Love Fulfilled Ministry

Good Workers and Workers of Lawlessness in the New Testament The New Testament presents a sharp but vital contrast between those whom Scripture describes as good workers and those whom Jesus calls workers of lawlessness . While both groups may appear active in religious or moral efforts, the dividing line is not outward performance but relationship to Christ, participation in grace, and transformation by the Spirit . Good works are not the cause of salvation but its fruit, prepared by God and produced through knowing Christ. Lawlessness, on the other hand, often disguises itself in religious activity divorced from true communion with Jesus.  Redemption as the Foundation of Good Works Titus 2:14 establishes the foundation of all true good works: “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.” Here, good works flow from redemption , not from human effort under law. Christ’s self-g...

The New Testament presents self‑denial as an identity reality, not an act of emotional surrender. Jesus and Paul describe discipleship as living from the new identity given by the Spirit rather than the old identity shaped by sin. Identity refers to the unique traits, qualities, beliefs, and experiences that define a person or group, creating a sense of self (personal identity) or distinguishing them within a larger context.  Something supernatural occurs when we believe, we are born of the Spirit. This new birth shifts our identity from being of the flesh and the world to being partakers of God's divine nature and Spirit. Though a new creation spiritually we still live in a body of death and carnality. We do not know as we are known, thus our identity is shaped by transformation, the renewing of the mind, so we walk like the new creation we are inwardly.  The language used in scripture is not surrender, but present your body or members unto righteousness, that in which sin dw...

Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God is discovered through joy, not pressure. In Matthew 13:44, He describes a man who finds a treasure in a field and, from joy, sells everything he has. In the Parable of Sowing we see there is a valuing or reception of the word with joy, Matthew 13:20. This makes sense because what Jesus offers as treasure can not be valued by fleshly means nor standards. For one to follow Jesus, one must value what he has to offer. Becoming a disciple of Jesus begins when he is seen and valued as the greatest treasure. Beholding the Treasure Discipleship begins with revelation. The Spirit opens the eyes of the heart to recognize the worth of Christ. Without this, discipleship becomes obligation and structured. Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13:44 shows that the discovery of Christ’s value is the starting point of spiritual change. We enter the Kingdom of God through Divine initiative. Valuing the Treasure Once Christ is beheld, the light reveals the heart and in believi...

Serving for the Faith, Growth, and Maturity of God’s People Paul opens Titus with a startling self‑designation: “Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” This pairing—slave and apostle—captures the paradox at the heart of biblical leadership. In Scripture, to be God’s slave is not degrading but exalted. It is a title given to Moses, Joshua, and David—those entrusted with God’s purposes and accountable directly to Him. Yet Jesus warns His disciples that leadership must not imitate the nations who “lord it over” others. At first glance, these ideas of servicing and leadership seem contradictory. But when read together, they reveal the heart of biblical greatness:  Leaders are slaves to God so they can be servants to his people. The Old Testament Pattern: Slavery to God as the Foundation of Leadership The Old Testament consistently overturns human assumptions about leadership. God does not choose leaders based on charisma, eloquence, or physical stature. He chooses those...

The apostle John presents one of the most profound ethical and spiritual summons in the New Testament: “Walk in the light, as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). This is not merely a moral exhortation but a theological invitation into the very life of God. To walk in the light is to participate in the character, truth, and fellowship of God Himself.  John later connects this walk with eschatological confidence: “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). The Christian life, therefore, is not simply about believing certain truths, or living to written code or principles but embodying the life of Christ in the present age. The believer’s assurance before God’s final judgment is grounded not in presumption but in conformation—living in the light just as Jesus lived,  living in the light is a part of being perfected or matured in Christ. 1. The Meaning of “Walking in th...

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). With this beatitude, Jesus identifies a defining mark of God’s true children: peace. But looking closely at scriptures we see peace is to those who participate in His work of reconciliation. To understand what it means to be a peacemaker, we must first understand the nature of the peace being offered.  The Nature of Biblical Peace Biblical peace— shalom in Hebrew and eirēnē in Greek—refers not merely to the absence of conflict but to wholeness, restoration, and right relationship with God. This peace is not self-generated; it is revealed and embodied in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace foretold by the prophet Isaiah: “For to us a child is born… and he will be called… Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). At His birth, the angels announced that this long-awaited peace had finally arrived: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). This p...

Few verses capture the meaning of Christmas powerfully as Luke 2. In Luke 2:14, the angels proclaim: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” This single sentence, sung over a field of startled shepherds, functions as heaven’s own interpretation of the birth of Christ. It is not merely a poetic flourish; it is the theological center of the nativity story. When we read Luke 2:14 alongside the surrounding prophecies—especially Luke 2:10–11 and Luke 2:30–32—the full picture becomes unmistakably clear. Everything Christmas celebrates — incarnation, salvation, divine initiative, agape love and hope — flows from the meaning compressed into these verses. 1. Heaven Interprets the Incarnation The Christmas narrative gives us human perspectives but Luke 2:14 also gives us heaven’s commentary. The angels begin with the upward focus: “Glory to God in the highest.” Before Christmas is about human blessing, it is about divine revelation. God is unv...