14Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. 19Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”
20Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
For the last few months I have been thinking on a lot of different things. I have randomly wrote some of those thoughts down in a bunch of unfinished blog posts. But today I got an idea that will allow me to sort out these random thoughts and bring answers to myself and hopefully others. I didn’t want to just post a bunch of my personal opinions and thoughts without some insight and answers from YHVH. Then this morning when I was reading another friends blog post, on the ten commandments and teaching them to our children, the answer came to me. I now know how to put all these thoughts in order and find answers.
The questions I hope to answer, for myself included:
Who should a true believer, like myself, spend time with, fellowship with?
Who is a true believer?
What is the Gospel of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ)?
Should true believers, like myself, spend time with unbelievers?
How can I tell if someone is a true believer?
I realize I may not come to complete answers for these questions, but in an effort to find to find the answers I am going to go to the scriptures. Now, for my readers, a reminder, I believe all scripture in the HOly Bible is useful and necessary for life. I believe in its original form (language) it is/was perfect in everyway. So, to answer my questions I have decided to start by first going through the letters that Paul, Sivanus and Timothy wrote ot the church in Thessalonica. So, I will go through First and Second Thessalonians. I will also be taking a look at the sermon on the mount, that Yeshua gave, and I will be finishing by working my way through the Ten Commandments.
I hope that this blog series will bless others, but I honestly, am working through this series for myself and my children. So feel free to join us.
Let’s begin.
Join me in my next post as we look at chapter one of 1 Thessalonians. Til then may these words from 2 Timothy encourage you.
2 Timothy 3
1But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 9But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.
10Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.14You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
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