FOR the first two months of 2025 C.E. we examined true teachings of the Bible to understanding a few COMMON christian terms.
Take ANY commonly used christian jargon such as: gospel, grace, saved, redeemed, soul, flesh, sanctified, justified, forgiven, hell, heaven, lord, king, priest, prophet.. and MANY MORE..
2024 C.E.
Here’s a QUESTION for fellow believers about our terms of teaching, preaching and our personal fruit of the faith:
Christian Doctrine —What’s the Point?
WHAT teachings did YOUR ‘christian‘ church preach in 2024 of the Common Era?
How has DOCTRINE from Scripture evolved in two millennia of Church teachinginto a blurred line in the sand erasing BiblicalTruth?
Which doctrines will fit into a Common Era culture that no longer lives in Truth or desires a relational church?
Is YOUR Gospel simply GOOD NEWS for a COMMON ERA AUDIENCE to APPLAUD?
IS corporate worship of JESUS Christ as God our Savior, the One Redeemer from SIN INCLUDED in YOUR Common Era evangelism?
As a Christian follower of the Lord JESUS Christ, Roger invites you to examine our evolving COMMON ERA culture in ‘christian‘ worship and practice.
Does worship by your church resist the temptation to ERASE Christ’s DOCTRINES commanded by Scripture?
Compare and apply the teaching and preaching of
The Life of the Common Era church
to Scripture
God-willing, we will continue our focus on preaching in 2025 C.E. by defining, applying and comparing the TEACHING of the church with the Word of the BIBLE.
Find the Way, the Truth and the Lifein our Everlasting Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. –
Although we began this category in 2023 C.E. as an updated look at DOCTRINE, in our travels with the Apostle Paul in ACTS and re-reading some of his LETTERS to the churches I have once again begun ASKING US the QUESTIONS of our Biblical Christian Doctrine and hope to hear your answers about these foundational beliefs. - RH
Proclaim the scriptural doctrinesof the Gospel.
About Roger – TalkofJESUS.com Doctrine & teaching2024 of the COMMON ERA DOCTRINE
Please comment on any DOCTRINES C.E. post listed chronologically below:
to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation):—beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.
How to sustain a CHURCH in the Gospel
Paul loves these people of the Corinthian church to whom the apostle writes from Ephesus.
He is beholden to this church he started across the Aegean in a city embracing every imaginable sin – Corinth, where many Greeks and some Jews received the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit through his witness.
SO HOW IS PAUL TO APPROACH THESE CORINTHIANS SIMPLY BY SENDING A LETTER TO THEIR CHURCH?
Corinth is a large administrative capital where important policies of ROME must be managed wisely every day.
Even well-educated Roman Centurions and well-to-do families recognized the benefits of applying a Greek-style wisdom and logic to the goals of their everyday lives.
The Jews and their religious traditions have an acceptable presence in Corinth as well.
TODAY we will examine Paul's initial approach ONLY from the beginning of 1 Corinthians.
The Apostle will address more relationships of Christians and the CROSS later in his epistle, but Paul begins with the ROLES of certain people (ministers).
The wisdom of the cross and Christian ministers
Problem #1
For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
What is evident here is that the Apostle has been and is in communication with this church he started back in Corinth. His sources are both reliable and concerned for the right outcomes of their church ministry.
Kress Biblical Resources provides a helpful outline of Paul's approach to this problem of CHURCH QUARRELS.
The Apostles first states
the report of divisions over Christian ministers, THEN
rebukes their divisions over Christian ministers, and finally
Paul provides the remedy for divisions over Christian ministers
BEWARE, Christian leader (minister), these divisions could divide and conquer a church once faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.
ἔρις éris, er'-is; of uncertain affinity; a quarrel, i.e. (by implication) wrangling:—contention, debate, strife, variance.
Note the gravity of some headings from 1 Corinthians:
Sectarianism Is Sin – NKJV
Divisions in the Church – ESV
Taking Sides – Contemporary English Version
A Church Divided Over Leaders – NIV
A.D. 49 – Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians
Paul, in writing to the Galatians six years ago back in A.D. 49 included the same Greek word, translated as ‘strife,’ in a list of what NOT to do.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Whether is was the ‘foolish‘ Galatians, these Corinthians or YOUR CHURCH, quarreling and strife are serious challenges of the flesh which work against ministers of the Gospel.
Paul contrasts OUR expected behavior to such foolish quarrels.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Again, the context of Corinth is Greek as an international language and philosophy of an authoritarian ROMAN EMPIRE which created the culture of the Corinthians and Judeans and everybody else.
NEXT, God-willing, the Apostle’s rebuke of ministers
Paul has just sent for the Ephesian Elders and is about to address them as at the conclusion of his third missionary journey as the Apostle departs for Jerusalem.
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. – Acts 20:26 LSB
Serving the Lord with humility and tears
ACTS on Mission – ἀπόστολος – *apostolos – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders.. + in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers
The *apostles' tearful departure from Ephesus -
Let us recall so many close relationships of those brothers and sisters of the church at Ephesus and especially their elders who have travelled to see Paul once more.
Remember also the several men and women sent out to the Church who now travel with the Apostle Paul as these apostles will now set sail back toward Antioch and Jerusalem.
18 And when they had come to him, he said to them,
“You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;
how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable,
solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks
about repentance toward God
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s farewell message to the Ephesians at Miletus – Acts of the apostles 20:18b-21- LSB
Ephesus, of course, was a key Roman port on the Aegean and entry into Asia (Asia Minor or Turkiye).
Jews from European capitals like Rome resided in nearly every port connected to the far-reaching Mediterranean ruled by Roman commerce and Legions under the command of the Caesars.
Three centuries earlier Asia Minor had been Alexander’s Macedonian route east to the Babylonian and Persian cities the Jews knew all too well.
Greeks of Asia Minor
This map shows the vast empire conquered by Alexander the Great in red highlight. The extent of the empire is an approximation of 320 BC.
In winter 334–333 B.C. Alexander [the Great had] conquered western Asia Minor, subduing the hill tribes of Lycia and Pisidia, and in spring 333 B.C. he advanced along the coastal road to Perga.. [eventually defeating King Darius of Persia].
- Source https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great
solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks
Without reiteration of the great cultural divisions previously addressed (by the Council of Jerusalem) we affirm that the Gospel remains the same for all men and women, namely:
about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul continues in his testimony to the Ephesian Elders:
And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that chains and afflictions await me.
Paul does NOT say to the Ephesian Elders that he has met them in Miletus, a place away from their home church, to avoid previous problems.
The Apostle affirms that just as he had been called on his first mission to them, so too Paul is now called toward Jerusalem to endure more suffering in the Name of Jesus Christ.
And in the Apostle’s usual humble manner he assures them.
But I do not make my life of any account nor dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.
The Apostle Paul now proceeds with his most personal exhortation of these beloved Ephesian leaders by speaking his greatest concerns for the Ephesians once he has departed.
Remember our Three Years together
Let us briefly hear as obedient subjects of the Authorized Kings James Version of the Acts of the Apostles:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
ACTS 20:28-29 AKJV – Paul’s passing of the baton of leadership to the Ephesian elders
Indeed, the HOLY GHOST has made YOU, the LOCAL BISHOPS of your flock..
.. to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. [LSB]
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock..
And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who have been sanctified.
Paul’s benediction and blessing are most gracious. The Apostle begins by commendation (note the full meaning linked & outlined here).
to place down (from one’s self or for one’s self) with any one
to deposit
to intrust, commit to one’s charge
The Apostle then sets forth his own example of these past three years:
[AKJV] 33 I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. 34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
“In everything I showed you that by laboring in this manner you must help the weak
and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said,
The Ephesian elders gathered at Miletus with Paul and the missionaries of his third journey must have pictured the apostles' departure at hand.
And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more.
