(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
23 Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
21 But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you; 22 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.
23 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18 This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.
21 The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.
12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; 21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
For the joy that was set before Him, Christ endured the cross, despising the shame, and is forever set down at the right hand of God. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for the world, and through this sacrifice comes the greatest blessing that God could bestow—the gift of the Holy Spirit. This blessing is for all who will receive Christ. The fallen world is the battlefield for the greatest conflict the heavenly universe and earthly powers have ever witnessed. It was appointed as the theater on which would be fought out the grand struggle between good and evil, between heaven and hell. Every human being acts a part in this conflict. No one can stand on neutral ground.
Men must either accept or reject the world’s Redeemer. All are witnesses, either for or against Christ. Christ calls upon those who stand under His banner to engage in the conflict with Him as faithful soldiers, that they may inherit the crown of life. They have been adopted as sons and daughters of God. Christ has left them His assured promise that great will be the reward in the kingdom of heaven of those who partake of His humiliation and suffering for the truth’s sake.
The cross of Calvary challenges, and will finally vanquish, every earthly and hellish power. In the cross all influence centers, and from it all influence goes forth. It is the great center of attraction, for on it Christ gave up His life for the human race. This sacrifice was offered for the purpose of restoring man to his original perfection. Yea, more, it was offered to give him an entire transformation of character, making him more than a conqueror. Those who in the strength of Christ overcome the great enemy of God and man, will occupy a position in the heavenly courts above angels who have never fallen
Christ declares, “I, if I be lifted up, ... will draw all men unto me.” If the cross does not find an influence in its favor, it creates an influence. Through generation succeeding generation, the truth for this time is revealed as present truth. Christ on the cross was the medium whereby mercy and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other. This is the means that is to move the world.
In the plan of God, all the riches of heaven are to be drawn upon by men. Nothing in the treasury of divine resources is deemed too costly to accompany the great gift of the only begotten Son of God. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Christ was empowered to breathe into fallen humanity the breath of life. Those who receive Him will never hunger, never thirst, for greater joy than that found in Christ there cannot be.
Study the words spoken by the Saviour from the Mount of Blessing. How the divine nature shone through His humanity as His lips uttered the benedictions upon those who were the objects of His mercy and love! He blessed them with a fullness that showed that He was drawing from the inexhaustible store of the richest treasures. The treasures of eternity were at His command. The Father committed the riches of heaven to Him, and in the disposal of them He knew no bound. Those who accept Him as their Saviour, their Redeemer, the Prince of life, He acknowledges before the heavenly host, before the worlds unfallen, and before the fallen world, as His peculiar treasure.
The Lord Jesus has summoned the world to hear. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Let all listen with submissive, reverent attention. He repeats the words given him by the One who said, This is my beloved Son. ... Hear Him. Who is listening to the words which are light and life to all who receive them? Will men and women consider how God regards the creatures He has made? He formed man’s mind. We do not think one noble thought that does not come from Him. He knows all the mysterious workings of the human mind, for did He not make it? God sees that sin has debased and degraded man, but He looks upon him with pity and compassion, for He sees that Satan has him in his power.
The demon of appetite in the intoxicating cup has robbed thousands of their reason. Still the Lord draws, draws, draws. Who will draw with God, seeking to set in operation a restoring power that will obtain the mastery over sin? Those who will not fail nor become discouraged in this work, who will venture to take hold of the wretchedness they see around them, co-operate with their Redeemer. Thus we may show our gratitude to God. Our sympathies are wrought upon by the Holy Spirit. And in the heart of the one who is helped gratitude springs up, and he gathers hope to lay hold upon the hand of Divinity, and to realize that God is seeking to save him from sin and degradation.
The knowledge of God has been lost from a large number of minds, not alone from the minds of those who have debased themselves to the lowest depths, but from the minds of kings, princes, and emperors, from men of high estate the world over. God called one man a fool because of this forgetfulness. This man has been blessed with great treasure, so that he had no place in which to store it. He thought he must be better than the generality of men, or he would not have been thus favored. He consulted his own soul, and did not consult God at all. He did not take the Lord into his heart. The Giver of all his treasure was the last One to be thought of. But he talked with his soul as though it were his God, declaring, “I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry.”
His blessings had received his worship. A love for gain had become all-absorbing, and had obtained the ascendancy over him. His mind was thus brought unto bondage. The poor and needy, the widow and orphan, did not so much as enter his mind. The Lord saw this. He read the heart of the one who has been so greatly favored, and He said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?”
This man is represented as one no longer fit to live in the world, as a fruitless tree which should be cut down. He was not worthy to be recognized among men blessed with life and capable of seeking for immortality and securing eternal life. His separation from God was complete. His life could benefit no one.
Christ recognizes no caste, no nationality. He holds it as His prerogative, divine and incommunicable, to work after His own might and pleasure. The compassionate Redeemer, He labored among all classes. When the paralytic was let down through the roof at His feet, He saw at a glance the trouble of the sufferer, and He immediately exercised His power as a sin-pardoning Saviour. “Be of good cheer,” He said, “thy sins be forgiven thee.” At this, some of the scribes said within themselves. “Why doth this man thus speak, blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
How astonished they were to have their unspoken thoughts opened before them. “Why reason ye these things in your hearts?” Jesus said. “Whether is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.”
Christ changed the relation of the sinner toward God, taking the guilt from the inmost soul. The rich fool died in his bloated wealth; but the helpless sinner was brought to Christ, and manifesting his belief that Christ could heal him, he was not disappointed. His diseased main was first cured, and then the great Physician cured his bodily infirmities.
Thus Christ drew the people to Him. He was unfolding truths of the highest order. The knowledge He came to impart was the gospel in all its richness and power. The Sin-bearer, He is alive to all the horrors which sin brings upon the soul; and He came to this world with a message of deliverance.
What is Christianity? God’s instrumentality for the conversion of the sinner. Jesus will call to account every one who is not brought under His control, who does not demonstrate in his life the influence of the cross of Calvary. Christ should be uplifted by those whom He has redeemed by dying on the cross a death of shame. He who has felt the power of the grace of Christ has a story to tell. He seeks to put in operation methods of work which will diffuse the gospel of Christ. Humanity, drawing its efficiency from the great Source of wisdom, is made the instrumentality, the working agency, through which the gospel exercises its transforming power on mind and heart.
Under the inspiration of the Spirit, the apostle [Peter] represents Christians as those who have purified their souls in obeying the truth. Just in accordance with the faith and love we bring into our work will be the power brought into it. No man can create faith. The Spirit operating upon and enlightening the human mind, creates faith in God. In the Scriptures faith is stated to be the gift of God, powerful unto salvation, enlightening the hearts of those who search for truth as for hidden treasure. The Spirit of God impresses the truth on the heart. The gospel is called the power of God unto salvation, because God alone can make the truth a power which sanctifies the soul. He alone can render the cross of Christ triumphant.
Everything that Satan can devise to divert the mind of man from its accountability to God he will devise. Look at the many amusements and pleasures he has set in operation to keep men from thinking, How is it with my soul? He leads men to wish to forget the law of God. There must be come agency to call this law to their remembrance. The talent of speech was given to convey the truth to the ear. By this talent God designs to impart the knowledge that the soul needs. By His words Christ communicated knowledge of the very highest order, telling men what they must do to be saved.
Every minister is first to receive grace from God, and then to administer grace to his hearers. In the pulpit and out of the pulpit he is to minister. His speech is always to be seasoned with grace, in harmony with sacred truth. Wherever the believer is, he has the Word of God, which contains spiritual life; and it is his duty to learn the way of communicating truth so that it will have a convincing power. Man has an important part to act in the work of saving the souls who are in need of being converted without delay, or Satan will control them as his property.
To every man God has given his work. Every soul has been given his post of duty, his sphere of action. It is for his present and eternal interest to find out his work by inquiring, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Each person forms a link in the chain of responsibility which binds man to his fellow man. In their service men are to be linked with one another and with God. Each man is to act his part in the program of life. Each is to exert an influence for good. All are to work together to make a complete whole.
All our powers are to be used for Christ. This is the debt we each owe to God. In forming a relationship with Christ, the renewed man is but coming back to his appointed relationship with God. He is a representative of Christ, and he is ever to pray and watch unto prayer. His duties lie round him, nigh and afar off. His first duty is to his children and his nearest relatives. Nothing can excuse him from neglecting the inner circle for the larger circle outside.
In the day of final reckoning fathers and mothers will be required to answer in regard to their children. Parents will be asked what they did and said to secure the salvation of the souls they took upon themselves the responsibility of bringing into the world. Did they neglect their lambs, leaving them to the care of strangers? Fathers and mothers, are you allowing your children to grow up in impurity and sin? A great good done for others will not cancel the debt you owe to God to care for your children. The spiritual welfare of your family comes first. Take them with you to the cross of Calvary, laboring for them as those that must give an account.
Parents should seek to gain the co-operation of their children. Thus children can become laborers together with God. Some households have a little church in the home. Mutual love binds heart to heart, and the unity that exists among the members of the family preaches the most effectual sermon that could be preached on practical godliness. As parents faithfully do their duty in the family, restraining, correcting, advising, counselling, guiding, the father as a priest of the household, the mother as a home missionary, they are filling the sphere God would have them fill. By faithfully doing their duty in the home, they are multiplying agencies for doing good outside the home. They are becoming better fitted to labor in the church. By training their little flock discreetly, binding their children to themselves and to God, fathers and mothers become laborers together with God. The cross is erected in their home. The members of the family become members of the royal family above, children of the heavenly King.
The tenderness of Christ is to be brought into the daily life of His followers. His character is to be reproduced in them. The disinterested benevolence shown by Him is to be shown by them. His love for souls should be cultivated by practice. Humble, wrestling prayer will soften the subdue hearts. Christ’s servants can and should be able to meet and overcome every temptation. They should say, “I am not my own; I have been bought with a price. By the infinite sacrifice Christ has made for me, He has put it out of my power to give Him more than He demands. All is His. He has purchased me, body, soul, and spirit. He calls for all my time, all my capabilities.” Thus we may show that we are abiding in Christ and that Christ is abiding in us.
Christ accepts no divided service. His followers are to shine as lights in the world. “Come out of the world, and be ye separate,” is the message which comes sounding down along the line to our time. Love not the world, neither the things of the world. Set your affections on things above, and not on things below. Those who heed this message will find that Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden light.
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.