Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Summary: Teaching others is a wonderful calling and profession, if we are teaching God’s truth. For those who teach otherwise, there are consequences.
Now that we have discussed what evil actually is and have a better understanding of what the law is, let’s look at what it means to be a “teacher of the law.”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:7 – Part III: Teachers of the Law”
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Summary: The topic of the law opens the door to many related questions. The first one we will deal with has to do with the nature of the law itself.
In our last meditation, we discussed the meaning of the verb “judge.” The Bible instructs us to make good judgments about the things we say and do, but warns us against making moral judgments about other people.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:7 – Part I: What is the Law?”
Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
Summary: With this passage, Paul dives into the deep end of the pool and invites us to follow. As we consider his words, we pause and think about the nature of judging.
At this point in his letter, Paul is quite blunt. He begins to call out the difference between people who “teach false doctrines” (1 Tim 1:3) and those whose lives reflect a “sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5).
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:6 – Our Struggle”
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place …
Summary: When we consider where the “highest place” is, we open the door to considering the nature of the universe and the supremacy of the spiritual realm.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:9a – The Highest Place”
This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
Summary: The Bible often mentions signs and wonders meaning miraculous events. The kind of “sign” Paul refers to in this passage is a bit different. Paul considers it a proof of things to come.
Generally speaking, Paul’s words about the Gospel are instructional. Yet, now and then, he makes an undeniably clear statement about good and bad, right and wrong.
In this passage, Paul makes such a statement.
Continue reading “Philippians 1:28b – Things to Come”
The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached.
Summary: Paul is pondering what is most important in life. In this passage, he shares his conclusion that at the end of the day, all that matters is that Christ is preached.
How much Jesus is enough to save a soul?
This question may sound silly, but it stems from the passage before us. What does Paul mean by “in every way?” Does it matter if I preach a little Jesus or a lot? Is how I preach Jesus more important than the fact that I preach Jesus? What if I preach Jesus, but I do it in a way that you don’t like?
Continue reading “Philippians 1:18b – The Important Thing”Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders…
Summary: How we act towards people says a lot about us, and it says even more about who or what we serve.
Unsurprisingly, this passage follows the one before rather closely. To proclaim the Gospel clearly, we need to be “wise” in how we interact with others.
Notice that Paul doesn’t say, “Be wise in the way you talk to others.”
Continue reading “Colossians 4:5a – Wisdom”… by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
Summary: In this passage, Paul gives us a rule about rules.
Let’s review the entire verse before we start our meditation:
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.”
Paul begins with “Therefore…” referring to his prior statement that God made us “alive in Christ” (Col 2:13) and has canceled our “legal indebtedness” (Col 2:14) by means of the cross, “do not let anyone judge you by legalistic requirements.“
This is not a mysterious statement or a confusing metaphor. Paul is speaking as plainly as humanly possible here. There is no chance that anyone would or could misunderstand his point.
Except we do.
Continue reading “Colossians 2:16b – The Risk of Rules”Therefore do not let anyone judge you …
Summary: Paul continues to explain what it means to be a believer in Jesus. Human rules count for nothing. All that matters is faith in our Savior.
As I sat down to write this meditation, I was debating with myself about whether or not I should tackle the whole verse. The more I stared at it, the more the first seven words cried out for special attention. So … before you judge me, know that I at least thought about including the whole verses before I chopped it up.
When Paul says, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you …” I tend to think to myself, “Yeah, right.” How does Paul expect us to stop people from judging us? On top of this is a larger question: How is the church supposed to function if people are not to judge?
Continue reading “Colossians 2:16a – Only Jesus”The acts of the flesh are … sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
Summary: Diving into Paul’s list of “acts of the flesh” is intimidating. It is tempting to fall into judgment; either judging others or judging ourselves. But this is not why he is making the list. Paul wants us to understand the difference between Good and Evil.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:19b – Acts of the Flesh, Part 1”