Category: Epistles – Is his letter to our church?

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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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

but you have withheld your love

Dearly beloved, dear sister in the Lord,

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

This is the urging of Paul and Timothy to Christ’s bride, His church at Corinth (therefore they speak in the plural to the brothers, who ought to instruct in the Lord their own Christian wife and children). Their urging is for all, yet I echo their heart by paraphrase and address it to you personally, rather than as my child in the faith as do Paul and Timothy. I speak to you as Christ’s bride singularly.

For I am not your Pastor and you are a child of your own faith, following whoever you will in the ways of the Lord or in ways of your own choosing. I therefore appeal to you as ‘my beloved,’ for your dear soul is joined to my own by your vow and your word: Jesus is Lord.

2 Corinthians 6

Dearly beloved,

I have spoken honestly with you, and my heart is open to you. There is no lack of love on my part, but you have withheld your love from me. I am asking you to respond as if you were my own beloved wife. Open your heart to me!

(You may see that my meaning is no different from the letter of scripture.) I will add some here.)

Who are your friends? Are they of the same vow as you and me? Is Christ Jesus their Lord, as well?

Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?

(Again, I will augment.)

I understand. I have so few friends. Christian friends, too, are so involved and so far from community when I most need them. I understand. I am alone with broken heart without you.

Yet I stand against the unbelievers where I work. They know and reject my witness. They stand against me at times. I would befriend them in times of my own need, yet again, ‘What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?’

What have these revelers and lovers of their bold sin have to do with one who detests the wickedness of the world and the overwhelming deceit of the devil?

I am a believer and your partner in the Lord. You are a believer and a partner in my love, a blessing in my life and a constant plea of my prayers.

Dearly beloved, How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?

I appeal to you in the Name of Jesus: Be reconciled in love with me; with Christ and with the praying souls who intercede in love for you each day and each night.

Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.

Because we have these promises, [dearly beloved], let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

Please open your heart to me.

I said before that you are in my heart, and I live or die together with you. I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.

Even Paul changes to the singular in 2 Corinthians 7:3, pointedly appealing to you as an individual to be part of the body of Christ and to have nothing to do with those who set the example of the hardheartedness of the devil (worshiping instead, idols of their choosing).

2 Corinthians 7 King James Version (KJV)

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

[Returning to my paraphrased appeal from the NLT:]

I am not sorry that I send this severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it may be painful to you for a little while.

9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.

10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you!

I know the true joy to which you would cling in your own heart. It is the hope and promise of Christ.

Is your own promise to the Bridegroom so far from your heart that you do not keep a lamp lit for his return?

Why is your answer silent to his gift?

What is your answer to his love?

Dare your heart keep so silent as stone?

Has He not already forgiven your sin? Has our Lord not called out to you, dear sheep of His fold? Has He not already offered His love and humbled himself for the bride of his own promise? Will you not join Him once more, dear prodigal daughter?

Dearly beloved, my betrothed blessing in the Lord,

I forgive you and call out to your dear heart. Please forgive me and accept the gift of the Bridegroom, who was and is and is to come.

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

Love,

Roger

October 10, 2014
Define God

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke… Hebrews 1:1 excerpt

So you ‘go to church’ to hear a man say what God has said. Or you read a book by a man (supposedly of God) who will tell you what God has said. Or you will agree with nearly anyone who will mention God in conversation, even if they say Allah is god or Jehovah is god or Buddha is god or best of all, god is in everything.

What do you believe about God? Can you define it? Can you define God?

Genesis 1:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… And the Spirit of God… And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light… And God made… And it was so.

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Who IS this God who was in the beginning, who created; this Spirit who said and made and it was? Who is this God who said, “Let us…” let the reader understand, ‘us, plural; “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness?” What Spirit can say, “Let us make man in our image?” How can the likeness of God live in the flesh of a man? How can the image of God exist in the image of a woman?

One of many supposed preachers of the Gospel, a wolf clothed as a sheep who would claim that nearly all paths could lead to God, has written a book asking the reader to consider his understanding of the all-inclusive forgiving nature of god to include unrepentant sinners. (That is not how he states is, but that is what he preaches.) A promotional review of a supposedly traditional protestant denomination states of his book (and definition of God): “Good news for people who want nothing to do with religion; better news for those of us who are deeply committed to the faith, but see that religion is way off track.”

Really? A book with only a passing, eventual reference of Jesus Christ, Son of God, proclaims an all-inclusive grace for unrepentant sinners apart from the purification brought forth by a permanent change and repentance to our sinful nature.

Religion, which the world maligns, is much more than a feel-good routine. Religion is a dedication of purpose to a constant worship of God in our very life, created in His Image. For the purpose of definition: Religion – The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

We had best be clear that the distinctive of Christianity is Christ. How can a book, preacher or christian claimant speak of God without pointed reference to Christ Jesus?

Perhaps the one who references ‘god’ does not have any more commitment to faith in all of God’s word than one who claims many gods or even the one god of the deceitful heart.

Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” – John 10:30 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

If any preacher, author or friend would claim a religion other than what Christ Jesus teaches in the Gospel – yes, forsaking our sinful flesh for a new life in Christ is Good News – let us remind the one who would re-define God what Holy Scripture has instructed. Perhaps they will tell us, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” – Matthew 7:1 (a favorite of many of the unrepentant) Let us remind them of the rest and the context of Jesus’ teaching.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

‘God’ or ‘god’ is many things to many people. The Bible contains more than four thousand references to ‘God.’ Perhaps it is time for some of us to review just a few of these and renew what it is we believe in our faith in God. Are we not called by scripture to ‘in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you… – 1 Peter 3:15

Our Lord cautions us: “For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:14 We cannot define God with only slight mention of Christ Jesus, and that not as a true Lord of our life. We cannot define God without support of faith in the Gospel or without belief in the truth of all of scripture. We cannot have god serve our flesh, while we will not worship Christ our Lord, who was sacrificed for our sins.

You may certainly ponder our Creator in the light of John’s introduction to the Gospel. You know well John’s description of Jesus love for the world; that is, sinners like you and me [John 3:16].

It is not enough to just smile and pitch love without repentance and change. Jesus also cautions: … but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

How dare we claim Christ without mention of His Lordship over our will! May Thy will be done.

The writer of Hebrews finishes his description of God in the context we must consider and believe to have true faith in the One God who IS and was and will be.

God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?

Or again,

“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?

6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”

No, our “religion” is certainly not about angels or spirits, worshiping earth or the heavens, conjecture in aliens or chance, teaching from prophets or authors. Our religion and faith is in the One hope of all mankind for the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection of our spirit into the very presence of God our Father, the love of Christ Jesus the Son, who became Holy sacrifice for our sins, and eternal life in fellowship with God the Holy Spirit; our God Who IS and was and will be forever. Amen.

September 22, 2014
SELF-absorbed

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3 NLT

I have a list of texts I have sent to friends and loved ones which end with my request for their response. It seems that we have all become too busy with our own agendas to take proper time and response to others. Are they too SELF-absorbed to answer ME?

The worst offenders on MY list are those I care about most. (Why don’t they answer ME?) Really, I would have called them, but they are always so busy and it seems I can never find a good time for them that works into MY own busy schedule.

In fact, what I would most prefer is more PERSONAL contact and time just for ME and them in person… but that never seems to happen. Really, I need a hug now and then. It seems no one in available for such intimate things in these busy days and lonely nights.

Now for the personal disclaimer: I am most guilty of thinking of MY SELF before serving others in the way I communicate. YOU may add me to your list of those who do not reply instantly to your impersonal texts, emails, forwarded clever emails, facebook stuff, game requests, etc. I do, however, respond personally to telephone calls (unless you are a bill collector or a recording from one of our personal physicians, dentists, school principals & others).

We all seem to have gone off the deep end into the cloud and no message from our communicator can beam us up to the reality of the relationships of this brief life.

I And then there is:

“Social media” – an oxymoron for the internet where we can be superficially social.

It is a place where a “selfie” can define who we are at one instant and then another selfie for our next hours online.

What does all this have to do with living our life as a Christian in this world? you may ask.

The application is quite simple (and should be quite SELF-convicting to you and ME). Let’s look at our letter from Paul to the church at Philipi.

Philippians 2

English Standard Version (ESV)

Christ’s Example of Humility

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Have the same love, Paul advises, as Christ Jesus, who as God humbled Himself to men as a servant.

Do you empty yourSELF as did our Lord?

How can we claim Christ, while we witness that we are too busy for our loved ones?

Therefore, what should we do?

Be a loving wife – a loving husband – in Person, as if you were Christ Jesus and served your beloved in the same way He washed the feet of His Disciples.

Be a loving friend, even as Christ wept for Lazarus, dined with Martha and Mary and visited His dear friends in Person at every known opportunity. (Do you think that our Lord did not have other things to do on His important agenda?)

Be a loving friend like Paul and Peter and John, who all wrote from their hearts to their friends in many churches so many times as they traveled from place to place. The Apostles never forgot their friends, the saints of other churches, as they moved on in their mission, yet continued to pray for these beloved ones.

Be a listener to those who cry out to you for help. Think how many times Jesus paused in an unexpected place to engage the heart and soul of one who cried out.

Help me, their eyes say. Help me, their silence speaks. Help my emptiness (even their ‘selfie’ stares into your scrolling heart).

Have we become, even as those claiming the love of Christ, so busy with our SELF-image of what a ‘christian’ ought to be that we seldom take the time to relate to one another as we would have our Lord love us?

I offer no answer for us – we, the SELF-proclaimed ‘christians’ who look to others just like everyone else. (Perhaps a little SELF-examination through scripture and prayer would be in order.)

I will suggest one possible snare into which we ought not fall as we get so caught-up in the rush and impersonal ‘social’ habits of these last days. It is from the Apostle Paul’s caution for the church of the next generation in his letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3English Standard Version (ESV)

Godlessness in the Last Days

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Paul is speaking of NON-Christians; however he warns how such godless people and behaviors easily creep into contact with believers (and he has some unequivocal advice about these relationships).

Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

Perhaps the time has come in our own busyness to examine the quality of our love we so flippantly and familiarly overlook in our responses to loved ones – especially in our heartless blind eyes so evident, so near and so frequent in our ‘personal’ devices and ‘social’ communication.

Is anyone listening? (Please comment.)

August 27, 2014