But the fruit of the Spirit is … gentleness …
Summary: Gentleness is the ability to carry an egg without dropping it.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:23a – The Touch of Love”Galatians 5:6b – Love and Conflict
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Summary: Paul summarizes the essence of the gospel in this passage. Yet, as simple as it sounds, it is difficult to do.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:6b – Love and Conflict”Galatians 5:6a – Blind Spot
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.
Summary: Paul continues to prompt interesting questions about Christian life. “What has value for God?” is a question that opens the door to understanding God’s will better.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:6a – Blind Spot”Galatians 4:7 – Loved
So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Summary: Paul is making a very important point. Whether we know it or not, we need to be part of God’s family. Paul helps us understand why that is important.
Continue reading “Galatians 4:7 – Loved”Galatians 3:22b – Letting Go, Grabbing On
… so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Summary: Paul is very close to his topic. So close that he makes assumptions about his audience and what they know. Deconstructing what Paul says requires us to look into the Old Testament for clues.
Continue reading “Galatians 3:22b – Letting Go, Grabbing On”Galatians 2:20f – He Loves Me
… who loved me …
Summary: Being loved is one of the most wonderful feelings a person can ever know. Being loved by God is the ultimate experience.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:20f – He Loves Me”Ephesians 6:23b – Ambassador for Christ
… and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary: Sometimes people say things they don’t mean. Paul was not like that. He represented Jesus to the Gentiles, and he took his work very seriously.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:23b – Ambassador for Christ”Ephesians 5:33 – A Personal Challenge
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Summary: In this passage Paul makes a statement that is impossible to get around. We either accept it, or we don’t. What we choose to do says more about us and our faith than anything else.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:33 – A Personal Challenge”Ephesians 5:29a – The Meaning of Everyone
After all, no one ever hated their own body,
Summary: Language can be tricky. Paul uses an expression in this passage that can be misunderstood if we are overly picky about words.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:29a – The Meaning of Everyone”Ephesians 5:28b – Real Love
He who loves his wife loves himself.
Summary: Love is often misunderstood because our word for love does not distinguish between things and people. Paul is teaching us the difference.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:28b – Real Love”