With an intense interest in the spiritual welfare of the Christians at Philippi, Paul exhorted them to be of the same mind.  There were two women who were very influential in the church at Philippi who apparently were at odds.  He mentions them specifically in Philippians 4:2, “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.” He wrote to all the Christians in Philippi that he desired to hear,
“that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).  He encouraged them to make this desire a reality, saying, “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2).

Now Paul was not saying that each member of the congregation had to be a clone of the others.   There will always be differences in matters of opinion among different individuals.  If there were not these little differences, then we would cease to be individuals.  He was saying that in the important issues, in matters of faith, there should be no division.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).  God’s word settles the issue whatever it may be.  Paul exhorted, “let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing” (Philippian 3:16).  Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord is the uniting truth of Christians.  It means that the Lord’s ways are to be followed rather than our own ways.  To become a Christian one confesses belief in the foundational truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Matthew 16:16; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9-10).  To have faith in this statement means that Jesus calls the shots.

A mature Christian is not about promoting self.  On the priority list, mature Christians will place self-interests below the spiritual needs of others.  They do this because they are imitating Jesus (Philippians 2:5).  Jesus is the epitome of selflessness in that He gave up the glory of heaven to come to earth and die for the sins of the world (Philippians 2:6-8).

Those who are earthly-minded are unable to be like Christ for they are only focused on the here and now.  The enemies of Christ are described this way by Paul, as those, “whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philippians 3:19).  Heaven is far too great to forfeit by pursuing petty rivalries with other children of God.  If our focus is on going to heaven and helping others go there as well, then we will be united with the mind of Christ.

-Mark Day

It is interesting to notice sermons recorded in the Scriptures and go through an exercise of reading them aloud.  While the apostle Paul preached many sermons, the first recorded sermon of his, preserved for us in the Bible is the one delivered in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:13-50).

While certainly Jews were a part of the audience, a number of Gentiles who feared the true God were present as well.  Paul addressed both groups.  Notice he started his sermon with, “Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience” (Acts 13:16).  Also in Acts 13:26 he addresses them again saying, “Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.”

The word of salvation was sent to both Jews and Gentiles.  Paul’s sermon includes several points that were pertinent to understanding this message of salvation.  He detailed the history of the nation of Israel to the time of David of whose seed Jesus Christ came, fulfilling the promise of God (vv. 17-23).  He referenced the preparatory work of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ who attested to His greatness (vv. 24-25).  He demonstrated that the Jews of Jerusalem without knowing it actually fulfilled the prophecies concerning Christ in demanding His death when even the Roman procurator Pilate knew of His innocence (vv. 26-28).  He marshaled the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection from the dead by many eyewitnesses (vv. 29-31).  He showed how this resurrection was a fulfillment of Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3 and Psalm 16:10 (vv. 32-37).  He declared how justification, remission of sins, is found through faith in Jesus Christ and cannot be attained through the law of Moses (vv. 38-39).  He finally (using the language of  Habbakuk 1:5) warned if they refused to believe the message then they would face the punishment of God as described in the prophets (vv. 40-41).

Paul’s sermon informed his audience accurately of history. Christianity is based in actual history.  Sermons today ought to fill in people’s knowledge of what God has done with the accompanying evidence to prove it.  His sermon included lots of scripture both summarized and quoted.  God said, “Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). God’s word is what people really need, not motivational speeches, jokes, or entertaining tidbits.  His sermon made the way of salvation clear: what it is and is not. Sermons today should not be vague about what one must do to be saved.  Finally, his sermon warned of punishment. Future punishment has never been a popular teaching but it is an absolutely essential part of the message of Christ, “Whom we preach, warning every man…” (Colossians 1:28).

Paul’s preaching caused quite a stir.  Nearly the entire city assembled the next Sabbath to hear God’s word (Acts 13:44).  The Jews were filled with jealousy at this turn out and contradicted what Paul said and blasphemed (Acts 13:45).  Paul and Barnabas turned to the ones who would hear it, in this case, the Gentiles (Acts 13:46).  We pray that more preaching today would bear these characteristics and cause this kind of stir!  We pray that more would be ready to hear it!

-Mark Day

In Jeremiah 9:23-24, Jeremiah relays a message from God that applies very well today.

“Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”

The word “glory” means simply “to boast.” Notice there are three things we are told not to boast in and then are told what we are to boast in.

What Not To Glory In, vs. 23. God issues a solemn warning to guide men away from 3 human ambitions that claim to be sources of success: human wisdom, might, and riches.

Do not glory in Wisdom: application of knowledge. What is our wisdom compared to God’s? (1 Corinthians 1:20). Wisdom can be a good thing. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction., Proverbs 1:7. However, wisdom is wrong when we boast in it.

Do not glory in Might: physical strength, i.e. valor, bravery, mighty deeds. It is not wrong to be powerful. David and Abraham were mighty men. Might becomes wrong when we boast in it.  Nebuchadnezzar was a man who boasted in his might (Daniel 4:30); and he was humbled by the God of heaven (Daniel 4:31f).

Do not glory in Riches: material wealth. It is not wrong to be wealthy. Job was wealthy, David was wealthy. Wealth is wrong when we boast in it (Luke 12:16-21) and we are not generous in our giving to the Lord (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Wisdom, might, and wealth are not inherently evil, however, when men boast and glory in them they lead to spiritual death rather than success. We must remember “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall”, Proverbs 16:18.

Things To Glory In, vs. 24. This verse moves from man’s folly to how the wise man may gain God’s favor.

Understanding God. This means to comprehend, to gain insight into. This takes a great deal of work (2 Timothy 2:15), however, we can understand God’s word. (John 8:32).

Knowing God. We can know that we know God (1 John 2:3-5). We know that we know him if we keep his commandments. By keeping his commandments, we can have fellowship with him (1 John 1:7). The things we are to know, God describes Himself:

He exercises loving kindness. Christ shows all the qualities of the Father. Cf. Colossians 2:9; John 14:8-9.

He exercises judgment. What a comfort this is to us. The wicked will not go unpunished and the righteous will not go unrewarded. Cf. Psalm 62:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10.

He exercises righteousness. Righteousness – rectitude, just, upright. This is the principle that underlies God’s rule over His people and His judgments against the wicked. God is righteous and has given man the Gospel, the means by which God makes man righteous. (Romans 1:16-17).

God is asking Judah: “What is really important?” Not wisdom, Not riches, Not might. What is truly important is knowing God. Having a right relationship with God. The Lord says, “for in these things I delight.” Vs. 24.

By example God is asking you (Romans 15:4) “What is really important?” Not wisdom, Not riches, Not might. What is truly important is knowing God. Having a right relationship with God. God had given Judah His message that they might be in a right relationship with Him.

God has given us the Gospel, His message, by which we can have a right relationship with Him. “For in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”

–Jerry D. Sturgill

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:22-23

The inspired apostle Peter disclosed the fact that Christians have purified their souls in obeying the truth (1 Peter 1:22).  This implies that their souls at a previous time were not pure, but at the point of obeying the truth had been purified.

Among the false teachings of the first-century Gnostics who troubled the church, was the concept that sins in the body do not affect the soul.  The truth, however, is that man’s soul is involved in sin and becomes defiled.  When my inward man decides to go against the law of God, then I sin (1 John 3:4).  It is not merely the body that is involved in sin, but the soul as well.  For instance, when a person commits the sin of fornication, it begins in the heart (Matthew 15:19), it involves the body (1 Corinthians 6:15-18), and repentance is required so that the “spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5).  While certainly the body is involved in sins, the soul can sin (Ezekiel 18:20).  That the word “soul” is sometimes used as a synecdoche in the Scriptures to refer to the whole person does not remove the fact that the part of man known as the soul is involved when sin is committed. Consider this question in the book of James: “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” (James 4:5).  Sin defiles the soul.

How, then, did Christians purify their souls which had been defiled by sin?  The answer in 1 Peter 1:22 is, “in obeying the truth through the Spirit.”  Truth must first be known if it is to be of any benefit.  In John 8:32, Jesus said, “and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  This freedom is freedom from the bondage of sin (John 8:34-36).  Jesus later prayed for His disciples to be set apart from the bondage of this sinful world when He petitioned the Father in John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Purification does not come to those who merely acknowledge truth without acting on it; it comes to those who obey the truth.  It is obedience of the truth that is the means of purification.

The Christians to whom Peter wrote obeyed the truth through the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the revealer of God’s truth, who gave the words of truth to the first-century apostles and prophets (John 14:26; 16:13-15); these words of truth are preserved for us in the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:13; 14:37; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).  This is the incorruptible seed, the ever-living word of God, mentioned in the next verse (1 Peter 1:23).  Jesus said in John 6:63, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”  The word of God is living and able to pierce the depths of our souls (Hebrews 4:12).

Will you allow the word of God to enter your heart and move you to obey the truth so that your soul may be purified?

-Mark Day

When one reads the New Testament it is clear that there existed in the first-century church a miraculous spiritual gift that involved the ability to speak in different languages without previous study.  Jesus promised that one of the signs accompanying those who believed in Him would be “they shall speak in new tongues” (Mark 16:17).  This promise came to fruition on the day of Pentecost when the twelve received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4).  The apostles, men of Galilee, spoke in the native languages of those gathered; thus, it is evident that the gift of tongues was not speaking languages altogether unknown to humanity, but simply new and unknown to the speaker (Acts 2:6-8).

The gift of tongues was present at Peter’s preaching to Cornelius’ family and friends as a sign that God opened the door to the Gentiles to receive the Gospel (Acts 10:46).  In Acts 19:6, when the men who had been baptized under John’s baptism learned from Paul that it was no longer valid, they were baptized in the name of the Lord, Paul laid his hands on them, and they spoke with tongues.

The church at Corinth was started by the apostle Paul (Acts 18).  Corinth received miraculous gifts that were the signs of an apostle laying his hands on them (2 Corinthians 12:12).  In fact, they came behind in no spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 1:7).  However, those at Corinth abused their spiritual gifts to the dividing of the church.  For three chapters Paul addresses this abuse of spiritual gifts  (1 Corinthians 12-14).  In 1 Corinthians 12:28, he ranks the importance of the various gifts saying, “first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles….”  The gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues are the last two items on the list.  The gift of tongues was a showy gift that the Corinthians had abused.  Paul sets them straight as to its relative importance and how it should be discharged with an interpreter in 1 Corinthians 14.

The purpose of the miraculous gifts of the first-century church has been fulfilled.  The gift of tongues was one of several listed in the closing verse of Mark as having the purpose of confirming the word (Mark 16:20).  New revelation from God is always accompanied with miraculous signs to show His approval of the message (Hebrews 2:3-4).  When the revelation of the New Testament was complete, the purpose of the miraculous gifts had been fulfilled.  The New Testament predicts the cessation of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, including tongues, saying “…tongues, they shall cease” (1 Corinthians 13:8).

The New Testament is complete, lacking nothing; it is called “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25).  The faith has been delivered once and for all (Jude 3).  We have all we need for life and godliness revealed in the word of God (2 Peter 1:3).  The gift of tongues, as recorded in the New Testament, no longer exists today.  Those today who utter gibberish in ecstatic frenzies of emotional excitement are not displaying the gift of tongues as the New Testament defines it.  It is an error to confuse these dramatic displays going on today in religious meetings with the miraculous ability to speak actual languages recorded in the New Testament.

–Mark Day