Philemon 1:1

Philemon 1:1 says, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,  Paul identified himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ, which could be viewed two ways.  He was spiritually imprisoned or totally controlled by his faith in Jesus Christ, and he was also physically imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ.  We as followers of Christ should always be spiritually imprisoned to Him by our faith even if we are never physically imprisoned for our faith in Him.  He also said that this letter was from Timothy as well, so I don’t know if Timothy had come to see Paul or if maybe he too was imprisoned for his faith by then.  He said the letter was to Philemon, who he identified as a fellow laborer.  As Christians, we should all be fellow laborers with all other Christians.  Paul didn’t say that Timothy and he were above Philemon, but that they were all equal by their faith in Jesus Christ, and so are all Christians today.  

Verse two adds, And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:  Paul then identified two other people that he was addressing and called them fellow soldiers.  As followers of Christ, we are spiritually at war with the world today, and we need to be spiritually equipped to fight the good fight of faith, as Paul had said earlier that he had done.  He also stated that a church was at Philemon’s house and greeted the members of it as well.  The early church did not have buildings set aside for the worship of God, but met in the homes of fellow believers, often at great danger to themselves.  In some parts of the world, this is still true today.  We have it so much easier here in America but often act as though we are somehow better than these suffering and struggling Christians in other parts of the world.   

Verse three continues, Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul asked that the grace and peace of God be on these fellow believers, just as we should today.  Since we are redeemed and secured by God’s grace, we should be at peace no matter what is happening in our lives, even if we are imprisoned or even killed by our faith.  

Verse four states, I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,  Paul said he always thanked God for them and made mention of them in his prayers.  This should be what we as Christians do for our fellow believers today.  

Verse five adds, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;  Paul said he had heard of their love and faith, which they had toward God and all other Christians.  We cannot be divided in our faith in Jesus Christ as His followers, but must love not only Him, but all of our fellow Christians.  We could say that we are to have a love for all people because of our faith, but here Paul only mentioned his fellow Christians.  I personally don’t believe that we can be a faithful follower of Christ and not have a spiritual love for all people, no matter how bad we may view them to be, since Jesus Christ died for them just as He did for us.  

Verse six continues, That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.  Paul said he prayed for them so that their faith would become factual to the world by acknowledging every good thing that they did for Christ.  All that we do today as Christians should be done to show the world that we are faithful to God though our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Titus Review

 Titus Review 

Titus was written by Paul to Titus and Paul once again stated his calling, just as we as followers of Christ should always make the things we say be based on God’s calling to us.  

Paul said that God’s plan for salvation existed even before man sinned.  This did not mean that He knew they would sin but that He knew they could.  God had His salvation plan in effect for every individual today, even before we were born and before we sinned.

Paul said he didn’t serve God for earthly rewards but for the promise of everlasting life with God in His kingdom.  Though some preachers may teach us that we should receive earthly rewards as Christians, this is not what God’s word teaches us.  We serve God for his glory and not ours.

Paul said God manifested or made known His truth through the preachers who preached His word, and he then once more gave the requirements for being a preacher, some being things they shouldn’t do and some being things they should do.  Of course, the first requirement is always that a person be called of God, and preachers are not the only ones who proclaim God’s word.  Every Christian should proclaim God’s word to lost people and follow His calling to them.

Paul warned Titus and every Christian that they should not listen to vain fables and old wife's tales, or things that people of the world proclaim to be the truth but don’t come from God’s truth.

Paul warned Titus about false prophets, and we have many of those today.  We need to know God’s word so that we can discern when someone teaches something that goes against His word.

I am sure there is much more that we can learn from Titius, but these are a few.  We will look at Philemon next. 

Titus 2:11

Titus 2:11 says, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Paul said that God’s grace that brought people salvation had appeared to all people.  God doesn’t just bring certain people salvation, but by His grace He brings it to all, if they accept it. No one will ever be able to say that God didn’t reveal Himself to them whether or not they ever hear the gospel preached, otherwise He does not offer His gracious gift of salvation to all people.  If they acknowledge that God is God if they haven't heard the gospel, then they acknowledge that He is the only One Who can grant salvation to mankind.  

Verse twelve adds, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Paul said that we as Christians should teach people to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously, and Godly in the present world.  This is still the challenge for Christians today.  There is plenty of ungodliness in the world today, and we as followers of Christ may often be tempted to allow it into our lives, but if we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we never will.  The world plays on worldly lusts to lead us away from God, but we should never give in to them.  Instead, we should live soberly, righteously, and Godly lives in this present evil world.  

Verse thirteen continues, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Paul said as we live our lives for God in this present world that we are to be looking for that blessed hope which will come when Jesus Christ returns in glory.  

Veres fourteen states, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  Paul said that Jesus Christ gave Himself for the sins of all people to redeem people spiritually and purify them if they accept His gift of salvation.  Once people accept salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, they should become a peculiar people in the view of non-Christians.  We should be zealous of doing good works for God and not personal wealth, which is not what the world teaches.  

Verse fifteen adds, These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.  Paul said Titus was to speak the truth of God and exhort people to accept it and to rebuke all who teach anything else. This is still God’s expectation for all Christians today.

Titus 2:7

Titus 2:7 says, In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,  Paul told Titus that he was to be a good example for others in all that he did so that God might be glorified by his works.  This did not mean that he would be saved by his works, but that his works would show that he was saved.  Paul also said that Titus was to have his doctrine show uncorruptness, gravity, and sincerity.  If this weren't true, then his works would never be good examples for others.  We must always be uncorrupted in our doctrine of God. 

Verse eight adds, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.  Paul then told Titus that he was to be sound in what he said so that what he said could not be condemned.  He also said that those who proclaimed something other than God's truth should then be ashamed and have nothing evil to say about Titus.  Our speech should never be anything that does not point others to Jesus Christ and bring glory to God. 

Verse nine continues, Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;  Paul told Titus to exhort servants to be obedient to their masters and to please them in all things.  I believe this would have excluded anything that went against God's word and would only apply to things that don't.  As followers of Christ, we should be obedient to our employers as long as what they require us to do does not contradict God's word. 

Verse ten concludes, Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.   God said Titus was not to purloin, or steal, but was to show good fidelity, or faithfulness to those in power over him.  Once more, I believe this would exclude being faithful to his employer if doing so contradicts God's word.  By doing this, the servants would adorn, or display, the doctrine of God in all things.  For this same reason, we should do our best when we are at work.  We need to always point others to Christ in the way we work for others.