By
Shelby G. Floyd
The book of 1 John was written about 85-90 A. D., at a time when false teachers were denying that Christ was divine and also that he had a fleshly body. John refutes both of these false ideas. There are some today who are still teaching these same false doctrines. Continue reading “CHRIST, THE ETERNAL WORD”
By
Shelby G. Floyd
The apostle Paul was arrested at Jerusalem and he was sent by the governing authorities on a dangerous sea voyage to Rome. The author of the Acts said,
“When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him” (Acts 28: 16).
What was going on during Paul’s two years of imprisonment in Rome? “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28: 30-31). Basically, Paul was preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ to a captive audience.
A LETTER FROM PRISON
Paul wrote Philippians from his prison cell. From a strictly worldly viewpoint, being in prison for no crime seemed to be a bad thing. When Christ is our life, God can take a bad thing and make it a good thing, and can even make it a God thing. Paul had a positive spirit. Because of the prayers of the Philippians for him and the power of the Spirit of Christ that was within him, he believed, “What has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance” (Philippians 1:19).
DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF CHRIST
Paul confessed that he eagerly expected, and hoped that he would not be ashamed of Christ and the gospel of Christ. He intended to be bold and courageous in exalting and magnifying Christ, whether it was by life or death (Philippians 1:20). He declared, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is again” (Philippians 1:21). If Christ is not our life, we are not ready to die. Paul had already died to sin and now Christ was living in him. To the Galatians he said,
“I have been crucified with Christ and 1 no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Let all who have been baptized into Christ rise to walk a new life of joy, and focus on living for Christ.
Copyright © 2017 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved
Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
By
Shelby G. Floyd
CHRIST IS A LIVING STONE
The apostle Peter graphically describes the great spiritual house that God is building (1 Peter 2:4-8). Christ is pictured as a Living Stone in God’s spiritual building: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious…Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:4, 6).
THE CHURCH IS THE SPIRITUAL BUILDING
The church of Christ is that spiritual building or house Jesus promised to build about 32 A D. (Mark 9:1; I Timothy 3:15). Reference to the scripture that Peter quotes is found in Isaiah 28:16, “…Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily” (NKJV). But according to Isaiah both houses of Israel stumbled because of unbelief and rejected the rock of offence who was their spiritual sanctuary (Isaiah 8:14). The church Jesus built on his deity (Matthew 16:13-19) is now God’s temple in which his people worship (I Corinthians 3:16-17). Continue reading “THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE”