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Tag: judge

How Dare You Defer Discipline 1 Corinthians 6
Church discipline continues to be the focus of the Apostle’s letter.

Previously Paul spoke of Judgment between Christ and Satan, but by discipline the Apostle does not mean judgement of Corinthians who do not identify with Christ Jesus. So now Paul INSISTS that the Corinthians judge a fellow church member in this case of moral sin.

Church Discipline in Moral matters

Dare^G5111 any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust and not before the saints?

1 Corinthians 6:1 King James Version – Paul’s challenge to judge our fellow believers rather than defer any matter of church discipline to a civil court.

Strong language from the writ of Judgment by Christ’s Apostle to the gentiles!

But note Paul’s comparison of the civil court –– (Roman law for Corinthians, even as civil common pleas law is practiced in the US and by other Common Era courts).

The Apostle directs the Corinthians to remain within the jurisdiction of God’s Law indicting common justice as law before the unjust .
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τολμάω - From tolma (boldness, probably itself from the base of τέλος (G5056) through the idea of extreme conduct)
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Paul applies his authoritative instruction of church discipline to what he has just stated.

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.

Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 5:12 New Living Translation
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Clear instruction to the church! Yet how many Common Era christian churches will obey God's word in this?
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God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” – 1 Corinthians 5:13 NIV

κρίνω –krinō – go to Law

The Apostle presents a case to the Corinthian Church supporting his judgement that THEY should judge their own members and therefore become accountable to the Lord God rather than the civil courts.
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* krinō is a case study in itself in the context of the Gospel and how Jesus Christ instructed disciples and saints to use judgement and discernment differently than the world. Study its linked definitions and see what I mean. God-willing, I may return to it.
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1 Corinthians 6:

‘HOW DARE YOU!’ or ‘Dare any of you,’ say some more authoritative English translations.

Now the Apostle will introduce his gentle case to the saints of the Corinthian Church.

Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? – Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 6:2a NLT
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'But wait!' Paul might quickly follow. 'Not yet and here's why:'
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And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? – 1 Corinthians 6:2b NLT
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Let's glance at a perhaps more palatable explanation from the International Children’s Bible *additional link to the NIRV
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You should be ashamed! Why do you not let God’s people decide who is right? 2 Surely you know that God’s people will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, then surely you are able to judge small things as well. 3 You know that in the future we will judge angels. So surely we can judge things in this life.

4 So if you have disagreements that must be judged, why do you take them to those who are not part of the church? They mean nothing to the church. 5 I say this to shame you.

a Plea for Church Discipline

Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between two brothers in Christ.

6 But now one brother goes to court against another brother. And you let men who are not believers judge their case!
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Has YOUR Common Era pastor preached this (or does he hope that his unseen judgements will go unnoticed)? 

Do Elders of your local church wisely judge such offenders?
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But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
1 Corinthians 6:6 NIV

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:1 NIV

Spoiled Fruit of deferred Church Discipline

Will a pagan court, a jury of those condoning and practicing such fornication (porneia) not equate Christ’s saints to common practices of those who worship their self-gratifying gods of the flesh?

7 When you take another believer to court, you have lost the battle already. Why not be treated wrongly? Why not be cheated?
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The Apostle asks: Are you NOT willing to suffer injustice by the hand of a fellow saint as witness of Jesus' love?
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8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong.
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'Christians,' they say, 'they're not so saintly, but openly sinful, just like us.'
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And you do it to your brothers and sisters.

Who has died to the flesh?

9 Don’t you know that people who do wrong will not receive God’s kingdom? Don’t be fooled…
- 11.. You were made holy.
- You were made right with God.
- All of this was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- It was also done by the Spirit of our God.
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Paul lists additional sins to this single case of one man of the Corinthian Church.
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- (9) Those who commit sexual sins will not receive the kingdom.
- Neither will those who worship statues of gods
- or commit adultery.
- Neither will men who sleep with other men.
- 10 Neither will thieves
- or those who always want more and more.
- Neither will those who are often drunk
- or tell lies
- or cheat.
- People who live like that will not receive God’s kingdom.
11 Some of you used to do those things. But your sins were washed away.

Discipline and discernment – Growing up in Christ

Later in his letter Paul will instruct the Corinthian saints:

When I was a child, I talked like a child,

I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV
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Continuing once more, beloved saints young or mature, from the International Children's Bible
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- 6:12 “I am allowed to do all things.”
  - But not all things are good for me to do.
- “I am allowed to do all things.” [“I have the right to do anything.”]
  - But I must not do those things that will make me their slave.
    
    [But I will not be controlled by anything.]
- 13 “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food.”
  - Yes. But God [theos] will destroy them both.
- The body is not for sexual immorality [fornication, G4202].
  - The body is for the Lord [kyrios] , and the Lord is for the body.
Flee fornication. G4202 Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1 Corinthians 7:2 King James Version *G4202 – porneia

Paul will add to this application for the saints of the Corinthian Church:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, G4202 let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 7:2 KJV

God raised the Lord Jesus

By God’s power God raised the Lord Jesus from death.

And God will also raise us from death.

1 Corinthians 6:14 International Children’s Bible

15 Surely you know that your bodies are parts of Christ himself.

So I must never take parts of Christ and join them to a prostitute! 16 It is written in the Scriptures,

“The two people will become one body.”[Genesis 2:24]

Spoiled Fruit goes to Law

Paul will next include more delicate matters concerning sexual behavior between men and women, but first the Apostle appeals to the church as members of a holy body, the Temple of God – ONE SPIRIT WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV
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Once more, from the International Children's Bible
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So run away from sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person does is outside the body.

But those who are sexually immoral sin against their own bodies.

19 You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. You do not own yourselves.

20 You were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies.
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NEXT: Married Life of the saints in Christ
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Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
October 8, 2024
An Adjudicator of Grace in Every Era
What is the first SCRIPTURE that comes to mind when I ask you to tell me about GRACE?
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Go ahead and COMMMENT with the first BIBLE verse YOU recall.

& Tell us what it speaks to YOU that exemplifies GRACE.
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Grace for the Everyday Sinner in 2024 C.E.

Last time in my initial post of this SERIES I introduced GRACE linked to its root words of both the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS of the Holy Bible.

Since only 15 of the 132 verses naming Grace occur in the Old Testament chances are that the first Bible verse you might SHARE about GRACE will come from the NEW TESTAMENT.

New Covenant GRACE

DYK that “Testament” διαθήκη – diatheke is the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning a “covenant” or agreement?

Was the grace of God different in the OLD TESTAMENT?

Has the grace of God changed in the Common Era of our post-Christian correctness?
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You may as well offer your comments on those two questions as well.
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But before I take on any contemporary question of grace in the Common Era let’s take a look back to one of the oldest illustrations of the Old Testament.

Old Covenant GRACE

JOB – a man blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job..

map source: BibleAtlas.org
Click here to learn more about Job from previous posts and resources.

(I encourage you to ask questions and share comments on these posts as well. – RH)

A man there hath been in the land of Uz — Job his name — and that man hath been perfect and upright — both fearing God, and turning aside from evil.
Job 1:1 Youngs Literal Translation

PERFECT, UPRIGHT AND BLAMELESS?

That could NOT have been this fallen sinner of the Common Era?

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Job was a penultimate Old Testament example of a righteous man as GOD requires of those who worship Him.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

IF any man deserved GRACE it certainly would have been Job.

Yet Satan is as involved in this unseen story of a mere man as he was in the events of Eden.
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Some Christians will no more consider the impact of unseen evil in our daily lives than did Job's friends and speculative advisors. 

But other than your QUESTION about this post that would be a discussion for another day.)
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Have YOU ever heard OR given such ill-conceived advice as Job’s advisors?

Men and women typically try to conceive answers concerning God’s providence with little consideration or understanding of God’s redeeming grace.

Friendly Unhelpful Observations
- Eliphaz Says the Innocent Do Not Suffer
“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright wiped out? – Job 4:4

In an earthly sense, is this not an everyday occurrence in every era?

Job answers:

“For the despairing man lovingkindness should be from his friend;
But he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
Job 6:14 LSB

Lovingkindness received from a friend is surly the fruit of grace. But Job does not receive it here.
- Bildad Claims God Rewards the Good
(Yet do the so-called good men and women have their rewards in this brief life?)

If you would seek God earnestly
And plead for the grace of the Almighty,
If you are pure and upright,
Indeed now He would rouse Himself for you
And make your righteous abode at peace.
Though your beginning was insignificant,
Yet your end will increase greatly.
Job 8:5-7 LSB (ill-conceived advice of a friend and advisor to Job)

Ah! — Here Job’s smiling friend offers him a cheap grace of the Almighty bringing His power into his friend’s life NOW!

Job’s best Life could be filled with blessings before his end in death (never mentioned).

Is GRACE simply an increase of life’s everyday blessings?

Job Replies There Is No Adjudicator

Picture now a scene in the Heavenly Court of the Old Testament BEFORE God’s revelation of a perfect Priest and Mediator of Christ the only Son of a better Sacrifice for man’s sin.

JOB ASKS THE ENDURING QUESTION OF EVERY AGE:

But how can a man be in the right before God?
Job 9:2b LSB

If one desired to contend with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

Wise in heart and mighty in power,
Who has stiffened his neck against Him and been at peace?

Where do YOU stand before God
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Job continues his hopeless defense (without the Perfect Powerful Advocate pleading his case for him:
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the One who removes the mountains.. who shakes the earth.. out of its place..

Who alone stretches out the heavens,
And tramples down the waves of the sea..

10 Who does great things, unsearchable,
And wondrous works, innumerable.

11 Were He to sweep by me, I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 Were He to snatch away, who could turn Him back?
Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
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After Job's irrefutable argument worthy of any courtroom case he then makes an astounding statement concerning GRACE before the One Lord God.
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“For though I were right,
I could not answer [plead my case];
I would have to plead for the grace of my judge.
Job 9:15 LSB
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I would make supplication to my judge. - KJV
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I would beg mercy of my Judge. – NKJV

Even if I were right, I would have no defense.
I could only plead for mercy. – says the New Living Translation of Job’s silent plea.

“I must appeal for mercy to my accuser and judge” suggests Job.

The MERCY of the LORD relates to HIS graciousness rather than OUR righteousness.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

A blessing of Numbers 6 guides our prayer and plea

6:25 יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ׃ ס

The Adjudicator of Grace, Mercy and Peace

Many would attempt to plead their own case before the Judge!

I would — possibly even as I accuse every accuser who has brought me before the Authority to determine MY GUILT and PUNISH MY SIN.

Of course ALL of us tend to demand JUSTICE for all, i.e. ‘everybody else’, even while covering every personal trespass against others and expecting MERCY in the disposition of our own case.

Even in a Court of Law in a great America of the past …

Job, A RIGHTEOUS MAN (which NONE OF US are), presents a stellar defense before God, the Father of all mercies.

HOWEVER first, the JUDGE of all men has something to say to the accused who had asked to represent himself before God.

Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

“Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?

Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you make Me know!
Job 38:1-3 LSB

After a lengthy introduction to JUSTICE by the JUDGE OF ALL MEN Job will relent in his plea with an appropriate answer.

“WHO NEEDS GRACE?”

The simple answer to our own case in every instance is that WE ALL NEED Mercy, Forgiveness and Grace.

The legal question before the Heavenly Seat of Judgment is:

WHO can represent a SINNER so that I might receive MERCY and GRACE?

Then Yahweh answered Job and said,

2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
Let him who reproves God answer it.”

Job recognizes the flaw in attempting to be his own counsel.

Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I respond to You?

I place my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”
Job 40:3-5 LSB

JOB, A RIGHTEOUS MAN, has a dilemma and can only keep silent before his Judge.

In fact, Job has no Advocate and therefore must rely on any undeserved mercy from God the Father of all mankind before Whom he stands guilty.

Is Job’s judicial dilemma common to YOU — even in this 21st century — post-Christian –Common Era?

NEXT:

God-willing, we will defer to our only Mediator and Advocate

“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,

And my advocate is on high.
Job 16:19 LSB
January 18, 2024
Who May Judge SIN?
Continuing in the Gospel of John

‘Who made you judge and jury,’ some ask the Christian who applies the Law? “Don’t judge sin,” some even preach deceptively. Many a sinner will quote Jesus to you: “Judge not, that you be not judged. – Matthew 7:1

We have been following the Good News of the Messiah Jesus told by John, only surviving disciple after all others had died for their witness of Truth, rather than recant the only Way to heaven, Christ Jesus. His Good News is explanation and not necessarily chronological.

Previously in John 7 at the Jewish Festival of Booths Jesus shouted out an invitation to the crowds:

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Now we move on to a discussion the following day about authority in the Law. Religious authorities who love to judge sin confront the Messiah with one of their favorites, adultery.

John 8:

2 At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.

Let’s not miss that Jesus had been teaching on the Holy Spirit of God the previous day.

He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 7:39 CSB

Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit as witness to Himself as the Messiah of the Living God!

Wouldn’t you want to know more about this Man claiming the very power of the One Lord and God? So the crowds came, along with those who claimed earthly authority over the Law of Moses.

How do YOU judge sin?

3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.

Now, dear christian in this twenty-first century crowd, you think very little of the seriousness of her first century indiscretion with a man to whom she was not married. In fact, in all likelihood many of you commited a different and similar sin when you first loved the significant other of your own life. We are oh so ready to condemn any man who claims the authority of God over our own less severe way to judge sin.

5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

So does Jesus believe in capital punishment?

How dare she sleep with another man! After all, she is married.

6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

You know the old (not so funny, really) question of the lawyer: “When did you stop beating your wife?” No right answer to the prosecuting question as stated. There’s more to her story than the evidence presented.

By the way, have you already answered without having had additional evidence presented – facts which perhaps only God may know?

Is accusation not guilty until proven innocent in these last days?

So here we look to the Messiah confronted an accusation of adultery in a court having already judged sin of the accused woman.

Jesus as Judge

The crowds look on. Religious officials have stated the Law clearly and ask for sentence confirming their judgment of this accused violator. Surly the Messiah who claims that every jot and tiddle of the Law must be fulfilled will not show mercy to this woman who sinned.

Yet Jesus does not speak a sentence to judge sin clearly accused of this woman.

7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them,

“The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground.

How does the Messiah of God judge sin?

Jesus has already witnessed the standard by which the Lord will judge sin.

“I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
John 5:30

“Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”
John 7:24

One reason the Pharisees confront Jesus rather than having arrested Him at that time is continuation from a previous confrontation.

John 7:50 Nicodemus—the one who came to him previously and who was one of them [the Pharisees] —said to them,

51 “Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”

Neither does the Lord Jesus judge this woman accused of adultery without full evidence of what she has done. In His judgment Jesus shows mercy.

God is Light and Life – Sin is Darkness & Death

Do you, man or woman of flesh, judge sin?

Jesus stood to render His decision as Judge:

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
John 8:7b KJV

8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center.

Justice?

Was the full justice of the Law served here? Certainly not.

Did Jesus grant mercy to the woman who sinned against her husband and the Law of the land? Yes, mercy and grace where penalty could have been demanded.

Would He judge sin at a later time? (Perhaps you had not thought of His temporary grace calling this sinner to repentance.)

Will Jesus judge sin – adultery, dishonesty, failure to show mercy to the poor or unjustly accused, victims of hateful vengeance?
- “Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death. – Exodus 19:12
- “Whoever strikes a person so that he dies must be put to death. – Exodus 21:12
- “If a person schemes and willfully acts against his neighbor to murder him, you must take him from my altar to be put to death. – Exodus 21:14
- “Whoever strikes his father or his mother must be put to death. – Exodus 21:15
- “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession. – Exodus 21:16
- “Whoever curses his father or his mother must be put to death. – Exodus 21:17
- “Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death. Exodus 22:19
“Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people. Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.
Exodus 31:14-15

His Merciful Sentence

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” –
Jesus’ question to accusers who would judge sin – John 8:7 NASB

“I am the light of the world.

You judge by human standards. I judge no one. And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
Jesus’ standard to judge sin – John 8:15-16 CSB

Is Jesus the Messiah?

If Jesus was, IS, and will always be the Lord God, the Messiah, then He IS Light itself. Jesus is the very image of Light of the Father God our Creator, sustainer and Judge.

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”

14 “Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards…

Is this not true of every man or woman who must judge another man or woman?

Therefore what is our standard of temporal justice, prior to the judgment of our souls?

Leviticus 19: Laws of Holiness – Separation to the LORD

לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֨וֶל֙ בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־דָ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר פְּנֵ֣י גָדֹ֑ול בְּצֶ֖דֶק תִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ׃

John does not present every proof of witness that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, but closes his Gospel written after many proofs of the resurrection of Jesus with this:

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31 CSB

Light of Life from beyond the grave

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

… “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”

20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

… and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.”

… You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they questioned.

“Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them.

Do you believe the Light or hide in the darkness of death?

26 “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”
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To be continued...
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February 14, 2020