Love Fulfilled Ministry

to equip the saints for work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ , until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we are no longer children . .. * Gifts are given to the Church for the work of ministry which is to build up or grow up children. This word for  build up  also means to structure and to strengthen. Think of building a structure, first you lay a strong foundation, then the whole structure or body, each individual part, each board, is fit together, framed together, joined together, according to the active strength of each individual part, constructing, building itself up. It is the picture Paul gives us, in order to help us understand how to build up or strengthen the Church, the body of Christ. You begin with one frame, strengthening the frame by each individual part, then this has the strength to build up others, connectin...

who ho   gave didōmi   himself heautou   for hyper   · ho   our hēmeis   sins hamartia   in   order   to hopōs   rescue exaireō   us hēmeis   from ek   this ho   present enistēmi   evil ponēros   age aiōn ,   · ho   according kata   to   the ho will thelēma   of ho   our hēmeis   God theos   and kai   Father patēr ,  *   This word for rescue means to gouge, take out, tear out; to rescue, set free; to take out of, select, choose, to rescue, to deliver.  A rescuer is a person who rescues one from harm or danger.  Jesus gave himself for us, it is by His deeds we are rescued from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  Jesus rescues, through we can't earn it and do not deserve it, the long arm of the Lord reaches deep. He rescues and continues  to rescue those in need. Knowing how you were ransomed , fro...

Knowing this, since our old self was crucified with Christ, so that the body of sin is powerless, that we no longer are enslaved to sin . * The word for knowing means "to know, come to know, recognize, understand" and speaks of personal experience. I believe this personal experience is the testimony of water, and in this, we see the importance of the teachings of baptism. How does one die to sin? First, you take away the power of sin. We were crucified with Christ so that the body of sin is powerless. This is a reason Christ came to destroy the works of the devil. *  And we know it is by His works we have been saved. So how are the works of the devil destroyed? Christ condemned not the man, but sin in the flesh, taking away its power. How is sin rendered powerless? How are we no longer enslaved to sin? is it because we died? a seed must die before it bears fruit. So how does one die? or asked another way, how does one become a living sacr...

I invite you to come then brethren, through the compassion of God, presenting that your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, this is your reasonable service . *   There are so many "good things" that we could be doing, so many sacrifices that we can make as if to God, but none is as important to God as this, of becoming a living sacrifice. It is as Paul writes our reasonable service or worship, it is our purpose. So this reasonable service is the purpose of the Church so that it becomes like Jesus in maturity, holy, pure, being built up into the full measure of the stature of Christ. Thus the Church is "Christ-like" and can truly be called Christianity. Without such a reflection of Christ, no matter how much it presents a sacrifice of other "good things" the Church is not fulfilling its purpose, its reasonable service. I invite you to come then brethren... This word for invite means to call for, invite to come, send for; to ca...

I say to you, in the same way exists rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine righteous who have no need of repentance . * What is repentance? In context of this scripture the Pharisees were grumbling about Jesus who was hanging out with tax collectors and sinners, the unclean. So Jesus perceiving, spoke this parable in their presence, in which the shepherd leaves the ninety nine to look for the one lost, and that there is  joy in heaven over this one who was lost but now is found. Earlier, Luke writes Jesus said he did not come to invite the righteous but sinners to repentance. *  We see in this verse that the ninety nine had no need of repentance, this word for  need  means "a necessity, a requisite." So we can say the sinner repenting has found a need for repentance. And because they have a need they are coming to Jesus, considering his words. So we can define a sinner repenting, as one who finds themselves in need of a savior. ...