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Showing posts from April, 2020

Jesus: The Believer’s Inheritance

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  It is fascinating to observe when people talk about inheritance, ones mind would immediately cater properties, wills, houses, jewelries, and other material things. All of which are centered on material temporal things.   In 1 Peter 1:4 , although The Apostle Peter used the term “inheritance” once in his letter, Apostle Paul on the other hand, mentioned this term in his letters several times. ( Eph_1:14 , Eph_1:18 , Eph_5:5 , Col_3:24 ,) But what is so significant about this particular emphasis of Peter? After all, he made a brief description of the inheritance (verse 4-5) a believer will obtain now that he is part of God’s family.   The term “inheritance” is not something new among Jewish ears. Going back to the OT, when God divided the promised land among the 12 tribes of Israel, every tribe received a portion of the land as their inheritance, except for the tribe of Levi…”the priestly tribe”. They were the only tribe that didn’t get one. God’s reason for doing so is interesting. Th
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Titus 3:12-15 - Paul’s Final Instructions: The Believer and The Gospel

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Paul’s Final Instructions Verse 12– “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.” Artemas mentioned here only and is otherwise unknown to us.  Tychicus mentioned 5x in NT. He is described as a faithful minister and a beloved brother, entrusted with the letter to the Ephesians (Eph. 6:21) and to the Colossians (Col. 4:7). Note Paul’s “pairing” of these gentlemen— one about whom little is known and the other, more prominent. Similar “pairing” in verse 13. Verse 13–“Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.”  Like Artemas, little is known about Zenas, except what is shared in this verse, that he is a learned man, being described as a lawyer (not revealed if a lawyer as to the OT law, Roman law or both).  Apollos is mentioned 10x in the NT. Acts 18:24 describes him as an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures, as he had been instructed in the way of the L
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Titus 3:8-11 - The Believer's Commitment to Right Teaching

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Review: How God saves us not on the basis of our own righteousness or merit, “but according to His own mercy.” Message: “Stay Committed” “[I]t is a trustworthy statement”— that is, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (see 3:3-8) is a message that can be relied upon and believed, for it is true.  “[I]nsist on these things”— to insist is a compound word in the original which means to “constantly establish”— “constantly” because the Gospel of Jesus Christ remains the same. It is permanent. Therefore, be steadfast and faithful in proclaiming the truth! “[S]o that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works”— the devotion to good works is the RESULT of being saved (NOT for obtaining salvation, for salvation is by grace). The good works referred to here is not the “occasional” performance of a good deed, but the good works that characterize a godly life as a result of having been saved by God through Christ. It is a life that proclaims, in word and deed, the Gospe
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Titus 3:4-7 - The Believer's Redemption through Christ

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Our Past: What we were—enslaved in sin (3:3) Our Present: What we are—made free by God’s finished work (3:4-7)  The revelation of God the Son- “the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man APPEARED.” The root word, “appear”- 4x used in NT and each time, in reference to Christ. See 2 Tim 1:8-10 (the appearing of Jesus who abolished death and has brought life and immortality); Heb.9:26 (Christ has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself). This “kindness and love of God our Savior” is the BASIS of His appearing (not that we have deserved or sought for it). Ponder on Phil. 2:5-8, 1 Tim. 2:3-6. He saved us “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy” (Titus 3:5). See also Isaiah 53:4-6. 1 Jn 3:5, 2 Cor. 5:21, Gal 3:13-14. The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit- speaks of a “new birth.” Ponder on John 3:5-18. This washing and renewing are “shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6) The justifica
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Titus 3:3 - The Believers’ Old Life

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REVIEW: Paul instructed Titus to remind the brethren “to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work…, showing all meekness unto all men.” THE REASON: For WE ourselves also WERE sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived…” (emphasis added) THE REMINDER: Do not look down upon others, for consider what we were before God saved us! Before Salvation, we WERE: Foolish – being unwise in seeking to please God apart from faith. See Gal 3:1ff “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith” (3:11). See Eph. 5:17. Disobedient – professing “to know God; but in works [denying] him” (1:16). Deceived – being led away from the truth into error and sin. See Matthew 24:4 Enslaved – “serving diverse lusts and pleasures,” which are “of the world” (1 Jn. 2:16), “of the devil” (Jn. 8:44). See also Rom. 1:21-25 and Luke 8:14. Wicked – “living in malice and envy”—having ill will or desiring to harm others; desiring things belonging to others. H
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