Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Summary: Paul’s words about looking out for the interests of others echo similar words Jesus said when he was on earth.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone were looking out for me? I mean, really, think about it. If everyone looked out for me, I wouldn’t have to look out for me and I could look to the interests of others.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:4 – The Good Neighbor”…in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ…
Summary: Why does Paul refer to Christ as the “mystery of God?” The answer has to do with God’s love for all of his creation.
In Job’s long-running conversation with his three friends, Zophar the Naamathite challenges Job with this question:
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7)
Paul does not claim to “fathom” these mysteries. However, he claims that God has “revealed” them to him (Ephesians 3:2-5).
Continue reading “Colossians 2:22d – The Mystery of God”… that we might receive adoption to sonship.
Summary: “Adoption to sonship” might be a bit of an arcane phrase, but the principle behind it is timeless.
Continue reading “Galatians 4:5b – United to God”There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Summary: In this passage, Paul makes an astounding claim. God doesn’t see differences between people like we do. So what does God see?
Continue reading “Galatians 3:28 – What They Wanted to Hear”“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles …”
Summary: Paul is striving to explain to the Galatians why it is dangerous to pretend that we can win God’s favor by something as simple as circumcision.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:15 – The Godly Goal”“You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?”
Summary: Deciphering what Paul is saying to Peter and his companions requires an understanding of past covenants made by God for man.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:14c – The Wrong Club”His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace …
Summary: God changed the rules when he instituted a new covenant in Jesus’ blood. Trying to figure out what those rules are and how to apply them has been a challenge for humanity ever since.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:15b – The Challenge”