Category: Scripture Notes
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Sound doctrine
I love this declaration of faith: Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Timothy 1:12 This is also wise: But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender…
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Chief of sinners
Paul readily admits his singular past but the peace of his soul is evident as he had been forgiven for the transfers of his younger self. He doesn’t take those sins lightly but he doesn’t carry an ongoing burden because he knows that he had become a new person since that vision of Christ.
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Where your treasure is
How do we show where our treasure truly lies? It is in the choices we make in how to spend our time and resources.
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Old things become new
When Christ breathes new life into the life laws with His “but I say unto you…” the law take on a more perfect form, one that promises increased peace and tolerance by having people focus more on their personal response and less on the actions of those who are talking from them (justly or unjustly).
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A familiar voice
I wonder if the people recognized the voice they heard at the temple, even subconsciously, before they were able to understand it. I imagine that it must have been the same it very similar to what they had heard in the darkness during the days of destruction.
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Three long days
I never realized before the the rumblings and groanings of the earth—probably aftershocks and settling of material—continued throughout the three days of darkness. I imagine that the messages of invitation and explanation from Christ were repeated multiple times during that period. The people were not simply sitting in darkness waiting for time to pass, they…
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Another impression
After the shock and indelible impression left by incomprehensible destruction the people were treated to another shock in hearing the voice of Christ explaining what had been done and why as well as inviting them to receive healing from Him. I don’t know that the second shock would compensate for the first but it would…
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The great tempest
I think of the massively traumatic public events of my life (9/11 and the pandemic shutdown being the biggest) and I realized that this great tempest at the death of Christ was more impactful than both of those put together. The people just have known immediately that their whole world had changed and they probably…
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A simple message
Paul has a simple message this second time around—keep up the good work and don’t forget that there will be a falling away before the second coming because if you forget that you will be received by those who claim to be Christ come again.
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Be patient toward all men
This admonition of Paul is a good guidepost. We are not to be patient to those who love us or to the brethren of the church only—we are to be patient with all men.