Tag Paul

For the GOSPEL

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Paul wrote about why he did the things that he did. 1Corinthians 9:19-23

19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

Look at verse 23 again…

“And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” (1Cor 9:23)

Paul was the type of guy that flipped all the switches, turned all the knobs, and pressed all the buttons in his evangelism efforts.

NEW YEAR, NEW ME

This got me thinking about my goals for the new year. Instead of the typical goals most of us try to write, I decided to take a Paul type approach. I still have GOALS, but now they’re framed “FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE.”

Here is my revised goal list for the GOSPEL’S sake.

GOOD Health so I may have the energy to preach the GOSPEL.

3John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

OBEDIENCE to Christ so I may not hinder the GOSPEL from my hypocracy.

Mt 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

Love of my SPOUSE, my wife, for the sake of the GOSPEL.

Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

My PROSPERITY (financial) goals so that I may have the means to preach the GOSPEL.

3John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

EXAMINE myself & the Scriptures to be a more effective EVANGELIST for the sake of the GOSPEL.

1Co 9:4 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

to LOVE so that all may know I am a disciple of Christ.

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

To STAND firm in the faith for the GOSPEL’S Sake.

1Thess 3:8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
2Thess 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Lessons from 1Peter 5: SILAS

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Who is SYLVANUS: (SILAS)

Sent w/ Letters. Ac 15:22-34; 1Peter 5:12.

Imprisoned with Paul. Acts 16:19-40.

Leading man among brethren. Acts 15:22-23; 40-41.

Associate w/ Paul & Timothy. 17:4-15; 18:5; 2Co 1:19; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1.

Spirit filled. Acts 15:32 being prophets also

Who is TIMOTHY?

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TRUE son. 1Tim 1:2; 1Cor 4:17

IMPRISONED. Heb 13:23; w/ Paul Phil 2:19-23

MODEL / EXAMPLE. 1Tim 4:12

OBEDIENT. 1Tim 4:6-16;

TRUSTWORTHY. Phil 2:20 “likeminded, Sincerity”

HOLY SPIRIT gifts. 2Tim 1:6

YOUNG. Not to be despised. 1Tim 4:11; 2Tim 1:5; 3:15

Who is TITUS?

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To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. (Titus1:4)

A TRUE SON; Titus 1:4; 2Co 2:13; 7:6-7,13-14; 8:23;

If any INQUIRE; 2Cor 8:16, 23

TRUSTED: 2Cor 12:17-18; 2Co 7:15; 2Co 8:6,16-22;

UNWAVERING (was not compelled); Gal 2:3

SINCERE SERVANT; Titus 1:5; 2Cor 8:16; 7:13-16; 2Tim 4:10; Titus 3:12

7 Things we ought to PROTECT pt 1

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pt1. Personal Safety.

“O Timothy! keep that which is committed to thy trust,” (1Tim 6:20).

Last week we looked at an overview of 7 things we ought to protect. These next 7 articles will dive deeper into each of those items.

The first one is about PERSONAL SAFETY.

Can a child of God protect, preserve, save their life? Is it always necessary to die for the cause of Christ? Yes and no, it depends on the situation.

We have several examples from the life of the Apostle Paul. Let’s learn from his example when his life was under threat of imminent death.

On his way to Jerusalem the Apostle Paul said, “for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Upon arriving to Jerusalem and entering the Temple he was arrested. Paul was ready to die.

At first, he was going to be scourged by the Roman guard. “The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him” (Acts 22:24). Paul was ready to die.

But Paul said, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned” (v25)? Upon further questioning, they discovered that Paul was a natural born Roman citizen. They became afraid of what they were about to do to him and they backed away. “Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him” (v29). Paul was ready to die.

We conclude that while it is important to be ready to be beaten for the cause of Christ, it’s not necessary if you can lawfully avoid it without denying your faith in Christ. He did not violate Matt 16:25, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Paul was ready to die.

Later, during this same arrest event, a plot was discovered to assassinate Paul. “And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul” (Acts 23:12-16). Paul was ready to die.

Upon learning of the plot Paul did this, “Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him” (Acts 23:17). The plot was told to the chief captain, “But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee” (22:21). The chief captain then sent Paul that night along with two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred (v23). Paul was ready to die, but it wasn’t necessary, and he did not deny the Lord in the process.

We conclude that a Christian ought to be ready to be jailed, beaten, and even die for the cause of Christ (Acts 5:4-41). However, if there is a lawful means of protecting your life without denying the Lord that bought you, then do it. We could cite other such examples from Paul’s missionary journeys (Acts 9:25; 2Cor 11:33; Acts 16:35-40), in all Paul was ready to die.

If the means necessary to avoid persecution is to deny the Lord, then we’ve violated the command, denied the faith, and are in jeopardy for our soul. “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 10:33).

Paul was ready to die, arrest, beatings, and eventually did die. All for the cause of Christ (2Cor 11:23-33; Phil 1:20-22; 2Tim 4:6-7).

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

Spencer

6 more SIMPLE OBJECTIONS pt1

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Nice ways to say you're wrong in English - The London School of ...

 

6 more SIMPLE OBJECTIONS pt1.

These are called simple objections because they could have been easily answered by the questioner through a casual reading of the text. In some cases, the objection has a mocking tone and aren’t very serious. Even then, with the application of a bit of reason they are easily answered.

God has said, “Come now, and let us reason together,” [Isaiah 1:18]

Faith in God is not blind. There is a preponderance of evidence that we may reason & consider. [Heb 11:1,6]

These simple objections are presented with this in mind, Let’s Reason Together.

 

SIMPLE OBJECTION #1; Was Saul (later called Paul) saved on the road to Damascus?”

This objection sounds like this; “Saul (later called Paul) saved when he fell off his horse on the road to Damascus.”

The Objection may be answered this way: Not everyone mentions a horse, but when they do you should recognize that this person either hasn’t read the passage or isn’t handling it aright. A casual reading of [Acts 9:1-9; 22:1-16; 26:12-20] will show that no horse is ever mentioned. This is a clear example of someone ADDING to God’s word.

This is an important first defense to many objections, are they accurately portraying what the text actually says? By going to the text, many misunderstandings could be readily cleared with a careful reading of scripture.

Here are 4 more answers to this simple objection:

If Paul was saved on the road to Damascus then why was he SAD, SCARED & SIGHTLESS for 3 days? For a saved person, he is the saddest saved person on record. Everyone else is rejoicing for their salvation. [Acts 9:6; 18; 22:10-16; cr Acts 8:39]

He was told to ARISE and go into Damascus to be told what to do. If he was saved on the road, he was saved without his knowledge of the gospel or the things he must do. ANANIAS had to tell him what to do. [Acts 9:6; 22:10].

His sins were yet UNWASHED. If he was saved on the way to Damascus, he was still in his sins. Ananias said, “arise and be baptized, washing away your sins.” [Acts 22:16] Can anyone assert that salvation occurs with one’s sins? This doesn’t make any sense.

Saul still needed to LEARN what he must do. Jesus didn’t tell him he was saved. For 3 days he waited Sightless & Afraid, deep in prayer and fasting. Why? Because he, as do we all, needed to hear the words of eternal life. Just as Cornelius in Acts 10:6, 22, 33. Romans 10:14, which Paul (previously Saul of whom we’re speaking about) wrote, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Instead of telling him what to do to be saved, Jesus sent him to Damascus where a preacher, Ananias, would tell him the words on how to be saved.

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

[1Cor 1:21 emph. mine seb]

No, Saul was not saved on the road to Damascus. He was saved when he obeyed the Gospel. The message hasn’t changed for us today. [Rom 6:3-4]

We must Hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, Believe it, Repent of our sins, Confess that Jesus is the Christ and be Baptized for the remission (removal) of our sins. We are then to live faithfully until death. It was the same for Saul, it is the same for us, it is the same for everyone. God is no respecter of person.

 

–Spencer