Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… then make my joy complete…
Summary: Paul’s plea for unity among believers is one that echoes through the centuries and still haunts us today.
This phrase of Paul’s is heart-wrenching.
Paul, now an old man as he writes these words, is a prisoner. The man who was once free to roam the known world is now trapped like a bird in a cage. His heart longs to be with the Philippians, but his body is chained to the floor in Rome.*
Continue reading “Philippians 2:2a – In Search of Unity”…rather than on Christ.
Summary: As we come to the end of this verse, Paul points us, once again, to the only one who can save us: Jesus.
Wait a minute! How did we get here again?
Let’s review:
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)
In this one sentence, Paul has outlined a major threat to those of us who believe in Jesus. A “hollow and deceptive philosophy” is a persuasive argument that looks substantial on the outside but inside is empty, void of any real value.
Continue reading “Colossians 2:8d – The Path to Unity”… because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
Summary: There is a thing called “group think” that occurs when people stop thinking for themselves and just go along to get along with the group. This isn’t a problem unless the group is thinking wrongly.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:12b – Group Think”For he himself is our peace,
Summary: Peace is something that many of us want but not everyone agrees. Peace has a cost and not everyone is willing to pay their share. In Christ, we find a peace that is life-changing.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:14a – Peacemaker”
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.
Summary: Paul’s reasoning behind his instructions regarding divisive people is grounded in both the protection of God’s church, and the wellbeing of all believers.
Continue reading “Titus 3:10 — A Church Divided”