Thinking of One Another Part 2

The Day is at Hand

What does it mean that our "salvation is nearer than when we first believed"? We consider the force with which Paul encourages love in the church. We consider the context in which we are to live in obedience to Christ. And from which direction light is coming our way.

Love's Duty

Love is a debt owed to all. The law is the payment plan of love. Love paid out in the Holy Spirit's fullness is the fulfillment of the law. Love seeks not harm but blessing on its object.

Due Respect

Romans 13:1-7 How can this be applied to despotic governments? What is our relationship to governments as members of a heavenly kingdom? Must we always be in subjection to human governments since they are all appointed by God? What actually is our duty to our nation?

Heaping Coals

God alone has the perfect knowledge of the conditions that bring about people's evil actions, the motives that drive those actions, and the far-reaching impact of those actions upon others. This perfect knowledge is necessary for God to act with perfect justice. We, on the other hand, do not know these things and so we leave judgement and the execution of justice to God. And yet we have a part in his justice when with goodness we heap coals upon the heads of our enemies.

Thinking of One Another Part 2

These are the thoughts we are to have of ourselves and we are to think towards others. We see them and think to ourselves: They are important to God. They have their unique battles and struggles with sin and with this sin riddled world. They are receiving grace and mercy from God... they need daily mercy and grace. Now that we are to think this way we must discipline our thought life against what would hindered us in growing in our love for them...