THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY

14. after the way which they call heresy] Better (with Rev. Ver.) “after the Way which they call a sect.” The word is the same which is used in Acts 24:5 for the “sect” of the Nazarenes. St Paul employs the expression “the Way,” in that sense in which it soon became well known, to signify “the Christian religion.” See note on Acts 9:2.
so worship I the God of my fathers] Better, as Rev. Ver., “so serve I the God of our fathers.” The verb is not the same as in Acts 24:11. Here the notion is of service which a man is bound to pay. The Apostle means that he has cast off no morsel of his old allegiance. The adjective can equally be rendered by “my fathers” or “our fathers,” but St Paul’s aim is to shew that he has not severed himself from the ancestral faith of the whole nation, and so his thought would include himself with them.
believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets] The Rev. Ver. gives very literally “all things which are according to the Law, and which are written in the Prophets.” The Apostle thus testifies to his complete acceptance of all the Jewish Scriptures. Sometimes the division is given as “the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44), but more frequently, as in the text, only two sections are named (cp. Matthew 7:12; Matthew 11:13; Matthew 22:40; Luke 16:16; John 1:45).”

1.) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is my God and Savior. This knowledge is more certain, IMPORTANT and MOST precious than anything else I know.

Jhn 20:31, “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

Rom 1:4, “who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA said, “The Jesus whom I know as my Redeemer cannot be less than God.”

4. ***declared] Better, defined, marked out by sure signs. Same word as Hebrews 4:7 (“He limiteth* a certain day”). His Resurrection shewed Him to be none other than the Son. The same Greek word is used in e.g. Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; and rendered there “ordained;” perhaps rightly so. But obviously its meaning will slightly vary as connected with the Sonship or with the Judgeship of Christ.
the Son of God] Cp. Acts 13:32-33, for a close parallel; one of the many between St Paul’s Discourses and Epistles. The Sonship of the Redeemer, the truth proclaimed at His baptism (Matthew 3:17), is enforced and illustrated through the N. T. In this Epistle see especially cch. Romans 5:10, Romans 8:3; Romans 8:29; Romans 8:32.
with power] Lit. in power. Cp. 1 Corinthians 15:43. Power attended and characterized His Resurrection, both as cause and as effect. The practical reference here is to the fulness of the proof of the fact. The true Resurrection was not such as that imagined by e.g. Schleiermacher; the creeping forth of a half-slain Man from his grave. It was miracle and triumph.
according to the Spirit of holiness] This phrase presents two questions: (1) what is “the Spirit of Holiness”? (2) what is meant by “according to”? We take them in order. A. “The Spirit of Holiness” must mean either the Holy Paraclete, or the sacred Human Spirit of Christ, or His Deity regarded as (what it is, John 4:24,) Spirit. The reference here seems to be to the Paraclete; for (1) in this Epistle He is very frequently referred to, in a way which makes an initial reference here highly probable; (2) the expression “Holy Spirit” is so closely akin to “Spirit of Holiness” that any reference of the words other than that to the Paraclete would need special evidence; and such evidence can hardly be found in St Paul. (See 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:14; for the nearest approaches to it in N. T.) B. The words “according to” may refer to the Paraclete, either (1) as the Agent in the Incarnation (Luke 1:35), or (2) as concerned in the Resurrection (see Romans 8:11 for a very partial parallel), or (3) as the Inspirer of the Prophets. Of these possibilities (1) is most unlikely, for the Sonship of Christ here in question is plainly the Eternal Sonship (see Romans 9:5), not that of the Incarnation; (2) accords better with Scripture usage; but (3) far more so, in view of the frequent mention of the Holy Spirit as the Inspirer. See Acts 20:23; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:7; Hebrews 9:8; Hebrews 10:15, (and cp. 1 Peter 1:11); for places where “the Spirit” is evidently the Holy Spirit as the Author of Prophecy. The present passage will thus mean: “He was declared to be the Son of God, with power, (even as the Holy Ghost foretold,) in consequence of the resurrection.”
by the resurrection] Lit. out of, from; i.e. in consequence, as a result, of. The same construction and meaning occur e.g. 2 Corinthians 13:4, where lit. “He was crucified out of weakness; He liveth out of the power of God; we shall live out of, &c.” The grand result of the resurrection here stated is that His prophesied character and dignity were, by the resurrection, made unmistakably clear.**”

Recently I bumped into so-called a Christian website with the striking picture of Jesus Christ. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, we Christians should not publish the picture of Jesus Christ. Except the early disciples no one knows how exactly Jesus looks like. The artist conception of the image of Jesus is not true. Do you really WANT TO KNOW how Jesus looks like?

Rev 1:14-18, “His head and His hair were white like

white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze

when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw

Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed

His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I AM the first and the last, and the Living One; and I was

dead, and behold, I AM alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

Do you really see Him?

1Co 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

12. For now we see through a glass] Literally, by means of a mirror. Per speculum, Vulgate. Bi a mirour, Wiclif. Meyer reminds us that we are to think rather of the mirrors of polished metal used in ancient times, the reflections of which would often be obscure and imperfect, than of our modern looking glasses.
darkly] Literally, in an enigma. Darke speaking, Tyndale. An enigma (in English, riddle) is properly a question, such as the Sphinx propounded to Œdipus, couched in obscure language, the answer to which is difficult to find. Cf. Numbers 12:8, and Proverbs 1:6, where the Hebrew word is translated in the Septuagint by the word used here by St Paul. Also Tennyson, Miller’s Daughter,
“There’s something in this world amiss
Shall be unriddled by and by.”
face to face] Cf. Numbers 12:8, to which the Apostle is evidently referring. Also Job 19:26-27; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4.
then shall I know even as also I am known] The word in the original signifies thorough, complete knowledge. ‘I am known,’ should rather be translated I was known, i.e. either (1) when Christ took knowledge of me (Meyer), or (2) I was (previously) known. It is God’s knowledge of us, His interpenetrating our being with His, which is the cause of our knowledge. Cf. Galatians 4:9; ch. 1 Corinthians 8:3. Also St Matthew 11:27, and St John 17 throughout.”

2.) If I believe in God and life after death and you do not, and if there is no God, we both lose when we die. However, if there is a God, you still lose and I gain everything. Not only God knows the future, He knows everything from the beginning to the end. Atheists are fools who believe God does not exist. If there is no God, there is no hope.

Psa 14:1, “For the music director. A Psalm of David.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts;

There is no one who does good.”

Deu 32:39, “See now that I, I am He, and there is no

god besides Me; it is I who put to death and give life.

I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no

one who can save anyone from My hand.”

2Sa 7:22, “For this reason You are great, Lord GOD; for there is no one like You, and there is no God

except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

1Ki 8:23, “And he said, “LORD, God of Israel, there

is no God like You in Heaven above or on earth

beneath, keeping the covenant and showing

faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart.”

1Co 8:4, “Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no

God but one.”

Eph 2:12, “remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

3.) The way of salvation is the Way of God. You cannot be saved by your own way or the way of false religions. I do not want to name false prophets and false religions lest I am offending many. Once you realize you are a sinner needs to be saved; the most important knowledge is the knowledge of the Savior.

Act 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under Heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”

Neither is there salvation – The word “salvation” properly denotes any “preservation,” or keeping anything in a “safe” state; a preserving from harm. It I signifies, also, deliverance from any evil of body or mind; from pain, sickness, danger, etc., Acts 7:25. But it is in the New Testament applied particularly to the work which the Messiah came to do, “to seek and to save that which was lost,” Luke 19:10. This work refers primarily to a deliverance of the soul from sin Matthew 1:21; Acts 5:31; Luke 4:18; Romans 8:21; Galatians 5:1. It then denotes, as a consequence of freedom from sin, freedom from all the ills to which sin exposes man, and the attainment of that perfect peace and joy which will be bestowed on the children of God in the heavens. The reasons why Peter introduces this subject here seem to be these:

He was discoursing on the deliverance of the man that was healed – his salvation from a long and painful calamity. This deliverance had been accomplished by the power of Jesus. The mention of this suggested that greater and more important salvation from sin and death which it was the object of the Lord Jesus to effect. As it was by his power that this man had been healed, so it was by his power only that people could be saved from death and hell. Deliverance from any temporal calamity should lead the thoughts to that higher redemption which the Lord Jesus contemplates in regard to the soul.
this was a favorable opportunity to introduce the doctrines of the gospel to the notice of the Great Council of the nation. The occasion invited to it; the mention of a part of the work of Jesus invited to a contemplation of his whole work. Peter would not have done justice to the character and work of Christ if he had not introduced that great design which he had in view to save people from death and hell. It is probable, also, that he advanced a sentiment in which he expected they would immediately concur, and which accorded with their wellknown opinions, that salvation was to be obtained only by the Messiah. Thus, Paul Acts 26:22-23 says that he taught nothing else than what was delivered by Moses and the prophets, etc. Compare Acts 23:6; Acts 26:6. The apostles did not pretend to proclaim any doctrine which was not delivered by Moses and the prophets, and which did not, in fact, constitute a part of the creed of the Jewish nation.

In any other – Any other person. He does not mean to say that God is not able to save, but that the salvation of the human family is entrusted to the hands of Jesus the Messiah.

For there is none other name – This is an explanation of what he had said in the previous part of the verse. The word “name” here is used to denote “the person himself” (i. e., There is no other being or person.) As we would say, there is no one who can save but Jesus Christ. The word “name” is often used in this sense. See the notes on Acts 3:6, Acts 3:16. That there is no other Saviour, or mediator between God and man, is abundantly taught in the New Testament; and it is, indeed, the main design of revelation to prove this. See 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Acts 10:43.

Under heaven – This expression does not materially differ from the one immediately following, “among men.” They are designed to express with emphasis the sentiment that salvation is to be obtained in “Christ alone,” and not in any patriarch, or prophet, or teacher, or king, or in any false Messiah.

Given – In this word it is implied that “salvation” has its origin in God; that a Saviour for people must be given by him; and that salvation cannot be originated by any power among people. The Lord Jesus is thus uniformly represented as given or appointed by God for this great purpose John 3:16; John 17:4; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:25; 1 Timothy 2:6; Romans 5:15-18, Romans 5:21; and hence, Christ is called the “unspeakable gift” of God, 2 Corinthians 9:15.

Whereby we must be saved – By which it is fit, or proper δεῖ dei, that we should be saved. There is no other way of salvation that is adapted to the great object contemplated, and therefore, if saved, it must be in this way and by this plan. The schemes of people’s own devices are not adapted to the purpose, and therefore cannot save. The doctrine that people can be saved only by Jesus Christ is abundantly taught in the Scriptures. To show the failure of all other schemes of religion was the great design of the first part of the Epistle to the Romans. By a labored argument Paul there shows Romans 1 that the Gentiles had failed in their attempt to justify themselves; and in Romans 2-3 that the same thing was true also of the Jews. If both these schemes failed, then there was need of some other plan, and that plan was that by Jesus Christ. If it be asked, then, whether this affirmation of Peter is to be understood as having respect to infants and the pagan, we may remark:

That his design was primarily to address the Jews, “Whereby we must be saved.” But,
The same thing is doubtless true of others. If, as Christians generally believe, infants are saved, there is no absurdity in supposing that it is by the merits of the atonement. But for that there would have been no promise of salvation to any of the human race. No offer has been made except by the Mediator; and to him, doubtless, is to be ascribed all the glory of raising up even those in infancy to eternal life. If any of the pagan are to be saved, as most Christians suppose, and as seems in accordance with the mercy of God, it is no less certain that it will be in consequence of the intervention of Christ. Those who will be brought to heaven will sing one song Revelation 5:9, and will be prepared for eternal union in the service of God in the skies. Still, the Scriptures have not declared that great numbers of the pagan will be saved who have not the gospel. The contrary is more than implied in the New Testament, Romans 2:12.

Neither has the Scripture affirmed that all the pagan will certainly be cut off. It has been discovered by missionaries among the pagan that individuals have, in a remarkable way; been convinced of the folly of idolatry, and were seeking a better religion; that their minds were in a serious, thoughtful, inquiring state; and that they at once embraced the gospel when it was offered to them as exactly adapted to their state of mind, and as meeting their inquiries. Such was extensively the case in the Sandwich Islands; and the following instance recently occurred in this country: “The Flathead Indians, living west of the Rocky Mountains, recently sent a deputation to the white settlements to inquire after the Bible. The circumstance that led to this singular movement is as follows: It appears that a white man (Mr. Catlin) had penetrated into their country, and happened to be a spectator at one of their religious ceremonies. He informed them that their mode of worshipping the Supreme Being was radically wrong, and that the people away toward the rising of the sun had been put in possession of the true mode of worshipping the Great Spirit. On receiving this information, they called a national council to take this subject into consideration. Some said, if this be true, it is certainly high time we were put in possession of this mode. They accordingly deputed four of the chiefs to proceed to Louis to see their great father, General Clark, to inquire of him the truth of this matter.

They were cordially received by the general, who gave them a succinct history of revelation, and the necessary instruction relative to their important mission. Two of them sunk under the severe toils attending a journey of 3,000 miles. The remaining two, after acquiring what knowledge they could of the Bible, its institutions and precepts, returned, to carry back those few rays of divine light to their benighted countrymen.” In what way their minds were led to this State we cannot say, or how this preparation for the gospel was connected with the agency and merits of Christ we perhaps cannot understand; but we know that the affairs of this entire world are placed under the control of Christ John 17:2; Ephesians 1:21-22, and that the arrangements of events by which such people were brought to this state of mind are in his hands. Another remark may here be made. It is, that it often occurs that blessings come upon us from benefactors whom we do not see, and from sources which we cannot trace.

On this principle we receive many of the mercies of life; and from anything that appears, in this way many blessings of salvation may be conferred on the world, and possibly many of the pagan be saved. Still, this view does not interfere with the command of Christ to preach the gospel, Mark 16:15. The great mass of the pagan are not in this state; but the fact here adverted to, so far as it goes, is an encouragement to preach the gospel to the entire world. If Christ thus prepares the way; if he extensively fits the minds of the pagan for the reception of the gospel; if he shows them the evil and folly of their own system, and leads them to desire a better, then this should operate not to produce indolence, but activity, and zeal, and encouragement to enter into the field white for the harvest, and to toil that all who seek the truth, and are prepared to embrace the gospel, may be brought to the light of the Sun of righteousness.”

More than anything else, you must know the Savior by the name Jesus Christ. What shall you do to be saved? On your parts you need to do ONLY two things:

(A). Repent of your sins.

Act 2:38, “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Act 20:21, “solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Note: Repentance in Greek is metanoia which means a change of mind; compunction for guilt; reversal of one’s decision; shame for sin; – which occurs 22 times in the New Testament. Repentance is made toward God, turning from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God.

Luk 5:32, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Note: Secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers are self-righteous, and so they would not repent. Jesus Christ has come to call sinners to repentance.

Act 26:20, “but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.”

Note: Repentance is not a slogan or talk. When a man repents and turns to God, he automatically performs deeds appropriate to repentance. Study the history of Zaccheus,

Luk 19:1-10.

2Co 7:10, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Note: A man who truly repents of his sins will produce a sorrow leading to salvation. Without repentance there is no leading to salvation.

2Ti 2:25, “with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.”

Note: Repentance leads to the knowledge of the truth. Those who do not want to repent will not have the knowledge of the truth. This is exactly the problem of secularists and unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers. That is why they do not have the knowledge of the truth.

2Pe 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

Note: The Lord is patient, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. John Calvin is wrong. God does not want you to perish but is waiting for you to repent.

Watchman Nee said, “Repentance means a change of mind. Formerly, I thought sin as a pleasant thing, but now I have changed my mind about it. Formerly, I thought the world an attractive place, but now I know better. Formerly I regarded it miserable business to be a Christian, but now I think differently. Once I thought certain things delightful, now I think them vile. Once I thought other things utterly worthless, now I think them most precious. That is a change of mind, and that is repentance.”

(B). Believe in the Lord Jesus.

Act 16:31, “They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Act 20:21, “solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Note: Faith in Greek is pistis which means belief; assurance; fidelity; conviction of the truth; conviction that God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe; conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah; moral conviction; reliance on Christ for salvation; trust; – which occurs 243 times in the New Testament. Faith in itself does not save. Faith cannot save anyone. Faith in science cannot save you. Faith in philosophy cannot save you. Faith in religion cannot save you. Faith in anything cannot save you. Religion cannot save you. The most ludicrous are the Western nations who have faith in nuclear umbrella. They may realize their mistake in ashes too late. Faith in any man cannot save you. Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can save you.

Rom 1:5, “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake.”

Note: Faith obeys God, it is called obedience of faith. Faith is impossible without action. Faith without action is dead. Obedience in Greek is hypakoē which means compliance; submission; observing the requirements of faith; attentive hearkening; conformity; – which occurs 15 times in the New Testament. Faith is perfected in obedience. Any true believer automatically obeys the Lord, obeys the truth, obeys the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Faith without obedience is rebellion. Believe and be saved.

Gal 5:22, “And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Note: It is important to know that faith is a fruit of the Spirit. He who is full of faith is full of the Spirit. Remember, Stephen was a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. (Act 6:5)

Mar 1:15, “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Note: Repentance alone cannot save you, repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ you will be saved.

Jhn 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Note: The good news is so simple that if you believe in the Son of God, you will not be judged. If you do not believe you have been judged already because you have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Rom 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Note: If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Those who have head knowledge of the Gospel are not saved. To be saved you need to believe the Lord Jesus in your heart.

Desiderius Erasmus said, “Man’s mind is so formed that it is far more susceptible to falsehood than to truth.”

Someone said something so stupid: “You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.” Believe in yourself cannot save you.

Watchman Nee said, “Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious. How meaningful are the words, “in Christ.”

Ambrose said, “When we speak about wisdom, we are speaking about Christ. When we speak about virtue, we are speaking about Christ. When we speak about justice, we are speaking about Christ. When we speak about peace, we are speaking about Christ. When we speak about truth and life and redemption, we are speaking about Christ.”

Oswald Chambers said, “The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much.”

Willie Wong says,

“Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is my God and Savior. This knowledge is more certain, IMPORTANT and MOST precious than anything else I know.”

However, the process of salvation or redemption is not easy:

(1). Jesus died for our sins.

1Co 15:3, “For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for

our sins according to the Scriptures.”

The death of Jesus is substitutionary or vicarious.

Rom 5:15, “But the gracious gift is not like the offense. For if by the offense of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many.”

Rom 8:34, “who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes

for us.”

1Pe 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins] As in the previous chapter (1 Peter 2:21-25), so here, the Apostle cannot think of any righteous sufferer needing comfort without thinking also of the righteous Sufferer whom he had known. And here also, as there, though he begins with thinking of Him as an example, he cannot rest in that thought, but passes almost immediately to the higher aspects of that work as sacrificial and atoning. Every word that follows is full of significance—“Christ suffered” (better than “hath suffered,” as representing the sufferings as belonging entirely to the past), once and once for all. The closeness of the parallelism with Hebrews 9:26-28 might almost suggest the inference that St Peter was acquainted with that Epistle, but it admits also of the more probable explanation that both writers represent the current teaching of the Apostolic Church. The precise Greek phrase “for sins” (literally, “concerning, or on account of, sins”) is used in Hebrews 10:6; Hebrews 10:8; Hebrews 10:18; Hebrews 10:26, and in the LXX. of Psalm 40:6, and was almost the technical phrase of the Levitical Code (Leviticus 4:33).
the just for the unjust] The preposition in this case means “on behalf of,” and is that used of the efficacy of Christ’s sufferings in Mark 14:24, John 6:51, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Timothy 2:6. It is used also of our sufferings for Christ (Php 1:29), or for our brother men (Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 3:13), and therefore does not by itself express the vicarious character of the death of Christ, though it naturally runs up into it. In the emphatic description of Christ as “the Just,” we have an echo of St Peter’s own words in Acts 3:14; in the stress laid on the fact that He, the just, died for the unjust, a like echo of the teaching of St Paul in Romans 5:6.
that he might bring us to God] This, then, from St Peter’s point of view, and not a mere exemption from an infinite penalty, was the end contemplated in the death of Christ. “Access to God,” the right to come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), was with him as with St Paul (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12), the final cause of the redemptive work. The verb, it may be noted, is not used elsewhere in this connexion in the New Testament.
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit] The change of the preposition and the mode of printing “Spirit” both shew that the translators took the second clause as referring to the Holy Spirit, as quickening the human body of Christ in His resurrection from the dead. The carefully balanced contrast between the two clauses shews, however, that this cannot be the meaning, and that we have here an antithesis, like that of Romans 1:3-4, between the “flesh” and the human “spirit” of the man Christ Jesus, like that between the “manifest in the flesh” and “justified in the spirit” of 1 Timothy 3:16. By the “flesh” He was subject to the law of death, but in the very act of dying, His “spirit” was quickened, even prior to the resurrection of His body, into a fresh energy and activity. What was the sphere and what the result of that activity, the next verse informs us.”

(2). Regeneration (born again).

Tit 3:5, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

Note: Regeneration in Greek is paliggenesia which means new birth; production of a new life; born again; spiritual renovation; internal change; – which occurs 2 times in the New Testament. By birth human nature is corrupt and depraved; by regeneration the Holy Spirit gives the believer a divine nature; or rather to participate in the divine nature. As Jesus says,

Jhn 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. A born again Christian has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him. Secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers do not have the Holy Spirit, so they will never have the knowledge of God. Once you have a new birth instantaneously you have a new life. Birth is once and instantaneous, life is continuous. New life in Christ is eternal life.

1Pe 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Note: It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has caused believers to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Regeneration means to be born again, to have a new life in Christ.

2Co 3:6, “Who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Note: The Spirit of the Lord gives life. Science cannot give life. Philosophy cannot give life. Religion cannot give life. If you have the Spirit of Christ, then you belong to Christ.

Tit 3:5, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

Jhn 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. A born again Christian has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him. Secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers do not have the Holy Spirit, so they will never have the knowledge of God. Once you have a new birth instantaneously you have a new life. Birth is once and instantaneous, life is continuous. New life in Christ is eternal life.

1Pe 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

2Co 3:6, “Who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Note: The Spirit of the Lord gives life. Science cannot give life. Philosophy cannot give life. Religion cannot give life. If you have the Spirit of Christ, then you belong to Christ.

(3). Reconciliation through death.

Rom 5:10-11, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Col 1:22, “yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”

In the body of his flesh.—There seems to be some emphasis on the word “flesh:” just as in the parallel of Ephesians 2:16, the expression is “in one body,” with a characteristic emphasis on the word “one,” suiting the genius of the passage. The meaning is, of course, His natural body, as distinguished from His mystic Body, spoken of above (Colossians 1:18). But this is no sufficient reason for the use of this phrase, for there could be no confusion between them in this passage. Hence, without ascribing to the word “flesh” a distinctly polemical intention, we may not unnaturally suppose that there was present to St. Paul’s mind the thought of the Gnosticism, which depreciated the body as evil, and which must have always inclined to the idea that “Jesus Christ had not come in the flesh” (1John 4:2-3); and that the presence of this thought induced some special emphasis in his language.Holy and unblameable and unreproveable.—See Note on Ephesians 1:4. The word “to present” is used both in a sacrificial sense (as in Romans 12:1) and in the sense of introduction and presentation (as of a bride, see Ephesians 5:27). The words, “holy and unblameable,” i.e., “without blemish,” suit the former sense. But “unreproveable” is incongruous with it, and the parallel passage (Ephesians 2:18) speaks of “access” or introduction to the Father.”

(4). Justification by faith.

Rom 4:25, “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”

Note: Justification in Greek is dikaiōsis which means acquittal; the act of God declaring men free from guilt and acceptable to Him (Strong’s Concordance); adjudging to be righteous; counted as righteous; – which occurs 2 times in the New Testament. Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead to justify us before God. The righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to believers as the righteousness of God.

Rom 5:16, “The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.”

Note: Justification is the free gift of God arose from transgressions to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:18, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.”

Note: The act of righteousness done by Jesus Christ has resulted justification of life to all men and women who believe in Jesus Christ.

Rom 3:21-22, “But now apart from the Law the

righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction.”

21–31. The Divine method of holy pardon, alike for all
21. But now] i.e. “But as things are, as the fact is.”
Here the great argument of Pardon and Salvation begins, to close with the triumphant words of Romans 8:37-39.
the righteousness of God] See note on Romans 1:17. In Romans 3:5 this phrase had a reference different from that of most other passages in this Epistle[35]. Its meaning in that verse is modified and determined by the words “our unrighteousness,” which, by contrast, fix it to mean there the Divine veracity and fidelity. Here, and through the rest of this argument, it means the divinely-granted, and righteous, acceptance of believers.
[35] See however the footnote there.
without the law] “Apart from the code of precepts.” The best comment on this most important phrase is the rest of this chapter and Romans 4:4-8. The very essence of the argument here demands that the words should mean “to the total exclusion of any work of obedience of man’s from the matter of his justification.”
is manifested] Lit. has been manifested; i.e. historically, “by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Timothy 1:10.
witnessed by the law and the prophets] Its reality and virtue is by them attested, confirmed, to those who accept the O. T. as the Word of God.—“The Law” is here, by the context, the Pentateuch, with its prophecies of redemption, and its Levitical ritual, priesthood, and tabernacle, all which was (see the Epistle to the Hebrews) a “prophecy in act” of the “better things to come.”—“The Prophets,” including the Psalter, are full not only of direct predictions of the Redeemer and His Work, but of language of love and pardon from the Holy One which only that Work can reconcile with the awful sanctions of the moral law.

Justification means obtaining the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe. I do not know anyone in the secular world who knows more about the doctrine of justification than Martin Luther. Luther defined the doctrine of justification as “ the doctrine that we are redeemed from sin, death and the devil, and made partakers of eternal life, not by ourselves (and certainly not by our works, which are less than ourselves), but by the help of another, the only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ.”

(5). Adoption to be the children of God.

Not only a sinner can be justified by faith in Jesus Christ, he is given the right to become a son of God.

Jhn 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Eph 1:5, “He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”

On earth the children of God as “sons and daughters”; in Heaven, there will be no more genders, only as sons of God.

Having predestinated us] Again an aorist, not a perfect, in the Greek; referring to a definite past act. For the same word, in the Greek, cp. Ephesians 1:11; Acts 4:28 (E. V. “determined”); Romans 8:29-30; 1 Corinthians 2:7 (E. V. “ordained”). It is lit. “to define, mark out, set apart, beforehand.” All idea of blind destiny must be excluded; the “pre-ordination” is the act of the Living and Holy God. But while we can thus repose upon its justice, it is none the less sovereign. And it is a cause, not an effect, of good desires and holiness in the saints.
the adoption of children] For the (one) word rendered thus, cp. Romans 8:15; Romans 8:23; Romans 9:4; Galatians 4:5. The sacred truth of the filial relation of the saints to their Lord’s Father (see above on Ephesians 1:2) comes out further Ephesians 3:15, Ephesians 4:6, Ephesians 5:1. This sonship has two aspects in the N. T.; the generative aspect, a change in the state of will, character, nature, a new birth; and, as here, the adoptive aspect, a divinely legal institution into filial position and privilege. In the eternal Idea this latter may be said to be first in order; and thus it stands here, in this account of the heavenly origin of our salvation.
by Jesus Christ] Lit., through Jesus Christ; Representative and Mediator. As in the Old Creation (see e.g. John 1:3, “all things came into being through Him”; and cp. Hebrews 1:2) so in the New, the Father works through the Son, Whom He “gives,” “anoints,” “sanctifies,” “sends.”
to himself] As the Father is the Origin of the process of Redemption, so He is continually presented as its End. See the Lord’s discourses in St John’s Gospel, passim, and e.g. 1 Corinthians 15:28; Php 2:11. This fact makes it on the other hand the more deeply significant that the same language is used also with reference to the Son; e.g. below ch. Ephesians 5:27. And cp. “for Him,” Colossians 1:16.
according to the good pleasure &c.] The ultimate account of all Divine procedure, from the creature’s point of view. Nothing in that Will is capricious; all is supremely wise and good. But it enfolds an “unseen universe” of reasons and causes wholly beyond our discovery; and here precisely is one main field for the legitimate exercise of faith; personal confidence as to the unknown reasons for the revealed action of a Known God. Cp. Matthew 11:26; 1 Corinthians 1:21. The word rendered “good pleasure” means specially (in N. T.) deliberate beneficent resolve.”

(6). Sanctification through His blood.

Rom 6:22, “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”

Note: Sanctification in Greek is hagiasmos which means holiness; purification; consecration; – which occurs 11 times in the New Testament. The suffering and death of Jesus Christ resulted in sanctification of believers. Believers have been freed from sin and enslaved to God. The outcome of sanctification is eternal life.

Rom 6:19, “I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.”

Note: If you know this, you will not be confused and dismayed. Sanctification has two meanings: positional and conditional. Believers freed from sin is sanctified by the Holy Spirit in Christ which is positional sanctification once and for all. Conditional sanctification is the will of God that we abstain from sexual immorality, and live daily a life or purity in faith and in the truth. Our position in Christ in perfect, our condition in the world is not. We need to be sanctified daily and progressively.

1Th 4:3, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality.”

Note: Sanctification is the will of God. Christians abstain from sexual immorality. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage is sexual immorality. Fornication and adultery are also sexual immorality.

1Th 4:7, “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.”

Note: Impurity is the opposite of sanctification.

2Th 2:13, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

Heb 12:14, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”

Note: Christians pursue peace and purity in hope of the second coming of Jesus Christ, for without sanctification no one will see the Lord.

(7). Glorification is the final victory.

1Co 2:7, “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.”

The glorification will take place beginning with the Rapture. When the dead in Christ shall rise first, those who remain will be transformed. This is called the redemption of the bodies. The bodies of the saints will be transformed into spiritual, glorious and immortal.

1Co 15:50-57, “Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; nor does the perishable

inherit the imperishable. Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP in victory.

“WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1Th 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel

and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

1Th 4:17, “Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet

the Lord in the space, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

I translate “in the air” as “in the space.”

As the Rapture was secret and silent, the second coming of Christ, the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven in great glory and power, with holy angels and saints, open and public and visible the largest parade in the universe.

Mar 13:26, “And then they will see THE SON OF

MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.”

This is the first phase of glorification.

Rev 1:7, “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”

Luk 9:26, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.”

Rev 20:1-4, “Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he took hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw

him into the Abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after those things he must be released for a short time. Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

The second phase of glorification is the saints will reign with Christ for a thousand years.

The third phase of glorification is to dwell with the Heavenly Father in the Kingdom of Heaven for ever and ever which is the eternal glory,

Rev 21:1-7, “Then I saw a new Heaven and a new

Earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed

away, and there is no longer any sea.

And I saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned

for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from

their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain;

the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all

things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give water to the one who thirsts from the spring

of the water of life, without cost. The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”

This is the third phase of glorification, the final phase, the eternal glory — the saints will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and dwell with the Heavenly Father for ever and ever.

The Kingdom of Heaven is what Jesus Christ promised. Jhn 14:2, “In My Father’s home there are many mansions; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I AM going there to prepare

a place for you.”

1Co 2:9, “but just as it is written:

“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HUMAN HEART, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

I cannot wait to share with you a glimpse of the HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, which is the Capital of the Kingdom of Heaven:

Rev 21:9-27, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a vast and lofty mountain, and showed me the Holy (sanctified) City of Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God, having God’s glory [filled with His radiant light]. The brilliance of it resembled a rare and very precious jewel, like jasper, shining and clear as crystal.

It had a massive and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates [were stationed] twelve angels; and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written. On the east side [there were] three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

And the wall of the City had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Christ). The one who was speaking with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, its length being the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod—twelve thousand stadia (about 1,400 miles); its length and width and height are equal. He measured its wall also—a hundred forty-four cubits (about 200 feet), according to man’s measurements, which are [also] angelic

[measurements]. The wall was built of jasper; and the city was pure gold, transparent like clear crystal.

The foundation stones of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite (yellow topaz); the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each separate gate was of one single pearl. And the street (broad way) of the City was pure gold, like transparent crystal. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] and the Lamb are its temple. And the City has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light.

The nations [the redeemed people from the earth] will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring into it their glory. By day (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed [in fear of evil];

and they will bring the glory (splendor, majesty) and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominations [detestable, morally repugnant things] and lying, but only those [will be admitted] whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Revelation 21:1-3. And I saw — So it runs, Revelation 19:11; Revelation 20:1; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 20:11, in a succession. All these several visions follow one another in order, and this vision reaches into eternity; a new heaven and a new earth — That is, after the foregoing visions, in which I beheld a representation of the state of the church and world to the consummation of all things, I had the final happiness of the true worshippers of God, to be enjoyed after the resurrection and the general judgment, represented to me in a new vision, in which I beheld a perfectly new state of things; the heaven and earth, in which we now live, being quite passed away, melted with fervent heat and dissolved in fire, there was a new heaven and a new earth, in which I perceived one thing very remarkable, that there was no more sea — A circumstance which, whether it be effected by the means which the theorists of the earth (see Burnet’s and Whiston’s theory) have prescribed, or by any other, time, or rather eternity, must show; for it is evident from hence that this new heaven and earth are not designed to take place till after the general judgment; for at that judgment, (Revelation 20:13,) the sea gives up the dead which were in it. Many, however, understand the expression figuratively, that there shall be no troubles or commotions in the world; but it seems much more probable that it is to be understood literally. And I saw the holy city — The new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem, are closely connected. This city is wholly new, belonging, not to this world, not to the millennium, but to eternity. This appears from the series of the vision, the magnificence of the description, and the opposition of this city to the second death, Revelation 20:11-12; Revelation 21:1-2; Revelation 21:5; Revelation 21:8-9; Revelation 22:5. Coming down — In the very act of descending; from God — Its maker and builder; out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband — Prepared to meet him, with all her charms set out to the greatest advantage, and full of glory and splendour. At the commencement of the millennium it was said, (Revelation 19:7,) the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. At the conclusion of the millennium, Gog and Magog went up against the beloved city; and here it is represented as the metropolis of the new heaven and the new earth. The new Jerusalem shall be the habitation of the saints of the first resurrection, and it shall also be the habitation of the saints of the general resurrection; the church of Christ shall endure through all times and changes of this world, and shall exist eternally in the world to come. It shall be glorious upon earth during the millennium, and it shall be more glorious still in the new earth after the millennium, to all eternity. Earth shall then become as heaven, or rather it shall be heaven on earth; God dwelling visibly among men, and sin and suffering being for ever done away. For the apostle adds, I heard a great voice out of heaven — A voice proceeding from the eternal Word and Son of the Father; saying, Behold the tabernacle of God with men! — So it is in the original, there being nothing for the verb is; and he will dwell with them — In token of his favour and great love to them; and they shall be his people — Protected and governed by him; and God himself shall be with them — Continually, as their Friend and Father; and he shall be their God — Their supreme good and final portion, their all in all.

The Holy City is no allegory, no figment of imagination;

as it is written, it is absolutely real; the words are faithful and true. Have you ever imagined a city of 1,400 miles long, 1,400 miles wide, and 1,400 miles high? If it is symbolic or figurative, not real, not literally, then there is no need of measurement, be it human or angelic. It is a EXTREMELY large city indeed! Such an one as never was upon earth BEFORE. It is supposed to be the eternal mansions of all saints for eternity.There will be many mansions, or dwelling places, enough for all God’s children of all generations. This Holy City will hold them all; and I sincerely believe it.

According to some measure:

A furlong is 1/8th of a mile, so 12,000 furlongs would be 1,500 miles. Whether the Holy City is 1,500 miles or 1,400 miles long, 1,500 miles or 1,400 miles wide, 1,500 miles or 1,400 miles high, I have no problem to believe God is able to do it; and I praise the Lord.

3.) The Holy Bible is the Word of God — the final Authority of Christian faith and conduct. God is always right, His Word can never be wrong.

Mat 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away.”

Act 1:3, “to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”

1Pe 1:23, “for you have been born again not of

seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring Word of God.”

Many do not seem to recognize the preciousness of the Word God. DO you know science is only the best human knowledge at a point in time and place, science is always progressive and tentative, never complete or ultimate. But the Word of God is absolute, complete, supreme, ultimate and eternal. Why do you waste your time on so-called human masterpieces?

1Pe 2:7, “This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

“A STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.”

2Pe 1:19, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts.”

Without the Word of God, you are groping in the dark. Science does not give light. Philosophy also cannot give light.

Jhn 1:9, “This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person.”

Jesus is the true Light, the Light of the world who enlightens every person.

4.) To be is more important than to have. Being is more important than having. If you are a crook, whatever you have does not matter. It is better to be a poor righteous man than to be a wicked rich man.

Rom 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

1Co 7:31, “and those who use the world, as though

they did not make full use of it; for the present form of this world is passing away.”

1Pe 2:9, “But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal

PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR

GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

5.) If human nature is good, why Jesus says, You must be born again?

“Mencius claims that human beings are originally good but argues for the necessity of self-cultivation.”

The fact that Mencius’s mother move thrice indicates she did not believe her son’s nature was good.

Jhn 3:7, “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.”

Jhn 3:5, “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”

Eph 5:26, “so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word.”

Water signifies the Word of God.

Luk 11:13, “So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will

your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Luke 11:13. If ye then, being evil — If ye, who are, at least, comparatively evil, and perhaps inclined to a penurious and morose temper, yet know how to give good gifts to your children — And find your hearts disposed to relieve their returning necessities, by a variety of daily provisions; — if earthly parents, though evil, be yet so kind; if they, though weak, be yet so knowing, that they give with discretion, give what is best, in the best manner and time; much more shall your heavenly Father — Who has wrought these dispositions in you, and who infinitely excels the fathers of our flesh, as in power, so also in wisdom and goodness, be ready to bestow every necessary good, and even to give the best and most excellent gift of all, his Holy Spirit, to them that sincerely and earnestly ask him; a gift, inclusive of, or followed by, all the good things we ought to pray for; more than which, with its effects and consequences, we do not need, to make us wise, holy, happy, and useful; the Holy Spirit being the source of spiritual life to and in us here, and the earnest of eternal life hereafter; a gift which, therefore, it concerns us all earnestly, constantly, and perseveringly to pray for. Observe well, then, reader, both that it is our indispensable duty to ask this gift, and that we have all possible encouragement to believe that, if we ask aright, we shall not ask in vain. For as certainly as God’s power enables him, so certainly does his goodness incline him, and his promise bind him, to give it, and that to all those that ask as they are here directed.”

6.) God is rich and has abundance, but God does not approve waste.

Mat 14:17-21, “They said to Him, “We have nothing

here except five loaves and two fish. And He said,

“Bring them here to Me.” And ordering the crowds

to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up toward heaven. He blessed the food and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces: twelve full baskets. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.”

Pro 10:16, “The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.”

7.) The life goal of a Christian is not to have a good life on earth, but doing the will of God.

Rom 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

2Co 7:10, “For the sorrow that is according to the

will of God produces a repentance without regret,

leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world

produces death.”

Rom 14:8, “for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”

1Pe 4:2, “so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will

of God.”

That he no longer should live – That is, he has become, through the death of Christ, dead to the world and to the former things which influenced him, in order that he should hereafter live not to the lusts of the flesh. See the notes at 2 Corinthians 5:15.

The rest of his time in the flesh – The remainder of the time that he is to continue in the flesh; that is, that he is to live on the earth.

To the lusts of men – Such lusts as people commonly live for and indulge in. Some of these are enumerated in the following verse.

But to the will of God – In such a manner as God commands. The object of redemption is to rescue us from being swayed by wicked lusts, and to bring us to be conformed wholly to the will of God.

8.) Hell is a place of eternal suffering, it required the death of Jesus Christ to save you from eternal damnation. Hell is not a joke, once you are cast into it, there is no way out forever.

Mar 3:28-29, “Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons and daughters of men, and whatever blasphemies they commit; but whoever

blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has

forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

Mat 10:28, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul

and body in Hell.”

Rom 14:9, For to this end Christ both died, and

rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.”

Phl 2:8, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”

Rev 20:10, “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the Lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the devil that deceived them,…. Both before death, in the present life, by tempting and drawing them into immorality and profaneness, or idolatry, superstition, and will worship, or persecution of the saints; and after their resurrection, by instigating them to make this foolish attempt upon the saints of the most High:

was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone; the same with the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; this will be his full torment, in which he is not as yet; and this will not be until the judgment is finished hereafter described; though it is here mentioned to issue the account of Satan at once, and to show what will be his final state and condition:

where the beast and false prophet are; Revelation 19:20 who for so many years have been companions in wickedness together; the beast being the first beast that received his power, seat, and authority from the dragon, or devil; the false prophet being the second beast, or antichrist in his ecclesiastical capacity, as the beast is antichrist in his civil power, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with signs and lying wonders:

and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever; that is, not only the devil, but the beast and false prophet, for the word is in the plural number: and this will be the case of all wicked men, of all whose minds are enmity to God and Christ, and to his people; and is a proof of the eternity of hell torments.”

9.) Faith is your attitude toward God and the Faith is all the collective body of truth that all Christians believe throughout generations. Faith as a personal possession can grow.

Mar 11:22, “And Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.”

Jhn 14:1, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Rom 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus

Christ.”

2Co 13:5, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the Faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?”

1Co 15:3-4, “For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

It is right that we follow Martin Luther’s Sola Scriptura–the sufficiency of the Scriptures as our

supreme authority in all spiritual matters. Sola Scriptura simply means that all truth necessary

for our salvation and Spiritual life, faith and conduct, are taught either explicitly or implicitly in the Holy Scriptures.

Jde 1:3, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once

for all time handed down to the saints.”

Eph 4:13, “until we all attain to the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

Verse 13. – Until we all come. This marks the duration of the office of the ministry. Some maintain that it implies that all these offices are to continue in the Church until the result specified is obtained (Catholic Apostolic or Irvingite Church): this is contradicted by Scripture and by experience, so far as apostles and prophets are concerned, for the gifts for these offices were not continued, and without the gifts the offices are impossible. The meaning is that, till the event specified, there is to be a provision in the Church of the offices that are needed, and the apostle, in using “until,” probably had in view the last office in his list – pastors and teachers. To the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God. Both genitives are governed by unity; already there is one faith (ver. 5), but we all, i.e. all who compose or are yet to compose the body of Christ, the totality of this body, have to be brought to this faith. As in ver. 5 “faith” is not equivalent to “creed,” or truth believed, but the act of believing; so here the consummation which the ministers of the Church are given to bring about is a state in which faith in the Son of God shall characterize all, and that, not a blind faith, but a faith associated with knowledge. Usually faith and knowledge are opposed to each other; but here faith has more the meaning of trust than of mere belief – trust based on knowledge, trust in the Son of God based on knowledge of his Person, his work, and his relation to them that receive him. To bring all the elect to this faith is the object of the ministry; when they are all brought to it, the body of Christ will be complete, and the functions of the Christian ministry will cease. Unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The idea of organic completeness is more fully expressed by these two clauses; the consummation is the completeness of the whole body of Christ as such; but that involves the maturity of each individual who is a constituent part of that body; and the measure or sign of maturity, both for the individual and for the whole, is the stature of the fullness of Christ (comp. Romans 8:29, “Whom he did foreknow, them he also forewarned to be conformed to the image of his Son”). The question has been put – Will this consummation be in this life or the next? The one seems to melt into the other; the idea of a complete Church and that of a new economy seem inseparable; as the coming of Christ will terminate the observance of the Lord’s Supper, so it will terminate the ministries ordained by Christ for the completion of his Church. Ephesians 4:13.”

10.) In the last days the world will proceed from evil to evil, and the wicked will get worse and worse. You cannot expect a new world until the second coming of Jesus Christ.

2Ti 3:1-8, “But realize this, that in the last days

dangerous times will come. For people will be

lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without

self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than

lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed

down with sins, led on by various impulses,

always learning and never able to come to the

knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose

the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless in

regard to the faith.”

1Jo 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many

antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”

Rom 13:12, “The night is far spent, the Day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

The night.—The time during which the Messiah is absent from His people is compared to night. He is the sun. whose coming converts it to day.

It is rather strange that here, as in 1Thessalonians 5:8, the metaphor of night and day should suggest that of “armour.” The warfare in which the Christian is engaged is between the powers of light and of darkness. (Comp. Ephesians 6:12.) And the use of the word “putting off” (stripping oneself as of clothing) supplies a link between the two ideas by suggesting the putting on of a different kind of clothing, the Christian panoply.”

11.) Thinking has consequences. As a man thinks, so is he. God will judge mankind by thought, word and deed.

Gen 6:5, “The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.”

Mat 12:36, “But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.”

Mar 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual

immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, deeds

of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things

come from within and defile the person.”

Most people do not know that deeds of greed, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride and foolishness are evil things.”

7:14-23 Our wicked thoughts and affections, words and actions, defile us, and these only. As a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so does a corrupt heart send forth corrupt reasonings, corrupt appetites and passions, and all the wicked words and actions that come from them. A spiritual understanding of the law of God, and a sense of the evil of sin, will cause a man to seek for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to keep down the evil thoughts and affections that work within.”

12). If the ground exists for grass, and grass exists for cattle, and cattle exist for man, what does man exist for? It is logical that man exists for God, His creator.

Gen 1:27, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He

created them.”

Mar 10:6, “But from the beginning of creation,

God CREATED THEM MALE AND FEMALE.”

Col 1:16, “for by Him all things were created, both in the Heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created

through Him and for Him.”

Act 17:28, “for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’

for in him we live] i.e. through or by Him. All our existence is through His care, therefore He must be near to all of us. The preposition is rendered by in Acts 17:31, “By that man whom He hath ordained.”
and move] More literally, are moved. The word does not refer to the motion of persons from place to place, but to those internal movements of the mind and spirit of which the outward actions are the effect. St Paul means that the feelings of men are acted on by God, who speaks to the heart through all nature if men will but hearken. This is the truth of which Pantheism is the caricature.
your own poets have said] The words are a quotation from Arâtus, Phænomena, 5, and are also found in Cleanthes, Hymn to Jupiter, 5. Arâtus was a native of Cilicia, and St Paul may in consequence be supposed to have known of his writings as of those of a fellow-countryman. By quoting from their own literature to the Athenians, St Paul illustrates his own declaration that in his labours “he became all things to all men.” Such a quotation was also very well devised for arresting the attention of these cultivated hearers, and winning it may be some consideration for the speaker, as also being a man of culture.”

13.) If God answers my prayers 99 times, they may be coincidental. If God answers my prayers a life time, they must be miracles.

Dan 4:2, “I am pleased to declare the signs and

miracles that the Most High God has done for me.”

From childhood God had saved me from drowning and eaten by a crocodile to old age. God has answered my prayers a million times. They could not be coincidental.

Act 2:22, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God

performed through Him in your midst, just as you

yourselves know—.”

Heb 2:4, “God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”

If you are a child of God, it is impossible you have never seen various miracles in your life.

God also bearing them witness] The original is stronger, “God bearing witness with them;” the supernatural witness coincided with the human.

both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles] “Signs” to shew that there was a power behind their witness; “portents” to awaken the feeling of astonishment, and so arouse interest; and various “powers.” These are alluded to, or recorded, in Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43; Acts 19:11. St Paul himself appealed to his own “mighty signs and wonders” (Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 2:4).
and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will] The word “gifts” means rather “distributions” (Hebrews 4:12, “dividing”), and the words “according to His own will” apply only to this clause—the gifts which the Holy Spirit distributes as He wills (1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Romans 12:3).”

14.) The Christian faith is not only based on human reason and evidence. It is completely based on the Holy Scriptures.

Heb 11:1,“Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.”

Faith is to see the invisible, the reward is to see the invisible visible.

Now faith] Since he has said “we are of faith to gaining of the soul,” the question might naturally arise, What then is faith? It is nowhere defined in Scripture, nor is it defined here, for the writer rather describes it in its effects than in its essence; but it is described by what it does. The chapter which illustrates “faith” is full of works; and this alone should shew how idle is any contrast or antithesis between the two. Here however the word “faith” means only “the belief which leads to faithfulness”—the hope which, apart from sight, holds the ideal to be the most real, and acts accordingly.
the substance of things hoped for] The word “hypostasis,” here rendered “substance,” as in Hebrews 1:3, may mean (1) that underlying essence which gives reality to a thing. Faith gives a subjective reality to the aspirations of hope. But it may be used (2) in an ordinary and not a metaphysical sense for “basis,” foundation; or (3) for “confidence,” as in Hebrews 3:14 (comp. 2 Corinthians 9:4; 2 Corinthians 11:17): and this seems to be the most probable meaning of the word here. St Jerome speaks of the passage as breathing somewhat of Philo (“Philoneum aliquid spirans”), who speaks of faith in a very similar way.
the evidence of things not seen] The word rendered “evidence” means “demonstration,” or “test.”
not seen] i.e. which are as yet invisible, because they are eternal and not temporal (2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7). God Himself belongs to the things as yet unseen; but Faith—in this sense of the word, which is not the distinctively Pauline sense (Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:26; Romans 3:25)—demonstrates the existence of the immaterial as though it were actual. The object of faith from the dawn of man’s life had been Christ, who, even at the Fall, had been foretold as “the seed of the woman who should break the serpent’s head.” The difference between the Two Covenants was that in the New He was fully set forth as the effulgence of the Father’s glory, whereas in the Old He had been but dimly indicated by shadows and symbols. Bishop Wordsworth quotes the sonnet of the poet Wordsworth on these lines:
”For what contend the wise? for nothing less
Than that the Soul, freed from the bonds of sense,
And to her God restored by evidence
Of things not seen, drawn forth from their recess,
Root there—and not in forms—her holiness.”

15.) Besides sin, suffering is probably the biggest problem of human life. Most people know you may suffer for doing wrong, very few know that you may suffer for doing right.

Some wrongly believe if you become a Christian, your life will be free of troubles and tragedies.

1Pe 2:20, “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

1Pe 3:14, “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE IN DREAD.”

1Pe 3:17, “For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”

1Pe 4:19, “Therefore, those also who suffer according

to the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”

Do you know that saints may suffer according to the will of God in doing what is right?

Mar 10:29-30, “Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or

mother or father or children or farms, for My sake

and for the Gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.”

The highest form of suffering is for Jesus’ sake and for the Gospel’s sake.

Mark 10:28-31. Peter began to say, Lo, we have left all — Though the young man would not. Jesus said, There is no man that hath left house, &c. — This is explained Matthew 19:27-29. “Our Lord is not here speaking of such as have actually separated themselves from the persons, and parted with the possessions, here mentioned; for if that had been his meaning, he would not have said that wives and children were to be forsaken, having himself, on a former occasion, expressly prohibited divorce, on any account, except fornication. But he is speaking of those who, for his sake and the gospel’s, have renounced the pleasures and satisfactions which relations and possessions usually afford.” But he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, &c. — Not in the same kind; for it will generally be with persecutions: but in value: a hundred-fold more happiness than any or all of these did or could afford. But let it be observed, None is entitled to this happiness, but he that will accept of it with persecutions. “They who have forsaken all for my sake, shall be no losers in the issue; because God, who designs to admit them into heaven, will give them the comforts necessary to support them in their journey thither, and will raise them up friends, who shall be as serviceable to them as their nearest kindred, whom they have forsaken. By the special benignity of his Providence, they shall have every thing valuable that relations or possessions could administer to them. And, besides, shall have persecutions, whose heat will nourish virtues in them of such excellent efficacy, as to yield them, even in this present world, joys a hundred times better than all earthly pleasures; so that they shall be fed by the bread of sorrows. But, above all, in the world to come they shall have everlasting life. Their afflictions contributing to the growth of their graces, which are the wings of the soul, they shall in due time be raised on them even up to heaven, leaving all sorrows behind them, and shall fly swiftly into the bosom of God, the fountain of life and joy, where they shall have full amends made them for all the evils they had undergone on account of Christ and his gospel.” — Macknight. But many that are first, &c. See on Matthew 19:30.”

16.) The Christians virtues are the virtues Christians possess or should have, identified by the Holy Scriptures; not by defined by the Roman Catholic Church, or so-called ethics described by theologians in any name such as natural, heavenly, theological, etc. I believe they are humility, faith, hope, love, purity, patience, gratitude, diligence, temperance, character, courage, honor and obedience.

Phl 4:8, “For the rest, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things have honour, whatever things are upright, whatever things are holy, whatever things are beautiful, whatever things are of value, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, give thought to these things.”

Virtue in Greek is arete which means excellence, moral goodness, morality, valor, merit; moral vigor;

a virtuous course of thought, feeling and action;

any particular moral excellence, as modesty, purity;

— which occurs 5 times in the New Testament,

According to https://biblehub.com/greek/703.htm

“Word Origin: Derived from the Greek root ἀρ- (ar-), which is related to the concept of excellence or virtue.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for “areté,” the concept of virtue and moral excellence can be related to Hebrew words like “חַיִל” (chayil, Strong’s H2428) meaning strength or valor, and “צֶדֶק” (tsedeq, Strong’s H6664) meaning righteousness.”

Usage: In the New Testament, “areté” refers to moral excellence or virtue. It encompasses the idea of living in a way that reflects the highest moral standards and qualities. This term is often associated with the character and conduct that align with God’s nature and commands.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, “areté” was a significant concept, often associated with the fulfillment of purpose or function. It was used to describe the excellence of a person or thing in fulfilling its intended purpose. In the context of Greek philosophy, it was closely linked to the idea of living a life of virtue and moral integrity. In the New Testament, this concept is elevated to reflect the moral excellence that believers are called to exhibit as they follow Christ.”

(8, 9) Here, repeating the word “Finally,” the Apostle again draws to a conclusion, in a comprehensive exhortation to stand fast in all that is good on the foundation which he had laid in the name of Christ. The exhortation is marked by the reiteration of affectionate earnestness, in which, however, we may (as always) trace an underlying method. In each pair of epithets there seems to be reference both to an inner reality and to the outward development, by which it is at once manifested and perfected. In both St. Paul would have them grow up to perfection.

True . . . honest (better, venerable; see margin).—Truth is the inherent likeness to God, who is Truth. Whatever is true in itself is also “venerable”—i.e., as the original word, usually rendered “grave” (as in 1Timothy 3:8; 1Timothy 3:11; Titus 2:2) etymologically signifies, it claims a share of the reverence due primarily to God; it has in it a certain majesty commanding worship.

Just . . . pure.—“Just” is (as St. Paul’s habitual usage of “justify” shows) righteous in act and word, as tested by the declared will of man or God. “Pure” is righteous in essence, in the thought, which cannot be thus tested—showing itself in what is just and indeed perfected thereby, but in itself something holier still.

Lovely . . . of good report.—Both words are peculiar to this passage: in both we pass from truth and righteousness to love. “Lovely” is that which deserves love. The phrase “of good report” represents a Greek word which is commonly used for “fair-sounding,” or “auspicious” and “acceptable.” It is therefore the outward expression of what is “lovely,” winning the acceptance which loveliness deserves.

If there be any virtue, and . . . praise.—Still there is the same antithesis—“virtue” is the inherent quality; “praise” is virtue’s due. But the word “virtue,” so frequent in human morality, is hardly ever used in Scripture. In fact, the only other case of application to man is in 2Peter 1:5, where it stands between “faith” and “knowledge,” and seems specially to signify the energy of practice by which faith grows into knowledge. The reason of this is clear. To the very name of “virtue” clings the idea of self-reliance—such self-reliance as the Stoic philosophy (then the only dominant system of Roman opinion which had any nobleness in it) made its essential characteristic; and that idea is, of course, foreign to the whole conception of Christian morality. The occurrence, therefore, here of an appeal to “virtue” and to “praise” seems strange. We notice, however, that it is introduced by a new phrase of mere hypothesis (“if there be,” &c.), which may be taken to mark it as an outlying consideration, occupying a less firm and important ground. Probably, therefore, it is an appeal to the lower conceptions of the society, so characteristically Roman, around them: “Nay, even if there be any truth in the virtue and praise of mere human morality,” &c.”

There are vanities in beauty but no beauty in vanity. Women of virtue like Sarah and Ruth are few and rare.

(1.) Humility

1Pe 5:5, “You younger men, likewise, be subject

to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT HE GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

Humility in Greek is tapeinophrosynē which means humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty:—humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, lowliness (of mind) (Strong’s Concordance); , “the having a humble opinion of oneself; a deep sense of one’s (moral) littleness; modesty, humility, lowliness of mind”; (Vulg.humilitas, Luth. Demuth):— which occurs 8 times in the New Testament,

Humility is a special virtue. If you think you have it, you don’t have it. If you think you have enough of it, you lack it.

(2.) Faith

Mar 11:22, “And Jesus answered and said to them,

“Have faith in God.”

Faith in Greek is pistis which means faith; belief; assurance; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: (Strong’s Concordance); fidelity; trust– which occurs 243 times in the New Testament.

Faith can be little or great or no. Faith is not based on human reason, it is based on the Word of God.

(3.) Hope

Rom 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times

was written for our instruction, so that through

perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Hope in Greek is elpis which means expectation of good; expectation; joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation (Strong’s Concordance); something desired– which occurs 53 times in the New Testament.

Rom 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

(4.) Love

Gal 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision

nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”

Love in Greek is agapē which means affection, good-will, love, benevolence: John 15:13; Romans 13:10; 1 John 4:18. Of the love of men to men; especially of that love of Christians toward Christians which is enjoined and prompted by their religion, whether the love be viewed as in the soul or as expressed. Of the love of men toward God: ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ; (obj. genitive [Winer’s Grammar, 185 (175)]. (Strong’s Concordance), — which occurs 116 times in the New Testament.

Gal 5:14, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

In my opinion, love includes compassion, kindness, goodness, gentleness and forgiveness; as

Jesus says,

Luk 6:35, “But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people.”

Love ye your enemies.—The tense of the Greek verb may be noted as implying a perpetual abiding rule of action.

Hoping for nothing again.—Better, in nothing losing hope. It is possible that the Greek verb may have the sense given in the text, but its uniform signification in the LXX. (as in Ecclesiasticus 22:21-24; Ecclesiasticus 27:21), which must be allowed great weight in interpreting a writer like St. Luke, is that of “giving up hope,” despairing. And this gives, it is obvious, a meaning not less admirable than that of the received version, “Give and lend according to the law of Christ, and do not let the absence of immediate profit make you lose heart and hope.” There is a “great reward.” The last words at least remind us of the promise made to Abraham, and may be interpreted by it. God Himself is our “exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). One or two MSS. give a masculine instead of a neuter pronoun after the verb, and in that case the verb must be taken as transitive. We have accordingly to choose between in nothing despairing, or driving no man to despair. On the whole, the former seems preferable. So taken, we may compare it with St. Paul’s description of “charity” or “love,” as “hoping all things” (1Corinthians 13:7), and his counsel, “Be not weary in well doing” (Galatians 6:9).

The children of the Highest.—Better, for the sake of uniformity with the other passages where the word occurs, sons of the Most High. The passage is noticeable as the only instance in which our Lord Himself applies this name to the Father.

He is kind.—The generalised word takes the place of the more specific reference to the rain and sunshine as God’s gifts to all, in Matthew 5:45. The word rendered “kind” is applied to God in the Greek version of Psalm 34:8, quoted in 1Peter 2:3, and is there rendered “gracious.”

(5.) Purity

1Ti 4:12, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”

Purity in Greek is hagneia which means cleanliness; chastity; holiness; sinlessness of life; — which occurs 2 times in the New Testament.

Tit 2:7-8, “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach,

so that the opponent will be put to shame, having

nothing bad to say about us.”

Purity in doctrine has to do with the Faith which means sound in the Faith. For example, the Roman Catholic Church teaches the impurity in doctrine purgatory and the worship of Mary.

1Ti 5:2, “to the older women as mothers, and to the younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

I believe purity includes holiness, or holiness includes purity.

(6.) Patience

Gal 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Patience in Greek is makrothymia which means

endurance; constancy; steadfastness; perseverance; longsuffering; forbearance; fortitude; — which occurs 14 times in the New Testament.

1Ti 1:16, “Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

(7.) Gratitude

Heb 12:28, “Therefore, since we receive a Kingdom

which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”

Gratitude in Greek is charis which means thankfulness; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) (Strong’s Concordance); gratefulness; — which occurs 155 times in the New Testament.

Luk 17:11-17, “While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered a village, ten men with leprosy who stood

at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices,

saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He

saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves

to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud

voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. But Jesus

responded and said, “Were there not ten cleansed?

But the nine—where are they?”

When I get to Heaven I request two private audiences, one with the Heaven Father, the other with the Lord Jesus.

I shall bow three times with a loud voice saying Holy, Holy, Holy to the Heaven Father saying: I am eternally grateful for all you have done for me. To the Lord Jesus my God and Redeemer I shall bow three times saying loudly, Holy, Holy, Holy, my God and Redeemer, how much I love Thee because You died for me. I don’t think I will get any crown, if I do, I shall lay it at the feet of Jesus Christ before I bow.

Col 2:7, “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

My life experience testifies that the majority of mankind are ungrateful.

(8.) Diligence

Heb 6:11, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.”

Diligence in Greek is spoudē which means universally, earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything (Strong’s Concordance); assiduity; industry; — which occurs 12 times in the New Testament.

You cannot accomplish anything worthwhile on earth without due diligence. It matters the same in spiritual things.

Rom 12:11, “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”

(9.) Temperance

Act 24:25, “But as he was discussing righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix became

frightened and responded, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will summon you.”

Temperance in Greek is egkrateia which means the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites) (Strong’s Concordance); moderation in action, thought or feeling; self-control; — which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. I believe temperance includes self-control and discipline. From Sunday School we had taken an oath never to drink or smoke. I am now an old man, I have kept my oath.

(10.) Character

Heb 13:5, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER

DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER ABANDON YOU,”

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

In these two verses (Hebrews 13:4-5) we have the same connection of thought as in Hebrews 12:16; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:3. “Impurity and covetousness may be said to divide between them nearly the whole domain of human selfishness and vice” (Lightfoot on Colossians 3:5).

Conversation.—Literally, way of thought and life, character, disposition.

For he.—Rather, for He Himself hath said. As in many other places in this Epistle, the word of Scripture is regarded as directly spoken by God; but there is an emphasis here (“He Himself”) which well suits the remarkable impressiveness of the words quoted, “I will in no wise let thee go; no, nor will I forsake thee.” This promise of divine support and protection does not occur exactly in the same form in the Old Testament, but is clearly taken from Deuteronomy 31:6, “He will not fail thee nor forsake thee.” (Comp. also Genesis 28:15; Joshua 1:5; 1Chronicles 28:20.) The appositeness of these words and those which follow (Hebrews 13:6) will be seen if we remember the trials which the Hebrew Christians had already endured (Hebrews 10:32-34). It is very probable that this thought supplies the link of connection between Hebrews 13:5-6, and Hebrews 13:7.”

The old English “conversation” means conduct or character.”

According to https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2064/ancient-chinese-philosophy—mencius-on-human-natu/

Mencius

Xiao Niao (CC BY-NC-ND)

”By this example, he highlighted the human inclination toward doing good which he interpreted to mean that goodness was a basic human quality. The inclination toward goodness could be blunted, however, by poor treatment by others and lack of opportunity to develop it through education; this produces bad people who do bad things. Conversely, educating people in the value of the Good, and in acting on good impulses, produces contented and helpful citizens.”

According to https://www.ponderingphilosopher.com/hobbes-philosophy-of-human-nature-and-aristotles-philosophy-of-human-nature/

“In Hobbes’ philosophy of human nature, the state of nature is good to the extent that we are able to fulfill our desires. When we want something, we will do whatever is necessary to fulfill that desire. Hobbes argues that our instincts for survival will lead us to sacrifice our rights in order to obtain that wish. But we are also able to override our passions when it comes to obeying a higher authority.”

I believe character is the mental and moral qualities

distinctive to an individual, including integrity. Character is the real person, his personality is what he appears to be. I have been thinking a long time how to define character. I borrow the idea from Jesus Christ.

Jhn 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because

he is a liar and the father of lies.”

So I define character as the real nature of a person, whether a person has good character or bad character, out of his nature.

Let me illustrate how important is the character of a person, be it an adult or a child.

With respect to human nature, even I am old I cannot forget a childhood’s incident. We lived on East of the island, while a pastor lived in the West. When on vacation my brother and I went to visit the pastor family who had a son and a daughter. My father being the former town chief of the East and a man famous among the Chinese gave immense support (financially and in everything else to the pastor in the West), and my father after retiring from government became a missionary pastor. The son of the pastor of the West took us to pick up soft-shell crabs on the beach. We were ignorant about the tide of the sea. There was no beach like that in the East. Because the tide receded so much that a big sea became dry land to pick crabs. I was inexperienced and afraid to be pinched by crabs. A wide sea became dry land. The pastor’s boy knew that we could swim and intentionally led us deep into the sea without informing us about the tide. In a short time the tide was engulfing to our necks, we ran very hard in water for our lives. Thank God we got to the shore without drowning. The pastor’s boy acted nothing happened; that night we ate the delicious soft-shell crabs his mother fried. The son said nothing to his parents. We were too polite and ignorant to say anything. In retrospect, I knew for sure the pastor’s son tried to kill us by the tide and waves. I am sure they were macro tides. I didn’t know why he had such a malice. The boy shocked me that a boy at that age should harbor the wish to kill. His evil plot was perfect.

He used the sea and tide to kill while he was silent.

What was unthinkable was the fact we were not enemies, and my parents gave tremendous help to his parents. Now I think the boy must had the bad nature in him. Returning home we were too dumb to report the incident to our parents even they passed away, we never told them about it. Another example, Notre-Dame de Paris was set fire by some unknown person or persons. I had been to Paris and I had seen the Cathedral. Although I am a Protestant, nonetheless it was not my character to support or burn down a Catholic Cathedral.

I agree with Helen Keller who said,

Jesus Christ has the Final Word because He is the Supreme Authority on anything.

Mat 7:11, “So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

According to Jesus, human nature is evil. For that reason, Jesus also says, Jhn 3:7, “Do not be amazed

that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

2Pe 1:4, “Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.”

To be born again is to be partaker of the divine nature.

For that reason, the Christian character is different from the worldly man. As E. Stanley Jones said,

Character is supreme in life, hence Jesus stood supreme in the supreme thing – so supreme that, when we think of the ideal, we do not add virtue to virtue, but think of Jesus Christ, so that the standard of human life is no longer a code but a character.”

Character is a set of attributes that make up an individual, distinctive qualities of a person,

mental and ethical traits of a person. I believe character includes faithfulness, self-control,

integrity, etc.

(11.) Courage

Psa 27:14, “Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.”

Courage in Hebrew is ‘āmēṣ which means stedfastly minded; be stout, strong, bold, alert (Strong’s Concordance); bravery; fearlessness; — which occurs 41 times in the Old Testament.

Mat 14:27, “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Jhn 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome

the world.”

2Co 5:8, “but we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home

with the Lord.”

Be of good courage in Greek is tharreō which means be of good cheer; be bold; have confidence (Strong’s Concordance); — which occurs 6 times in the New Testament.

Meyer’s NT Commentary

2 Corinthians 5:8. But we have good courage and are well pleased, etc. With this Paul resumes the thought of 2 Corinthians 5:6, and carries it on, yet without keeping to the construction there begun. The idea of the θαῤῥοῦμεν must in this resumption be the same as that of the θαῤῥοῦντες in 2 Corinthians 5:6, namely, the idea of confident courage in suffering. This in opposition to Hofmann, who takes θαῤῥοῦντες rightly of courage in suffering, but θαῤῥοῦμεν of courage in death, making the infinitive ἐκδημῆσαι depend also on θαῤῥοῦμεν (see below).
δέ, no doubt, links on again the discourse interrupted by the parenthesis (Hermann, ad Viger. p. 847; Pflugk, ad Eurip. Hec. 1211; Fritzsche, Diss. II. p. 21), which may also happen, where no δέ has preceded (Klotz, ad Devar. p. 377); since, however, θαῤῥοῦντες is not repeated here, we must suppose that Paul has quite dropped the plan of the discourse begun in 2 Corinthians 5:6 and broken off by 2 Corinthians 5:7, and returns by the way of contrast to what was said in 2 Corinthians 5:6. Accordingly there occurs an adversative reference to the previous διὰ πιστ. περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους, in so far as this state of things as to the course of his temporal life does not make the apostle at all discontented and discouraged, but, on the contrary, leaves his θαῤῥεῖν, already expressed in 2 Corinthians 5:6, quite untouched, and makes his desire tend rather towards being from home, etc. Comp. Hartung, I. p. 173. 2; Klotz, l.c. Thus there is a logical reason why Paul has not written οὖν. Comp. on Ephesians 2:4.
εὐδοκεῖν in the sense of being pleased, of placet mihi, comp. 1 Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 1:15; Colossians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; Fritzsche, ad Rom. II. p. 370.
ἐκδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος] to be-from-home out of the body, is not to be understood of the change at the Parousia (Kaeuffer, ζωὴ αἰών., p. 80 f.), but, in accordance with the context, must be the opposite of ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι, 2 Corinthians 5:6; consequently in substance not different from ἐκδύσασθαι, 2 Corinthians 5:4. Hence the only right interpretation is the usual one of dying, in consequence of which we are-from-home out of the body. Comp. Php 1:23; Plato, Phaed. p. 67, B, C. The infinitive is dependent only on εὐδοκοῦμεν, not also on θαῤῥοῦμεν (Hofmann), since θαῤῥεῖν with the infinitive means to venture something, to undertake to do something, which would not suit here (comp. Xen. Cyr. viii. 8. 6; Herodian. ii. 10. 13),—even apart from the fact that this use of θαῤῥεῖν (equivalent to τολμᾶν) is foreign to the N. T. and rare even among Greek writers. The εὐδοκοῦμεν κ.τ.λ. is something greater than the θαῤῥοῦμεν. This passage stands to 2 Corinthians 5:4, where Paul has expressed the desire not to die but to be transformed alive, in the relation not of contradiction, but of climax; the shrinking from the process of dying is, through the consideration contained in 2 Corinthians 5:5 and in the feeling of the courage which it gives (2 Corinthians 5:6), now overcome, and in place of it there has now come the inclination rather (μᾶλλον) to see the present relation of ἐνδημεῖν ἐν τῷ σώματι and ἐκδημεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου (2 Corinthians 5:6) reversed, rather,[218] therefore, ἐκδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς τὸν κύριον, which will take place through death, if this should be appointed to him in his apostolic conflicts and sufferings (2 Corinthians 4:7 ff.), for in that case his spirit, having migrated from his body, will not, separated from Christ, come into Hades, but will be at home with the Lord in heaven—a state the blessedness of which will later, at the day of the Parousia, receive the consummation of glory. The certainty of coming by martyrdom into heaven to Christ is consequently not to be regarded as a certainty only apprehended subsequently by Paul. See Php 1:26, Remark.
[218] μᾶλλον therefore belongs neither to εὐδοκοῦμεν nor to θαῤῥ. κ. εὐδοκ., as if Paul would say that he has this courage still more than that meant in ver. 6 (Hofmann), but to ἐκδημῆσαι … κύριον. We wish that, instead of the present home in the body, etc., there may rather (potius) set in the being-from-home out of the body and the being-at-home with the Lord. This “rather” no more yields an awkward idea here (as Hofmann objects) than it does in all other passages where it is said that one wills, ought to do, or does, instead of one thing rather the other. Comp. e.g. 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 6:7; Romans 14:13; John 3:19.”

Plautus said, “Courage in danger is half the battle.”

(12.) Honor

Pro 3:35, “The wise will inherit honor,

but fools increase dishonor.”

Honor in Hebrew is

1Th 4:4-5, “that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God.”
When a man commits a sexual immorality, he has no honor. When a man raped a girl, he is worse than a beast.

2Ti 2:21, “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”

1Pe 1:7, “so that the proof of your faith, being more

precious than gold which perishes though tested by

fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor

at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

The Gentiles and some church members do not know the proof of faith can be more precious than gold. How many seek gold and very few seek faith.

that the trial of your faith] The use of the self-same phrase as in James 1:3 strengthens the conclusion suggested in the previous note as to St Peter’s knowledge of this Epistle. Test, perhaps even proof or probation, would better express the force of the Greek word. Faith is not known to be what it is until it is tested by suffering.
being much more precious than of gold that perisheth] The words suggest at once a natural similitude and point out its incompleteness. That “gold is tried and purified by fire” was a familiar analogy, as in Proverbs 17:3; Proverbs 27:21, Sir 2:5, 1 Corinthians 3:13, but the gold so purified belongs still to the category of perishable things, while the faith which is purified by suffering takes its place among those that are imperishable.
might be found unto praise and honour and glory] The words stand somewhat vaguely in the Greek as in the English, and might possibly express that what men suffer is for God’s glory. The context, however, and the parallelism of Romans 2:7, make it certain that they refer to the “praise” [found here only in conjunction with the familiar combination (Romans 2:7; Romans 2:10, 1 Timothy 1:17) of “honour and glory”] which men shall receive (comp. 1 Corinthians 4:5), when sufferings rightly borne have done their work, in and at the revelation of Jesus Christ in His Second Coming as the Judge of all men.”

(13.) Knowledge

Eph 4:13, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

Knowledge like faith can increase. Col 1:10, “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good

work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Col 2:2, “that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full

assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself.”

comforted] Ut consolentur, Latin Versions. But the Greek verb means more than to console; it is rather to hearten, to encourage. Confortatio, the (late) Latin original of our “comfort,” is “to make fortis, strong;” and “comfort” long retained this meaning in English. Wyclif here has “counfortid;” and in his version of Isaiah 41:7 he actually writes “he coumfortide hym with nailes, that it should not be moved” (Bible Word-Book, p. 117).
being] Better, they being; the Greek participle agrees not with “hearts” but with the owners of the hearts.
knit together] Cp. below Colossians 2:19, and Ephesians 4:16 (a suggestive parallel). The Greek verb always in the LXX. means “to instruct”; and the Latin Versions here have instructi (hence Wyclif, “taughte”); which however may mean “drawn up,” “marshalled,” and so may be nearly the same as A. V. The parallels just quoted are decisive for A.V.
in love] “which is the bond of perfectness,” Colossians 3:14. Cp. Ephesians 4:2-3; Php 2:1-4.
and unto all riches] The saints, drawn together in love, would by the loving communication of experience and by other spiritual aid, all advance to a fuller knowledge of the Lord and His grace.—On “riches” see note on Colossians 1:27.
the full assurance] “Fulness” R.V. margin; Latin Versions, plenitudo, adimpletio. The Greek word recurs 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 10:22; and nowhere else in Biblical or classical Greek. In all these passages the word “fulness” would give an adequate meaning. But the cognate verb, which is more frequent, appears by usage to convey the idea of, so to speak, an active fulness, a fulness having to do with consciousness. This is an argument for retaining (with Ellicott, Alford, Lightfoot, R.V. text) the A.V. rendering.—He prays that they may more and more enter into the “wealth” of a deep and conscious insight into “the mystery of God.”
understanding] See on Colossians 1:9 above.
to the acknowledgement] This clause is the echo and explanation of the last; “unto all the riches &c., unto the acknowledgement &c.”
“Acknowledgement”:—epignôsis; see on Colossians 1:9 above.
the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ] “The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage” (margin, R.V.).—The chief variants are as follows: (a) “the mystery of God”; adopted by Tischendorf in his 7th (last but one) edition of the N.T., and by Alford: (b) “the mystery of God, even Christ,” or, as the same Greek may be rendered, “the mystery of the (or, our) God Christ”; adopted, with the first alternative translation, by Tischendorf in his 8th (last) edition, Tregelles, Wordsworth, Lightfoot, Westcott and Hort, and R.V.: (c) “the mystery of God, which is Christ”: (d) “the mystery of God the Father of Christ”: (e) the reading represented by A.V., which is that of most later mss. Lightfoot in a long and careful note (pp. 318, 319) reasons for the high probability of reading (b), and for regarding all others as formed from it either by explanatory addition or by cutting a knot of supposed difficulty by omission. Dr Scrivener (Introd. to N.T. Criticism, pp. 634–6) also discusses the case, with Lightfoot’s reasoning among other things before him, and inclines to the same reading, though apparently preferring the other rendering given above. His only difficulty lies in the small documentary support given to a reading in itself otherwise so likely. And he says, “The more we think over this reading, the more it grows upon us, as the source from which all the rest are derived. At present, perhaps, [‘of God the Father of Christ’] may be looked upon as the most strongly attested, … but a very small weight might suffice to turn the critical scale.”
Adopting the reading thus accepted by Lightfoot and favoured by Scrivener, how shall we render it? Shall we say, “the mystery of the God Christ”? The phrase would convey eternal truth; but as a phrase it has no precise parallel in St Paul. To him Christ is indeed absolutely Divine, Coequal in Nature with the Father; but this truth is always seen, so to speak, through His Sonship, so that He is designated rather “the Son of God” than simply “God.” (See however Acts 20:28; Titus 2:13.) Shall we say “the mystery of the God of Christ”? Here a near parallel appears Ephesians 1:17. But the preceding context here (esp. Colossians 1:27) distinctly inclines to our connecting “the mystery” with “Christ,” so that He shall be the Father’s “Secret” of “all spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3) for His people; their all-blessed Resource, hidden yet open, for “pardon, and holiness, and heaven.” Cp. 1 Corinthians 1:30, where “wisdom” is in a certain sense equivalent to “mystery” here.
So we render, the mystery of God, even Christ.”

A true knowledge of the mystery of God is the highest knowledge. To know Christ is to know God. There are religions who claim to know God without Christ — they actually know nothing about God.

2Pe 3:18, “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

May our faith increase and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am in the pursuit of knowledge all of life, there is nothing more important than the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

(14.) Obedience

Rom 16:26, “but now has been disclosed, and through the Scriptures of the prophets, in accordance with the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.”

Obedience here in Greek is hypakoē which means

compliance, submission, observing the requirement; — which occurs 15 times in the New Testament.

2Co 9:13, “Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the Gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all.”

Obedience here in Greek is hypotagē which means subordination, subjection, — which occurs 4 times in the New Testament.

2Co 10:5, “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the

obedience of Christ.”

Heb 5:8, “Although He was a Son, He learned

obedience from the things which He suffered.”

Obedience in Greek here is

Though he were a Son] Rather, “Son though He was,” so that it might have been thought that there would be no need for the great sacrifice; no need for His learning obedience from suffering.
yet learned he obedience] Perhaps rather “His obedience. The stress is not on His “learning” (of course as a man), but the whole expression is taken together, “He learnt from the things which He suffered,” in other words “He bowed to the experience of absolute submission.” “The things which He suffered” refer not only to the Agony and the Cross, but to the whole of the Saviour’s life. Some of the Fathers stumbled at this expression. Theodoret calls it hyperbolical; St Chrysostom is surprised at it; Theophylact goes so far as to say that here Paul (for he accepts the traditional authorship) “for the benefit of his hearers used such accommodation as obviously to say some unreasonable things.” All such remarks would have been obviated if these fathers had borne in mind that, as St Paul says, Christ “counted not equality with God a thing at which to grasp” (Php 2:6). Meanwhile passages like these, of which there are several in this Epistle, are valuable as proving how completely the co-equal and co-eternal Son “emptied Himself of His glory.” Against the irreverent reverence of the Apollinarian heresy (which denied Christ’s perfect manhood) and the Monothelite heresy (which denied His possession of a human will), this passage, and the earlier chapters of St Luke are the best bulwark. The human soul of Christ’s perfect manhood “learned” just as His human body grew (Luke 2:52). On this learning of “obedience” see Isaiah 50:5, “I was not rebellious.” Php 2:8, “Being found in fashion as a man he became obedient unto death.” The paronomasia “he learnt [emathen) from what He suffered (epathen)” is one of the commonest in Greek literature. For the use of paronomasia in St Paul see my Life of St Paul, i. 628.”

Trust and Obey are the paramount duties of Christians.

So I believe the Christians virtues must consist of

humility, faith, hope, love, purity, patience, gratitude, diligence, temperance, character, courage, honor, knowledge and obedience. Virtue is moral excellence or moral excellent quality. I include integrity and faithfulness in character.

2Pe 1:5-8, “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral

excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

17.) Grace is God’s favor to undeserved mankind. A human however noble cannot

give grace to another person. Due to uncouth and outlandish British culture of class and caste, certain individuals such as a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop are given unbecoming and inappropriate title.

Psa 84:11, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no

good thing from those who walk with integrity.”

Jhn 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Rom 3:24, “being justified as a gift by His grace

through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”

Eph 2:5, “even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”

5. dead in sins] Better, in respect of our trespasses. See on Ephesians 2:1 the construction is the same.
hath quickened] Did quicken, i.e., bring from death to life; ideally, when our Lord and Head rose to life; actually, when we, by faith, were united to Him.

together with Christ] As vitally and by covenant one with Him. For all His true “members,” His Death of propitiation is as if theirs; His Life of acceptance before the Father, and of spiritual triumph and power, is as if theirs also. As it is to Him the Divine pledge of the finished work of satisfaction, that pledge is theirs; as He appears in it “in the power of indissoluble life” (Hebrews 7:16), they, “because He lives, live also” (John 14:19). For the phrase cp. Colossians 2:13, which fixes the main reference to Acceptance. See accordingly Romans 4:25; “He was raised again by reason of our justification.”—Another reading, but not well supported, gives, “He quickened us together in Christ.”
(by grace ye are saved)] Lit. ye have been saved; and so Ephesians 2:8. The verb is perfect. More usually the present tense appears, “ye are being saved;” e.g. 1 Corinthians 15:2; 2 Corinthians 2:15 (“them that are being saved; them that are perishing”); the Christian being viewed as under the process of preservation which is to terminate in glory. See 1 Peter 1:5. And again a frequent meaning of the noun “salvation” is that glory itself, as in the text just quoted and Romans 13:11. Here, where the whole context favours such a reference, the reference is to the completeness, in the Divine purpose and covenant, of the rescue of the members of the true Church. From the Divine point of view that is a fait accompli which from the human point of view is a thing in process, or in expectation.—“By grace:”—for commentary, see the Ep. to the Romans, esp. cch. 3, 4. and Romans 11:5-6. The emphatic statement here is due to the whole context, (so full of the thought of a salvation which the saved could not possibly have generated, dead as they were,) and, immediately, to the phrase “quickened with Christ,” which involves the thought of the entire dependence of their “life” on Him.”

18.) Many mistake a church building for the Church, the Body of Christ. A church building can be made of wood, cement, or steel. It is a public meeting place for Christians to worship and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A church building is visible, and the Church of Jesus Christ, the Body is invisible. The Church of Jesus Christ consists of all believers, from the first righteous man Abel to the last believer. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church.

Eph 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the Head of the Church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body.”

Church in Greek is ekklēsia which means the whole

body of Christians scattered throughout the earth; Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both (Strong’s Concordance); the whole body of Christians; — which occurs 114 times in the New Testament.

23. the head] See 1 Corinthians 11:3. The husband and the wife are “one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31), and the husband, in that sacred union, is the leader. So Christ and the Church are one, and Christ is the Leader.
even as] Not, of course, that the headship of the husband embraces all ideas conveyed by the Lord’s Headship, but it truly answers to it in some essential respects; see last note, and its reference.
Christ is the head] See on Ephesians 1:22, and last note but one here.
the church] The highest reference of the word “Church” (see Hooker, quoted on Ephesians 1:22, where see the whole note) is the reference proper to this passage. The out-called Congregation, truly living by the heavenly Bridegroom, in union with Him, and subject to Him, is in view here.—The sacred truth of the Marriage-union of the Lord and the Church, brought in here incidentally yet prominently, pervades (in different phases) the Scriptures. See not only the Canticles, but e.g. Psalms 45; Isaiah 54:5; Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 62:4-5; Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 31:32; Hosea 2:2-20; Matthew 9:15; Matthew 25:1-10; John 3:29; Galatians 4:21-31; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9; Revelation 22:17.—It is observable that in the Revelation as in this Epistle the metaphors of building and of bridal appear in harmony; the Mystic Bride is the Holy City and the Spiritual Sanctuary. Cp. Psalm 87:3, where a possible rendering is, “With glorious offers art thou bespoken [for marriage], O City of God.”
and he is, &c.] Read, with R.V., [being] himself the Saviour of the Body. The reference to the Lord, not to the earthly husband, is certain. And the emphasis (see on next ver.) is that Christ’s unique position, in this passage of comparison, must be remembered; as if to say, “He, emphatically, is to the Church what no earthly relationship can represent, its Saviour.” Some expositors see in this clause, on the other hand, an indirect precept to the husband to be the “preserver,” the loyal protector, of the wife. But the “but” which opens the next verse decides against this.
saviour] So the Lord is called elsewhere, Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31; Acts 13:23; Php 3:20; 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 1:4; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:6; 2 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:11; 2 Peter 2:20; 2 Peter 3:2; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 4:14. Cp. for the word “save” in connexion with Him (in spiritual reference), Matthew 1:21; Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10; John 3:17; John 5:34; John 10:9; John 12:47; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 10:9; 1 Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 7:25. Deliverance and Preservation are both elements in the idea of Salvation. See further, above, on Ephesians 2:5.
the body] See on Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 4:16. The Body is the Church, viewed as a complex living organism. The Gr. words Sôtêr (Saviour) and sôma (body) have a likeness of sound, and perhaps a community of origin, which makes it possible that we have here an intentional “play upon words.”

Mat 16:17-18, “And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona.—Looking to the reality of our Lord’s human nature, its capacity for wonder (Mark 6:6, Luke 7:9), anger (Mark 3:5), sorrow (John 11:35, Luke 19:41), and other emotions, it is not over-bold to recognise in these words something like a tone of exalted joy. It is the first direct personal beatitude pronounced by Him; and, as such, presents a marked contrast to the rebukes which had been addressed to Peter, as to the others, as being “without understanding,” “of little faith,” with “their heart yet hardened.” Here, then, He had found at last the clear, unshaken, unwavering faith which was the indispensable condition for the manifestation of His kingdom as a visible society upon earth. The beatitude is solemnised (as in John 1:42) by the full utterance of the name which the disciple had borne before he was called by the new name of Cephas, or Peter, to the work of an Apostle. He was to distinguish between the old natural and the new supernatural life. (Comp. John 21:15.)

Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee.—Better, It was not flesh and blood that revealed. The words are used in their common Hebrew meaning (as in John 1:13; 1Corinthians 15:50; Ephesians 6:12) for human nature, human agency, in all their manifold forms. The disciple had received the faith which he now professed, not through popular rumours, not through the teaching of scribes, but by a revelation from the Father. He was led, in the strictest sense of the words, through the veil of our Lord’s human nature to recognise the divine.”

Verse 18. – And I say also (I also say) unto thee. As thou hast said unto me, “Thou art the Christ,” so I say unto thee, etc. Thou art Peter (Πέτρος, Petrus), and upon this rock (πέτρα, petra) I will build my Church. In classical Greek, the distinction between πέτρα and πέτρος is well known – the former meaning “a rock,” the latter “a piece of rock,” or “a stone.” But probably no such distinction is intended here, as there would be none in Aramaic. There is plainly a paronomasia here in the Greek; and, if our Lord spoke in Aramaic, the same play of words was exhibited in Kephas or kepha. When Jesus first called Peter to be a disciple, he imposed upon him the name Cephas, which the evangelist explains to be Peter (John 1:42). The name was bestowed in anticipation of Peter’s great confession: “Thou shalt be called.” This preannouncement was here fulfilled and confirmed. Upon this passage chiefly the claims of the Roman Church, which for fifteen centuries have been the subject of acrimonious controversy, are founded. It is hence assumed that the Christian Church is founded upon Peter and his successors, and that these successors are the Bishops of Rome. The latter assertion may be left to the decision of history, which fails to prove that Peter was ever at Rome, or that he transmitted his supposed supremacy to the episcopate of that city. We have in this place to deal with the former assertion. Who or what is the rock on which Christ says that he will hereafter build his Church? French Romanists consider it a providential coincidence that they can translate the passage, “Je te disque, Tu es Pierre; et sur cette pierre je batirai,” etc.; but persons outside the papal communion are not satisfied to hang their faith on a play of words. The early Fathers are by no means at one in their explanations of the paragraph. Living before Rome had laid claim to the tremendous privileges which it afterwards affected, they did not regard the statement in the light of later controversies; and even those who held Peter to be the rock would have indignantly repelled the assumptions which have been built on that interpretation. The apostolic Fathers seem to have mentioned the passage in none of their writings; and they could scarcely have failed to refer to it had they been aware of the tremendous issues dependent thereon. It was embodied in no Catholic Creed, and never made an article of the Christian faith. We may remark also that of the evangelists St. Matthew alone records the promise to Peter; Mark and Luke give his confession, which was the one point which Christ desired to elicit, and omit that which is considered to concern his privileges. This looks as though, in their view, the chief aim of the passage was not Peter, but Christ; not Peter’s pre-eminence, but Christ’s nature and office. At the same time, to deny all allusion to Peter in the “rock” is quite contrary to the genius of the language and to New Testament usage, and would not have been so pressed in modern times except for polemical purposes. Three views have been held on the interpretation of this passage.

(1) That Christ himself is the Rock on which the Church should be built.

(2) That Peter’s confession of Jesus Christ as Son of God, or God incarnate, is the Rock.

(3) That St. Peter is the rock.

(1) The first explanation is supported by passages where in Christ speaks of himself in the third person, e.g. “Destroy this temple;” “If any man eat of this bread; Whoso falleth on this stone,” etc. In the same sense are cited the words of Isaiah (Isaiah 28:16), “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.” Almighty God is continually called “a Rock” in the Old Testament (see 2 Samuel 22:32; Psalm 18:31; Psalm 62:2, 6, 7, etc.), so that it might be deemed natural and intelligible for Christ to call himself “this Rock,” in accordance, with the words of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 3:11), “Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid (κεῖται), which is Jesus Christ.” But then the reference to Peter becomes unmeaning: “Thou art Peter, and upon myself I will build my Church.” It is true that some few eminent authorities have taken this view. Thus St. Augustine writes, “It was not said to him, ‘Thou art a rock (petra),’ but, ‘Thou art Peter,’ and the Rock was Christ” (‘Retract.,’ 1:21). And commentators have imagined that Christ pointed to himself as he spoke. In such surmises there is an inherent improbability, and they do not explain the commencement of the address. In saying, “Thou art Peter,” Christ, if he made any gesture at all, would have touched or turned to that apostle. Immediately after this to have directed attention to himself would have been most unnatural and contradictory. We may safely surrender the interpretation which regards Christ himself as the Rock.
(2) The explanation which finds the rock in Peter’s great confession has been widely adopted by commentators ancient and modern. Thus St. Chrysostom, “Upon this rock, that is, on the faith of his confession. Hereby he signifies that many were now on the point of believing, and raises his spirit, and makes him a shepherd.” To the same purport might be quoted Hilary, Ambrose, Jerome, Gregory Nyss., Cyril, and others. It is remarkable that in the Collect from the Gregorian Sacramentary and in the Roman Missal on the Vigil of St. Peter and St. Paul are found the words, “Grant that thou wouldst not suffer us, whom thou hast established on the rock of the apostolic confession (quos in apostolicae confessionis petra solidasti) to be shaken by any commotions.” Bishop Wordsworth, as many exegetes virtually do, combines the two interpretations, and we cite his exposition as a specimen of the view thus held: “What he says is this, ‘I myself, now confessed by thee to be both God and Man, am the Rock of the Church. This is the foundation on which it is built.’ And because St. Peter had confessed him as such, he says to St. Peter, ‘Thou hast confessed me, and I will now confess thee; thou hast owned me, I will now own thee. Thou art Peter,’ i.e. thou art a lively stone, hewn out of and built upon me, the living Rock. Thou art a genuine Petros of me, the Divine Petra. And whosoever would be a lively stone, a Peter, must imitate thee in this thy true confession of me, the living Rock; for upon this Rock, that is, on myself, believed and confessed to be both God and Man, I will build my Church.” As the opinion that Christ means himself by “this rock” is untenable, so we consider that Peter’s confession is equally debarred from being the foundation intended. Who does not see that the Church is to be built, not on confessions or dogmas, but on men – men inspired by God to teach the great truth? A confession implies a confessor; it was the person who made the confession that is meant, not the mere statement itself, however momentous and true. Thus elsewhere the Church is said to have been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20), “Ye,” says St. Peter (1 Peter 2:5), “as living stones are built up a spiritual house.” “James and Cephas who were reputed to be pillars” (Galatians 2:9). In Revelation (Revelation 21:14) the foundationstones of the heavenly temple are “the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Hence we gather that the rock is a person.
(3) So we come to the explanation of the difficulty which naturally is deduced from the language if considered without regard to prejudice or the pernicious use to which it has been put. Looking at the matter in a straightforward way, we come to the conclusion that Christ is wishing to reward Peter for his outspoken profession of faith; and his commendation is couched in a form which was usual in Oriental addresses, and intelligible to his hearers. “Thou hast said to me, ‘Thou art the Son of God;’ I say to thee, ‘Thou art Peter,’ a rock man, ‘and on thee,’ as a rock, ‘I will build my Church.’ “As he was the first to acknowledge Christ’s nature and office, so he was rewarded by being appointed as the apostle who should inaugurate the Christian Church and lay its first foundation. His name and his work were to coincide. This promise was fulfilled in Peter’s acts. He it was who took the lead on the Day of Pentecost, when at his preaching, to the hundred and twenty disciples there were added three thousand souls (Acts 2:41); he it was who admitted the Gentiles to the Christian community (Acts 10.); he it was who in these early days stood forth prominently as a master builder, and was the first to open the kingdom of heaven to Jews and Gentiles. It is objected that, if Peter was a builder, he could not be the rock on which the building was raised. The expression, of course, is metaphorical. Christ builds the Church by employing Peter as the foundation of the spiritual house; Peter’s zeal and activity and stable faith are indeed the living rock which forms the material element, so to speak, of this erection; he, as labouring in the holy cause beyond all others, at any rate in the early days of the gospel, is regarded as that solid basis on which the Church was raised. Christ, in one sense, builds on Peter; Peter builds on Christ. The Church, in so far as it was visible, had Peter for its rocky foundation; in so far as it was spiritual, it was founded on Christ. The distinction thus accorded in the future to Peter was personal, and carried with it none of the consequences which human ambition or mistaken pursuit of unity have elicited therefrom. There was no promise of present supremacy; there was no promise of the privilege being handed down to successors. The other apostles had no conception of any superiority being now conferred on Peter. It was not long after this that there was a strife among them who should be the greatest; James and John claimed the highest places in the heavenly kingdom; Paul resisted Peter to the face “because he stood condemned” (Galatians 2:11); the president of the first council was James, the Bishop of Jerusalem. It is plain that neither Peter himself nor his fellow apostles understood or acknowledged his supremacy; and that he transmitted, or was intended to transmit, such authority to successors, is a figment unknown to primitive Christianity, and which was gradually erected, to serve ambitious designs, on forged decretals and spurious writings. This is not the place for polemics, and these few apologetic hints are introduced merely with the view of showing that no one need be afraid of the obvious and straightforward interpretation of Christ’s words, or suppose that papal claims are necessarily supported thereby. I will build my Church (μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν). My Church, not thine. Plainly, therefore, the Church was not yet builded. Christ speaks of it as a house, temple, or palace, perhaps at the moment gazing on some castle founded securely on a rock, safe from flood and storm and hostile attack. We know how commonly he took his illustrations from objects and scenes around him; and the rocky base of the great castle of Caesarea Philippi may well have supplied the material for the metaphor here introduced. The word translated “church” (ἐκκλησία), is found here for the first time in the New Testament. It is derived from a verb meaning “to call out,” and in classical Greek denotes the regular legislative assembly of a people. In the Septuagint it represents the Hebrew kahal, the congregation united into one society and forming one polity (see Trench, ‘Synonyms’). The name kehila in modern times is applied to every Jewish community which has its own synagogue and ministers. From the use of the metaphor of a house, and the word employed to designate the Church, we see that it was not to be a mere loose collection of items, but an organized whole, united, officered, and permanent. Hence the word Ecclesia has been that which designated the Christian society, and has been handed down and recognized in all ages and in all countries. It may be regarded as the personal part of that kingdom of heaven which was to embrace the whole world, when “the kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ” (Revelation 11:15; see Introduction, § 10.). The gates of hell (ᾅδου) shall not prevail against it. Hades, which our version calls “hell,” is the region of the dead, a gloomy and desolate place, according to Jewish tradition, situated in the centre of the earth, a citadel with walls and gates, which admitted the souls of men, but opened not for their egress. There are two ways of explaining these words, though they both come to much the same idea. The gates of Hades represent the entrance thereto; and the Lord affirms that death shall have no power over the members of the Church; they shall be able to rise superior to its attacks, even if for a time they seem to succumb; their triumphant cry shall he, “O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Through the grave and gate of death they shall pass to a joyful resurrection. The other interpretation is derived from the fact that in Oriental cities the gate is the scene of deliberation and counsel. Hence “the gates” here may represent the evil designs planned by the powers of hell to overthrow the Church, the wiles and machinations of the devil and his angels, Hades being taken, not as the abode of the dead, but as the realm of Satan. Neither malignant spirits nor their allies, such as sin, persecution, heresy, shall be able to wreck the eternal building which Christ was founding. Combining the two expositions, we may say that Christ herein promises that neither the power of death nor the power of the devil shall prevail against it (κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς), shall overpower it, keep it in subjection. The pronoun refers doubtless to Church, not rock, the verb being more applicable to the former than the latter, and the pronoun being nearer in position to ἐκκλησίαν. To see here an assurance of the infallibility of the pope, as Romanists do, is to force the words of Scripture most unwarrantably in order to support a modern figment which has done infinite harm to the cause of Christ. As Erasmus says, “Proinde miror esse, qui locum hunc detorqueant ad Romanum Pontificem.” Matthew 16:18

Therefore, I am surprised that there are those who would divert this place to the Roman Pontiff. Matthew 16:18

The Roman Catholic Church’s most favorite Scriptures to misquote Peter as the first pope.

Jesus Chris is the Rock, not Peter.

1Co 10:4, “and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the Rock was Christ.”

That spiritual Rock that followed them.—There was a Jewish tradition that the Rock—i.e., a fragment broken off from the rock smitten by Moses—followed the Israelites through their journey, and St. Paul, for the purpose of illustration, adopts that account instead of the statement in Numbers 20:11. The emphatic repetition of the word “spiritual” before “drink” and “rock” reminds the reader that it is the spiritual and not the historic aspect of the fact which is present to St. Paul’s mind. The traditional account of the Rock was a more complete illustration of the abiding presence of God, which was the point that the Apostle here desires to bring forward.

And that Rock was Christ.—As Christ was “God manifest in the flesh” in the New Dispensation, so God manifest in the Rock (the source of sustaining life) was the Christ of the Old Dispensation. The Jews had become familiar with the thought of God as a Rock. (See 1Samuel 2:2; Psalm 91:12; Isaiah 32:2.) Though the Jews may have recognised the Rock poetically as God, they knew not that it was, as a manifestation of God’s presence, typical of the manifestation which was yet to be given in the Incarnation. Such seems to be the force of the statement and of the word “But” which emphatically introduces it. But though they thought it only a Rock, or applied the word poetically to Jehovah, that Rock was Christ.”

Once I met a man in Los Angeles who claimed his church is the only church in Los Angeles. MANY mistake local churches to be the Church of Christ.

18.) Sin is a subject many would avoid. The conceive to admit you are a sinner is tantamount to admit you are a criminal. Many do not know the difference between a sinner and a criminal. A sinner violates the law of God. A criminal violates the law of a country. You may be a law-biding citizen and never violate the law of your country; but in the sight of God you are a sinner. What is sin? Sin has several definitions.

(A.) Sin is lawlessness.

1Jo 3:4, “Everyone who practices sin also

practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”

Lawlessness means violation of the law.

(B.) Whatever is not from faith is sin.

Rom 14:23, “But the one who doubts is condemned

if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”

(C.) To know right and not to do it is sin.

Jas 4:17, “So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.”

(D.) All unrighteousness is sin.

1Jo 5:17, “All unrighteousness is sin, and there is

sin not leading to death.”

I am sure these four Scriptural definitions already convict you of sin. Not to say God will judge a man by his thoughts, words and deeds.

Therefore, the Bible says:

Rom 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Rom 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

J. C. Ryle said, “We are all so sunk in sin, and so wedded to the world, that we would never turn to God and seek salvation, unless He first called us by His grace. Without a divine call, no one can be saved.”

Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death — “The word οψωνια, rendered wages, properly signifies the food and pay which generals give to their soldiers for their service. By using this term, the apostle shows what sort of pay the usurper, sin, gives to those who serve under his banners. Further, as the sin here spoken of is that which men commit personally, and which they continue in, the death which is the wages of this kind of sin must be death eternal. It is observable, that although in Scripture the expression, eternal life, is often to be met with, we nowhere find eternal joined with death. Yet the punishment of the wicked is said to be eternal. Matthew 25:46;” (Macknight;) as also in many other passages. But the gift of God — Greek, χαρισμα, the free gift, or gift of grace; is eternal life — Or, eternal life is the free gift of God. “The apostle does not call everlasting life οψωνια, the wages which God gives to his servants, because they do not merit it by their services, as the slaves of sin merit death by theirs: but he calls it a free gift, or gift of grace; or, as Estius would render the expression, a donative; because, being freely bestowed, it may be compared to the donatives which the Roman generals, of their own good- will, bestowed on their soldiers as a mark of their favour.” We may now see the apostle’s method thus far: — 1st, Bondage to sin, Romans 3:9. 2d, The knowledge of sin by the law, a sense of God’s wrath, inward death, Romans 3:20. 3d, The revelation of the righteousness of God in Christ, through the gospel, Romans 3:21. 4th, The centre of all faith, embracing that righteousness, Romans 3:22. 5th, Justification, whereby God forgives all past sin, and freely accepts the sinner, Romans 3:24. 6th, The gift of the Holy Ghost, a sense of God’s love, new inward life, Romans 5:5; Romans 6:4. 7th, The free service of righteousness, Romans 6:23.”

This is even easier to prove: If you have never sinned, you will never die. Death is the result of sins.

Jonathan Edwards said, “A man who knows that he lives in sin against God will not be inclined to come daily into the presence of God.”

The most important knowledge for everyone: You are a sinner, you need the Savior. I am a sinner, but I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, sanctified by His precious blood.

Aiden Wilson Tozer said, “God desires to reveal to us that His capacity to forgive is bigger than our capacity to sin.”

Desiderius Erasmus said, “Great eagerness in the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, or honor, cannot exist without sin.”

Willie Wong says, “The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that the sinner thinks he is a saint while a saint knows he is a sinner.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “It is an unfortunate thing for the Christian to be melancholy. If there is any man in the world that has a right to have a bright, clear face and a flashing eye, it is the man whose sins are forgiven him, who is saved with God’s salvation.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “Let your tears fall because of sin, but, at the same time, let the eye of faith steadily behold the Son of man.”

F.B. Meyer said, “How often God takes away our consolations, that we may only love Him for Himself; and reveals our sinfulness, that we may better appreciate the completeness of his salvation!”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Christ came to save us. If we have taken a wrong course, the Atonement of Jesus Christ can give us the assurance that sin is not a point of no return. A safe return is possible if we will follow God’s plan for our salvation.”

19.) Study the Holy Bible and pray incessantly. Saints cannot increase their true knowledge without studying the Bible. When I was a boy, an American professor gave me the advice: Study the Gospel of John 100 times and the Book of Romans 100 times. I would give the same advice to you. It is wonderful to know the English language. I cannot speak for other languages. To study the Holy Bible, you only need Strong’s Concordance. It is absolutely free.

To use Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm

You could have many English translations and versions. I usually use American Standard Bible. If I suspect the translation is not accurate, then I search the original word in Greek or Hebrew and make my own translation accordingly.

https://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html

For example, Revelation in Greek is ἀποκάλυψις apokalypsis which means laying bare, making naked; a disclosure of truth, instruction; manifestation, appearance.

You must be rooted in the Word of God. Do not waste your time on false teachers like John Calvin, Karl Barth, etc. However, I recommend the writings of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, G. Campbell Morgan, J. C. Ryle, Charles Henry Mackintosh, R. A. Torrey, Oswald Chambers, F. B. Meyer, Charles Spurgeon, etc. Many American mega church pastors who pretend to be theologians have their websites and publish articles not worthwhile. Watch out there are many websites who claim to be Christian and ask for donations. I have published the Words of Jesus on my website, The Words of Jesus, htpps://williewongthought.hpage.com/words-of-Jesus.html.

In addition to the study of the Word of God, saints must pray daily and incessantly. Prayer is basically asking God.

Mat 6:5-6, “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that

they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But as for you, when you

pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

When in emergency, you do not start with the Lord’s prayer. When Peter was sinking he prayed, Mat 14:30,

“But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Peter used only 3 words, Lord, save me!

When I was a stupid and naughty boy downing, I cried out to the Lord and drank a lot of water. You do not need to cry out in water. You can pray with your heart. The Lord can hear your heart. You can pray anywhere. You can pray without words. You can pray to communicate with God, or thanks Him always.

Mar 11:24. “Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you.”

Luk 6:28, “bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you.”

Luk 18:1, “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged.”

Luk 22:40, “Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.”

Rom 8:26, “Now in the same way the Spirit also

helps our weakness; for we do not know what to

pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself

intercedes for us with groanings too deep for

Words.”

2Co 13:7, “Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong; not so that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, though we may appear unapproved.”

Eph 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

Eph 6:18, “With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.”

Phl 1:9, “And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.”

1Th 5:17, “pray without ceasing.”

1Ti 2:8, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute.”

Phm 1:6, “and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for the sake of Christ.”

Heb 13:18, “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.”

Jas 5:13, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”

Jas 5:14, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

Jas 5:16, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought

about, can accomplish much.”

3Jo 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”

20.) What Christians are doing on earth before the second coming of Jesus Christ? Work, Witness, Wait.

Jhn 4:34, “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.”

Jhn 6:29, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Jhn 17:4, “I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do.”

1Co 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

1Co 16:10, “Now if Timothy comes, see that he has no reason to be afraid while among you, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am.”

Gal 6:4, “But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another.”

Col 3:23, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people.”

A saint can do the work of a street sweeper, and does it heartily as for the Lord.

For saints there is no division between a secular and sacred work. Everything you do for the Lord is sacred.

1Th 1:3, “constantly keeping in mind your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.”

1Th 4:11, “and to make it your ambition to lead a

quiet life and attend to your own business and work

with your hands, just as we instructed you.”

A farmer works with his hands, a manager uses computer also works with his hands.

2Th 3:10, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”

I hold that many peoples of undeveloped nations like games and sports, dislike work. They like to receive international aid for free. They sing and dance, drink beer and have sex. They produce many unwanted children they cannot support. Without Protestant Ethic, a hundred years from now they will still be poor.

Yet they like to eat and get fat.

2Th 3:11-12, “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now we command and exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ to

work peacefully and eat their own bread.”

Many Western leaders and politicians doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies to sanction other nations.

2Ti 3:17, “so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

1Pe 1:17, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth.”

The saints in addition doing every good work, they must also witness for Christ.

Rev 1:5, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—”

Act 22:15, “For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard.”

Early disciples can be a witness for the Lord to all people of what they had seen and heard. Today, the disciples of Jesus Christ are to preach the Gospel to the whole world.

Luk 24:46-49, “and He said to them, “So it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Holy Spirit, the promise of Heavenly Father, will clothe Christians with power from on high to witness

the resurrection of Jesus Christ and proclaim repentance for forgiveness of sins to all nations. The new life of believers is a witness of the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

Act 5:32, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

The Gospel consists of two parts: first Jesus Christ died for your sins; second, by the power of God Jesus Christ rose from the dead to justify all who believe.

Heb 12:1, “Therefore, since we also have such a great

cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily

entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race

that is set before us.”

To witness for the Lord is to win souls to Christ.

In addition to work, witness, saints wait eagerly for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.’

1Co 4:5, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment

before the time, but wait until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of human hearts; and then praise will come to each person from God.”

Phl 3:20, “For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1Th 1:10, “and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.”Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

And to wait.—The idea of the Advent is that which both here and throughout the Epistle occupies the foreground in the minds of St. Paul and his friends. These two infinitives, “to serve” and “to wait,” express not so much the intention of the Thessalonians in turning, as the condition into which they came by turning.

Whom he raised.—Not only proves His Sonship (Romans 1:4), but also gives a kind of explanation of the “awaiting Him from heaven.”

Delivered.—Better, delivereth.

To come.—Better, which is already coming. The wrath is on its way to the world, to appear with Christ from heaven (2Thessalonians 1:7-8), and He is day by day working to save us from it (Hebrews 7:25).”

21.) Christianity has two rites or rituals, namely Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church who falsely teaches there is salvation in water baptism, we hold the doctrine according to the Holy Scriptures. And what is forbidden for Christians.

Luk 3:7, “Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him: Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

Note: Baptism is the Christian rite because no other religions have it. Baptism in Greek is baptisma

which means immersion, submersion; – it occurs about 22 times in the New Testament. The standard rite of baptism is through immersion, not sprinkling. Only through immersion or submersion can symbolize to be baptized into Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. The baptism of John the Baptist, that purification rite by which men on confessing their sins were bound to spiritual reformation, repentance of sins; obtained the pardon of their past sins and became qualified for the benefits of the Messiah’s Kingdom soon to be set up. This was valid Christian baptism, as this was the only baptism the apostles received and it is not recorded anywhere that they were ever rebaptized after Pentecost. The Christian baptism is a rite of immersion in water as commanded by Christ, by which one after confessing his sins and professing his faith in Christ, having been born again by the Holy Spirit unto a new life, identifies publicly with the fellowship of Christ and the Church. Baptism is like a wedding. When a man and woman love each other, they decide to have a wedding to declare to the world that henceforth they belong to each other. When a believer is baptized, he/she declares to the world that henceforth they belong to Christ, and they follow Christ. Water baptism does not save anyone. Catholic Church baptizes infants because they count infants as members of the church. The Bible does not teach baptism of infants because infants cannot believe and repent. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ and repent of their sins are qualified to be baptized. The Bible teaches dedication of infants to God. However, it is a duty of believers to repent and be baptized. Baptism is like a wedding ceremony. If a man and woman love each other, they must get married. The marriage declares from now on they are husband and wife, they belong to each other. In a baptism, a believer confesses his/her sins and identifies with Jesus Christ, and declares to the world he/she is a follower of Jesus Christ, and belongs to Christ once and for all.

The Lord’s Supper is not what the Catholics call Mass. Christianity does not have nor practice liturgy. The word ‘liturgy’ does not exist in the Bible. The more dead or lifeless a religion is the more liturgies it has. Christians observe baptism and the Lord’s Supper by the authority of Jesus Christ, not the pope, or apostle, or anyone else. Christians do not believe in Eucharistic theology or any theology made by men, only in the Biblical theology as it is written in the Scriptures. The Lord’s Supper is also called the Last Supper because it took place right before Jesus was going to die on the cross for sinners. The Lord’s Supper is also called the Holy Communion, the communion of believers with the Lord through the Holy Spirit. 1Cr 10:16 ,“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” Note: Communion in Greek is koinōnia which means fellowship, association, joint participation, the share which one has in anything, participation; – it occurs 20 times in the New Testament. Communion means the sharing in the benefits of Christ’s death and in the mystical body of Christ which is the Church. The Lord’s Supper is also called the Eucharist or the Sacrament. The word ‘Eucharist’ does not exist in the Bible. The word ‘sacrament’ also does not exist in the Bible. Eucharist means sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. A sacrament is a sacred rite. Based on their simple definitions, Eucharist and sacrament do not have conflict with the Bible. There are two symbols, namely, the bread and the wine. Bread and wine are symbols of the body of Christ and His blood, not the real things.

Luk 22:19 , “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying: This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Note: Remembrance in Greek is anamnēsis which means a remembering; recollection; bearing in mind; ability to remember; commemoration; which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. It can be said to have the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death and sufferings on the cross for our behalf. Catholics do Mass as an reenactment of the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins is un-Scriptural. Jesus only died once for all, and it was finished.

There are things which are forbidden for Christians: Act 15:28-29, “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things

sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from acts of sexual immorality; if you keep

yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

Acts 15:28-29. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and, consequently, to us — This may include the decision which the Holy Spirit had given by his descent on Cornelius and his friends, but seems more directly to express the consciousness which this assembly had of being guided by his influences on their minds in the present determination. It cannot, however, be extended to any ecclesiastical councils that have not inspired apostles to preside, as this here had. To lay upon you no greater burden — They allude to the yoke spoken of Acts 15:10. So far were they from delighting to impose on the churches any mere human and unnecessary institutions, that they dreaded enjoining any thing which God had not required, and was not calculated to promote the faith and holiness of the new converts; than these necessary things — Some of the things here mentioned are of perpetual obligation upon Christians of all nations and ages, and they were all necessary for the peace of the church at that time, namely, to avoid giving offence to the converted Jews, and to promote brotherly love between them and the converted Gentiles. The first of them, however, was not necessary long, and the direction concerning it was therefore afterward repealed by the same Spirit, as we read in the former epistle to the Corinthians. With regard to abstaining from blood, concerning which there has been much controversy among divines, we may further observe here, that the eating of it was never permitted the children of God, from the beginning of the world. For, 1st, From Adam to Noah no man ate flesh at all; consequently, no man then ate blood. 2d, When God allowed Noah and his posterity to eat flesh, he absolutely forbade them to eat blood; and accordingly this, with the other six precepts of Noah, was delivered down from Noah to Moses. 3d, God renewed this prohibition by Moses, which was not repealed from the time of Moses till Christ came. 4th, Neither after his coming did any presume to repeal this decree of the Holy Ghost, till it seemed good to the bishop of Rome so to do, about the middle of the eighth century. 5th, From that time, those churches which acknowledged his authority held the eating of blood to be an indifferent thing. But, 6th, In all those churches which never did acknowledge the bishop of Rome’s authority, it never was allowed to eat blood, nor is it allowed at this day. This is the plain fact; let men reason as plausibly as they please, on one side or the other. From which keeping yourselves, ye will do well — That is, ye will find a blessing. This gentle manner of concluding was worthy the apostolical wisdom and goodness. But how soon did succeeding counsels, of inferior authority, change it into the style of anathemas! Forms which have proved an occasion of consecrating some of the most devilish passions under the most sacred names; and, like some ill-adjusted weapons of war, are most likely to hurt the hand from which they are thrown. The reader that wishes for further information on the subject of the prohibition of eating blood will find ample satisfaction in an excellent work of Dr. Delaney, entitled, Revelation examined with Candour; a work of great merit, although but little known. See vol. 2. p. 18, &c.”

22.) True Christians are not afraid to die. Why? To be with the Lord is far far better than to be in the world. To be with the Lord is to be in Paradise of God.

2Co 5:6-10, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—but we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home

with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation

for his deeds done through the body, in accordance

with what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Rev 14:13, “And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

Years ago I was invited to preach the Gospel to a dying nurse supervisor. After preaching, the woman had no question and was smiling when we left. A few days later her daughter told us she was dying in peace.

Psa 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Verse 4. – Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. A sudden transition and contrast, such as David loved. The quiet paths of righteousness and peace remind the poet of the exact opposite – the dark and dismal way through the valley of the shadow of death. Even when so situated, he does not, he will not, fear. I will fear no evil, he says. And why? For thou art with me. The same Protector, the same gracious and merciful God, will be still with him – leading him, guiding his steps, shepherding him, keeping him from evil. Thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff – i.e. thy shepherd’s crook, and thy staff of defence – they comfort me. They make me feel that, however long and however dreary the way through the dark vale, I shall still have thy guidance and thy protection. Psalm 23:4.”

23.) Wisdom is supreme. Philosophy is the love and pursuit of wisdom. There are two kinds of wisdom, worldly wisdom and the wisdom from above. Above all, Christ is the wisdom of God. Someone is so wrong to say, “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”

1Ki 10:24, “And all the earth was seeking the

attention of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God

had put in his heart.”

Job 12:13, “Wisdom and might are with Him;

Advice and understanding belong to Him.”

Job 12:16, “Strength and sound wisdom are with Him.

One who goes astray and one who leads astray

belong to Him.”

Job 28:28, “And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

A fool mistakes his stupidity as bravery. A fool cannot differentiate what is wise vs what is foolish.

Act 6:10, “But they were unable to cope with his

wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.”

Rom 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

1Co 1:20, “Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

1Co 1:24, “but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

1Co 1:30, “But it is due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.”

1Co 2:5-7, “so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God.

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s

wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God

predestined before the ages to our glory.”

1Co 3:19, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE BY THEIR CRAFTINESS”

1Co 12:8, “For to one is given the word of wisdom

through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit.”

2Co 1:12, “For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.”

Eph 3:10, “so that the multifaceted wisdom of God

might now be made known through the Church to the rulers and the authorities in the Heavenly places.”

Col 1:9, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard about it, have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Col 4:5, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward

outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.”

2Ti 3:15, “and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Jas 1:5, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without

reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Jas 3:13, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”

Jas 3:15, “This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.”

Jas 3:17, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy.”

17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable] The sequence is that of thought, not of time. It is not meant, i. e. that purity is an earlier stage of moral growth in wisdom than peace, but that it is its foremost attribute. The “purity” indicated is especially that of chastity of flesh and spirit (comp. 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Titus 2:5), and as such is contrasted with the “sensual” character of the false wisdom. Here again we have the tone of one who has learnt from the Masters of those who know, among the teachers of his own people, that wisdom will not “dwell in the body that is subject unto sin” (Wis 1:4). The sequence which places “peaceful” after “pure” has its counterpart in the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:8-9).
gentle, and easy to be intreated] The word for “gentle” means literally, forbearing. It describes, as in Aristotle (Eth. 10:6), the temper that does not press its rights, that is content to suffer wrong (comp. Php 4:5; 1 Timothy 3:3). The second adjective is used by classical writers, both in a passive sense as here, and active, (1) as meaning “persuasive,” “winning its way by gentleness,” or (2) as “obedient.” Our choice between the three meanings must depend on our view of what is most likely to have been the sequence of St James’s thoughts. On the whole, the second seems to me to have the most to commend it. True wisdom shews itself, St James seems to say, in that subtle yet gentle power to persuade and win, which we all feel when we come in contact with one who is clearly not fighting for his own rights, but for the cause of Truth.
full of mercy and good fruits] The train of thought is carried on. Wisdom is suasive because she is compassionate. In dealing with the froward she is stirred, not by anger, but by pity, and she overflows, not with “every vile deed,” but with the good fruits of kindly acts.
without partiality] Here again we have a Greek word which admits of more than one sense. The English version gives it an active sense, as describing the temper which does not distinguish wrongly, which is no respecter of persons. The sense in which the verb, from which the adjective is formed, is used in ch. James 1:6, James 2:4, is, however, that of “doubting,” or “wavering;” and it seems, therefore, probable that St James means to describe true wisdom as free from the tendency which he thus condemns. That freedom goes naturally with the freedom from unreality which the next word expresses. Without vacillation is the condition of “without hypocrisy.” Where the purpose is single there is no risk of a simulated piety.”

24.) The Lord never promises world peace, do you know why? That is not going to be.

Jhn 14:27, “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.”

Jhn 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome

the world.”

These things I have spoken unto you . . .—At the conclusion of the discourse He sums up in a single thought what was the object of it, “Peace in Him. In the world, indeed, tribulation, but this as conquered in Him, and not interrupting the true peace in Him.” The thought is closely allied to that of the last verse, “Alone and not alone;” “Troubled, and yet having peace.” He had spoken of this from John 14:1 onwards, and from John 15:18 to John 16:4 specially of the tribulation which awaited them. (Comp. St. Paul’s experience of these contrasts in 2Corinthians 4:8 et seq.)

That in me ye might have peace.—Comp. Notes on John 14:27; John 15:7.

In the world ye shall have tribulation.—The reading of the better MSS. is, “In the world ye have tribulation.” It is the general statement of their relation to the world. The two clauses answer to each other—the one defining the origin of their inner, the other of their outer life. The life in the world is but the life as it is seen by others; the true life is that which is in communion with God through Christ, and that is one of never-failing peace, which no tribulation can ever affect. Peace is the Christian’s birthright, and his joy no one taketh from him (John 16:22, John 14:27).

But be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.—The pronoun is strongly emphatic, “I have Myself overcome the world.” He speaks of the assured victory as though it were already accomplished. (See Note on John 16:11 and John 12:31; John 13:31.) Here is the reason why they should take courage and be of food cheer. He is the Captain of their salvation, and has already won the victory. The enemies they fear, the world in which they have tribulation, are already captives following in the Conqueror’s train. They themselves have pledges of victory in and through His victory.”

Act 10:36, “The Word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—”

Rom 2:10, “but glory, honor, and peace to everyone

who does what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Rom 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Rom 8:6, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Rom 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.”

The West, pretending to be Christians, practices the domination of the world by conquest. The reason I supported President Richard Nixon because he sought a just and lasting peace for the world.

Rom 14:17, “for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Rom 14:19, “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

Rom 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Rom 16:20, “The God of peace will soon crush

Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord

Jesus be with you.”

1Co 14:33, “for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints.”

2Co 13:11, “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, mend your ways, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

Gal 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Eph 4:3, “being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Col 1:20, “and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

2Ti 2:22, “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

Jas 3:17, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy.”

Jde 1:2, “May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.”

Matthew Poole’s Commentary

Verse 2. – The greeting. This takes the form of a prayer or benediction in three articles. It is rendered in precisely the same terms – mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied – in Tyndale, Cranmer, the Genevan, the Authorized Version, and the Revised Version. In Paul’s Epistles the opening salutations usually mention only “grace and peace,” and these as proceeding from “God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” But in the pastoral Epistles (as also in 2 John) the three blessings, “grace, mercy, and peace,” appear, and these as coming from the same twofold source of Father and Son. In the Petrine Epistles we have again the two Pauline blessings of grace and peace, but with the distinctive addition of the “be multiplied.” Here, in Jude, we have the characteristic Petrine “be multiplied,” but this connected with three blessings, and these somewhat different from those which appear in the Pastoral Epistles – “mercy, peace, and love,” instead of “grace and mercy and peace.” What the writer desires, therefore, on behalf of the readers is an abounding measure of the three great qualities of grace, which refer respectively to the case of the miserable, the case of the hostile, and the case of the unworthy. Are these regarded as subjective qualities in man, or as objective gifts from God? The former view is favoured by some, who point especially to the closing benediction in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:23) as a case in point. But the latter view is sustained by the force of the “beloved” in the previous verse, and the mention of” love” in verse 21, as well as by the general analogy of the inscriptions of Epistles. What Jude prays for, therefore, is not that his readers may be helped to exhibit in large measure a merciful, peaceful, and loving disposition to others, but that they may enjoy in liberal degree the great blessings of God’s mercy, peace, and love bestowed upon themselves. Jude 1:2.”

25.) You will not find truth in the world. There is no truth in the world. People who deny Jesus Christ cannot have truth.

2Sa 7:28, “Now then, Lord GOD, You are God, and Your Words are truth; and You have promised this

good thing to Your servant.”

The Words of the Lord are absolute, ultimate, and eternal truth.

Psa 31:5, “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;

You have redeemed me, LORD, God of truth.”

The Lord and God of Christianity is the Lord, God of truth. I do not mention all false gods and false religions.

Psa 57:10, “For Your goodness is great to the Heavens and Your truth to the clouds.”

Psa 69:13, “But as for me, my prayer is to You, LORD, at an acceptable time; God, in the greatness

of Your mercy, answer me with Your saving truth.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s saving truth.

Psa 89:14, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go

before You.”

Psa 108:4, “For Your mercy is great above the Heavens, and Your truth reaches to the skies.”

Psa 111:7, “The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are trustworthy.”

Psa 117:2, “For His mercy toward us is great, and the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!”

Only God has eternal truth, even science is temporal and tentative.

Psa 119:160, “The sum of Your Word is truth,

and every one of Your righteous judgments is everlasting.”

Jhn 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Christ was his own way to his Father; By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, Hebrews 9:12. See Luke 24:26 Philippians 2:8. But both the former words, where the apostle spake of the way they should go, and the following words, hint to us, that Christ is here speaking of their way, not his own.
As to them, he saith,
I am the way; that is, the way by which those must get to heaven who will ever come there. Christ is our way to heaven by the doctrine which he taught; by his death, by which he purchased this heavenly inheritance for us; by his holy life and conversation, setting us an example that we should follow his steps; by the influence of his Spirit, guiding us to, and assisting us in, those holy actions by which we must come unto glory.
He is
the truth; that is, say some, the true way to life eternal: but he is the truth as to His doctrine, the gospel being the word of truth, Ephesians 1:13: and as truth signifies reality and accomplishment, in opposition to the prophecies and promises, all being but words till they were in him fulfilled; in which sense we read of the true tabernacle, and the true holy places, Hebrews 8:2 Hebrews 9:24: or as truth is opposed to falsehood, as truth is taken John 8:44 Romans 3:7.
And he is
the life, the Author and Giver of eternal life, John 11:25 1Jo 5:11; and the purchaser of it by his death; he who by his doctrine showeth the way to it, and by his Holy Spirit begins it, and carrieth it on to perfection. The Jews thought the way to it was by the law of Moses; but our Saviour beateth his disciples out of that opinion: for if the law could have given life, Christ had died in vain, as the apostle argues. Therefore (saith he) there is no coming to the Father
but by me; no way for you or any other, to come to heaven, but by receiving, and embracing, and believing in me.”

26.) There is no justice in the world. The Supreme Court of Heaven is higher than the Court of Justice, the Court of Conscience. World leaders and politicians join as a crowd to pervert justice. It is the highest injustice when the department of justice distorts justice.

Deu 16:19, “You shall not distort justice, you shall not show partiality; and you shall not accept a bribe, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and distorts the words of the righteous.”

1Ki 3:11, “And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself a long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice.”

Job 34:12, “God certainly will not act wickedly,

and the Almighty will not pervert justice.”

Psa 37:28, “For the LORD loves justice

and does not abandon His godly ones;

they are protected forever, but the descendants

of the wicked will be eliminated.”

Psa 89:14, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth

go before You.

Mat 12:20, “A BENT REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF,

AND A DIMLY BURNING WICK HE WILL NOT EXTINGUISH, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.”

Col 4:1, “Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven.”

Ch. Colossians 4:1. The subject concluded
1. Masters] Cp. Ephesians 6:9.
give unto] Provide for. The Greek verb suggests deliberate care.
that which is … equal] In the Greek, equality, equity. The word in the classics often means “equality” in the political sense, as against arbitrary privilege; and the Gospel, by publishing for ever the spiritual equality of all men before God, secures all that is vital in that matter. But the meaning “impartiality,” “equity,” is more in place here; the master is not commanded to surrender his status, but to respect the interests of the slave as faithfully as his own, and to banish caprice and favouritism. This, consistently carried out, was a long and sure step towards the end of slavery; for nothing could be a more direct contradiction to the root-idea of ancient slavery. See pp. 156, etc. below. “Your slaves should find you fathers rather than masters” (Jerome).
knowing … heaven] Nearly verbatim as Ephesians 6:9. The Lord’s sovereignty is the true guarantee of human liberty.”

27.) God has a plan for the world, how the world will end is revealed in the Holy Bible.

Most saints are anxious about how their lives will end. Gen 27:2, “Then Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death.” Even Isaac did not know the day of his death. Do you know who was Isaac? Exo 3:6,

“And He said, “I AM the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the

God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” God told Moses that He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac …

Luk 2:25-26, “And there was a man in Jerusalem

whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

Usually God does not reveal when saints are going to die, and much less how they will die. But the Lord said to Peter:

Jhn 21:19, “Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk

wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go. Now He said this, indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” Jesus told Peter what kind of death he would glorify God. So saints, do not worry when and how you will die. What we must do is follow the Lord.

28.) FOR unbelievers, apparently money is the most important thing is this world. In America a person is evaluated by how much money he has. The more money you have, the more important you are. If you drive a new Mercedes and dress up well, even strangers will bow to you. Once I was an intern in a large hospital, a girl was chasing me to see if I am a doctor. Why? Doctors make big money. Money gives you more choices: where to live, where to go, and what to do. A lot of money reduces your worry, while too much money actually increases your worry. Someone facetiously says, “The lack of money is the root of all evil.” The Bible says, 1Ti 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

There is no freedom like the freedom from the love of money. In my life experience, I have discovered there are more people who would be motivated by money than by truth. The Chinese says, “Money can even make demons to grind the mill.” Deu 14:26, “And you may spend the money on whatever your heart desires: on oxen, sheep, wine, other strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall

eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.”

This may be called the purchasing power; the more money you have, the higher your purchasing power.

People who have a lot of money are controlled by money; very few rich people control their money. For that reason Jesus says, Mat 19:24, “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.”

You know why people worship money. Money can buy many things. Do you what money cannot buy? Salvation, happiness, peace, wisdom, health, truth, hope, love. Pro 17:16, “Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, when he has no sense?”

Heb 13:5, “Make sure that your character is free from

the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT

YOU, NOR WILL I EVER ABANDON YOU,”

Those who have character are free from the love of money. Those who love money do not have character.

In these two verses (Hebrews 13:4-5) we have the same connection of thought as in Hebrews 12:16; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:3. “Impurity and covetousness may be said to divide between them nearly the whole domain of human selfishness and vice” (Lightfoot on Colossians 3:5).

Conversation.—Literally, way of thought and life, character, disposition.

I am so glad that “conversation” is defined above. Conversation in today’s English is quite different from Biblical meaning.

29.) There are so many who make themselves the receiving objects of Christian giving. They set up so-called Christian organizations with the sole intention to ask for donation. They are like beggars to the shame of Christ. There are many on the Internet with questionable behavior. They would invade your computer so that you may become the objects of their solicitations. They are crafty and cunning like being licensed to receive tithes and offerings. They are lovers of themselves, lovers of money; not lovers of God. If you see anyone or any organization uses my name to ask for donation; they are fake and fraudulent. Because I do not associate with any organization, and I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free.

Eph 5:5, “For this you know with certainty, that no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, which amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.”

Verse 5. – For this ye know well; an appeal to their own consciences, made confidently, as beyond all doubt. That no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom. Covetousness, the twin-brother sin of uncleanness, is denounced as idolatry. It is worshipping the creature more than the Creator, depending on vast stores of earthly substance in place of the favor and blessing of God. It must receive the doom of the idolater; instead of inheriting the kingdom, he must die the death. The doom in this verse is not future, but present – not shall have, but hath, inheritance, etc. (comp. Ephesians 1:11, 18). The lust of greed overreaches itself; it loses all that is truly worth having; it may have this and that – lands, houses, and goods – but it has not one scrap in the kingdom. Of Christ and God. The two are united in the closest way, as equals, implying the divinity of Christ and his oneness with the Father in the administration of the kingdom. Ephesians 5:5.”

30.) Christianity has betrayers and traitors. Remember Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas one of the twelve. The traitors are anti-christs, false christs, false prophets, false teachers and false brothers.

Jde 1:4, “For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Mat 24:10, “And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.”

Jhn 13:2, “And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him.”

1Jo 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many

antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”

Geneva Study Bible

{16} {n} Little children, {17} it is the last time: {18} and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Now, he turns himself to little children, which nonetheless are well instructed in the sum of religion, and wills them by various reasons to shake off laziness, which is too familiar with that age.

(n) He uses this word Little not because he speaks to children, but to allure them the more by using such sweet words.

(17) First, because the last time is at hand, so that the matter suffers no delay.

(18) Secondly, because antichrists, that is, such as fall from God, are already come, even as they heard that they would come. And it was necessary to warn that careless and fearless age of the danger.”

2Jo 1:10-11, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your

house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one

who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

2 John 1:10-11. If there come any unto you — Either as a teacher or a brother; and bring not this doctrine — Of Christ, namely, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did come in the flesh to save mankind; or advance any thing contrary to it, or any other branch of Christ’s doctrine; receive him not into your house — Either as a teacher or a brother; neither bid him God speed — Give him no encouragement therein; for he that biddeth him God speed — That gives him any encouragement; is partaker of — Is necessary to; his evil deeds — We may infer, from what the apostle here says, 1st, That when those who professed to be the disciples of Christ came to any place where they were not known to the brethren who resided there, nor were recommended to them by some with whom they were acquainted, they made themselves known to them as the real disciples of Christ, by declaring their faith. This shows the propriety of the apostle’s advice to this pious matron and her children. 2d, That as the Christians in those days exercised hospitality to their stranger brethren, who were employed in spreading the gospel; so the Christian sister to whom the apostle wrote this letter, being probably rich, and of a benevolent disposition, thought herself under an obligation to supply the wants of those strangers who went about preaching. Wherefore, to prevent her from being deceived by impostors, the apostle here directs her to require such teachers to give an account of the doctrines which they taught; and if she found that they did not hold the true Christian doctrine, he advised her not to receive them into her house, nor to give them any countenance. And this advice of the apostle was certainly perfectly proper, because they who entertained, or otherwise showed respect to, false teachers, enabled them the more effectually to spread their erroneous doctrine, to the seduction and ruin of those whom they deceived.”

31.) God’s attitude toward you is determined by your attitude toward God. There are people who blame God for everything; not only the act is incorrect, the attitude is also wrong. What should be the attitude of all saints?

1Th 5:18, “in everything give thanks; for this is the

will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

Saints should learn and know to thank God for everything, including troubles and tragedies; for this is the will of God. Let me assure you, I thank God for all my troubles and tragedies.

Phl 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but

in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

6. Be careful for nothing] Better, in modern English, In nothing be anxious (R.V.). Wyclif, “be ye no thing bisie”; all the other older English versions are substantially as A.V.; Luther, Sorget nichts; Latin versions, Nihil solliciti sitis (fueritis). On the etymology of the Greek verb, and on the thought here, see note above, Php 2:20. There the mental action here blamed is commended; a discrepancy fully harmonized by a view of different conditions. Here, the saints are enjoined to deal with every trying circumstance of life as those who know, and act upon, the fact that “the Lord thinketh on me” (Psalm 40:17). Cp. Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14; Luke 10:41; Luke 21:34; 1 Corinthians 7:32; 1 Peter 5:7.
The English word “care” is akin to older Teutonic words meaning lamentation, murmur, sorrow, and is not connected with the Lat. cura (Skeat, Etym. Dict.). English literature, from “Piers Plowman” (cent. 14) to Shakspeare and the A.V., abounds in illustrations of the meaning of the word here. E.g., Vision of Piers Plowman, v. 76: “carefullich mea culpa he comsed to shewe”; i.e. “he anxiously commenced to unfold” his sins in the confessional. So, in the same writer, a mournful song is “a careful note.”
in every thing] An all-inclusive positive, to justify the all-inclusive negative just before.—Observe here, as so often, the tendency of Christian precepts to a holy universality of scope. Cp. Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 4:31; Ephesians 5:3, and notes in this Series.
by prayer and supplication] We might almost paraphrase the Greek, where each noun has an article, “by your prayer &c.”; by the prayer which of course you offer.
“Prayer” is the larger word, often including all kinds and parts of “worship”; “supplication” is the more definite. Cp. Ephesians 6:18, and note in this Series. The two words thus linked together are meant, however, less to be distinguished than to include and enforce the fullest and freest “speaking unto the Lord.”
with thanksgiving] “The temper of the Christian should always be one of thanksgiving. Nearly every Psalm, however deep the sorrow and contrition, escapes into the happy atmosphere of praise and gratitude. The Psalms, in Hebrew, are the Praises. All prayer ought to include the element of thanksgiving, for mercies temporal and spiritual” (Note by the Dean of Peterborough).—The privilege of prayer is in itself an abiding theme for grateful praise.
be made known] Exactly as if He needed information. True faith will accept and act upon such a precept with very little questioning or discussion of its rationale. Scripture is full of illustrations of it in practice, from the prayers of Abraham (Genesis 15, 17, 18) and of Abraham’s servant (Genesis 24) onward. It is for the Eternal, not for us, to reconcile such humble but most real statements and requests on our part with His infinity.
This verse is a caution against the view of prayer taken by some Mystic Christian thinkers, in which all articulate petition is merged in the soul’s perpetual “Thy will be done.” See Mme. Guyon, Moyen Court de faire Oraison, ch. 17. Such a doctrine has in it a sacred element of truth, but as a whole it is out of harmony with the divinely balanced precepts of Scripture.”

Our attitude should be: Be anxious for nothing, be prayerful for everything, and be thankful for all things. The things of the world are unpredictable.

32.) Your Kingdom come. The Kingdom of Heaven. There is no new world until there is new Heaven and new Earth, the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The world is not getting better. The world proceeds from evil to evil, it gets worse and worse until the second coming of Jesus Christ to judge and reign in the world with the saints.

Mat 6:10, “Your Kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in Heaven.”

Mat 5:10, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Mat 13:11, “And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom

of Heaven, but to them it has not been granted.”

The mysteries of the kingdom – The word “mystery,” in the Bible, properly means a thing that is “concealed,” or that “has been concealed.” It does not mean that the thing was “incomprehensible,” or even difficult to be understood.

The thing might be “plain” enough if revealed, but it means simply that it “had” not been before made known. Thus the “mysteries of the kingdom” do not mean any doctrines incomprehensible in themselves considered, but simply doctrines about the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the new kingdom of the Messiah, which “had not” been understood, and which were as yet concealed from the great body of the Jews. See Romans 16:25; Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:3-4, Ephesians 3:9. Of this nature was the truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; that the Jewish polity was to cease; that the Messiah was to die, etc. To the disciples it was given to know these truths. This was important for them, as they were to carry the gospel around the globe. To the others it was not “then” given. They were too gross, too earthly; they had too, grovelling conceptions of the Messiah’s kingdom to understand these truths, even if communicated to them. They were not to preach the gospel, and hence our Saviour was at particular pains to instruct his apostles in the system which they were to preach. The Pharisees, and Jews generally, were not prepared to receive the system, and would not have believed it, and therefore he purposely employed a kind of teaching which was intended for his apostles only.”

Mat 13:44, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has, and buys that field.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure,…. By which is meant, not eternal life, the incorruptible inheritance, riches of glory, treasure in heaven; nor Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and all the riches of grace and glory; but the Gospel, which is a treasure consisting of rich truths, comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; of the most valuable blessings, and of exceeding great, and precious promises; and reveals the riches of God, of Christ, and of the other world; and is a treasure unsearchable, solid, satisfying, and lasting: this is said to bid in a field. The Gospel was in some measure hid, under the former dispensation, from the Old Testament saints; and for a long time was hid from the Gentile world; and is entirely hid from them that are lost, who are blinded by the god of this world; and even from the elect of God themselves, before conversion: this is sometimes said to be hid in God, in his thoughts, counsels, and purposes, and in the covenant of his grace; and sometimes in Christ; who is the storehouse of truth, as well as of grace; and may be thought to be hid under the Mosaic economy, in the types and shadows of the ceremonial law: but here “the field” means the Scriptures, in which the Gospel lies hid; and therefore these are to be searched into for it, as men seek and search for silver and hid treasures, by digging into mines, and in the bowels of the earth:

the which when a man hath found; either with or without the use of means, purposely attended to, in order to find it; such as reading, hearing, prayer, and meditation: for sometimes the Gospel, and the spiritual saving knowledge of it, are found, and attained to, by persons accidentally, with respect to themselves, though providentially, with respect to God; when they had no desire after it, or searched for it, and thought nothing about it; though by others it is come at, in a diligent use of the above means:

he hideth; which is to be understood not in an ill sense, as the man hid his talent in a napkin, and in the earth; but in a good sense, and designs his care of it; his laying it up in his heart, that he might not lose it, and that it might not be taken away from him: another joy thereof; for the Gospel, when rightly understood, brings good tidings of great joy, to sensible sinners,

goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth the field: which is not to be interpreted literally and properly; though a man that knows the worth and value of the Bible, rather than be without one, would part with all his worldly substance for one; but figuratively, and denotes the willingness of such souls, who are led into the glory, fulness, and excellency of the word of God, the scriptures of truth, and of the immense treasure of the Gospel therein, to part with all that has been, or is dear unto them; with their sins, and self-righteousness; with their good names and characters; their worldly substance, and life itself, for the sake of the Gospel, and their profession of it: and may also design the use of all means, to gain a larger degree of light and knowledge in the Gospel. It seems by this parable, according to the Jewish laws, that not the finder of a treasure in a field, but the owner of the field, had the propriety in it; when it should seem rather, that it ought to be divided. Such that have ability and leisure, may consult a controversy in Philostratus (l), between two persons, the buyer and seller of a field; in which, after the purchase, a treasure was found, when the seller claimed it as his; urging, that had he known of it, he would never have sold him the field: the buyer, on the other hand, insisted on its being his property; alleging that all was his which was contained in the land bought by him.”

Mat 13:45, “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls.”