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Brad Robertson: Posted on Monday, November 19, 2018 4:08 PM
An often quoted verse is 2 Timothy 2:15, which says:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Let’s take a look at this verse in context.
The author is Paul.
The recipient is Timothy.
Timothy was the Pastor/Teacher of the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3).
Paul wrote an earlier letter to Timothy while Timothy was in Ephesus (1 Timothy).
In this letter, Paul explained why he wanted Timothy to remain in Ephesus: “...to command certain men not to teach false doctrines |
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Brad Robertson: Posted on Monday, September 10, 2018 2:09 PM
Imagine a church that emphasizes the truths of grace in their Sunday services and small groups.
Imagine Pastors not taking verses out of context, but teaching verses in context without trying to apply a life-changing principle to it for people to apply to their lives, and in doing so, missing the entire point of the verse, which brings the true life-change.
Imagine staff teams of churches being transformed by grace and desiring to teach grace to their church family without adding conditions and lists for spiritual growth.
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Posted on Monday, August 20, 2018 2:37 PM
There is a false teaching in the church that says if someone commits suicide that God will damn that person to hell.
This belief is taken from 1 Corinthians 3:17, which says:
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
As always, the context of a verse determines its meaning.
So what is the context of 1 Corinthians 3:17?
Paul has been writing about those who come into a church and teach on the foundation he laid...a foundation of the death and resurrection of Jesus, grace, the new covenant. |
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Brad Robertson: Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 8:41 PM
Romans 14 and 15 teach grace believers to limit our liberty with love. But why? In Romans 14-15, liberty is the freedom to make lifestyle choices, since we are not under law but under grace, in areas the Bible remains silent.There were believers in Rome who were publically using their liberty in grace to live in a way that was harmful to others. This wasn’t an immoral lifestyle they were living, but it concerned grey areas as well as matters of the Mosaic Law, specifically days and diets mandated by the Law of Moses that were abolished through the death of Jesus. |
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Brad Robertson: Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 11:16 AM
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” Philippians 4:23 Paul, The Apostle of Grace
Paul could have concluded his letter to the Philippians any way he chose...with any words he chose. Yet he chose to end his letter, as he does most of his letters, emphasizing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Philippian believers experience of grace.
Paul did not choose to close his letter this way because it was a nice way to close the letter. No, he chose to conclude his letter this way because the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ had completely changed his life (1 Corinthians 15:10; 1 Timothy 1:12-17), and his assignment in life was to communicate grace to people (Acts 20:24). |
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Brad Robertson: Posted on Monday, May 22, 2017 6:25 PM
"...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."
Philippians 2:2
Paul, The Apostle of Grace
The Philippian church was established during Paul's second missionary journey (AD 51) when he shared the good news of God's grace with Lydia and her household by the riverside (Acts 16:13-15).
Now, about 10 years later, Paul writes to the church to encourage them to be united as one family as they shine the good news of God's grace into the darkness of Philippi. |
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Brad Robertson: Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2017 2:09 PM
Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Nevertheless, you have done well to share in my affliction. |
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