For a pattern to them which should hereafter believe

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

A pattern, an example, something to look at and follow, yes? Paul, the chief of sinners, Paul the murderer of Christ's followers. Is it safe to say do you think that Paul was right there when all the accusations against Jesus, Himself, were taking place? He was high ranking among the Pharisees, right?

Act 23:6  But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

He was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee.

This is what Jesus had to say about the Pharisee.

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Pharisee were men who exalted themselves, and unjustified in their prayers. While they prayed thanking God that they weren't like others- they were just as bad in their self-righteousness.

Luk 11:39  And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Luk 11:40  Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Luk 11:42  But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 11:43  Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luk 11:44  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

Inwardly they were full of ravening and wickedness, they were fools. They tithed all their possessions but passed over judgment and LOVE of God. They loved their self importance, and they were hypocrites for such a departure from the true Love of God.

Jesus had nothing good to say about Pharisees and yet PAUL was a Pharisee and a son of a Pharisee.

Joh 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Joh 11:48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
Joh 11:49  And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Joh 11:50  Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
Joh 11:51  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
Joh 11:52  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Joh 11:53  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

The Pharisee counseled together  to put Jesus to death!

Mat 27:62  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Mat 27:63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

They called Jesus a deceiver, they wanted his sepulchre guarded against those that would steal Jesus' body and pretend He'd risen from the dead.

The Pharisee- of whom Paul was one and a zealous one. He was a murderer because he consented unto the death of Stephen, a devout disciple of the Lord.

Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Act 8:2  And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Act 8:3  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Act 9:10  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
Act 9:11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Act 9:12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Act 9:13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Act 9:19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
Act 9:20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Act 9:21  But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Act 9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
Act 9:23  And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Act 9:24  But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Act 9:25  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Act 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

Amazing! This persecutor of Christ's followers, this despiser of all things to do with Jesus Christ was FORGIVEN, this CHIEF of sinners was forgiven!  And he is an EXAMPLE to us, a pattern to all of us! We too can be forgiven though we are chief among sinners!

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

We cannot forget this, we can't!

Unfortunately, many will say that sure, if they had the experience Paul had- seeing the vision of Jesus, hearing Him, becoming blind, receiving his sight again, etc, then they too would believe, but we must live by FAITH and trust in the WORD of God given to us through the HOLY SPIRIT. The Word tells us that Paul's life is a pattern for us. We can trust in this pattern and know that our God wants us to repent and be converted, and be baptized unto Him, just as Paul was.

We are a long, long way from the time of the Apostles, yet we miraculously have the Word of God preserved throughout time for us to study, to learn from. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all understanding as we need it and we must belief this, we must have faith in our Savior.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We can come unto the LORD, He says--

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was lifted up from the earth and HE draws ALL men unto Him!  Our God, our FATHER in heaven would have all of us believe in His Son who revealed His love in the greatest sacrifice of all- giving His innocent life for our sinfilled ones.

Yes, we can all probably agree we feel as if we are - like Paul - the chief of sinners. If Paul, chief of sinners could be drawn unto Christ, we too can be drawn unto Him. We too can be forgiven much all by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD!

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS-

Of whom I am chief.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Rom 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

All have sinned.
All come short of the glory of God.

Remember this…

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Become as little children.

Little children hold a certain innocence in their humble existence.

They aren't aware of doing good and doing evil, we grow into that awareness.

Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Sin is the transgression of the moral law of God.

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law

Even those who grow up without knowledge of God and the Bible, without knowledge of His ten moral laws, understand that there are  unspoken truths.  They understand there are good things and bad things they can do. As they grow up they learn from those around them the things that are acceptable and those things that are not acceptable. They also learn that there are consequences for the choices they make to do the unacceptable things.

That knowledge, that learning right from wrong, is something that takes place as they age, they aren't born with the knowledge.  We have to know there is a wrong and commit that wrong knowingly to do wrong.

I could grow up picking all the flowers around my house and never be told picking flowers is wrong because it isn't wrong in and of itself. Then I could go to a relative's house and begin to pick all their flowers and I'd get scolded. Was I wrong? No, not unless I was told that it is wrong to pick other peoples flowers. In my unknowing I was innocent of the wrong, as children are innocent until they learn right from wrong.  From the moment that knowledge is theirs and they choose to do wrong knowingly they become guilty of that wrong.

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS.

And except we are converted- believing in our Savior's ability to save us, to forgive us and offer us salvation, repenting of our sins- and become as little children humble, trusting in our Savior, sinless knowing we are completely forgiven and our Savior's righteousness saves us- then we won't be saved.

Jesus did not come into the world to save the faithless.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

He came to OFFER salvation to sinners.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

He came to offer the new birth- the spirit birth to sinners.

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Salvation!

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners!

This is the purpose of Christ Jesus' appearance in our world. 

Christ Jesus would NOT have come into the world other than to save sinners.

The chief of sinners can be saved by Christ Jesus.

The tendency to think we are too awful to save is Satan inspired. 

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus was first a murderer of Christ's followers. He went from being instrumental in the misery and murder of Christ's followers to being forgiven by Christ and used of Him mightily.

Christ Jesus came into our world to SAVE SINNERS.

If we ever get to a place where we are being silently encouraged to believe we are just too sinful, too awful, too bad to be saved, let us fall to our knees before our God and beg for forgiveness knowing that Christ came into the world to SAVE SINNERS, to SAVE US!  He came for that purpose.

Yes, we are sinners- but we can either be saved and covered under the sinlessness of Christ, or we can remain sinners- our choice.

We choose.

Praise God for HIS amazing love!
Our God, our Creator, chose to take on flesh in order to save us sinners, estranged from Him.

LOVE.

He gave up so much, suffered so much, all to save us.

All glory, all honor, all praise to HIM, always!

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

AMEN!

The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love

1Ti 1:11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

A blasphemer- one who speaks out against God.
A persecutor- one who harms others without regard to the love of God we are to have towards one another.
Injurious- one who is dangerous.

And this man obtained MERCY because He did NOT know the real love of God. He didn't have a heart conviction towards the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

It was the grace of our LORD- the grace that is EXCEEDING and ABUNDANT with FAITH and LOVE which is all found in JESUS CHRIST!

We cannot ignore this because we too often find ourselves ignorant of the great love of God. We get all confused and imagine the love of God means having things go easy in our lives. This ignorance coupled with our natural inclination towards flesh lusts can cause great confusion.

The love of our SAVIOR is all we truly need, but we bewail and moan our lives of hardship believing we need so much more when the truth is we need less of the things we are longing for and more of the love of our SAVIOR. 

We commit a lot of sin ignorantly and have obtained mercy for those sins. When we realize our sin and continue in sin we need to repent, to truly repent and forsake the sin, not indulge it. All through the GRACE of our God, our LORD, our SAVIOR!

God will reveal His love to us through His Son, but we have to be willing to believe in His love, to have faith in His love.

Our lives as Christ followers will NOT be easy, we aren't promised ease, we aren't promised problem free lives. We are NOT even promised semi-easy lives. Our lives could be filled with misery of the likes we don't want to imagine and Christ will still be LOVE and we can still find LOVE in Him, outside of ourselves and our existence.

God isn't punishing us when things go wrong, not even when they go horrifically wrong, it's not our punishment.  The love of God works in ways we can scarcely comprehend. We are called to have FAITH in the love of God, faith without wavering.

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering- for he is faithful that promised

No where are we promised ease and we HAVE to remember this!  When things are at their absolute worst we have to remember we aren't promised an easy life, and it's not God removing His love when things go wrong. God never stopped loving Job all the while Job suffered, so why do we believe He is punishing us and not loving us when we suffer?  This is something Satan wants of us, to believe God is inherent bad and unfair.  The moment we believe God is unfair we are treading on Satan's ground and it's a ground that will open up and swallow us whole if we let it.

By the grace of God may we NOT let that happen.


All in HIS LOVE!

Some having swerved... from love out of a pure heart

1Ti 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Swerving from--

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

Swerving from--

Love.

Swerving from love-- some have turned aside unto vain jangling. They want to hear themselves speak. Their vanity forces them to speak words that are not edifying, not loving from a pure heart. This means they can speak as if they do love, but it's not real, it's not from a good conscience, it's not from faith unfeigned.

These people-
1Ti 1:7  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

They desire  to teach the law- but they aren't teaching it from the love of God as it was given.

1Ti 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully

The law does what? It reveals sin.  Without the law there is no sin, right?

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

If you are committing no sin, you are not transgressing any law and if you are not transgressing the law you are not using it, are you?  The LAW was made for the lawless.

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.

That sure does describe the lawless, doesn't it?

People who desire to teach the law must know what is at the heart of the law.  Love.

Some may only see the letter of the law without any love at all.  Many use it without love.  In fact it is probably safe to say that many teachers, preachers, students, hearers, of the law would say love has NO place in the law, because love is emotion and you have to be impartial, not swayed by emotion but the law. Do you see the conundrum?  They've strip the law of love.  They've stripped God's law, and man's law of all love, preferring to hear themselves speak, to judge on their own without any thought of God.

Love is EVERYTHING, but GOD is LOVE.

Caring for everyone, caring for them in a way that goes well beyond the superficial. Caring for them in the way our Savior cared.

He knew the laws of God, He was part of those laws, His hand was in those laws of love. He knew why He wrote them - the moral laws that will never be forsaken, and yet He forgave the adulteress and told those around her who didn't want to forgive but wanted her blood to be spilled as their law outlined- he told them to only kill her if they had no sin.  Did that do away with the law?! NO! It brought the LAW to life! The LOVE was reintroduced to the law. The men were forced to acknowledge their own sins worthy of stoning, worthy of death and yet they lived in no danger of being called to task for their own sins. They realized that while they were in no danger from each other, God knew their hearts and all their sins, they couldn't hide their sins from Him. They could NOT kill that adulteress without admitting they desired to be killed themselves.

Does this mean sins shouldn't be punished when they are found out? No. But it means compassion should be the rule, not the exception to the rule.

They judges that sit upon the benches all across America they have their own sins, and occasionally they are found out. The juries, the lawyers, everyone has their own sins they have to answer for, sins they need to repent of if they seek the forgiveness of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Do they need to prosecute those that commit the blatant sins? Yes, it is a necessity, but they can do it from a place of love if they have God in their hearts.  All too often they forsake God rather than love Him, and those they are prosecuting are judged without any love at all whatsoever.

This world is messed up we know that and it's not fixable, not this world. We live for the world to come, not this one.

As we go through our lives maybe not judges, or lawyers, or anything at all to do with our civil law, we do go through our lives needing to be in obedience to the moral law of God. We need to live righteously through CHRIST, and we need to LOVE others in that LOVE of Christ's, not our faulty, sinfilled, love, but HIS sinLESS love!

All by HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY, HIS LOVE!

Love

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

The end of the commandment-  the summary of the commandment - is LOVE.
Love out of a pure heart.
Love out of a good conscience.
Love out of faith unfeigned.

LOVE.

Love is God.

1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God is love.

God created us, not to pain, not to torture, not to agony, not to hopelessness, not to despair, not to hatred, not to sadness, God created us with LOVE in mind, not evil.

God created us with the ability to love, with the ability to choose.

We know a little bit of what this means, don't we? We make the choice to love others don't we? Some call it falling in love but the truth is, we make the choice to love others. We are choosing to get to know that person, we aren't forced to get to know them. The fact of the matter is we CHOOSE love, it's not an accident that just happens to us. We even choose to love our own family, it's not automatic. Some people might think it is automatic but it isn't. We choose to love. Society tells us we have an obligation to our family and we do often feel that obligation, but mostly I believe we choose to love our family because we live with their daily caring for us and showing us that caring in the things they do for us- even if it's just a kind word, or a listening ear, they care for us and we love them, and we care for them and they love us. We grow up with our family and that familiarity means a lot as well- they know us, they have shared memories with us that others will never have.

Love. People say it can't be defined but I say it is a choice to care and in choosing to care we reveal that caring in our actions.

God gave us that choice when He created us, the choice to care, the choice to obey- yes, to obey, to believe in the love offered to us, the caring offered to us by God. 

Eve doubted God's love.

People might not believe that but it's true. Satan put that thought into her mind- he was instrumental in her downfall. Satan put doubt about God into Eve's mind, and Eve made the choice to listen and believe in that doubt. That doubt called into question God's love of Adam and Eve, because Satan was telling Eve that God wasn't giving them all He could give them, that He was withholding that ONE tree from them because it was special and would make them special too.  The doubt of God's love was planted and that seed grew quickly because Eve allowed it to grow. She had the ability to make a choice, it was hers to make, no one could make it for her. She was given that choice because that is part and parcel of love, a choice, not force. 

You can live with someone and not love them. You can't be forced to love them. You can love those who never want to be with you or love you back, because you are making that choice to love them. 

Love is a choice to believe in someone, to hope they'll return that love and care for you and allow you to care for them.

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

The end of the commandment-  the summary of the commandment - is LOVE.
Love out of a pure heart.
Love out of a good conscience.
Love out of faith unfeigned.

We are commanded to love- to choose to care for others.

Care for others out of a pure heart- not one that desires selfish gain from giving that love.
Care for others out of a good conscience- not because you feel guilt, or obligation, or again not because you desire something in return selfishly.
Care for others out of faith without any pretense.

God is love.
God is caring.

Some may doubt this but it's true. God did NOT turn from us, we turned from God. The good news it we still have the opportunity to turn BACK to God, our Savior made it possible for us to do that, to turn back to God- to accept His caring, His love for us. We can choose to obey God knowing that even if we do NOT comprehend, we can trust Him, this is faith. We believe in God's love though Satan will do all he can to make us believe only that God hates us, deprives us, keeps good from us. Satan twists it all around and he'll never stop, only grow more and more active the closer it is to our Savior's return.

Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Please LORD, help us to LOVE from a pure heart- the heart only YOU can give us. Please LORD, help us to love out of a good conscience as ONLY the HOLY SPIRIT can give us, please LORD, help us to have FAITH UNFEIGNED, the real faith that we can have ONLY THROUGH YOU and YOUR LOVE!

Godly edifying which is in faith

1Ti 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
1Ti 1:2  Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
1Ti 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Teach no other doctrine.
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies.

We all know how quickly the truth can be altered, all it takes is a few misplaced words, a few different ideas.  We've all played the game before, or most of us have- where you write down a little story and then whisper it into someone's ear, they in turn whisper it into another's ear and so on until the whole room has heard the little story. Then the last person reveals the story out loud then they compare it to the story written down only to realize they are only slightly similar!  How is it that the story became so convoluted? People embellish, people hear things differently and then relate it the way they interpret it and it suddenly it's all changed.  That's one way a story can change over time unless it is written down, and another is people like the idea of proving upon another person's original concepts- making them their own.

Being told to teach no other doctrine, these new followers of Christ were being warned that there were OTHER doctrines out there being taught.  A whole new world of ideas were suddenly being noised about all of them based off the truth, but far enough from the truth to distort things and people ended up believing a lie rather than the truth. When you believe a lie no matter how good it sounds it is deadly. Teaching NO OTHER DOCTRINE.  We aren't to change things to suit our own ideas, we aren't to embellish even a bit, we aren't to alter God's Word, God's TRUTH!

And, we aren't to listen to FABLES.

So many call the gospel a fable, so many call God's word- the Bible- a fable. Very few people back in the time of the Apostles call the scriptures fables, but they had a lot of new stories running about after the ministry of Christ, after His death and resurrection, after all the miracles, tons of fables- easy to believe if you don't want to hold fast to the truth. 

We aren't to listen to endless genealogies-  ENDLESS genealogies- genealogy while having its place isn't what the gospel of our Lord and Savior is all about. We all know about people bragging on their important relatives, and that saying, it is all about WHO you know, but the truth is that it isn't about any other people. It's not about relatives, it's not about friends, it's not about any of that stuff- it is about our LORD and SAVIOR, it's about JESUS CHRIST and HIS dying for us, and rising, His pleading on our behalf before the throne, His making a place for us in Heaven, His ultimate return for US.

The gospel of the kingdom of heaven, this is WHY our Savior came to us, to SAVE US. 

When we forget this and make up our own whys and wherefores about life then we are in grave danger of losing the eternal life He offers to us.

We can't listen to fables, we can't get caught up in endless genealogies, we can't teach any other doctrine than what was taught by OUR SAVIOR!

Please LORD, help us to only listen to YOUR truth and NOTHING ELSE, no matter how pleasant it appears, no matter how soothing to our ears.

IN HIS LOVE!

Be not weary in well doing

2Th 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
2Th 3:7  For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2Th 3:8  Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2Th 3:11  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
2Th 3:12  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
2Th 3:13  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
2Th 3:14  And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2Th 3:15  Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

The example- HARD WORK, not being a busy body, lazy, interfering. 

The Apostles knew they would be cared for simply for the miracles they could perform. People would flock to them, be healed by them- spiritually, physically, and then they'd be extremely grateful for the miracles performed on their behalf. The power was there for the Apostles to be for the most part tended to- fed, clothed, etc. Yet the Apostles did NOT take advantage of their ability given to them by the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. They didn't sit back and rest on their laurels. They worked and worked HARD. Why did they do this? As an example to us!  We aren't to believe that being a Christ follower means having an easy, work free life. We are all called to work hard and provide for others and ourselves not depend upon others to do for us what we can do ourselves. 

We are ALL called to different paths in life. Every single one of us is called in a unique way. We have to answer to God for either fulfilling or neglecting the calling we are given. Did we do our best in hard work in what we were called to do? Did we slack and expect others to do for us what we could have done ourselves? Did we rather gossip than work? Were we weary in well-doing? Did we get fed up with doing the work we have been called to do?

If we are caught up with those who encourage laziness and gossiping, if we take part in their wrong behavior then we are guilty of it. If we can keep out of it then we are obligated to do so.  If we are called to face those we are shunning we must let them know why we are keeping ourselves from them and by the GRACE of God they will feel the shame of their behavior.

All too often living in our modern world of office work, corporate work, the work hierarchy so incredibly different then so long ago, we feel these same things do not apply and yet they do.  We are to do our work whatever it is- honorably, quietly, and NOT call our gossiping and laziness our work- that is never our job.

We aren't to call our co-workers who are caught up in wrong doing- our enemies- they are our misguided brothers and as such where God guides us we must obey and admonish where He wills.  I'm not saying that we should take on a superior attitude, a self-righteous, holier-than-thou position, NOT AT ALL! You can admonish others humbly when the Holy Spirit is leading you.

We need to pray, pray that we do NOT grow weary in well-doing, that we do NOT become a part of the crowd, the norm, who encourage gossiping and busybody behavior. By the grace of God alone can we keep ourselves IN HIM as HE would have us be, and only by HIS GRACE.

We live in Godless times. We live in times of powerful deceptions. We live in a time where right is said to be wrong and wrong is said to be right. We need to grow ever closer to God, ever closer to our Savior who alone can save us, who can keep us in HIM.  We need to cling to Christ and HIS word, HIS love!

All by HIS GRACE!