13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t … [Read more…]
Rob Board God’s plans and purposes have always centered around the concept of relationships – after all, that is what covenant is all about. People, not methods or meetings, have always been the center-piece of God’s plan. The Church, or “ekklesia“, is the “body of Christ”, the “house of God”, the “family of God”. What … [Read more…]
Paul urged the Ephesians and us to walk worthy of God’s calling. Then told us what to relate with—humility, gentleness, patience; accepting one another in love. He concludes this exhortation, “Do your best to maintain the unity of the Spirit by means of the bond of peace” 1I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to … [Read more…]
Paul proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom in terms of relationships. In 2 Corinthians 3 his focus is on God’s relationship with us in the Spirit in contrast to God’s relationship with His old covenant people. Paul tells the Corinthians and us we are a letter of Messiah “written with the Spirit of the living God.” … [Read more…]
Jesus calls us to abide in deep, enduring and fruitful relationship through the grace, love and joy He instills within us by His Spirit. In John 15, Jesus conveys what the abide relationship encompasses by His illustration of the Vine and the branches. “1I am the true vine, and my Father is the vintner. 2He … [Read more…]
We share rich relationships with one another in the body of Christ, the community Jesus builds in the kingdom of God. The foundation of our relationships is established by God in His kingdom—one body and one Spirit. I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you … [Read more…]
Paul shares the think that leads to our do. Paul led by example. His walk in the Lord leads us to do what God created us in Christ Jesus to do—walk in good works. Good works are anything we do that is motivated by God’s love. A mother or father or sister or brother changing … [Read more…]
Build and edify closely identify God working in us to will and to do His good pleasure. We build up ourselves and one another and edify ourselves and one another through prayer, fasting and participating in the Lord’s Supper. Those lead us to maturity as we grow up into Christ the head of His body. … [Read more…]
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:13 KJV Such loving treatment of others who follow Jesus would vastly improve our one another relationships. It stands in contrast to churchy relationships in … [Read more…]
by: Sam Storms The Bible has a remarkable capacity to challenge and overcome our misperceptions about who we are. When we are inclined to think of ourselves as orphans, the biblical text declares that we are the adopted children of God. If we are wracked with guilt, the inspired word reminds us that we are … [Read more…]