Question 1 3 out of 3 points The major theme of this epistle is growing in grace. The basis for Christian growth is the divine power of God, which through the knowledge of God and God’s promises enables believers to share in the divine nature. Selected Answer: 2 Peter Correct Answer: 2 Peter
Feb 19, 2021 · Question 6 3 out of 3 points The major theme of this epistle is growing in grace. The basis for Christian growth is the divine power of God, which through the knowledge of God and God’s promises enables believers to share in the divine nature. Selected Answer: 2 Peter Correct Answer: 2 Peter
May 05, 2020 · Question 1 3 out of 3 points The major theme of this epistle is growing in grace. The basis for Christian growth is the divine power of God, which through the knowledge of God and God’s promises enables believers to share in the divine nature.
Its major theme is assurance of salvation. Selected Answer: 1 John Correct Answer: 1 John Question 9 3 out of 3 points This epistle is the greatest book of apocalyptic literature ever written with its emphasis on the coming of the King.
In his epistles, Paul shed light on a topic often neglected, perverted, and denied by today’s selfish Gospel. Today we are more concerned about what Christ can do for us than what we can do for Him. We seek the blessings, but not the suffering. But the suffering cannot be avoided by a true believer in Christ. Paul and Christ both promised that we will be persecuted. We grow during our persecution. And although suffering is not something that anyone looks forward to, we cannot deny that it is an essential part of the Christian life. For any Christian who has not suffered for the cause of Christ; who has not be persecuted; who has not undergone trials and tribulations for the sake of the Gospel; that Christian must reflect seriously upon His faith. We must be willing to sacrifice everything for the cause of Christ.
For many Christians today, the Gospel is not Christ centered but self centered. One can hardly turn on Christian television without hearing how God promises them this or that; how God guarantees them health and wealth in this life; how life is to be blessing filled. It is sad to see those who follow after Christ for their own sake. It grieves me that so many are turning to Christ as a new way to prosper or as a new method of happiness. This is a very skewed view of the Gospel. At the center of the Gospel message is Christ and Him crucified. In order to be obedient to Him, we are told that suffering, tribulation, and persecution come along with following Him. Paul understood suffering very well. He considered his suffering for Christ an honor and privilege and this is a reoccurring theme throughout his epistles. We can learn much from Paul about what it truly means to follow Christ.
Walk in the Truth. “Truth is a major concern of all three of John’s letters,” Campbell reveals. In 1 John, truth is intricately intertwined with its other themes. For example, “Those who reject the truth are not able to love as God loves, nor are they able to know or love God” (10). 2 and 3 John feature the specific language ...
John is overjoyed when he sees believers walking in obedience to the truth.
Central to belonging to God and being called his children is forgiveness of sins. In fact, one of the reason’s John wrote the first epistle is “so that you will not sin” ( 2:1 ), because the two—fellowship and sin—are incompatible.
Jeremy Bouma (Th.M.) has pastored on Capitol Hill and with the Evangelical Covenant Church in Michigan. He founded THEOKLESIA, which connects the 21st century Church to the vintage Christian faith; holds a Master of Theology in historical theology; and makes the vintage faith relevant at jeremybouma.com . Next Post.
Suffering for Christ’s sake is not a curse but a blessing. Peter sets down a number of reasons why suffering is a blessing in verses 12-18:
Peter began by assuring us of our hope, our confidence in those blessings which will be ours at the second coming of our Lord. At verse 14 Peter begins to speak of our present conduct based upon our future hope (see verse 13). Our life should be characterized by obedience (1:14, 22), holiness (1:14-16), godly fear (1:17-21), and love for the brethren (1:22–2:3). From verse 11 of chapter 2 onward in Peter’s epistle, the emphasis is upon our conduct in a heathen world. This conduct, as always in Scripture, is based upon our calling which Peter defines in verses 4-10 of chapter 2.
In the Gospels, Peter wanted the kingdom of God to come now, and without human suffering. He wanted Jesus to quickly overthrow human government and establish His own. He bristled when Jesus spoke of His imminent suffering and death on the cross of Calvary. In his first epistle, Peter writes about our heavenly hope—the kingdom of God which will come after the suffering of the saints for their faith. He urges the saints to submit to divinely ordained human institutions, even when abused and corrupted by sinful leaders. Suffering is not represented as an exception, but as the rule for true believers.
How amazing to find Peter turning our attention to the sufferings of our Lord on the cross of Calvary! Peter is the one who so adamantly resisted our Lord’s words about His own innocent suffering. And now Peter instructs us to suffer, just as the Savior did. The cross, once so repulsive to Peter, has now become his central focus. Throughout this epistle, Peter keeps coming back to the cross. The cross is not only the basis for our salvation, it is the basis for our spiritual lives and even for our suffering.
Peter’s brother Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:40), who had heard John speak of sin and the need for repentance. He had also heard John announce that the Messiah was soon to appear. Andrew must have shared much with Peter about the ministry and message of John the Baptist. Surely this intensified Peter’s interest and anticipation of Messiah’s coming. Who would not be eager for Messiah to come? Who would not give thought to what His arrival would mean?
It first implies that suffering is only a possibility rather than a certainty. It secondly glosses over Peter’s point that suffering is necessary.
Sometime later, Jesus summoned twelve men to be His disciples. Peter was the first disciple named (Matthew 12:2) . With the other eleven, Peter was given authority over unclean spirits and the power to heal every kind of disease (10:1). Jesus then gave Peter and the others instructions as He sent them out (10:5-15). Immediately after this, Jesus foretold the suffering which would come as a result of identifying with Him:
For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. Obedience to workplace authorities.
James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food , and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. 1 John 3:18-19 Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him.
But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval. 1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called — that you might inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 5:2-3 Tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it — not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. Servant leadership.
2 Peter 3:13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
James 3:16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. Key principle of serving others instead of self. James 1:17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. Key principle of depending on God.
Paul’s epistle to Philemon was his shortest and dealt largely with forgiveness over a single situation. His last epistles, to his companion and mentee Timothy and to Titus, were written around 65-66 A.D., likely from a prison cell.
Most of the epistles were written by the apostle Paul, one of the fundamental leaders of early Christianity. Paul is thought to have written 13 of them, probably dictated to a scribe who would write the words on a scroll.
It’s a distinctive kind of letter, one valued and worthy of honor. Epistles differ from other letters primarily in their purpose. While letters can be about any topic and might be informal or even trite—think letters between friends catching up on life—epistles are instructional in nature. The tone is typically one of teacher to student.
The word “epistle” comes from the Greek word epistolé, which means “letter,” “message,” or “dispatch.”. In Hebrew, the word is iggerah, also meaning “letter” and mainly used for missives—long, official, formal letters, usually from someone in an important capacity. It’s a distinctive kind of letter, one valued and worthy of honor.
Their purpose was to encourage new believers about living in a Christian manner and growing in holiness, as well as to remind them of the coming rapture, for which they should be ready . The other epistles vary in tone and purpose. Galatians exhorts believers to stay on the path of truth and embrace oneness in Jesus.
While the Gospels are helpful and important because they detail the life and death of Jesus Christ, the epistles are just as valuable, for they help us understand what it means to live as a Christian without our savior right in front of us. Jesus himself said much the same: “All this I have spoken while still with you.
Ephesians, written while Paul was in prison, focuses on salvation through God’s grace, as well as the importance of harmony within the Christian community. It offers practical advice on relationships between a husband and wife, parent and child, servant and master, and more.