Tag: fruit of the Spirit

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1 Timothy 1:10b – Sound Doctrine

Picture of the cross connected to seeds and fruit by colorful threads. (Grok)

… and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine…

Summary: Paul and Timothy both know what “sound doctrine” is. You can see it in the letter that Paul writes to Timothy. 

Since this is part of one of Paul’s famous “paragraph long” sentences, let’s look back and see how we got here. He begins with an introduction: “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.”  Then he starts his sentence with, “We also know that the law is made… for lawbreakers and rebels…” Eventually, he gets around to “…and for whatever else is contrary to … sound doctrine…”

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Philippians 4:5a – More Than Human

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

Summary: In this passage, Paul makes a simple suggestion. But is it just a suggestion?   

As Paul brings his letter to the Philippians to a close, he begins Chapter Four with a plea to “stand firm in the Lord.” He then adds a note to stand firm “in this way.” “This way” turned out to mean adhering to the true Gospel, putting our confidence in Jesus, valuing Christ above all else, pressing on, striving for maturity in faith, focusing on the godly, and remembering we are citizens of heaven.*

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Philippians 3:13a – Seeking God

Cartoon picture of the body parts Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 12 (Grok)

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 

Summary: Paul’s words in this passage are almost poetic. He describes himself striving for his goal. Our goal is to understand what he means. 

Oops! Observant readers will note that there was a glitch in the order of meditations last week. For some reason, I skipped over this passage. Today, we correct that oversight, and tomorrow we will be back on schedule.  

———— <<< ◊ >>> ————

Once again, we are confronted with the question, “What is ‘it’?”

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Philippians 1:20d – Choosing Life

The father of the Prodigal Son embraces him (Luke 15:11-24) -- Grok

… whether by life or by death.

Summary: This passage brings us to an interesting crossroads between one kind of “life and death” and another. 

It is, perhaps, time to review Paul’s entire thought here: 

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

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Colossians 2:7a – Roots & Fruit

… rooted and built up in him …

Summary: As Paul continues his thought about living our lives in Christ, he leans on metaphors that have a rich history in the Bible. 

Paul is writing about the Christian life. He begins by saying, “just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him…” And then he adds, “rooted and built up in him.” 

Essentially, Paul is mixing metaphors here. To be “rooted” is a reference to a metaphor used to describe life in Christ as being part of a plant (John 15:1-8). All plants have roots. It is the root that anchors the plant in the soil while at the same time pulling life-giving water and nutrients from the soil. 

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Colossians 2:5b – Pleasing Jesus

… and delight to see how disciplined you are …

Summary: Words often can be used in more than one way. The word “discipline” is one of those words. Paul is not thinking of external discipline, but the kind that flows naturally from a loving heart.

One definition of the word “disciplined” might be “Doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done.” That is a rather gentle definition and one that Paul might have liked. Another definition he might have liked is that being disciplined is like “knowing your place.” 

When people of faith are disciplined, they work together without complaint. Each person is content, knowing that they are part of the body of Christ, and following the Spirit’s lead. The “feet” do not wish they were a “hand,” and the “hands” do not complain because they are not “eyes” (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

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