Digging into Peter - Part 1: 1 Peter 1

Dear Readers

This article is the first in a series I will be doing over the next few months entitled ‘Digging into Peter’! I will be examining the books of 1 and 2 Peter chapter by chapter and by small bites of verses at a time. Each week’s article will be on one chapter.

I do pray that you will be as spiritually fulfilled, encouraged and edified in reading them as I have been in writing them!

God bless you all!

Background to the Books of 1 & 2 Peter

The historical indications are is that these two books of the Bible were written when the Apostle Peter was in Rome. The second letter was written after Peter had been imprisoned by the Roman Emperor Nero! Peter was writing to the Church, both Jew and Gentile converts, that had been scattered throughout Asia due to persecution by the Romans and the Jewish Zealots of the Law. Peter was writing to those that were exiled in what today is known as Northwest Turkey.

Both letters are written in a very warm, loving and caring way. A true example of a shepherd nurturing his flock!

1 Peter chapter 1 - ESV (the verses from 1 Peter 1 are in light italics, the explanation of the verse/s follows in light, straight text with additional scriptures from other books of the Bible in bold italics).

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

In his opening address to the Church in verses 1 and 2 above, Peter encourages the Church right from the start by reminding them that they are the elect, the chosen ones of God because they have received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and are now walking in obedience to him in the sanctification work of the Holy Spirit.

He also pronounces a blessing of the Lord’s grace and peace over them. Something we should always remember to do whenever we gather together! It supernaturally paves the way for the Holy Spirit to move upon us.

Born Again to a Living Hope

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

In verse 3 Peter reminds us that our salvation, being born again, comes only from the great love mercy of the Father and through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved.

Acts 4:11-12 (NLT)

11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,

‘The stone that you builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.’[Ps 118:22]

12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Jesus is the firstborn from among the dead, His was the first everlasting resurrection and it is through this, the resurrection of Jesus, that we obtain our resurrection hope when He returns.

Colossians 1:18 (NIV)

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Philippians 3:20-21

20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

In verse 4 Peter tells us that our inheritance and heavenly citizenship, like that of Jesus, is to be clothed in an imperishable, undefiled (without spot or blemish) and unfading (everlasting) body which is kept in heaven for us until His return. Then we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye! As born again believers, we will be immediately clothed in our imperishable, heavenly bodies to spend eternity with the Father. Death has lost its sting!

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NIV)

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[Isaiah 25:8]

5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

In verses 5-9 Peter focuses on our faith and salvation in Christ Jesus, which is sustained and guarded by God’s power through the Holy Spirit. Verse 5 tells us that it is only this kind of faith that will keep us until Jesus returns. The Holy Spirit is the key to our safe-guarding - beings led by Him and living life in the Spirit is a necessity for us!

In verse 6 we are encouraged to rejoice in our faith even though we will go through life’s trials and tribulations because they help us to develop endurance! This is the kind of endurance we need to embrace as mature Christians!

Romans 5:3 (NLT)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.

James 1:2-3 (NLT)

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

In verse 7 we are told that when we go through the trials and tribulations of life it is to test the genuineness of our faith! Do we really trust in Jesus and are we firmly rooted in the Word, or will we fall by the wayside? Do we live life in the Spirit? The more we read and study the Word, the more we put the Word into practice, the stronger we become in our faith in Christ Jesus and we become mature, continually Spirit filled Christians.

Romans 10:17 (NIV)

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

In verse 8 Peter commends those of us who have not seen Jesus yet love Him anyway, we rejoice in Him with inexpressible joy and in this way, we are filled with His glory! Be encouraged by this my dear readers - Peter is talking to you too!

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

In verse 10-12 Peter tells us something about the Old Testament prophets, the prophets who prophesied about the coming of Jesus and the love, mercy and grace that God would reveal to us through His suffering and crucifixion, that today’s Church doesn’t realise, and this is the fact that their prophecies were serving the Church that Christ would establish, including the Church today today! Prophecy fulfilled reveals the truth and authenticity of the Bible that nobody can deny!

2 Peter 1:21 (NIV)

For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

We are called to Be Holy

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

In verse 13-21 Peter is exhorting us to prepare our minds for action and for us to be holy just as God is holy. He tells us to be sober minded which means to remain cool, calm and collected in our Christian walk and to stay focused on the hope we have in Jesus and not be distracted by the things of the world that are around us and the trials of day-to-day life!

As God’s obedient children we are instructed not to return to our former ways but to always conduct ourselves in the reverent fear of God, because we belong to God and we were ransomed from sin by the precious blood of Jesus, His Son, which gives us everlasting life in Heaven and saves us from eternal death in Hell.

Through Jesus we are born-again and receive everlasting life and so our hope is in God alone and our lives to Him are more precious than gold or silver. Because of the blood of Jesus, we become spotless and sinless in the eyes of God!

As God's children we are called to love one another

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” (Isaiah 40:6)
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

In verses 22-25 Peter very appropriately ends this first chapter urging us to ‘love one another earnestly from a pure heart!’

Something in verse 22 that I find very interesting is the fact that two different kinds of love are mentioned right next to each other, just separated by a comma in our modern day grammar.

The first use of the word in this verse relates to brotherly love, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love,” The Greek word or this kind of love is ‘philadelphia’ and it means to have a proper affectionate love for fellow believers – our brothers and sister in Christ.

The second word for love follows directly after the use of the first love, “love one another earnestly from a pure heart,.” The Greek word used for this love is the word ‘agapó’ and is very closely related to the ‘agapé’ love of God used in 1 John 4:8 (and in many other New Testament verses when the writers are talking about God’s love), “God is love.”

1 John 4:8 (NIV)

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Now, let’s take a look at the full significance of why these two words for love are used here.

I believe Peter is saying to us that because we have ‘purified’ our souls (the flesh) by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour – being born-again, we are now able to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in the correct manner as human beings. 

Then he takes this love to the next level and encourages us to love each other with the love of God. This is a pure spiritual love, a love that is selfless unconditional and requires nothing in return. 

This is the love that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 13. This is the love of God that we receive from Him through continually being filled by the Holy Spirit. This is an empowering love! It is this love in us that draws people to Jesus for their salvation and it is a love that never fails!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

This is a love that we can only emulate through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us – living life in the Spirit - being continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

In verse 22 Peter tells us that we have a pure heart because we are born again of imperishable seed by the living word of God that is alive within us through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Word and the Spirit alive within us working in perfect unity so that in all we do we will do in love and this will bring glory to Jesus!

Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

John 6:63 (NLT)

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

And last but by no means least, in verse 24 Peter quotes from Isaiah 46:10 and reminds us that all flesh like flowers, withers away but the Word of God lasts forever!

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that by your Holy Spirit, you would strengthen and increase my faith in Christ Jesus. Help me Lord to be holy as you are holy. Strengthen me, Lord, to meditate on your Word day and night and help me to endure the trials and tribulations of this world so that I can fulfil the purpose that you created me for and remain faithful to you until the end of my life on earth. Amen!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

My prayer for you, dear reader, is that while you are reading this article that the Holy Spirit will reveal His Rhema word for you on a much greater personal level. Amen.

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

The Alpha and The Omega!

 The Book of Revelation is a book of prophecy that God himself gave to His Son, Jesus, to show his servants (The Church) what is to come. Jesus did this by sending his angel to give the prophecy to the Apostle John, who was in exile on the Island of Patmos, and who in turn recorded it for the Church.

It is within this revelation that the God refers to himself as the Alpha and the Omega. These are two Greek words, Alpha meaning ‘the beginning’ and Omega meaning ‘the end.’

In this article I will attempt to show how significant and meaningful these phrases are to the Church, throughout the ages, within a biblical context.

Revelation 1:8 (NIV)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

In the verse above we are told that the one speaking the words is the ‘Lord God’ himself. Personally, when I see these to words together I get the picture of the Holy Trinity, God referring to himself as Father, Son and holy Spirit!

So’ let’s have a look at the Greek words for ‘Lord’ and ‘God’ to gain a full picture of the greatness of God.

The Greek word for ‘Lord’ is ‘Kurios’ and its full meaning is ‘a person exercising absolute ownership rights.’

And the Greek word for ‘God’ is ‘Theos’ and its full meaning is ‘God, the Creator and owner of all things, the supreme being.’

It is also interesting to note that God also refers to Himself as “the Almighty” and when we enfold this into ‘Lord’ and ‘God’ we have a wonderful picture if the ‘Supreme Creator and Master of All. There is no one greater than our God!

Now, let’s examine the Greek word for ‘Almighty’ so that we can fully realise the full significance of Revelation 1:8.

The Greek word for ‘Almighty’ is the masculine noun ‘pantokratór’ (Strong’s 3841) and means: the almighty, ruler of the universe, ruler of all, the Omnipotent. This is our God! There is none like Him!

Isaiah 45:5-6 (NIV)

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;

apart from me there is no God.

I will strengthen you,

though you have not acknowledged me,

6 so that from the rising of the sun

to the place of its setting

people may know there is none besides me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

It is interesting to note that in the verses above God refers to Himself as both Lord and God as He does in Revelation 1:8. Our God is one God and He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

Deuteronomy 6:4 (NIV)

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

And these same words were echoed by Jesus Himself. He spoke these words when on of the teachers of the law asked Him what the greatest commandment was.

Mark 12:29-30 (NIV)

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Now, dear readers, let’s look at the Alpha and the Omega separately, on their own!

The Alpha

For the beginning we naturally travel back to the Book of Genesis, which of course means the origin of all things, the beginning. The beginning of everything that was created, the world, the heavens, sun, moon and stars, man, and every other living thing!

Genesis 1:1-2 (AMP)

1 In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.

So, in the above two verses we have God, right at the beginning forming the heavens and the earth from nothing, and the holy Spirit there also, hovering or brooding as some versions say over the waters waiting for God to speak so that He can begin to create. The Holy Spirit is the creative power of God.

From verse 3 in Genesis 1 God begins to speak and creation begins and is completed in six days. We serve an awesome God. There is no God like our God! Today we say only a whisper of His awesome power! We live in the power of God through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Job 26:14 NLT

These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?

2 Corinthians 13:4 (AMP)

For even though He was crucified in weakness [yielding Himself], yet He lives [resurrected] by the power of God [His Father]. For we too are weak in Him [as He was humanly weak], yet we are alive and well [in fellowship] with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.

Our God is the beginning, the Alpha, of all things!

Jeremiah 10:12 (NIV)

But God made the earth by his power;

he founded the world by his wisdom

and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

The Omega – The End

The Day of the Lord!

The end of Sin! The end of all things as we know it! The end of unrepentant sinners! The end of Babylon the Great – the word systems that control and manipulate society across the globe! The end of Satan and demonic influence! The end of evil! Our God is Sovereign!

The Lord will come on the day God has appointed. No one knows the day or the hour only the father knows, and He will come like a thief in the night and the old will perish in fire!

2 Peter 3:7 & 10 (AMP)

7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.

10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up.

The sun turns black, and the moon becomes blood red. The sky will disappear and ever island and mountain will vanish as if they had never been!

Revelation 6:12-14 (NIV)

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Isaiah 13:9-11 (NLT)

9 For see, the day of the Lord is coming—

the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger.

The land will be made desolate,

and all the sinners destroyed with it.

10 The heavens will be black above them;

the stars will give no light.

The sun will be dark when it rises,

and the moon will provide no light.

11 “I, the Lord, will punish the world for its evil

and the wicked for their sin.

I will crush the arrogance of the proud

and humble the pride of the mighty.

Just as everything was created through and for Jesus as the Alpha (Genesis 1), the beginning, so He has been appointed to judge mankind as the Omega, the end!

Acts 10:42 (NLT)

And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)

And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.

Acts 17:30-31 (NIV) – brackets in text are mine

30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him (Jesus) from the dead.”

John 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

Summary Chart

Revelation 22:13 (NIV)

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

But! For the born-again Christian our hope lies after the end of this age! Eternity – eternal fellowship with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth! But that’s an article for another time!

Revelation 21: 1-4 (NIV)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

“Come, Lord Jesus! Come!”

Prayer
Dear Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that by your Holy Spirit you would strengthen me to endure and fulfil the purpose that you created me for, and remain faithful to you until the end of my life on earth. Amen!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Do not forbid speaking in tongues!

Speaking in tongues, another Biblical topic that is the subject of controversy both in and outside the Christian Church! Although, in my humble opinion, if you are truly a born-again believer, nothing in the Bible should be controversial if you just believe in faith – faith in Christ Jesus! If you believe in Jesus then you have to believe the Bible, the entire Bible – Jesus is the Bible, and the Bible is Jesus! I’ll never get tired of quoting these three verses below.

John 1:1 & 14 (NIV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son (Jesus), who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Right, my dear readers, now that we have the right spiritual perspective in place, let’s carry on talking about the importance of born-again Christians speaking in tongues!

The Greek word used for tongues in the New Testament is 'glossa' (Strong’s 1100), pronounced gloce-sah and means the tongue (one speaks in), a language, of flowing speech inspired by God.

What did Jesus say about speaking in tongues?

After his resurrection Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples and gave them what we call ‘the great commission’. He told them to go into all the world and preach the gospel. And as part of the great commission, he said this about those who believe:

Mark 16:17 (NIV)

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

In Luke’s gospel Jesus tells the disciples, just before He ascends into heaven, to go to Jerusalem and wait for power from on high.

Luke 24:49 (NIV)

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

And in Acts 2 Luke tells us exactly what the power from on high is – the Holy Spirit!

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The Lord used this outpouring of the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the arrival of the new covenant in Christ Jesus and ushered in the New Testament Church!

What’s more God chose Pentecost to do this as Jerusalem was filled with Jews from many other different nations who spoke different languages. These Jews had come to Jerusalem specifically to celebrate Pentecost and when the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 believers in the upper room, it caused such a commotion that many of the visiting Jews flocked to the scene to see what was going on. 

A powerful witness by God of just who He is and how He can powerfully affect the lives of those who believe in His Son, Jesus! A miraculous sign indeed as the 120 spoke in languages that the witnesses could understand and not only that, they were also languages that the 120 could not speak before!

This sign was repeated in Acts 10:46, 19:6 – furnishing ample proof (three attestations) that the Lord had incorporated all believers into Christ's (supernatural) body 1 Corinthians 12:13.

Acts 10:44-46 (NIV)

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Acts 19:6 NIV)

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

1 Corinthians 12:13 (NIV)

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

So, here we see the evidence that speaking in tongues is a gift of the Spirit and it played a very significant role in the lives of the early Church believers and it was a physical evidence of a believer being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in tongues has been much maligned over the centuries and mainly from within the Church itself.

But if you consider yourself to be a truly born-again and Spirit filled Christian then you should be speaking in tongues!

Let my explain to you from scripture why I say this.

Repeating what I said right at the top of this article in my picture, “Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Spirit!”

1 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)

to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

The gifts of the Spirit are given to us by God, and they are distributed to us as born-again believers by the Holy Spirit and should be used to build up and edify each other and to bring glory to Jesus – the only one who is worthy of all glory, honour and praise! Amen!

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

1 Corinthians 12:11 (NIV)

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Now, why does God want His Church to receive and use the gifts of the Spirit?

The answer is not complicated in fact it is very simple! They are given to us so that we can be enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to build up and edify each other so that the Church as a whole can be built up in the unity of the Spirit to bring glory to Jesus. The things of the Spirit are pure and untainted by our flesh. It is God through the gifts of the Spirit that empowers us to build each other up, it cannot be done in the flesh.

1 Corinthians 12:7 (AMP)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good.

The Apostle Paul encourages us to follow the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit!

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV)

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

On a personal note, I want any gift that God wants to give me, and I desire to use them to glorify Jesus and to help build up my brothers and sisters in Christ so that we can all reach spiritual maturity as a unified Church.

Let’s now have a look at speaking in tongues in particular. What is the benefit of speaking in tongues to the individual and to the body of Christ as a whole?

Benefit One – we follow the way of love.

The Apostle Paul tells us that when we desire the spiritual gifts, we are following the way of God’s love. This principal applies to each of the Gifts of the Spirit including speaking in tongues. So, we can safely say that speaking in tongues is synonymous with the agapé love of God!

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV)

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

Benefit Two – we edify ourselves (when there is no interpretation).

When we quietly pray in tongues to ourselves, we are speaking to God as His child, we are communicating one-on-one with our Heavenly Father on a very personal level! Our spirit communicates directly with God. This is a way of strengthening our own spirit and the stronger our spirit man is the easier it is to overcome our flesh, the soulish area of our being. The stronger the spirit is within us the easier it will be for us to bring our flesh, our souls under submission to the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:2 & 4 (NIV)

2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.

4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

Benefit 3 – we edify ourselves and the Church – when there is an interpretation.

If in a meeting of the saints (a Church service say) and under the unction of the Holy Spirit, we pray out loud in a tongue for all to hear we should pray for the interpretation of that tongue so that the entire Church congregation can be edified.

1 Corinthians 14:13-17 (NIV)

13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

I find the above passage of scripture crucial in understanding the power of speaking in tongues. If we are not just praying quietly to ourselves in tongues and the Holy Spirit urges us to speak out loud when in the midst of the congregation then we can pray for the interpretation as well.

And what is more interesting too is the fact that singing in the spirit and singing out the interpretation is all part and parcel of speaking in tongues and singing out a prayer is what the Psalmist does. It is important for others to understand what you are saying out loud to the congregation in the spirit as well so that they can be edified too and even more importantly they can say the “Amen” in agreement.

Matthew 18:19-20 (NIV)

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 goes on to tell us that he probably speaks in tongues to edify himself more that anybody, but when he is with the Church gathering, he would rather speak intelligible words so the congregation can be built up.

1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (NIV)

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

So, from this I understand that when an interpretation of a tongue is given in the congregation it performs the same function as a prophecy, it builds up and edifies the congregation because the unknown tongue has been interpreted in the power of the Holy Spirit – another gift of the Spirit, ‘the interpretation of tongues!’

Speaking in different kinds of tongues.

At this point I think it is important for us to know that there are two different kinds of speaking in tongues that are mentioned in the Bible by the Apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 13:1a (NIV)

If I speak in the tongues (languages) of men or of angels, but do not have love,

1. The tongues of men, and

2. The tongues of angels.

The tongues of men.
This refers to a language that is already known on earth and spoken by men. When the gift of speaking in tongues is used in this way the tongue or language is spoken by a believer, under the power of the Holy Spirit, who has had no previous ability to speak this language.

This gift of speaking in tongues of men was evidenced in a powerful way on the day of Pentecost. God knows how to draw men to Himself!

Acts 2:4-8 (NIV)

4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

Right after this happened the Apostle Peter stood up and delivered a powerful gospel message in the power of the Holy Spirit which culminated in 3000 people being saved!

Acts 2:40-41 (NIV)

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

The tongues of angels.
This a language spoken by angels – a purely spiritual language. This is a language that is available to all believers as bestowed by the Holy Spirit. It is a spirit language all of your own (each person’s spirit language is different to another’s although some sound similar) that connects you directly to God through the Holy Spirit and is the language we use when we are praying in the Spirit and do not know what to pray. 

Praying in the tongues of angels is for one’s personal edification, it edifies and strengthens your soul. You come into perfect harmony with God’s will. A place where every Christian needs to be at all times!

Romans 8:26 (NLT)

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

1 Corinthians 14:4 (NLT)

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

How should speaking in tongues operate when we come together in a Church service?

The Apostle Paul explains this quite simply.

1 Corinthians 14:26-28

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

So here we have it, our corporate worship should be done in an orderly fashion. This is where each congregation needs good strong Church leadership that ensures that orderly worship is maintained throughout the service in accordance with scripture. 

Nothing should be humanly forced during the service but only utterance in the power of the Holy Spirit. Everything should be done so that the church may be built up and Jesus glorified!

And above all else, especially when the gifts of the Spirit are manifest, we must do everything in genuine love for Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ!

1 Corinthians 13:1 (NIV)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 16:14 (AMP)

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us].

Now in closing this article my dear readers, let me leave you with theses most emphatic words from brother Paul.

1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NIV)

39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray you would help me to follow the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit so that I can help build up not only my own spiritual strength but my brothers and sisters in Christ as well. Use me Lord, I pray, I desire to be your good and faithful servant. Amen!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

The Book of Jude: The Warnings of History to the Ungodly!

 

Brief background to the writer

The book of Jude, along with Philemon and 2 and 3 John, is one of the shortest books in the Bible, but although it is short it packs a mighty spiritual punch, especially for today’s believers!

The author is Judas, better known as Jude, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus, is one of the early Church leaders in Jerusalem and like James is a younger brother to our Lord Jesus.

The book is addressed specifically to the Jews who have converted from Judaism to Christianity – born-again believers - and now follow Jesus Christ.

For the purposes of this article, I have used the Amplified version of the Bible. This I did out of personal not theological preference.

Opening greeting to the letter’s addressees:

1 Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, [writes this letter],

To those who are the called (God’s chosen ones, the elect), dearly loved by God the Father, and kept [secure and set apart] for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you [filling your heart with the spiritual well-being and serenity experienced by those who walk closely with God].

In his opening salutation, Jude refers to himself as a ‘bond servant of Jesus Christ’ or some versions translate this as ‘a slave of Jesus Christ.’ By doing this Jude is letting the Church know that although he is a brother of Jesus, he recognises the fact that Jesus is the Messiah and is thus his Lord and Saviour and he is subject to the Lord’s authority as the Son of God!

His address also lets the Church know that we are God’s chosen ones, His elect and as such we are dearly loved by Him.

Another important thing he does in his opening address is pronounce the blessings and the love of God over those that read the letter and hear it, including the Church today, you and me. This is something we all need to do over each other when we come together for whatever reason as God’s children – bless each other in the name of Jesus. We must build each other up in our most Holy faith whenever we get together!

Fight for the faith – verses 3-4.

3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I was compelled to write to you [urgently] appealing that you fight strenuously for [the defense of] the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints [the faith that is the sum of Christian belief that was given verbally to believers]. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed [just as if they were sneaking in by a side door]. They are ungodly persons whose condemnation was predicted long ago, for they distort the grace of our God into decadence and immoral freedom [viewing it as an opportunity to do whatever they want], and deny and disown our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

In the above two verses Jude says in verse 3 that his original intention in writing the letter was to write about their common salvation but changed his mind when he was urgently ‘compelled’ (I believe this was at the compulsion of the Holy Spirit) to write to them instead about strenuously fighting or contending for their faith as individuals and corporately as Christ’s Church.

He goes on in verse 4 to say that this change of focus is because certain, ungodly people had sneaked in amongst them to distort the grace of God and to preach a gospel other than the one taught by Jesus himself.

These ungodly people were leading the Church into decadence and immoral freedom – they were being told that because they had freedom in Christ and forgiveness of their sins, they could still carry on a sinful lifestyle. This is a lie that is still alive and being taught by many false prophets and teachers today! These people and their teachings deny Christ and lead many people astray and away from the faith and their salvation and into eternal death in hell!

Unbelievers will receive eternal punishment in Hell – verses 5-7.

5 Now I want to remind you, although you are fully informed once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe [who refused to trust and obey and rely on Him]. 6 And angels who did not keep their own designated place of power, but abandoned their proper dwelling place, [these] He has kept in eternal chains under [the thick gloom of utter] darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjacent cities, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in gross immoral freedom and unnatural vice and sensual perversity. They are exhibited [in plain sight] as an example in undergoing the punishment of everlasting fire.

In the above three verses, Jude speaks very straight and truthfully, using Old Testament examples (both human and angelic), to those that continue in unbelief and disobedience and refuse to fully trust and rely on Jesus in their daily lives. These people will end up in Hell and will condemned on the day of judgement to punishment and everlasting fire!

Mocking the things of God – verses 8-9.

8 Nevertheless in the same way, these dreamers [who are dreaming that God will not punish them] also defile the body, and reject [legitimate] authority, and revile and mock angelic majesties. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil (Satan), and arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him, but [simply] said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

When I look at verses 8 and 9 above it becomes quite clear to me that when we deny our faith by following the wrong teachings and doctrines of man, in other words anything that distorts the true gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and when we continue to willfully sin after accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are not truly saved, and we become mockers of God!

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 (AMP)

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do]; 2 for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].

Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

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10 But these men sneer at anything which they do not understand; and whatever they do know by [mere] instinct, like unreasoning and irrational beasts—by these things they are destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.

In verses 10 and 11 above Jude uses three characters from the Old Testament to explain the sinful way that these false teachers and prophets lead people away from the faith.

Jude likens these people to these Old Testament characters:

Cain – who became a man of anger and a murderer out of jealousy and envy of another – his flesh and blood brother Abel.

Balaam – who was a false prophet and operated out of a spirit of greed – a love of money and worldly things.

Korah – who was a man of rebellion against Godly teaching and God’s anointed leaders. He also operated in a spirit of selfishness and jealousy, he wanted prestige and position.

In today’s Church these types of people are easily identified. They distort the gospel to gain riches, they desire prestige and recognition by humans, they lord it over the congregation and they become friends with the world presenting worldly entertainment to grow not only their congregations but their bank balances as well. They ignore Biblical truth and discipline and their congregations become an offence and a stench in God’s nostrils, they become His enemy.

Make no mistake God will judge them harshly, especially those who have authority over others as teachers, and crush their evil works! He regards anyone who follows this path as an adulterer!

James 3:1 (AMP)

Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

James 4:4 (NLT)

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

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12 These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless; 13 wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude continues with his condemnation of such people in verses 12 and 13 by saying that they are as dangerous to the Church as a hidden reef is to a ship, they are a hidden danger. They mingle in the Church unnoticed quietly sowing evil seeds among the congregation and are self-serving in all they do. They bear no good fruit and corrupt the fruit of others; they are incapable of nurturing anything decent. These people are marked for an eternity of darkness and separation from God.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 that we need to become mature Christians in our faith and not remain as immature children so that the Church will become unified in faith!

Ephesians 4:13-14 (NLT)

13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

Paul also tells us to act in obedience to God and work out our salvation (contend for our faith) with fear and trembling!

Philippians 2:12-13

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

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God’s judgement was foretold from of old – verses 14-16.

14 It was about these people that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, when he said, “Look, the Lord came with myriads of His holy ones 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly deeds they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh and cruel things ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These people are [habitual] murmurers, griping and complaining, following after their own desires [controlled by passion]; they speak arrogantly, [pretending admiration and] flattering people to gain an advantage.

In verses 14-15 above, Jude goes on to tell us that the judgement of these people was prophesied about by Enoch from times of old before the flood. This prophecy does not come from the Bible but from the Book of Enoch in the Apocrypha but is backed up by a number of Biblical scriptures in the New Testament – warnings of false prophets and teachers. This is the only reference to the Apocrypha in the Bible and has historical value only, it is not canonical scripture and should not be treated as such.

In verse 16 above Jude tells us exactly how we can recognise these people!

They are: Murmurers, gripers, complainers, selfish, arrogant, flatterers (pretending admiration) to gain and advantage for themselves, for example: to gain position, appear to be spiritual.

2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NIV)

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

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Keep Yourselves in the Love of God – verses 17-23.

17 But as for you, beloved, remember the [prophetic] words spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They used to say to you, “In the last days there will be scoffers, following after their own ungodly passions.” 19 These are the ones who are [agitators] causing divisions—worldly-minded [secular, unspiritual, carnal, merely sensual—unsaved], devoid of the Spirit.

These are the wolves in sheep’s clothing! The ones with a divisive spirit, carnal minded and not Spirit minded! - verses 17-19.

Matthew 7:15 (NIV)

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Romans 8:5-8 (NIV)

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

Titus 3:10-11 (NIV)

10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

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20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit, 21 and keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously and looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ [which will bring you] to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy but with fear, loathing even the clothing spotted and polluted by their shameless immoral freedom.

In verses 20-23 above Jude exhorts believers to keep on building themselves up in the faith and to rise higher and higher in the power of the Holy Spirit and to keep ourselves in God’s love by casting off the sinful flesh and looking forward to Christ’s mercy that will lead us to eternal life!

And at the same time, we are to do all we can to help others work out their salvation but always being mindful not to become tainted by their sin and led astray ourselves! Bad company can corrupt good character!

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (NIV)

33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

All glory to God forever and ever - verses 24-25

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, 25 to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

In the above two verses Jude reminds us that it is only in Christ Jesus that we can avoid stumbling and falling into sin. And reminding us that it is only Jesus that deserves all glory, honour and praise!

Prayer
Dear Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would help me to live my life in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Help me to know your Word and to do what it instructs in complete obedience and help me to fight the good fight of faith in Christ Jesus. Help me to love others as you love me. Amen!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

God changes useless into useful!

 The Book of Philemon

The Book of Philemon is one of the letters that Paul wrote to an individual, the individual of course being Philemon who lived in the city of Colossae in Asia Minor which is modern day Turkey.

The main theme of the letter in a nutshell is about a runaway slave, Onesimus, who was the ‘property’ of Philemon who leads the Church at Colossae. Paul is telling Philemon that he is sending Onesimus back to him and is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus back in love.

Now to set the scene in which Paul wrote this letter let’s have a look at both the physical and relational environment in which the letter was written.

Paul was in prison in Rome when he crossed paths with Onesimus, but the Bible does not say how they met. We are told that Paul had come to regard Onesimus as a son and held him in high esteem. Although the Bible does not say so, there is a distinct probability the Paul had led him to the Lord and that a great change had taken place in Onesimus as a result of his conversion and the personal fathering and mentoring that Paul gave him.

I say this because Paul says in the letter that he knows that Philemon considered Onesimus to be useless but now he (Paul) considers him to be now very useful to him and will now also be useful to Philemon!

Philemon verse 11 (NIV)

Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.

This letter gives us a wonderful example of how God knows each and everyone’s circumstances personally. Here we have a runaway slave from Turkey going to Rome, meeting a man of God (I have no doubt that this was by divine appointment), getting saved and having his life radically changed from being useless to useful! It also shows us how important it is for the Church to have Father figures who are strong in the Lord to mentor younger men in the way and walk of sanctification in Christ Jesus – the work and way of the cross!

When a person comes to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour, God turns the bad things we have done to His good purpose!

Now, coming back to how God knows everything that is going on (the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end), we see that Paul and Philemon are personal friends and obviously met when Paul was in Ephesus for about three years. Philemon was a leader in the Church at Colossae not far from Ephesus and the Church in Colossae met at his and his wife’s home.

Now looking at Paul’s letter to Philemon I would like to split it into four sections, just for the purpose of explanation, to highlight what I believe are very important values Paul shows us today in our dealings with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. I personally believe these values were part of the reason that God included this letter as part of His Holy Bible.

Section 1 – verses 1-3: Greeting each other in a Godly manner and with sincere hearts.

Philemon verses 1-3 (NIV)

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

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

The three verses above also contain a general greeting to the Church at Colossae from both Paul and Timothy. And of great importance here us today as well, especially in our dealings with our brothers and sisters in Christ, is the fact that Paul speaks a blessing of grace and peace to them in the name of the Father and the Lord Jesus. In our dealings with each other we should always remember to bless each other with our speech in this way as well! No unwholesome talk or gossip, just letting our tongues bless each other to the glory of Jesus!

Section 2 – verses 4-7: Giving thanks to God in everything and imitating the Lord’s character.

In the next four verses, 4 – 7, Paul gives thanks to God for Philemon and encourages Philemon by telling him that he is always praying for him because he has heard about Philemon’s great love for the people and his great faith in Jesus the has refreshed the hearts of the Church in Colossae.

Philemon verses 4-7 (NIV)

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Let’s imitate Paul in this way and always give thanks to the Lord for our brothers and sisters in Christ! In this way we will build ourselves up in our love for each other and refresh each other’s hearts and bring glory to the name of Jesus!

And always remember to pray for each other and to build up and edify each other not breaking each other down with negative and disparaging talk - gossiping!

1 Corinthians 4:15-16 (NIV)

15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

The above verses highlight the importance of the local Church body having godly fathers in the house!

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)

1 Follow my example (some versions say, “imitate me”), as I follow the example of Christ.

Section 3 – verses 8-21: Building open, solid, and honest relationships with each other and speaking the truth in love.

In verses 8-21 Paul makes a personal plea to Philemon to receive his slave Onesimus back into his service without prejudice and punishment on the basis of their mutual love for the Lord and their personal love for each other in Christ Jesus.

3.1
Paul’s appeal verses 8-11: 8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

In these three verses Paul makes a personal appeal to Philemon and says that because of the authority he holds within the Church he could order Philemon to do the right thing but that he would rather not do that as he prefers to follow the way of love and make his appeal from a heart of love. Love never fails!

1 Corinthians 13:8a (NIV)

Love never fails.

The Greek word for appeal in verses 8-11 is parakaleó – Strong’s 3870 (par-ak-al-eh'-o) and its full Biblical meaning is, to plead, entreat and encourage someone to do something from a personal basis of mutual love. So here we see that Paul is practicing what he preaches.

1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)

Do everything in love.

And in verse 10 Paul let’s Philemon know that he has personally ‘fathered’ Onesimus, and this statement is made to assure Philemon that Onesimus is a different man now that he belongs to Jesus than what he was before he ran away – he is walking out his salvation and is a doer of the Word and has this become very useful to Paul and will become the same to Philemon and the Church at Colossae!

Dear readers, let us show the world that now we are born-again we are different people, we are new creations, God has transformed us by the power of the Holy Spirit and to the Glory of Jesus. Let us emulate Paul as he emulates Christ. Let’s act and talk in a manner that is worthy of our salvation in Christ Jesus! Let us live life, walk and talk in the Spirit just like Jesus and Paul!

Let us show the unsaved people of the world that we are not the same as them – we have been called out and separated from them to serve God!

1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

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Verses 12-14: 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.

In these verses Paul exposes his heart to Philemon as his words clearly demonstrate his love for Onesimus as a son in Christ Jesus and how he would love to keep Onesimus with him, but he knows that the right thing to do is to send him back to Philemon so that forgiveness and reconciliation between the two can be achieved. Paul also states that he wouldn’t keep Onesimus anyway without Philemon’s consent so that he would not feel forced to do any favours for Paul.

Here again Paul demonstrates his desire to see that this matter is handled in a loving and Godly way that does not bring offense! Let us remember this, dear readers and let us to the same in our relationships with others, particularly with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

3.3
Verses 15-16: 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

In these two verses we see Paul gently reminding Philemon that as Onesimus is now born-again and belongs to Jesus he is free and is no longer a slave to sin nor to man. He also encourages Philemon saying that now that Onesimus is a child of God and no longer a slave but a brother he will stay and serve Philemon out of love and will be become as dear to him as he is to Paul.

The saving grace of Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death and from the slavery of sin and transforms us to become more and more like Christ!

John 8:36 (NIV)

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

3.4
Verses 17-21: 17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

In verse 17 the Greek word for partner is koinónos – Strong’s 2844 (koy-no-nos') and means ‘two brothers in Christ who mutually share fellowship with each other.’ So, in this verse Paul is asking Philemon to welcome Onesimus back because of the mutual fellowship that he (Philemon) shares with him (Paul).

Paul goes on to say in verses 19 and 20 that he will personally pay back anything that Onesimus owes Philemon, but he is also to remember how much Paul has put into him (Philemon) too and when Philemon does this, Paul’s own heart will be refreshed too. When we all behave in this manner, God pours out a blessing on all of us, the is the unity that the Holy Spirit brings to the Church when we are obedient to the Lord and His Word!

Paul ends his personal appeal by saying that because he knows Philemon as a true brother in the Lord, he knows he will do what he asks and even more.

Dear readers, let all of us in Christ Jesus be prepared to go the extra mile!

In these four verses what stands out to me is the mutual love and trust that Paul and Philemon have because of their relationship with each other in Christ Jesus and their mutual desire to be God pleasers and doers of the Word.

Readers let’s be the same as these two heroes of the past and love and trust one another as we serve the Lord and eagerly desire to do the right thing in all things to the glory of Jesus so that our lights may shine out to the world who are watching us and who are perishing!

Section 4 – Ending by pronouncing a blessing upon other in Jesus’ name.

Verses 22-25: 22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul ends his letter to Philemon in a personal way that shows of their mutual love and friendship with each other. He asks Philemon with complete freedom to prepare a room for him as he hopes to visit him and answer to his (Philemon’s) prayers. Sadly, I don’t think this visit happened before he was put to death! Reminiscent of our Lord in the garden at Gethsemane! Lord, not my will but yours be done!

Paul also passes on greeting from Epaphras who was in prison with him and who was also from Colossae. And from his fellow workers who were attending him whist he was in prison.

And lastly and most importantly he closes by pronouncing a blessing over Philemon, his household and over the Church at Colossae!

Readers, lets never forget to proclaim a blessing over each other in the name of Jesus whenever we are together and when we depart to go our different ways!

What lessons do we learn from this letter that we need to apply to ourselves as the Church of today?

1. God knows each one of us by name and knows exactly where we are both physically and spiritually.

2. God changes us from useless to useful in Christ Jesus, if we obediently allow the Word to fill our lives and actions.

3. We need always be obedient to the Word and doers of the Word.

4. We need to always live life in the Spirit – only by doing this can we bring glory to Jesus.

5. We need to do everything in love.

6. We need to put the needs of others before our own.

7. We need to be a blessing to each other.

8. We need to pray for each other and speak blessings over each other’s lives whenever we ar together.

9. As men and women, and as we grow to spiritual maturity, we need to become Father’s, Mother’s and mentors to the other men and women in the body who are less mature in their spiritual walk.

10. We need to ensure that in all we do we bring glory and honour to Jesus!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father
I pray in Jesus name that you would help me to be a blessing to others and to put the needs of others before my own. Help me Lord to be obedient to your Word and be a doer of the Word and not just a reader. Help me, Lord, to love others as you love me! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!