Talk of JESUS . com

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 

Don’t  miss our recent FEATURED SERIES

JUNE 2024 – 2025 —

1 CORINTHIANS 

———————————————————-

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

  • SHAKEN 4 – His voice shook the earth

    SHAKEN 4 – His voice shook the earth

    Hebrews 12:

    Looking only at Jesus, the Leader and perfecter of the faith..

    The writer of the letter to the Hebrews encourages the saints of the church to look to Jesus Christ, the originator of all things and only Shepherd perfecting the faith of sons chosen by the Lord God.

    In SHAKEN 3 a great cloud of witnesses over our head we shared this call to perseverance: Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus.

    FAITH: Swear it upon your biggest BIBLE, mention GOD four times only and Christ Jesus not at all — faith in US?

    Does this ‘ONE NATION UNDER GOD’ claim faith without fear of the LORD?

    (But I digress..) Returning to the Bible:
    Exhortation from Hebrews 12:1-2 - SHAKEN! from a troubled 2020 election to troubled times: Joe Biden Presidential Oath of Office sworn on Douay-Rheims Bible (1899) of his Roman Catholic faith

    Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord

    Nor faint when you are punished by Him – Hebrews 12:5b

    Speaking of those who would follow Jesus Christ as Lord:

    8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

    IN GOD WE Trusted

    In the days of Moses, David and some some other leaders, a chosen and blessed Hebrew nation had trusted God. Yet at times they became divided to trust each in his own ways.

    Some like Zerubbabel responded to the voice of God through Prophets like Haggai and repented (as we pointed out previously). Faithful saints suffered once more in a fading Empire of Rome, which persecuted both Jews and Christians.

    The writer to first century Hebrews asks the church to remain faithful to God in Christ Jesus.

    $20 bill

    Is the U.S. ‘one nation under God?’

    Or are claims of both divisions of this troubled PEOPLE no different from failing faith of a divided Israel and Judah?

    Hear more from the letter to the Hebrews.

    Warnings against Rejecting God’s Grace

    12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet…

    14 Strive for peace with all… that no “root of bitterness” spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled; 16 that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau…

    How are WE doing with this: our leadership United ‘under GOD?’

    Contrast of Sinai and Zion

    18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest..

    For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.

    Hebrews 12:19 NLT

    21 (.. And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

    The Unshaken Nation

    25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks.

    For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth;

    but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”

    .. the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—

    Is your soul shaken by this?

    Do you hear the Voice of the LORD?

    28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,

    Christian fish drawing gif
    and His voice shook the earth.. Hebrews verse and picture of earth from space

    let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
    For our God is a consuming fire.

    Hebrews 12:28b-29 KJV

    Pray that this ‘one nation’ under God may repent and unite with He Who Was and Is and Will be forever unshaken.

    Roger @ talk of Jesus .com

    Amen.

  • SHAKEN 3 a great cloud of witnesses over our head

    SHAKEN 3 a great cloud of witnesses over our head

    TODAY we move forward in time from about 520 B.C. to around A.D. 100 and ‘a great cloud of witnesses’ from the New Testament book of Hebrews. This cloud of witnesses, however, goes back to the Old Covenant and continues until this day.

    Previously in SHAKEN 2 “Think carefully about your ways we found political and religious leadership along with all the people once again turning back to the Lord their God who now proclaims HE IS with them.

    “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

    Haggai 2:21 NASB

    Epistle of St Paul [*] to the Hebrews

    * NOTE: Some commentators question if this epistle or letter to the Hebrews, who’s author is unidentified in its text, was written by Paul or possibly by other A.D. 1st century apostles.

    Some excerpts from D-R Bible {pictured with Joseph Biden, a professing Roman Catholic, being sworn in as 46th President of the United States}

Most translations from NASB translation or versions as noted.

    God spoke of old by the prophets, but now by his Son, who is incomparably greater than the angels.

    The Prophets provided not only a cloud of witnesses to Israel but spoke the very admonitions of the LORD God to a disobedient and unfaithful people.

    [1] God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all,

    [2] In these days hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world.

    A List of Fathers of our founding

    • He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

    “Today if you hear His voice,
    Do not harden your hearts.”

    Hebrews 4:7b CSB
    • 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.
    • Melchizedek and Abraham – Heb. 7
    • Aaron & Moses – Heb. 7:11,14
    • And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us.. Heb. 10:15

    Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.

    Hebrews 10:18

    Jesus Christ OR Judgment?

    Application to a 21st century world.

    So you want justice, do you?

    Is this justice you demand finally for ones you judge (opponents to your own world view)?

    Or do you seek judgment on your own sins, transgressions and trespasses (for which you ask forgiveness)?

    The Apostles wrote to a 1st century church persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ.

    It was not faith in their failing leaders of government

    OR was it faith in a zealous vision of their pastor.

    Nor was it faith that their country would come under the LAW of God, their state under a mandate of morality and their community forced into the fellowship of love.

    The CHURCH believed GOD in Christ Jesus and it was counted to them as righteousness.

    These faithful saints suffered for their hope in the Lord and persevered by grace suffering for a higher community in a heavenly kingdom.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com – on the 1st century saints of the Church

    Hebrews 10:

    Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

    11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

    26 For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries.

    For we know Him who said,

    “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

    It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    Hebrews 10:30-31 CSB

    the cloud of Witnesses [Hebrews 11]

    "so great a cloud of witnesses -Exhortation from Hebrews 12:1-2 - SHAKEN! from a troubled 2020 election to troubled times: Joe Biden Presidential Oath of Office sworn on Douay-Rheims Bible (1899) of his Roman Catholic faith
    From the Douay-Rheims Bible [background of Biden Presidential oath pictured above]
    What faith is. Its wonderful fruits and efficacy demonstrated in the fathers.

    [1] Now faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not. [2] For by this the ancients obtained a testimony. [3] By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God…

    Hebrews 11 continues, mentioning these witnesses of faith in the Lord God:

    • Abel
    • Enoch
    • Noah
    • Abraham
    • Sarah 
    • Isaac
    • Jacob [Israel]
    • Joseph
    • Moses
    • Rahab
    • Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets..

    Hebrews 12 – surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses

    Exhortation to constancy under their crosses. The danger of abusing the graces of the New Testament.

    Hebrews 12 summary from the Douay-Rheims Bible

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith..

    Hebrews 12:1-2a RSVCE
    To be continued...
NEXT: SHAKEN 4 ! His voice shook the earth

    Talk of JESUS . com

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • Persevering the Social Distancing of Virtual Relationship

    Persevering the Social Distancing of Virtual Relationship

    Letters to a Distanced Church

    A quick glance at the map reveals many first century churches near the Aegean Sea, a long voyage from Jerusalem.

    Believers of The Way had to depend on distant leaders to sow and nurture virtual relationships:

    • to each other,
    • to other churches (many in local or nearby homes)
    • and to distant Shepherds of Christ like Peter and Paul.

    The Apostles embraced these saints of so many distant churches with Christ’s love. They loved their flocks through letters and by occasional visits of their founding fathers (Apostles and other disciples of Jesus). Each of these mission churches had its own shepherd, sometimes a father of the household where they met.

    Like the Gospels, Church Letters (Epistles) arrived by messenger or with its own pastor (Shepherd or father) returning from Jerusalem, Rome or other place where the Apostles could encourage them in Christ.

    A voyage to Thessalonica from Rome or Jerusalem is about the same distance.

    Pastoral letters (from the Shepherds or Church Fathers) would be read in as many of the churches along its route as practically possible.

    Do you suppose that the saints of the Church in Thessaloniki suffered social distancing from their local friends, neighbors and businesses?

    YES. In fact many early Christians were socially distanced from their own communities and neighbors due to threat of persecution or even death.

    2 Thessalonians

    from the Church Fathers of the First Century

    Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

    To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

    Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater…

    Hear Paul’s heart for them and note how these socially distanced Christians coped with a new reality much different than before.

    4 As a result, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God:

    • for your perseverance and faith
    • in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

    This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering.

    Commentary on a too-familiar setting
    • Does this also encourage you in your social isolation from the brothers and sisters of Christ’s Church?

    Picture this background from commentary of John MacArthur:

    ..pressure and persecution had also increased. The seeds of false doctrine concerning the Lord had been sown, and the people were behaving disorderly.

    So Paul wrote to his beloved flock who were: 1) discouraged by persecution and needed incentive to persevere; 2) deceived by false teachers who confused them about the Lord’s return; and 3) disobedient to divine commands, particularly by refusing to work.

    Who witnesses Christ’s love in you?

    Our own 21st century community also watches us, even as the Lord Jesus assures His distant lambs held near in every era,

    “In the world you have tribulation, G2347 but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NASB

    There’s that PRESSURE AGAIN.
    COVID – the Affliction of Social Distancing – 2
    Pressure from Affliction – ours and our loved ones.

    Paul assures the Church of Relief & Retribution

    For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict G2346 you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted G2346 and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

    2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 NASB

    Sinners AFFLICTED — Sinners without hope as once we were.

    SEPARATED by our sin, DISTANCED from the Lord God never seeking Christ Jesus, the Savior who cleanses our soul.

    Afflicted by others, but also sinners spared from Judgment by the mercy of the Lord Jesus.

    • COVID – Social Distancing for a time known to the Lord.
    • Judgment – Just punishment separating sinners from God forever.
    • COVID will end, replaced by other pandemics of the world’s sin.
    • Judgment will come to the unrepentant after our mortal time expires.

    These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power..

    2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB

    Yet in Christ, our Lord and Savior, with the Presence of the Holy Spirit; even now — in these days of affliction — we draw near to the love and light which shines through the darkness of this world.

    Amen.