Status Updates From The Resurrected Jesus: The ...

It’s really good

Read about Ephesians 3. Paul starts to continue his discussion about the mystery of salvation to Gentiles as it was to Jews, when he breaks off to state that it was because of his zeal to preach Christ that he was imprisoned. He returns to his previous thought by showing that Christians must not only learn about God's grace, but apply it to their lives as often as possible.

Read up to Ephesians 3. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8 and 9 that our forgiveness of sins is wholy due to God's Grace. Once we are Saved, we are given the great ability to do good works. These works do not save us... they are a proof that we are already Saved. Also, read that first God walked among humans, then He lived among them, and now He lives in every believer.

Read about Ephesians 1. Paul writes to the Ephesians to instill hope that their belief in Christ is what makes them special. When we become believers, Christ's holiness is transferred to us by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit also serves as a guarantor of our salvation.

Finished Chapter 2. Read about Paul's letter to Philemon. Paul's intercession on behalf of Onesimus shows that unity in Christ supercedes all other human institutions. Philemon is encouraged to treat Onesimus no longer as a slave, but as a fellow brother in Christ. Even though Paul is silent on this point, he no doubt wanted Philemon to release Onesimus from bondage.

Finished Chapter 1. Read about how Christ emptied Himself of His divinity during His Incarnation to better connect with mankind. Also read about God ordained relationships. Just because the Bible says that a woman should submit to her husband doesn't mean that she should not be viewed as his equal. Also, just because there are instructions for slave behavior doesn't mean that the practice was condoned.

Read up to Colossians 3. Read that Christians are under Grace and not strictly adhered by the law. However, that does not mean that we have a license to sin, but an eagerness to do the right thing. There's a difference between doing/not doing something because the law said so to doing/not doing something because you want to do the right thing and please God.

Finished the Inroduction and up to chapter 2 of Colossians.

This book gives such depth to the context of New Testament writing. Currently I am reading about the complex relationship addressed in Philemon between a owner and a slave who are both saved and the Holy Spirit is guiding them through Paul’s letter! So far liking this book!