2 Timothy Introduction This last letter of Paul was written during a second imprisonment in Rome, about a.d. 67 or 68. Paul was fully aware he was soon to be executed, and he both encouraged Timothy, who would carry on his work, and warned against the growing corruption of trueRead More …

November 21. Reading 325. Contentment 1 Timothy 6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim. 6:6-7). It’s fine to have money as long as money doesn’t have you. Overview Even servitude provides opportunities toRead More …

November 20. Reading 324. Life Together 1 Timothy 4-5 “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Tim. 5:21). What we do for God, we do to others. OverviewRead More …

November 19. Reading 323. God’s Household 1 Timothy 2-3 “I am writing you these instructions so that… you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God” (1 Tim. 3:14-15). The Christian community as well as the individual Christian representsRead More …

November 18. Reading 322. Transforming Truth 1 Timothy 1 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Tim. 1:15). God’s truth transforms. Background Itinerancy in the first century. It’s popular to speak of TimothyRead More …

1 Timothy Introduction Paul’s two personal letters to Timothy and one letter to Titus are called the “Pastoral Epistles.” Each gives advice to younger coworkers of Paul who served as his representatives, visiting and giving guidance to churches in various cities of the Roman Empire. First Timothy was written someRead More …

November 17. Reading 321. The Day Of The Lord 2 Thessalonians 2-3 “For that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed” (2 Thes. 2:3). Holding to Christian teachings involves remembering what lies ahead. Background The Day of the Lord. This phrase, thatRead More …

November 16. Reading 320. God Is Just 2 Thessalonians 1 “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well” (2 Thes. 1:6-7). A wishy-washy God is a fiction that appeals to the guilty,Read More …

2 Thessalonians Introduction Paul’s second Letter to Thessalonica was sent a few months after his first. Some had assumed Jesus’ second coming was so near they could quit work. Paul corrected this misunderstanding, and emphasized the importance of using the present time wisely. Outline of Contents God’s Justice— 2 Thes.Read More …

November 15. Reading 319. The Lord Will Come 1 Thessalonians 4-5 “The Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command… and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thes. 4:16). Christ’s coming is both comfort and challenge. Background Eschatology in the Thessalonian letters. It is clearRead More …