and prudence. (v.8)
He has made known unto you the mystery of His will…one piece at a time. (v.9, 10)
Your inheritance in Him is secure. (v.11)
You will eternally be to his glory and praise. (v.12)
Your position in Him is sealed by the Holy Spirit. (v.13)
The indwelling Holy Spirit is the earnest or “down payment” of the rest of the glorious inheritance promised to you.
You are absolutely secure in Christ because He says so, (John 10:27-30) and because
The Holy Spirit is your guide, your guard and your seal until the redemption of the purchased possession. (v.14) (See also John 14:16-23; 1^st John 4:4)

Precious Gifts

I count all those to be precious gifts: And the most precious thing about that list is that every one of them is unconditionally yours as a believer. They do not depend upon you walking by faith, or somehow “keeping your end of the bargain.” (Here’s some more good news for you: There IS no “your end of the bargain.” Jesus did it all at the Cross! You did not enter into Christ by good works, and you cannot leave by bad works! Your works have nothing to do with the Gift of God!

In fact, in Romans 8:38, 39, He also points out that “no created thing can separate you from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus!” Some people suggest that “Well, while Jesus will not cast you out, you could still walk out!” My reply is to have them read Romans 8:38, 39. I ask, “Is that God’s Word?” (They reply, “Yes!”) I then ask them, “Are YOU a created thing? Are you part of the Creation?” That frequently seems to be a new idea to them, so I leave it for them to draw the obvious conclusion.

More Gifts of God (2^nd Peter 1:2-7)

Some of the Gifts of God are not unconditional: They are still gifts, but they could possibly be thought of as “goals,” in that He made it all possible for us, but we have to learn to walk in them for them to be effective.

2^nd Peter 1:2-4 says,

²Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, ³According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

⁴Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Verse two gives us the underlying caveat: “if you want these gifts, they are only available through pursuing the (ginosko) “knowledge” of (an ongoing, experiential, living relationship with the Father and the Son.”

Verse three says that God has already given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. No believer is re-born a “spiritual cripple” who is “lame from re-birth.” In your new self, you have been given the ability to choose to walk with Jesus. Because you have come to know Him, you have access to all the rest.

How Does it Work?

How? Verse four tells us how we are to see these realities worked out in our lives: He has given us “Exceeding Great and Precious Promises!” Peter says that by means of those promises in God’s Word, we have the privilege of beginning to partake in the character, and nature of God, Himself: And, in so doing, we escape the corruption that is in the World through the ungodly desires of our old nature. In reality, this is part of our inheritance in Christ: we are His real children, and we should expect to grow into His likeness.

Collectively, the desires of the World and those of our old natures are completely in opposition to all that God is. His Righteousness and Holiness are utterly repugnant to the World, and to our old Sin Nature.

We escape the corruption of the world and of the flesh by applying God’s Word to our lives. Diligent application of His Word produces further results: We could think of them as “goals.”

The Goals (2^nd Peter 1:5-7)

Diligence in applying the “exceeding great and precious promises” as well as the rest of the admonitions, corrections and encouragements in God’s Word will produce the following things:

⁵And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ⁶And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; ⁷And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

So, There are Seven Things to Look For:

Virtue
Knowledge
Temperance
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly kindness
Charity (Agapé love)

Please note that all of these seven things are still under the condition Jesus spelled out in John 15:5, saying “apart from me ye can do nothing.” Is it possible to produce a “cheap imitation” of each of these things by our own efforts? Certainly, it is!

But all these things, if produced by the flesh, (our old sin nature) are also contaminated by the flesh. The Old Self is not only corrupt, but is continually being corrupted. So, for the realities of each of these values to be born in us, they have to be coming from an ongoing walk with Jesus, in full fellowship with Him. He has to be the source and the power. (Philippians 2:13)

God’s Perfect Gifts

In light of that truth, James 1:17 seems especially appropriate: “¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

The real gift is not wavering or “on-again-off-again.” If it is from God, it is not preferential as to who and how the Love of God is applied: it simply does as the Lord directs, and with Joy.

There are other passages referencing the Gifts of God: Many of them overlap the gifts called the “Gifts of the Spirit, or Gifts of Christ.” That is not surprising: the Holy Spirit is God! Jesus is God! So, the “labels” may often overlap.

(I am not going to waste time by attempting to explain the Trinity in human terms: I do not claim to understand that mystery, But God clearly states it in His Word, so I am required to faithfully teach it.)

Next week, we hope to address the “Gifts of Christ.” If you want to read ahead, the main four are listed along with their purpose, in Ephesians 4:7-16.

Lord Jesus, Savior, God: Help us to focus on YOU, the giver of all good gifts, and not to be distracted by the “flash and glitter” of the exciting “sign gifts.” Help us to learn to walk in the unconditional gifts You have given, so that the conditional gifts and goals will also be ours.

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025

What Have We Learned in 1st Corinthians 1-10?

What Have We Learned in 1^st Corinthians?

Return To Corinthians

We are returning to complete our study in 1^st Corinthians. We had stopped at the end of chapter ten. Subsequently, we went all the way through Ephesians, 1^st John, 2^nd John, 3^rd John and Jude. But now we hope to go back and complete what we began in our Corinthian studies.

By way of review, I will summarize what we learned, going through the first ten chapters:

In Chapter One, we Learned:

The letter is to all believers in every place and throughout all history.
There is much for which to give thanks, regarding the Church.
God Desires Unity in the Church: That is one of the three things by which the World can judge the Church. The others are the Agapé love and our behavior as believers.
We saw that Disunity can have several sources:
- Doctrinal Differences
- Personality Preferences (Who is YOUR favorite teacher? Who baptized YOU?)
- Other sources
We saw the Wisdom and Power of God as opposed to what the World thinks.
We saw that the Door to the truth is the Will, not the intellect. We choose to believe God.
We learned the nature of our calling before God. We truly are nothing Special: He is!
We learned that Jesus is the only person we can boast about.

In Chapter Two, we Learned:

That “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified” is the core issue of the Good News we have to offer. We should allow Nothing else to obscure those truths.
We see that there is such a thing as a Godly “fear,” under which we serve, fearing to do things in such a way as to obscure God’s light, by leaning on Human “wisdom.”
We learned that humans do NOT know what heaven is like, beyond the limited information God has given us. He says we can’t even imagine it.
We learned the difference between a “natural man” and a “spiritual man.”
We learned our privilege: Having the “Mind of Christ.”

In Chapter Three, we Learned:

That a third type of individual exists: the Carnal man. He is a believer, but he lives in the flesh. He is not walking with Jesus, not obeying His Word.
We learned that there are eternal results for either obedience or disobedience: Rewards or loss of reward.
We learned that Salvation is a gift: Rewards are “wages” for works.
We learned that Jesus is the foundation in our lives, and that He gives us freedom to build upon that foundation. How we choose to build affects eternal rewards.
We also learned that some “wisdom” does not come from God.
We learned that the “Temple of God” is the Body of Christ—all believers as a group.
We learned that the Lord protects His church, and will punish those who willingly defile it with bad teaching or evil influence.

In Chapter Four, we Learned:

God requires Stewards to be faithful: All servants of God are stewards at various levels. God requires faithfulness to His values and His standards. He holds us accountable.
Paul pointed out that the Apostles were nothing special…and that we are nothing special, either. Jesus is the judge, over all of us.
- Thus, we learned the Humility of Discipleship.
- We learned that pride and self-will have no place in a disciple’s life.
- We learned that we are emissaries of God.
- We learned the responsibilities of the Ambassadors of God.

In Chapter Five, we Learned:

How Paul commanded the Church to deal with flagrant, open sin.
We learned that Judgment is a command: Not all judgment is bad…Most is good.
We learned the various Greek words for Judgment. God forbids some kinds, while He requires others.
We learned what five judgments believers face, or have faced.
We learned of the Coming Judgment which will NOT affect believers.
We learned why God will exclude believers from the Coming judgment.

In Chapter Six, we Learned:

God calls the Church to handle interpersonal problems between believers.
We learned what God means when he calls the believers “righteous,” and what He means when he condemns the “unrighteous.”
We learned that we were the unrighteous, but that He has taken our sins upon Himself, transferring us from darkness into the Kingdom of Christ.
We learned that because God literally owns us, Body, Soul, and Spirit, we are no longer our own, and we are not free to choose immorality.
We learned that Sexual immorality causes Spiritual, internal damage and it has lasting effects.

In Chapter Seven, we Learned:

The principles of a Godly marriage.
- A gift from God.
- No immorality allowed.
- The marriage Covenant
- Mutual care
We learned that there is a parallel between a Godly marriage and the relationship between Christ and the Church
We learned something about the responsibilities of marriage.
We learned that God hates divorce.
We learned about the calling of God, and how it should affect us.
We learned that in certain times and places and harsh circumstances, marriage might not be a good idea.
We learned that regardless of circumstances we are not to allow either the World or our relationships (including marriage) to alter our relationship with Jesus.

In Chapter Eight, we Learned:

God says to govern Knowledge by Agapé Love. Knowledge puffs up: Love builds up.
Food sacrificed to idols remains physically unchanged.
The idol itself is nothing: It is a block of non-living material.
The spiritual issue is there, especially for unbelievers, but evil spirits cannot undo the work Jesus accomplished at the Cross.
While we are free in such matters, we are not to use our freedom in such a way as to weaken another believer. There are times when we abstain from our freedom in order not to cause a weaker brother or sister to stumble.

In Chapter Nine, we Learned:

The Burden of the Gospel as borne by God’s messengers.
We saw Paul defending his position as an apostle, though it seems unclear what the attacks were or what the motives for the attacks might have been..
We saw why Paul chose to forgo receiving pay for his teaching.
We saw that he worked to learn Christ-likeness, and to follow Jesus. He took his Christian life very seriously. And, He encouraged us to do the same

In Chapter Ten, we Learned:

We learned that all the experiences, good and bad. that the Children of Israel endured were examples from which we are to learn.
We learned that the Spiritual Rock from which they received millions of gallons of physical water, was, in fact, Christ Himself!
We learned that There is a sharp division between the spiritual life of the world religions and the spiritual life of followers of Jesus.
We learned that “Communion” means Fellowship. Shared experiences, values, and goals.
We were warned that the world does not have the same experiences, values or goals. We are not to join in fellowship with the world. We do not take part in their worship.
He says we are not to attempt to mix light with darkness.
He also says that we do enjoy freedom that others may lack. But we are not to misuse that freedom.
We want to live in such a way that others see the truth of God’s Word alive in our lives. The fruit of the Spirit is never an offensive thing.

Chapter Eleven Holds Rich Lessons, Too!

We will learn how we are to follow Paul as he follows Christ…
We will learn why the Corinthian believers were given special instructions as to hair length and head coverings
We will learn why the Corinthian believers were being chastised for their treatment of the Lord’s Supper

Next week, we will begin 1st Corinthians Chapter Eleven.

September 6, 2025September 6, 2025

Learn How to Believe that ALL of the Bible is For You

How Can I Know that ALL of the Bible is For Me?

Introduction:

I often say, “All of God’s Word is for you, but not all of it is to you.” That could sound like heretical teaching, but it is not intended to be that at all. It only means that when God says “you,” it is important that we see who He means. When He makes a promise, to whom was the promise given? Or, if He gave a command, to whom was it directed?

This is just part of careful interpretation, regardless of what you read. If we read the newspaper, a legal document, or a personal letter, the context in which a word is spoken means a great deal in interpreting any document.

Two Examples:

I like to ask, “When Jesus said, “That thou doest, do quickly,” does it mean Christians are always supposed to be in a hurry?” (But, this was Jesus’s command, given to Judas Iscariot: Judas had just then decided to betray the Lord, in John 13:27.) So, the obvious answer is “No! That command was not to everyone: it was only to Judas!”

But, then I might ask, “How about the Great Commission? To whom was it given?” If we read casually, we might say, “It was directed to the Eleven Disciples!” But a more careful reading would find that the eleven disciples were to produce other disciples across the whole world; and that they were to teach those disciples to obey all that Jesus had commanded the Eleven. (So… what had He just commanded the Eleven to do?)

Yes! The Great Commission is for all believers in the Church age. But, by extension, the Great Commission is also TO all believers! The “spiritual chain reaction” began at Pentecost in the second chapter of Acts. We see the continuing command in 2^nd Timothy 2:2. Paul commanded Timothy to teach (make disciples of) reliable, “…faithful men, who could teach others also.”

**But, We Believe the Whole Bible, Don’t We?**

Yes! We believe the Whole Bible. All of it is true. All of it is the inspired Word of God. But, in Genesis, for example, we can see that the entire book is mostly a narrative. The few commands there are usually to a single individual. We learn fundamental precepts there, about the nature of God, and we see, in “seed form,” the principles that fill the whole Word of God. We especially see the broad patterns there. Usually, though, the “commands” we find are very specific: they were given to specific individuals.

However, in the New Testament, we see that Jesus and the Apostles clearly saw the entire Old Testament as being the Word of God (not just “containing the Word of God.”) They quoted some passages verbatim, but often simply alluded to some narrative about a person or a situation, to demonstrate a concept. And, in those cases, if we were not familiar with the Old Testament history, we would completely miss the point of the New Testament teaching that’s based on that passage…and is derived from that passage. Let’s look at some examples:

Example 1: What About the Serpent in the Wilderness?

A good example of this is Jesus’s teaching (directed to Nicodemus, but still priceless to us) about why Moses “…lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.” (John 3:14-15) If we don’t know the story in Numbers 21:5-9, then we will be utterly mystified by the comparison Jesus made between Himself and that bronze serpent. (The one Moses lifted up on a pole, during the desert wanderings of Israel.) It represented God’s judgment for sin! The People were invited to “Look, and Live!”

Jesus was nailed onto that Cross as God’s judgment for the sins of the entire human race. We are invited to believe, trusting that the payment is complete, and Live! Jesus said, “It is finished!” meaning, “It is completed! I have completed the job I was sent to do!” The people were invited to look to God’s salvation from the venomous snakes, by looking to the bronze serpent. In so doing, they confessed that their sins had brought the judgment! And the result was that they did not die for their sins.

We are also invited to “Look and Live!” Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!” So, both the Old Testament account in Numbers 21 and the Gospel account of Nicodemus are priceless information for us, though neither was technically directed to us!

Example 2: What About “The Rock?”

When we read about Moses bringing water from the Rock (twice) during that same period of history, we might shrug and think, “Oh, yes: I know God miraculously provided water in the desert! That is wonderful, but it has very little application in my life…that was all for Israel!”

But we tend to forget that there were around 2.4 million people there, plus all their (numerous) herds of livestock. It was not just a little “spring” that God supplied: It was millions of gallons of water, coming out fast enough to supply all twelve tribes at once.

And in 1^st Corinthians 10:4, we find some really astonishing news: that spiritual Rock that followed them in the wilderness…was Christ! It is not given as an allegory or a metaphor. It is stated as a reality! And…Jesus is with me today! If He is truly that spiritual “Rock” that accompanied Israel through the physical desert, can He supply the spiritual water of life to me, today? Can He supply the Living Water to me as freely as He provided physical water to Israel?

And, the Water?

The story of “The Woman at the Well,” in John 4:4-14 helps us to link the two concepts. She thought Jesus was offering physical water, in an unending supply. But He made it clear that He offered something more. He invited her to receive that Living Water from Him!

Jesus’s promise in John 7:37-39 “completes the connection” for us! He offered that same Living Water, but the next verse explains that He meant the indwelling Holy Spirit, who was “not yet given!” Today, however, The Holy Spirit has been given. And, ever since Pentecost, He indwells each believer. What’s more, in John 14:23, Jesus makes it clear, that, in the person of the Holy Spirit, the entire Trinity has taken up residence in us. What an astounding idea!

He is still the Rock of Ages, supplying His cleansing blood for our salvation, and the endless flow of Living Water, for our continuing walk with Him. He invites the sinner to Come to Him, to Look, by faith, and to Live: To Receive His Eternal Grace and have Eternal Life today!

Example 3: What about Jonah?

In Matthew 12:39, 40 Jesus cited Jonah’s experience in the belly of the great sea creature, as a rebuke to his enemies who asked for a sign. They had demanded yet another sign, and He gave them only the sign of Jonah.

And it Does Two Things for Us:

First: It tells us that the story of Jonah is true. It truly happened, just as told. If I am uneasy with that idea, I have a problem. IfI don’t believe the book of Jonah is completely true, then I am saying that Jesus was wrong about His own Word! But many deny that the story of Jonah is true. They relegate it to the status of a “myth!” But, Jesus treated it as a fact! He treated it as history.

Second: It told us that Jonah’s experience was specifically a prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus! (Jesus called Jonah a prophet: what other prophecy did Jonah make? Or is it just the fact that he spoke for God?) But without that Old Testament prophet to read, we would be blind to the message Jesus offered. If we couldn’t go back and read the Book of Jonah, then we wouldn’t know what He was talking about. We would completely miss the prophecy!

Personal Application

Now: Were the commands in the book of Jonah directed to You? Did Jesus command you to go to Nineveh? (No…He didn’t.) But in that small book, we can see God’s compassion toward people whom we may consider our enemies. The teaching is there for us …if we are looking for it. How high is the priority you assign to the souls around us who are dying as we watch?

Last year, we heard that the president of an Islamic nation (who was the self-proclaimed enemy of Western culture, and the USA specifically,) was killed in a helicopter crash. What should our response be? Should we rejoice that one of our enemies is gone? Or should we grieve the fact that one of God’s created beings, created in His image, has perished, and is almost surely lost?

Jonah saw that Nineveh (the capital of Assyria) was filled with the enemies of his people, Israel! And God commanded him to extend God’s Grace to them! (No wonder he ran away!) And when God succeeded in bringing Nineveh to faith, Jonah was furious, saying, “I knew You were going to do this!” But God revealed the sin in Jonah’s heart, and the compassion in His own heart.

What about Me?

Do I have that same compassion? Or am I apathetic toward the lost, at best, seeing them only as enemies of the Faith? Jonah’s story may not be to me, but it surely is for me!

Jonah preached for three days and saw over 120,000 souls saved….and was furious with God for saving them. Jeremiah, in contrast, grieved and wept for the souls to whom he offered the truth of God. And only two (as far as we are told in scripture) accepted his message as truth, responding in faith. Jonah saw huge results but had a terrible attitude. Jeremiah had compassion for the lost, but saw a very small response. (And, I would still rather be “on Jeremiah’s team!”)

**But, Is it All for Us?**

2^nd Timothy 3:16, 17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, (complete) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

We have looked at commands and promises given to individuals in the historical narratives of the Old Testament: We saw how some of them could be applied as being “for us to live by.” But others were only for examples from which we can learn the principles of God’s righteousness.

Divinely Given Examples

In 1^st Corinthians 10:11, Paul says, “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

You remember that (in Daniel 12:8, 9) Daniel was told that the prophecy he had just received was not for him but rather for the people of the end times. The Apostle Paul saw that the church is increasingly part of that “end times” fulfillment. Today we eagerly look, hoping to see the fulfillment of the “end times” of Daniel’s Prophecy, as they happen. But we also need to look eagerly to see and obey the admonitions of the Old Testament scriptures that Paul points out.

David spoke to that effect, as well, in Psalm 119:9-11, 105, 130. “⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from they commandments. ¹¹Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

“¹⁰⁵ Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

“¹³⁰The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.”

This is how we learn to walk with God: By feeding on His Word. (And it is all food! If you are hungry, Eat!)

What About the “Personal” Books?

In the books of Ruth, Esther, and Job, we see corroboration of the historical books, as well as “inside information” about some of the events in those histories.

The events in the Book of Ruth all occurred during the history of the Book of Judges. But it tells us some “inside information” regarding the Genealogy of Christ, and, in doing so, it paints a clear picture of the coming Kinsman-Redeemer. We could see that Boaz was a picture of Jesus, our Redeemer. We could also see that Ruth, the Moabite woman, was a picture of the Church. She was a gentile woman from a tribe (the Moabites) cursed by God, but she was “grafted into” the genealogy of Christ, as one of his human ancestors!

The events in the Book of Esther happened during the Babylonian captivity: This book links the Jews in Exile to their Redeemer: It shows that He had not forgotten them. When the enemy moved to destroy them, God intervened. (Incidentally, this book is also the origin of the Feast of Purim, which commemorates that delivery, and it is still celebrated today by Orthodox Jews.)

The events in the Book of Job probably occurred about the same time Abraham was alive, though we can’t attach a definite date. But it tells us a good deal of “inside information” about our relationship with God, the limitations of Satan’s authority, and a few details about the Creation, as well as some hints about the angelic host.We see a prophecy there (Job 19:25-27,) that reaches far into the future, to the second coming of Christ, after the Great Resurrection! Again: it is all food! If you are hungry, EAT!

What About the “Meditations and Wisdom” Portions?

The Psalms and Proverbs hold Eternal Wisdom. So do the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. Some parts are more easily applicable than others, but all of them are there for us to read, and to memorize them, and to meditate on them, and always, to profit by them!

Psalms

We just quoted a portion of Psalm 119. That chapter is 176 verses long, and all but four verses refer in some way directly to the profitability and necessity of the Word of God! David used many terms other than “word” to make clear the multifaceted nature of God’s Word: “Precepts, commandments, statutes, testimonies, law, ways, judgments, words, truth, and ordinances.” All these are used to describe His Word. And the four verses that do not directly refer to His Word all speak of His faithfulness and judgment, or (in one verse) His eternal Name.

Proverbs

In the Proverbs, we find God’s Wisdom, in practical application. Proverbs chapter two says that if we want the wisdom of God, we must pursue it through His Word and ask for it in Prayer.

Ecclesiastes

In Ecclesiastes, we hear the echo of God’s Wisdom coming through a man (Solomon) who had engaged in much folly. At the end of his life, he recognized that all of it had been a total waste of time and energy. He counseled the reader to drop the nonsense and focus on the Lord!

Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon describes a love relationship between a bride and her beloved, the King. In the time when it was written, it spoke of the king (Solomon) and his betrothed (The Shulamite girl.) But the ultimate fulfillment is in the relationship between Christ (the King of Kings) and the Church (The Bride of Christ.)

What Now?

Look again at the Word of God: Look with New Eyes! It is all food for your soul, and if you faithfully feed upon it, you will grow!

Lord Jesus, we know that we are limited in our understanding of Your Word. Please open our eyes and hearts to understand Your Word, and help us to apply it to our lives.

August 30, 2025August 31, 2025

How to Understand John’s Closing Notes to the Children

A Letter to the Children (Part 15)

1^st John 5:14-21, Final Notes

¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

¹⁶If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. ¹⁷All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. ¹⁸We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. ¹⁹And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

²⁰And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Introduction:

To begin with, John wraps up his first epistle with several related comments: He offers Encouragement, Teaching, and Admonishment.

Encouragement in Prayer

Obviously, knowing God hears us is a real source of encouragement. This is because we know we are not just “talking into the void.”

There are several verses about answered prayer, in the book of First John, and we can learn about prayer, here.

Teaching, Regarding Sin, and Judgment, and Righteousness

We see that God calls something a “sin unto death.” We will have to compare the rest of Scripture to understand that concept, but it is there for us to learn. Also, we see a definition of sin, here: one of four such definitions in the New Testament.

Admonishment Regarding the Difference Between the One True God and Idols

Finally, John reiterates the union with Christ that has been conferred upon us. More specifically, that we actually can know Him, and we have been placed into Him.

Furthermore, he reiterates what Jesus said in John 17:3. “This is eternal Life that they may know thee the One True God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”

And, finally, in contrast to that One True God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, he admonishes us to avoid everything that is not that “One True God.” He says, “Little Children, keep yourselves from idols!” Amen!

What do We Know About Prayer?

Obviously, Jesus encouraged his disciples to always pray.

Also, Paul told the Thessalonian believers to “pray without ceasing.”

Paul also told Timothy that the believers were to pray for all men everywhere, and especially for the leaders, so that the believers could have peaceful lives. God also says this was a “good and acceptable” thing. He said God “ desires all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Sometimes we say, “Well, prayer is just talking to God!” That is an extremely simplistic view of prayer, but true, if only in the same sense that “talking is just communicating with your voice.”

There is More to Prayer thanThat!

Scripture lists different kinds of prayer. The most common prayer we seem to experience is “supplication,” or “petition:” It means asking God for something, whether for ourselves or for someone else. There is nothing wrong with asking: in fact, Philippians 4:6, 7 commands it, along with the giving of thanks. James 4:2, 3 says that sometimes we don’t have what we need because we did not bother to ask the Lord: But he also says, sometimes we do not receive what we asked for because we had wrong motives in asking.

Confession of our sins and our failings, to the God we serve, is also a type of prayer. And it probably should usually precede the other kinds of prayer, because the psalmist said, in Psalm 66:18, that “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”

When we Praise God, that is a form of prayer. When we Worship or Adore Him, it is also a form of prayer.

We should make the Giving of Thanks a constant part of our prayers: Paul told the Thessalonian believers (1st Thessalonians 5:18) “In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you!”

Sometimes I remind myself of the other kinds of prayer, so that I do not always come to God asking for something, but rather bring the confession and worship. I use an acrostic, C.A.S.T.

Confession, Adoration, Supplication, Thanksgiving. He commands us to “Cast” all our cares upon Him because he cares for us. 1^st John 5:14, 15 is a final review on Prayer.

What Do We Know About Sin, Judgment, and Righteousness?

in John 16:8, Jesus said, “When He (the Holy Spirit) is come, He shall convict the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment.”

So, it seems fitting that John discusses those three again, here, near the end of the New Testament. There are several things to notice, and some questions to ask, here:

The people in verses 16-18 are all believers. John addresses believers, and he refers to the one in sin as a brother.
All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin NOT unto death
But there is also a sin that IS unto death: What KIND of death?
If the sin is not a “sin unto death,” what kind of sin is it? And why would we need to pray for that brother to save his life, if it is not a sin unto death anyway?
Why does John immediately confirm, seemingly, that “real believers don’t sin?” Or does he really say that?

Where Did God Judge Your Sins?

If a person is a genuine believer, where did the Lord judge their sins? And, what portion of their sins did He judge there? (When Jesus died for YOUR sins at the Cross, how many of YOUR sins were still in the future? The answer? All our sins were future, and He judged them All at the Cross.)

Jesus said, (John 5:24) that the moment you believed in Him and His finished work at the Cross, you crossed over from spiritual death into spiritual life! (And it was written in “perfect tense,” which implies that you can’t cross back into that spiritual death. You can’t be “UN-born-again!”

So…what kind of death are we talking about? I can experience a sort of “walking dead:” a separation from fellowship with Jesus, caused by any unconfessed sin that I hang onto, whether anger, lust, or any other sin I am unwilling to confess.

Definitions of Sin

Verse 17 says “all unrighteousness is sin” This is one of four New Testament definitions of sin:

1^st John 3:4 “…sin is the transgression of the Law.”
1^st John 5:17 “all unrighteousness is sin.”
James 4:17 “…to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Romans 14:23 “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

What is a Sin Not Unto Death?

But v. 17 also says “there is a sin not unto death.” So, it can’t be either of these types of spiritual death. You can’t be lost again, but you DO separate yourself from fellowship every time you choose to sin. Neither of those can fit in this context. That leaves only physical death.

There are sins that call for capital punishment. If a Christian commits such a crime, (and they can do so: We are warned in 1^st Peter 4:15 to not be a murderer, etc.) then John says, in such a case, we are not to pray that they escape judgment. Their sins were judged at the Cross, yes: but there are always consequences for sins, in this life.

New Testament Examples

And there are cases in the New Testament where believers were literally “taken home” by God for sins that the world would not have judged, at all: But they were actions which undermined the holiness of God’s work on earth. In Acts chapter 5, we saw Ananias and Sapphira, who were believers, but who lied to God, trying to gain honor before other believers. And God revealed their sin, and took their lives.

In 1^st Corinthians chapter 11, we read of people who took lightly the holiness and solemnity of the Lord’s Supper. Paul said many of them had been physically sick, and some had physically died, because of that sin.

In both those cases, God decreed that their sin was “unto death,” and it was physical death, but it was for sins that the world would not even have seen as sin, but about which God does care. God does not “ignore our sin.” He hates sin, but He loves the sinners and died for them. And even among believers, He may say, “You have gone far enough! I am bringing you home!”

What About “Sinning Believers?”

In verse 18, John said, “¹⁸We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. ¹⁹And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”

Some folk attempt to teach that this means “real Christians never sin!” That teaching is not only contrary to the experience of every born-again believer I have ever known; it is also contrary to the truth of God’s Word. Christians do sin. Every single genuine believer is a saved sinner, trying to live in the reality of their new born-again nature. And we often fail!

A New Testament Example:

Peter was already a believer when he denied Jesus, cursing, and swearing that he never knew Jesus. How do I know? Jesus said so! In several places, actually, but specifically, in John 15:3, Jesus told the eleven (including Peter) that they all were clean, through the Word that Jesus had spoken unto them.

And, in Antioch, long after Peter had received the Holy Spirit, both Barnabas and Peter were caught up in the hypocrisy of the Jews who claimed that they could not eat with the Gentile believers. (Galatians 2:11-14) But, honestly, Why would John tell the believers to confess their sins and be cleansed, in 1^st John 1:9, if believers never sin?? The answer is, they do sin!

But a believer should not be comfortable in their sin, nor should they willingly continue in sin. One of the results of genuine saving faith isa true continuing repentance, as we see the sin in our lives and confess it, and desire to completely abandon our old way of life.

We know that the World will continually present us with temptations and traps, attempting to ensnare us and to render us unfruitful in our Christian life. But if you have been born again, then you are literally the offspring of God, and you will desire to be with Him, and to walk with Him and to work with Him. You will desire to see Him at work in your life, and desire to see your new life transformed into His holy, righteous life.

The New Life and its Source

²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Jesus, the Son of God, came, born in human flesh, and provided eternal life through faith in His shed blood at the Cross.

Through Him, every believer begins to learn the reality of the New Life in Christ. We have been placed into Him by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in our bodies, as a guarantee that we cannot be lost again. He is the true light of the World, the true life that God offers to the World, and the true God in the Flesh who died for us.

Jesus said, in John 17:3 “And this is eternal life that they may know thee the One True God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.”

He invites us to know Him on an experiential basis, joining Him in His work, in His Love, and in His Life. This is the invitation of God which has been extended to the World from the beginning.

Avoiding Idols

Anything we allow to distract us from the relationship He has offered, is an idol. We ignore the true source of the Living Water, and we go “drink from a muddy creek,” contaminated by the World, the Flesh, or the Devil.

We can either accept HIS invitation, responding daily by faith, or we can ignore it, and miss out. Those are the choices.

Lord Jesus, we ask that you would shine more and more brightly in each of our lives, through the study of your Written Word, and by the authority of Your Holy Spirit, so that we see that we truly have been called as your ambassadors, to be your hands and feet and voice, here on Earth. Give us the faith to follow You in every way.

A Walk Through Galatians (What happens in Failure?)

Part 4: Chapter 2 versus 11-21 ( Peter’s Failure!)

Personal Failure

Personal Results of Salvation, Despite my Failure

(Read Galatians 2: 11-21) Peter’s Failure

Confrontation

(Read Galatians 2:11)

Read Galatians 2:12-13 (Failure spread to others)

Peter’s Failure: Hypocrisy

The two Natures

Other Interpretation

What God Says

(Read Galatians 2: 14)

Historical Context

(Read Galatians 2: 15-16)

(Read Galatians 2: 17-19)

(Read Galatians 2:20-21)

How God Sees Us, Regardless of Our Failure

The Danger of False Teachers

How to Know Where a Loved-One Has Gone

2nd Corinthians 5:1-9

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18

Introduction:

So, How CAN we Know?

Personal Assurance: What Should YOU Know?

The Beginning

Is There Truly A Paradox?

But, When?

So, Where IS Grandma? (Grandpa? Dad? Mom? Wife? Husband?)

Two Possible Destinations

Now: Do I Like That Judgment?

How Does the Fact of the Resurrection Affect the Church?

Introduction:

The Promises of Jesus the Messiah:

The Historical Facts:

Ephesians 1:13, 14;

Ephesians 2:6

The Personal, Current Facts: (On the basis of the Historical facts)

What Incredible Statements!

So How am I “Dead to Sin?”

How Should The Resurrection Affect the way we Think?

How Should those facts affect the way we live?

Live as Those Risen From the Dead

Jan Larsen’s Graduation

1st Thessalonians 5:16-19; 1st Corinthians 15:22; Numbers 21:5-9; John 5:24, etc.

Introduction:

Rejoice Evermore

Pray Without Ceasing

In Every Thing Give Thanks

For This is the Will of God, in Christ Jesus, Concerning You!

Jesus Explained It

Jesus’s Promise

Quench not the Spirit

Introduction:

What Would Be the Results if the Resurrection Never Happened?

BUT! Christ IS Raised from the Dead!

So, What Do We Do With All That Information?

Point One

Point Two

Point Three

Two Positions, Two Heads of a Race

Point Four

How Does All This Truth Affect Us?

1st Corinthians 13:1-3, 8-13

Introduction

Value of the Gifts, without God’s Love

Aren’t those Gifts Important?

The Gifts Themselves are Not Eternal

What Is the “Perfect” that Shall Come?

“Growing Up” Issues

“New Testament Completion” Problems

Church Completion problems

“Second Coming” Answer

So, What will Remain?

So, What Should We Do With This Information?

Re-Focus on the Gifts of God For the New Year

John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Ephesians 1:3-14; 1st Peter 1:3; 2nd Peter 1:2-4; James 1:17

Introduction:

The “Gift of God” (Singular)

So, How is that “Central Gift” Implemented?

2^nd Corinthians 5:1-9

1^st Thessalonians 4:13-18

**Is There Truly A Paradox?**

**Now: Do I Like That Judgment?**

1^st Thessalonians 5:16-19; 1^st Corinthians 15:22; Numbers 21:5-9; John 5:24, etc.

**What Would Be the Results if the Resurrection Never Happened?**

1^st Corinthians 13:1-3, 8-13

**The Gifts Themselves are Not Eternal**

John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Ephesians 1:3-14; 1^st Peter 1:3; 2^nd Peter 1:2-4; James 1:17

More Gifts of God (2^nd Peter 1:2-7)

2^nd Peter 1:2-4 says,

The Goals (2^nd Peter 1:5-7)

What Have We Learned in 1^st Corinthians?

**But, We Believe the Whole Bible, Don’t We?**

**But, Is it All for Us?**

1^st John 5:14-21, Final Notes