Good morning. Continuing
with the thought of a light: nor do men light a lamp, and put it under a
basket, but on the lamp stand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.
God did not “light” us, and then hide us. We are not secret agents. We are to –
let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. We are to lead people to
Christ by our actions. The people of the world are watching us. A part of each
person in the world wants us to succeed. They want to believe that Christianity
really works – and will work for them. A part also wants us to fail. They want
to say “see it doesn't work” so that they won't feel badly about the way they
act. Our light reveals the darkness that is in them, and they try to hide from
it. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law or the prophets – He came to fulfill
them. Until heaven and earth pass away, not even the smallest part shall pass
away from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the
least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in
the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called
great in the kingdom of heaven. If that is true about the commandments of the
Law, how much more will it be true about the beliefs of Christianity in the New
Testament? Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and
Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. They were very legalistic
and tried to obtain righteousness through their own actions. Righteousness of
God is a gift – it is not earned by our actions. Father thank You that the
reader lets his/her light shine before men that they may see his/her good works
and glorify You, Father! He/she is called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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