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Category: Epistles – Is his letter to our church?

Epistle of Paul to the Romans 1 - the Apostles sends a church letter to Rome and the local saints of area churches
Epistle of Paul to the Romans

Epistles ἐπιστολή or Letters

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians 

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JUNE 2024 – 2025 —

1 CORINTHIANS 

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Letters – Is he writing to me?
The short answer: YES.

In their epistles or 1st century church letters the Apostles and other men sent out by Jesus build up the saints [small – ‘s’] or members of local first century churches.

A Disciple or other witness of JESUS would write it. Messengers then delivered these church letters to many isolated worshipers.

Followers of Jesus Christ receive these letters as a major encouragement to their personal faith. Then leaders read them to worshipers of their church.

Although the Epistles 0r Letters to the Church were originally written to churches of the first century,

Romans through Jude will seem like letters to your 21st century church.

  • What do Peter, Paul, John and others tell us we must do?
  • Is he talking about an issue in your 21st c. church as well?
  • How does the writer’s advice, warning, or encouragement to the 1st c. believers apply to you as well
  • Is the writer of this letter talking about something you need to address in your 21st century ‘christian’ life?

Contemporary Application of the Letters (Epistles)

Most New Testament writers take on specific issues confronting faithful followers of Jesus Christ. These same issues continue to confront believers until the Lord’s coming again in these last days.

Certainly Christ our Lord will come again to those God has chosen for eternal life.

Believers currently suffer more than most of you who know Christ in your local church can imagine.

In other lands Christians continue to suffer by the hand of the ungodly.
Go into all the world

A 21st century Common Era church can see and hear nearly any atrocity of man or artificial imagination of sinful man’s mind, yet ‘christians‘ dare not speak of any absolute truth of the Lord God or talk of JESUS CHRIST.

Will YOU comment on Scripture and share the Gospel?

I invite you to read the inspired word of Scripture written in these LETTERS TO THE CHURCH.

YES, He IS writing to YOU.

Beloved brother or sister in Christ Jesus,

Will you read this ‘CHURCH LETTER’ and talk of JESUS through your comment, sharing and email to me about this ‘Letter to you?”

Roger@talkofJesus.com

  • Take a look in the mirror

    Take a look in the mirror

    TEXT: Do you love Jesus Christ?

    • No answer
    • Another text (later)
    • No answer

    So what is a brother or sister in Christ to think?  Are you too busy for just a simple answer to a genuine communication in love?

    Maybe you think: I have other things to do… or when that number comes up on your cell: “I won’t answer that.  I don’t want to talk to him (or her).”

    Is that your idea of what you look like when you say that you are a Christian?

    Do you really think that is what Jesus Christ expects from those who ‘claim’ His Name by calling ourselves: christians?

    Perhaps it’s time to take an honest look in the mirror of your Christianity?

    John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

    The word used three times in just one verse – a commandment of our Lord Christ Jesus – agapaō

    of persons: to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

    I don’t know about you, but I see no choice here.

    IF a Christian brother or sister is trying to communicate with you: Jesus commands us to welcome them, to entertain them and to be fond of our brother or sister in the Lord — even love them dearly.

    IF we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, then by His command (IF in fact and in deed He IS our Lord) Jesus commands us to love each other dearly.

    Take a look in the mirror. After all, you should see a forgiven sinner staring back at you AND Jesus forgave you.

    In case you were wondering about the word for “love” in 1 Corinthians 13, often quoted as ‘the love chapter,’ it is a form of the same word:

    agapē – affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love

    You can be convicted by the entire list by reading the thirteen verses of 1 Corinthians 13; but to point out just a few for the mirror in front of you now:

    • Love is not arrogant.
    • Love is not rude.
    • Love is not irritable.
    • Love is not resentful.

    Yes, there are more.

    And don’t forget, dear brother or sister in the Lord:

    Love never ends.

    And one final look in the mirror:

    12  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

    Let’s talk of Jesus. Please SHARE your Christian Social Witness.

    & comment:

    Do you love Jesus Christ?

  • The Family that Prays together Stays together

    The Family that Prays together Stays together

    Is your family too busy to pray?

    I am praying for my family today.

    Romans 1: 

    9 God knows how often I pray for you.

    Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.

    10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.

  • Put Your Armor On

    Put Your Armor On

    15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear… [more from 1 Peter]

    Are you ready for Christ Jesus?

    O church, arise and put your armor on.

    What is your Christian Social Witness?

    DO YOU TALK OF JESUS ONLINE?

    Most Christians who spend any time online (facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and other Social networking sites) RARELY mention Jesus.

    Oh sure, some of us pin a poster with a nice verse.  (Maybe a “Friend” might just happen to see it an get converted.) Do you really think this qualifies as talk of Jesus?

    Jesus IS and will return on the clouds… perhaps any day now.

    Certainly in terms of 2000 years since our Lord’s promise to return AFTER the Gospel is spread throughout the world, this 21st century must qualify as last days.

    “Is there any oil in your lamp of social witness?

    Put our your armor, church, my dear brothers & sisters in our Lord.

    When everyone in our ‘SOCIAL’ networks is talking about every thing else, WHY are Christians so unwilling to talk of Jesus?

    While we spend hour after hour in our ‘SOCIAL’ circles with hardly a mention of Jesus Christ, the Ephesians 6 armor of Christians has become rusty as Dorothy’s Tin Man. (Link provided, in case you forgot where you left your armor.)

    Jesus is NOT going to take up everyone when He returns.  Don’t you want your Christian Social Witness to help SAVE your ‘FRIENDS from hell?’

    A definition may help 21st c. Christians get our ideas of armor out of the middle ages.

    any tool or implement for preparing a thing
    arms used in warfare, weapons

    Another reference to this armor (from the same Greek word) provides additional encouragement for our witness.

    – 2 Corinthians 6:  We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says:

    “In an acceptable time I have heard you,
    And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

    Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

    But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God… By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left…

    Please SHARE your talk of Jesus with all of us and with your friends.  ADD a Comment.

    Our Christian Social Witness matters; but above all… before the battle…

    O church, arise and put your armor on. *

    * “O Church, Arise”
    Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
    Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music