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Philemon Day 6 For The Love

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Philemon Day 6 For The Love

Malinda Fugate

February 20, 2023

Called,church,Comfort,Equipped,Family

Read His Words Before Ours!

Proverbs 17:17
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
1 John 3:16-18
1 John 4:7-21
Philippians 2:1-4

“For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I became his father while I was in chains.” (Philemon 8-10)

Few words hold as much meaning as “therefore.” It’s our cue to pay attention to something previously communicated. 

In this case, Paul, an apostle and preacher of Jesus, was encouraging Philemon in his ministry and praying for “effective faith.” (verses 4-7) Philemon, Paul’s “dear friend and coworker,” knew Christ personally, had surrendered to His work through the Holy Spirit for the glory of God, and had a deep, genuine love for others. (Philemon 4-7) As a result, he refreshed the hearts of believers.

Philemon’s richly authentic love was the very thing Paul hoped would move Philemon to hear his earnest request regarding Onesimus, Philemon’s former slave.

Paul knew that the more Philemon leaned in to knowing Jesus and being anchored in Christ’s love, the more effective his faith would become. Authentic love that mirrors Christ’s results in a life of humble, gentle kindness, which is exactly what Paul knew Philemon would need in order to love, and forgive, Onesimus.

A few months ago, I recruited a couple of friends for a day of sharing this type of Jesus-like kindness. Before long, however, my focus shifted from “gentle kindness” to “achieving a goal” as I diligently researched needs, collected donations, and organized schedules. From beach cleanup to taking blankets to the animal shelter, I was determined to do good in our community. After all, wasn’t that what I should do? All the while, Scripture gently beckoned, “And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3)

On Kindness Day, we stopped at the local coffee shop. A young couple walked in the door, and I offered them a gift card for breakfast. At that moment, the Holy Spirit nudged me, and I truly saw them as beloved children of God. Suddenly, as I responded to the Spirit’s transforming work in my heart, the project ceased being a loveless “should” and began to be led by the Lord’s compassion.

The Spirit’s stirring that day was woven by Scripture’s truth, “Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)

Paul knew Philemon’s motivation mattered. Philemon must sincerely love Onesimus as Paul did, and more importantly, as God did. Otherwise, the relationship would’ve been strained and Onesimus would not have known true freedom. It was crucial that, just as Philemon cared for other believers, he also embraced his former slave with love rooted in Christ.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:7-9)

I never saw the coffee shop couple again, but I spent the rest of the day with my two friends, traveling around town and sharing God’s compassion from a place of genuine love instead of a list of goals to accomplish. We were united in a cause of love, joined together by the Holy Spirit. We encouraged one another with Christ’s joyful love, and the Spirit refreshed our hearts as our faith responded to Him. Instead of being weighed down by life, we were uplifted, enabling us to care for others. What I experienced that day reflected the truth Paul wrote in Philippians 2:1-2.

“If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” 

When we are fueled by Christ’s love,
unity happens.

People with vast differences truly can come together in Christ. When we love as He loves, we find peace and equality. It’s this love that could enable Philemon, a wealthy man and church leader, to love his former slave like a brother.

At this time, Paul was suffering as a prisoner for preaching the gospel. Still, Paul demonstrated Christ-like love by caring for Onesimus, and prompting Philemon to do the same. Instead of focusing on his own freedom, Paul championed for another. He had come to love Onesimus like a son, which bound Paul and Philemon together as they lived out the love of Jesus in unity.

“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)

Love was the bottom line of Paul’s letter. It united Philemon, Paul, and Onesimus in the fellowship of Christ and it calls us to unity as well. When we are motivated by divine compassion, lives are transformed.
It’s a matter of the heart as we live for the Love of Christ.

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Digging Deeper

The Christian faith is not just about individuals living out their faith as it is about individuals living out their faith in community. Our effective faith is put into action when we bear each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and when we love as Christ loved. (1 John 4:17-21). Paul is calling on Philemon to act in faith and love his brother in action.
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Philemon Day 2 Fellow Ones: Digging Deeper

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Philemon Day 2 Fellow Ones: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

February 14, 2023

church,Comfort,Community,Encourage,Family

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Fellow Ones"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:1-2

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is writing this letter? (verse 1)

In the greeting of this letter, the co-authors are identified as Paul and Timothy. Paul, a pharisaical radical turned Christ-following radical (Acts 22:1-21), was a missionary and church planter. Timothy was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. (Acts 16:1-3)

Paul referred to Timothy as his “true son in the faith“. (1 Timothy 1:2) Though he was young when he joined Paul in his travels, Timothy was a mature and devoted spiritual leader early in his life. He had been greatly influenced by the faith of his mother and grandmother. (2 Timothy 1:5)

Unlike the other prison epistles of Paul, this letter to Philemon is brief and deals with a single issue. It’s as if Paul jotted down a quick personal note to encourage Philemon regarding a situation with a friend, while including others who would be affected by his request.

Evidenced by the fact there are certain details left out of the letter that appear to be mutually known (verses 10-16), we can conclude there is a previous relationship and a familiarity which existed between the writers and recipient.

Bible scholars are uncertain about Paul’s location, though most believe he was imprisoned in Rome when he wrote to Philemon. Although there is no specific account of Paul being imprisoned in Ephesus, he mentions numerous unnamed imprisonments. (2 Corinthians 11:22-23) So, it is possible he could have been writing from somewhere other than Rome.

I agree with the reasons commentator Malick provides about his location being Rome. (bible.org) Since the themes and language used in his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians are similar, it was probably written between AD 60-62.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is writing this letter? (verse 1)

He has been given the titles “greatest missionary” and “greatest Christian” by many people through the years, but Paul’s transformation was humbling if it was anything at all.

Struck blind, he was forced to run straight forward into the grace of God Whose brilliant light pierced the darkness of his sin-wrecked soul! After his conversion, Paul was transformed into a man who would spend his life pointing to the One he became convinced was indeed the greatest, the only Savior, the Lord of all. (Acts 9:18-22)

One day, this very Paul who was a former legalistic Jew, found himself in Jerusalem where he was falsely accused of breaking Jewish law. As a hush fell on the angry mob who wanted him dead, Paul began to share his testimony of the Lord who brought him out of darkness and into light. What a sermon it was! (Acts 22:1-21)

Whether or not he was the greatest saint to ever live, we don’t know, but we do know he lived his life in surrender to the Lord who redeems all who call on Him for rescue. There have been many who have lived a life like Paul, even giving themselves as martyrs for the gospel of Jesus Christ. His example has inspired many to follow hard after Jesus with the same passion.

The Original Intent

2) Who is specifically addressed? (verses 1-2)

Philemon is personally addressed in verse 1 of the greeting. While he is not mentioned outside of this letter, because his slave, Onesimus, is mentioned in Colossians 4:9, we can build a bridge to evidence the relationship between Philemon and Paul.

In verse 2, we are introduced to other recipients: Apphia, Archippus, as well as the entire gathering of people meeting in the home of Philemon. Likely, Philemon was the leader of a house church in the city of Colossae. There is no direct reference to location, but a comparison of Paul’s letter to the Colossians with the Philemon letter gives us good reason to conclude this. Paul mentions he is with Timothy in both of his letters. (Compare verse 1 with Colossians 1:1-2)

Another similarity is found at the end of Colossians where Paul mentions several of the same people he addresses in Philemon.  (Onesimus and Archippus are mentioned in Colossians 4:9, 17) It is interesting to note how Paul writes to Philemon with a personal touch not evidenced in all of his letters.

Of the 13 letters Paul wrote, he called himself an “apostle” in 9 of them. Even when he wrote to the entire church at Colossae, he had a more formal approach, mentioning his apostleship and calling. Most Bible scholars leave little room for doubting that Apphia was Philemon’s wife and Archippus was also a member of the family. Many have good reason to believe Archippus was their son. (bible.hub, precepts.wordpress)

It makes sense to understand this letter was a personal plea from Paul to a friend and his family. Knowing that a church gathered regularly in their home, he extends his greeting and request to the church in their home. Paul had a deep love for all those in the situation, and he is hoping this very personal letter will bring about restoration if needed. (verses 9-16)

The Everyday Application

2) Who is specifically addressed? (verses 1-2)

Paul was writing with his friend to his other friends about another friend. These were all genuine friends in the faith.

The lyrics of an old song speak to his relationship with them, “And friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them. And a friend will not say never ‘cause the welcome will not end.” (“Friends” by Deborah D. Smith / Michael W Smith) Paul had a request for some of his dearly beloved friends to welcome another friend he had come to appreciate and care about.

He greeted Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus with deep affection because he loved them and desired reconciliation and restoration to bloom. The church is a place where individuals are molded into one people, one family, and one Body through the Spirit of God by the blood of the Son of God. Where the Spirit of God dwells, there is a shared desire for harmony, unity, and shalom, an old Hebrew word meaning ‘nothing out of place, all is well, at peace’.

Once we enter into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus, we gain brothers and sisters from all over the world. It’s a relationship intended to run even deeper than the one we share with blood relatives. Paul wrote about it in Philippians 2:1-5 and Ephesians 2:16-22.

Sister, aren’t you thankful for this example of sweet relationships formed because of Jesus? And it’s all found in a 2-phrase greeting in a letter to Philemon.

The Original Intent

3) What can we learn from the identifying words in this greeting? (verses 1-2)

Paul identifies himself as a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” in verse 1. While it’s true that the Jews had falsely accused him to the Romans in Jerusalem and had him arrested (Acts 21:27-32), Paul explains in other passages that he considers himself a prisoner for the cause of the gospel of Christ. (2 Timothy 2:8-10, Ephesians 3:1-2)

Paul had always been willing to suffer for the message he was called to proclaim regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus because he knew he was blind to truth and dead in his sins without it!

He gladly wore physical chains while he prayed his imprisonment would mean salvation to those near him. He also desired his message to spread through the entire Roman imperial guard and throughout the Roman world! (Philippians 1:12-14, Philippians 4:22)

Paul’s faithful companion was “Timothy, our brother“. Since Timothy had come to understand the salvation of Jesus through being taught the scriptures from childhood (2 Timothy 3:15), he was identified as a brother. He was a brother to Paul in the family of God. He was also a son. Paul had mentored him and been an example to him of faith and love; through this familial growth, he had become like a son. (2 Timothy 1:13)

Philemon was “a dear friend and coworker“ to Paul and Timothy. Noting that Paul requested a guest room at Philemon’s home (verse 22) and he previously had a slave (verses 15-16), it is probable he was more wealthy than most Christians in the day. He had become a valued partner with Paul in his gospel ministry.

As mentioned previously, Apphia “our sister” and Archippus “our fellow soldier“ were possibly members of Philemon’s family, or perhaps leaders in the gathered church who acted like family. (biblehub.com) Regardless of their blood relation, they were partners with Paul in the gospel, making them all part of a family in the “household of faith”. (Galatians 6:10-11)

The Everyday Application

3) What can we learn from the identifying words in this greeting? (verses 1-2)

Paul identified the people in his letter by using kind descriptions like “brother”, “dear friend”, and “sister”. Paul’s greeting identified the beautiful relationships we find in the family of God’s people. Those brought into the family of God through faith in Jesus are our “brothers” and “sisters” in Christ, our spiritual siblings.

Paul urges us to “love one another deeply as brothers and sisters.” (Romans 12:10) His note of encouragement to Philemon acknowledged his love for his friends and challenged them to demonstrate grace to a brother.

When you think of Paul identifying as a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” maybe you have some people come to mind who live by faith and submission to Jesus. I’m reminded of missionary and martyr Jim Elliot who may have been a modern-day Paul. Though he wasn’t jotting down a note for anyone but himself, his journal entry has made its way into the hearts of many who have figuratively chained themselves to Jesus to serve others. “One of the great blessings of heaven is the appreciation of heaven on earth – Ephesians truth. He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

So my Sister, sharing Paul’s words, I pray for us,
“For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19)

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I wonder, are we more concerned for our fellow ones than ourselves?
Have we considered who our fellow ones are?
Are we coworkers with Paul, Lydia, Aquila and the rest?
Have we become prisoners of Christ to do His kingdom work?
Or are we chasing our own glory?
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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 1

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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 1

Carol Graft

January 28, 2023

Anchored,Courage,Faith,Freedom,GT Weekend

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

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Monday
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Pray His Words Back To Him!

Romans 8:29-30

For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Thank you, Lord, for knowing me long before I knew You. Thank you for loving me even when I don’t see how any part of my situation, whether in the past or present, could possibly fit within Your plan. I don’t understand why I walk through hard challenges when You could remove them. It would be so easy for You to make my life smoother, Lord. From my perspective, the questions, hurts, and doubt could all be erased by an “easier life”.

So, I am faced with a question to either trust You as fully good, despite my pain and limited view, or choose to believe You’ve lied to me in Your Word. Help me to hold fast to what is true. I confess my unbelief; Lord, build my faith! Help me trust the depth of Your goodness extends far beyond my finite vision of my current reality. No matter what I am going through, You are working out Your good plan for me. Help me to see you in the midst of my every day, whether they are good days or bad. Teach my heart to trust you with steadfast surrender. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.  

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Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Astounding healings, provision, and deliverance from bondage are just a few of the miracles that leap from the pages of the Bible. It’s easy to focus on those incidents and say, “Yes, please!”, for we all want big miracles.

When we come to the end of our budget and the pantry seems bare, we hunger for the miracle of the loaves and fish to effortlessly replenish our lack. If we wrestle with chronic illness, we read the amazing healing of the hemorrhaging woman and ask, “Why not me, Lord?”

But God didn’t come to dwell in the flesh only to provide temporary fixes for our woes. Though he can, and often does, His “Come and See” bidding is meant as a far greater invitation to an eternal relationship with Him. The invitation can only be embraced through willing surrender.

We may not be called to leave behind jobs or families to follow Jesus, but it’s possible. When we come to Jesus open-hearted, fully surrendered, and repentant our lives will be changed. Christ will provide, often in ways we never considered. Through surrender, we find we are fully known and fully loved by the Savior of the world.
JOURNAL TWO

I was challenged and convicted by “Pride Or Intimacy” on Wednesday; if you haven’t read it, go there! Mary K. explained how easy it is to return to old sin patterns after becoming a believer. How many times have we wanted to snap back a sharp retort, painfully revealing we are choosing not to surrender to Christ. We all have places in our hearts we haven’t fully surrendered to Jesus.

Consider how often we’ve bypassed the ‘neighbor’ standing on the street corner holding a sign and lacked the compassion of our Lord. Are we engaging our literal neighbors? Or perhaps we’re excluding the neighbors we perceive as different from us.

As I was thinking of surrendering pride, I was reminded of the Journey Study, “Dining With Sinners”, which stories about the scandalous woman who dared anoint Jesus’ feet despite her outrageous sin. Still, she surrendered her pride and walked into Simon’s dinner party uninvited. She wasn’t just surrendering her pride, she was surrendering her history at the feet of Jesus, who lived in total surrender to Father God.

Christ surrendered Himself to a death-penalty we owed in order to extend us eternal life with Him.
JOURNAL THREE

Are you a type A personality? Do others gravitate towards you or shun you because you like to be in control? Even if you don’t fit these descriptions exactly, deep down, we all desire to be in control. Some more publicly than others. I don’t consider myself a controlling person…until…I am.

Still, God lovingly pursues us, calling us to live under his call of Surrender. Rebekah pointed to the Old Testament biographies of Abraham and Sarah, both of whom were called to complete surrender of their control. Surrendering our willful control to God, trusting Him in all the things is not easy, but it is essential. We can rest on the truth revealed in Romans 8:29-30 as we grow in our discipline of surrender.

God predestined us to be a part of His plan. Whether we believe Him now or are still searching for Him, we are known and loved. Though we may often be tempted to wrestle control from the Lord, stomping our feet in frustration, the Lord still pursues our hearts, wooing us to know Him as He knows us. He who knew you, and the paths you would take before you were born, knows what He is doing. He will be faithful to accomplish His good work in us!
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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Digging Deeper author, Patty Scott, held up snapshots of Joseph’s life and challenged us to consider how nearsighted we are when we view snippets of our own lives. It’s easy to longingly ache for more, for wholeness, for redemption, for better than our current hardship. We hunger for a season when the pressing isn’t so intense, and like our New Testament brother in Jesus, Stephen, we can wonder how our seemingly senseless difficulty could result in good. When we hold up Joseph’s and Stephen’s stories to Jesus and the Eternal Hope He offers, we are encouraged to take a broad scope lens approach to our own suffering. Learning to trust in the Hope of Jesus takes time as God’s Spirit teaches us through hardship to fix our eyes of Him instead of our circumstances. What is your perspective on the details of a current hardship? If you’re in a sweet place, where does your anchor lie for when the details shift from easy to hard? Take some time to read and reflect on the words from the Lord found in 2 Corinthians 4:14-18 over the weekend and let them take root in your heart!

2) As Joseph’s story began in the early years his fledgling faith was barely beginning, but he leaned into what he knew to be true despite the chaos and challenge of his life. The Lord was revealing Himself through the heritage of Joseph’s past and through dreams. His home life was painful and unstable in many ways, but he still believed the Lord enough to trust the dreams he’d been given. Through the pages of Scripture, we see the Lord revealing Himself to His people in small portions that increase over time as they deepen in their faith. This is true for us as well! Consider where you are in your faith journey. What do you hold to be true about God? Where did you learn it? Who influenced you in these beliefs? What do you hunger to know more about Him? Are you allowing your circumstances to dictate what you believe or the truth of Scripture? Take just 2 minutes this weekend and write down what you believe about God. Ponder these reflections and give them over to the Lord, letting Him lead you into deeper understanding of Him as you seek His face!

3) Injustice piled on top of injustice for Joseph. I’ve felt the same in my own life. My gut response is to seriously question the goodness of God and whether He really sees me and knows me. It’s so easy to doubt Him and, in place of faith, wonder if He will really do anything about unjust treatment. When resolution and redemption don’t happen on my timetable, I begin to doubt whether Scripture is true when it says the Lord is a God of justice. (Isaiah 30:18) Lord, pour spiritual cement on my heart when these temptations to doubt come at me; anchor me in truth and don’t let me leave! When are you most tempted to doubt the Lord and His goodness? Consider your default setting of belief about the Lord when you experience easy seasons and then again in hard ones. Do your beliefs align with what the Lord says about Himself in Scripture? Are you willing to embrace what God’s Word says or will you hold fast to your perspective? Think about the why behind your answers and bring this to the Lord!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, I can look backwards in my life and see how faithful You have proven to be to me and to every promise in Your word. When doubt creeps in, I can look straight to Scripture and see how You prove Your faithfulness through every story. Holding onto truth is much harder than holding onto lies; Lord Jesus, increase my appetite for truth and lead me away from temptation to believe deceptions.

I know You will follow through on Your word to redeem my suffering for good, to bring healing from my brokenness, and to restore the years the locusts have eaten. (Joel 2:25-26) Keep leading me to surrender my plans and expectations to You in the middle of suffering. Teach me to be strong and courageous and wait for You to move perfectly in Your time to accomplish Your good work! (Psalm 27:14)

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Sketched X Day 5 Injustice Upon Injustice

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 30:15-22
Genesis 37:12-36
Genesis 39:1-20
Acts 8:26-40

Sketched X, Day 5

Joseph
My body racked with pain and it shook violently. Of their own volition, sobs overtook my frame. My legs could not sustain my weight and I crumbled beneath my grief. I gasped for air, my ribs pressed in, and I tasted the metallic hint of blood where my own teeth had crushed my tongue in anguish. The pain was too much. My fists clenched and opened rhythmically as I furiously pounded the hardpacked earth beneath me.

No, I wasn’t being tortured by enemy forces. No whip lashed my back. My head was not bowed by blows to my brow. The agony inside threatened to swallow me whole.

Injustice upon injustice was mine.
“Yahweh!” “Where! “Are!” “You!”
Each word punched the air as I screamed, the stone walls deafly pressing my agony back upon my ears.
Other prisoners banged on their bars to stop my clamor, but I didn’t care. What did it matter? My only hope of escape had flown away, the stones seemed tighter every day, and the memories of old dreams mocked me every time I closed my eyes.

My brothers’ sheaves bowing down to mine, then theirs turned to laugh at me with disdain.
My beautiful coat paraded as a king’s and then covered in goat’s blood.
The stars encircled me and then my embers exploded into oblivion.

Why would you mock and humble me, Yahweh?!
I obeyed you!
I listened to Your voice and believed You when You gave me dreams.
I was faithful to You and didn’t give in to temptation with Potiphar’s wife!
I sought You, not myself, for the answers to other prisoners’ dreams.

AND WHAT HAS MY OBEDIENCE GOTTEN ME?!
Injustice Upon Injustice

Philip
“I don’t understand,” the Ethiopian continued as he turned his eyes from the scroll to meet mine. “Who was despised? Why should we bother if he was rejected?”

Instantly, gruesome images and horrific sounds assaulted my mind’s eye as Isaiah’s centuries-old prophesies had played out right before me days before. The Spirit of Christ living within me had brought me to this Gentile Ethiopian’s chariot because he needed to know the truth. He needed to meet the risen Christ that Isaiah had foretold would come to suffer.

As the scenes in my mind flashed, God’s Spirit inside loosed my tongue and I explained Isaiah’s words.

“His body was wracked with pain as the Roman whip bit into his flesh, tearing skin away and exposing the bones of His spine and ribs. His wrists bled profusely where He was tied to the whipping post. The cries of a man near death hung in the air that morning, haunting all of us. The whip was not enough, of course”, I continued, not even seeing the Ethiopian beside me, for I could only see the scarcely recognizable body of Jesus in my mind.

“Thorns pierced His brow,” I went on, knowing I could do nothing to stop my voice from shaking. “Blood. So much blood, it was everywhere. But even the nails piercing innocent flesh and the wretched pain they brought, were nothing compared to the agony inside Him as He was separated from the Father as He bore our sin.”

I caught my breath and fixed my eyes on the Ethiopian. He must understand. “He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5)

I made no attempt to stop the flood of tears now streaming down my face as I repeated Jesus’ anguished words from the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?!” (Matthew 27:46)

The man’s eyes still clouded with confusion, so I begged the Spirit to make it clear to him as I said, “Isaiah’s prophesied Messiah is Jesus. He took our place, took our punishment for our sin and suffered injustice upon injustice, that we might be freely restored to God forever.”

Joseph
Slowly my heavy weeping slowed, my body spent. Dirt that had mixed with my tears and saliva caked my face. Broken and shaking, I lay silent, wondering if the Lord would hear my cries.

Unsuspectingly, an early memory of my father wafted over me like a welcome embrace. I saw my young, boyish self sitting at his feet and heard his strong voice warming me as he told me again how the Lord had come to him in one of his dreams. My eyes were alight with wonder that Yahweh would speak to Father and unwittingly my breath caught in my chest as I remembered one particular phrase, “I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.” (Genesis 31:12) The God of Dreams SEES injustice. Surely, Yahweh longs to reverse the curse of injustice and usher in His favor just as He did with my Father!

I uncurled my frame and sat upright, wiping my face and breathing deeply, calmly, as if with new life. Yahweh sees. As I held onto this truth, repeating it over and over, memories came flooding back of how the God who sees injustice and gives Himself for the righteous had acted for me and generations before me.

Yahweh was indeed a faithful God and deep inside, I knew my story was not over here surrounded by stone, dirt, and darkness. He would finish the plans He had for me; I would wait for Him.

I bowed my head as fresh tears of gratitude washed my face. My once-clenched fists now lifted upward with palms raised in worship to the God of all Faithfulness who would take my injustices and finish the work to make me whole!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched X Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched X

The GT Weekend! ~ Champion Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) As we are reminded in the picture of Mary’s life through her encounter with the angel Gabriel (my what an occasion that must have been!), we are each commissioned for a purpose. Though it looks a little different for each of us, every Christ follower is to spread the gospel of truth about salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. We share this commission together as believers in Jesus, all working for the same goal, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the way in which we accomplish our mission will look the same. Mary had the unique privilege of birthing and raising Jesus as His human mother, but your calling may involve touching lives through song or by volunteering at a local shelter; it could involve ministering to lost souls overseas or starting a Bible study in your neighborhood. Just as there are multiple ways to get the same result in a math equation, there are many ways God calls us to spread the gospel and to emulate His light in our lives. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t fully uncovered His path for you yet, but don’t get caught waiting for tomorrow, either. He is calling you to do something right where you are, right now, just one step of obedience at a time. You are never anywhere by accident, for He has gone before you and placed you just where He needs you to follow Him faithfully. (Acts 17:24-27)

2) Saul is a man we love to hate, and Paul is a man we revere as his love for the Lord is exceeded by few. We are all Saul and we are all Paul. Our flesh wages war against our spirits daily (Galatians 5:17) and thus we see these two versions of Paul in each of us as our fleshly selves fight against the Spirit of Christ within us. This is the great connecting thread amongst all the biblical heroes and the very reason we can derive hope for ourselves from each of their stories. Even from the beginning of Paul’s story, we see that God used his upbringing to prepare him for his ultimate path: ministering to gentiles all over the world about salvation through Jesus. This is yet another reminder that God chooses the season, the year, the place in which we live with purpose. Ladies, God wastes nothing in our lives. In fact, it is the very misguided nature of Saul’s own spiritual blindness that shines the brightest spotlight on God, because if he can turn Saul into Paul, then He can transform you into the woman He has created you to be.

3) We’ve heard about Peter, Mary, Daniel, David, and more in the Champion Journey Theme. We’ve heard about great feats and greater shows of faith, but if you only take one thing from this Journey Theme, I hope it’s this: you are not enough. I know that sounds counterintuitive but understanding this reality is the necessary starting point for every single “hero” we read about in the Bible. That is the foundation for a blossoming relationship with Jesus and ultimately a life that points directly to God. We must recognize our weakness and frailty, as each of our Champion characters did, while also recognizing the resounding strength, love, and fullness of the God we worship. Then choose to surrender our “not enough” to the Only One who IS Enough. When we do, the Holy Spirit empowers us and shapes our lives into beautiful reflections of God’s glory. Peter failed countless times, even when Jesus told him it would happen beforehand. Despite his failures, Jesus still called on Peter to be the rock on which Jesus would build His church. (Matthew 16:18) So I implore you, the next time you find yourself in a situation where you can’t, meditate on the fact that Peter couldn’t either and Jesus still called on him because Jesus could. He was, and is, and always will be, enough. He is our Champion!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 1 Peter 2:11-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day He visits. Submit to every human authority…For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Submit as free people…Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God”.

Prayer Journal
Yahweh, our Heavenly Father who has gone before us, You are the Artist Who has painted the beautiful world around me, and the Author of the most incredible story known to man, and within that story, You wrote me a part to play. I ask You, Lord, teach me to trust Your direction and rest in Your fullness. I ask You to change my heart posture so that when You commission my work, I will respond like Mary with humility (Luke 1:26-38); like David with passion for Your heart (Psalm 51); and like Daniel with absolute confidence in your power (Daniel 6:10-24). Shape me into a living stone for Your church (1 Peter 2:4), oh God, and rid me of the things that fight against the Holy Spirit inside me (1 Peter 2:1). Provide me with a net, Lord, and provide me with so many fish that my net breaks. Let me walk in your provision and become a fisher of people in Your name, God, so the world may know Your face and bow at Your feet, for You are our Champion, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray this, Amen.

Worship Through Community

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Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Eden Day 9 Temptation Tactics: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Temptation Tactics!

The Questions

1) What does Paul mean by his questions in verse 1 and what is his motivation in asking?

2) What does “buried with Christ by baptism into death” and “raised from the dead” mean in verse 4?

3) Does Paul mean that once a person is in Christ they will never sin again? (verses 6-11)

Romans 6:1-15

What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not!

Original Intent

1) What does Paul mean by his questions in verse 1 and what is his motivation in asking?
In the preceding chapter, Paul reminded his audience of the consequences of sin through Adam’s rebellion and the gift of redemption in Jesus’ sacrifice. (Romans 5:12-21) He then shifted to asking his readers if they should continue to sin in order that grace may multiply to them in forgiveness through Christ. Paul wants his readers to reflect carefully on their everyday choices. Does Christ’s sacrifice allow them a free pass to continue sinning? Paul quickly answers his own question with a definitive, “Absolutely Not!”. (verse 2) He continued by reminding them that once they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the believer is “dead to sin” and alive to Christ. Jesus died an excruciatingly painful death to pay the penalty of death and separation from God, which all of us deserve; this radical sacrifice speaks to the seriousness of sin. His resurrection does not minimize the gravity of sin and its deadly consequences. Paul’s intention is to remind them of this.

2) What does “buried with Christ by baptism into death” and “raised from the dead” mean in verse 4?
In Paul’s day, baptism meant immersion in water as was instituted by John the Baptizer. This meant they were completely covered, or buried, in water resembling Christ’s death and burial. Just as Jesus died for the consequence of sin, those who are baptized are symbolically buried along with Christ. Rather than burial in the ground, it’s a burial using water. The Roman believers to whom Paul was writing knew this meant their old, sinful ways were dead and buried with Christ and a new creation was now born through the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. When they were raised out of the water, it symbolized freedom from the penalty of death for their sin. They were now rebirthed (John 3:3-6), having moved from death to life, raised with Christ to walk in the newness of His resurrected life by the power of His Spirit alive inside every believer. While baptism doesn’t save us, it’s generally the first act of obedience for a new Christ-follower who has given themselves to Him. Baptism is the outward symbol of an internal reality; it publicly declares Jesus’ blood now covers all sin and the new believer no longer looks like their former selves. (Galatians 3:27)

3) Does Paul mean that once a person is in Christ they will never sin again? (verses 6-11)
Paul speaks a great deal about believers being dead to sin, especially in the first several chapters of Romans. However, he is not saying that once a person is in Christ they will never sin again. Verse 14 provides clarity when he writes, “sin will not rule” meaning it doesn’t have the final say and we aren’t owned by it as believers in Jesus, but learning to submit our new selves to the rule of Christ is practiced and learned over an entire lifetime. Paul alludes to this “training to be like Christ” in verses 12-13 when using language like “do not let sin” and “do not offer any part [of your mortal body] to sin”. (emphasis mine) Our flesh will still desire to sin when we are lured away from Christ by temptation, and at times, we will decide to choose sin and offer ourselves to sin instead of to Christ. Paul passionately reminded his readers they are not controlled by their sinful selves and former pattern of living. Christ lives in them through His Holy Spirit who helps them discern what is sinful and what is not and leads them to make choices that honor the new life we have been given in Jesus!

Everyday Application

1) What does Paul mean by his questions in verse 1 and what is his motivation in asking?
Paul’s question regarding sin and grace should cause us to stop and contemplate our own approach to sin. The obvious answer is no, we should not sin more so Christ’s grace can be poured out on us. Justifying our sin proves a callous understanding of the offensiveness of sin and the immense sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Charles Spurgeon speaks of this when he said, “If Christ has died for my sin, I cannot rifle with the evil that killed my best friend.” We deserved death for our sin, but Jesus paid the price with His life. The reward of redemption back to God is a gift we could never earn on our own for God, in all His holiness, cannot be in the presence of sin. The NLT Study Bible says, “The availability of God’s mercy must not become an excuse for careless living and moral laxness.” We do not earn the right to sin more in order to gain more grace. There is no excuse for sin for the believer. On the contrary, when we accept Jesus as our Savior from sin, we become a new creation and our old self is dead along with our old desires to keep on sinning. (Colossians 3:3-4). As we grow in our relationship with Christ, His Spirit shapes us to look more like Him and less like our sinful selves. We will never be free from the pull of sin’s alluring temptation until the day we are finally with Jesus in eternity, but our desire to give into sin lessens as we grow closer to God.

2) What does “buried with Christ by baptism into death” and “raised from the dead” mean in verse 4?
Just as the early believers’ sin nature became spiritually dead and was buried and then were raised from the dead with a new Christ-nature, so are we! The moment we accept Jesus, we become a new creation, one that belongs to Him. Our sin is paid for and our lives are covered by the blood of Jesus. He has paid the price for our sin and we no longer live bound by a sin nature that desires to follow cravings that oppose God and His character. Jesus broke the chains of bondage and freed all who believe in Him. Early believers practiced full immersion baptism which follows the example of Jesus’ baptism by John. (Matthew 3:13-17) Many believers today still practice full immersion baptism as a symbol of their faith in Jesus. When we choose to do so, we are following the model of Christ, and putting on display that we have surrendered to Jesus. Our lives are no longer ruled by Sin for we have been buried with Christ in the grave, and been raised with Him from the dead to live the rest of our days as a new creation. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me! The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” When we know our old sinful self has been put to death, we are motivated to resist sin and allow our lives to be transformed through the Holy Spirit.

3) Does Paul mean that once a person is in Christ they will never sin again? (verses 6-11)
By no means do these verses mean we will never sin again, even as devoted Christ-followers! But when we do choose sin, the Spirit blessedly convicts us, and we are grieved for how we’ve rebelled against God who sacrificially saved us. John’s letters remind us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) As Paul adamantly penned, “you are not under law but under grace.” (verse 14) As we wait for the return of Christ, we’re surrounded by a sinful, fallen world; temptation to sin abounds and sometimes we sin. However, we can be encouraged that with the Holy Spirit living in us, He will grow us to look less like our old sinful selves and more like Christ. Consider keeping a prayer journal as a way of marking where you are now spiritually; as you grow over time with Jesus, you will be able to look back and see how He has continued to shape you to be like Him! As believers we will sin less the closer to walk with Christ, but the battle against sin remains. Paul addresses this in Romans 7:14-25 where he writes of the inner struggle against sin, “For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.” Sisters, we will sin after accepting Jesus until the day we die or He returns, but resist the urge to use His forgiveness as an excuse to sin! Instead, let’s allow Jesus to change our heart desires to long for Him more than our sin. When we do sin, let’s be quick to accept the conviction of the Spirit, ask forgiveness, and be restored in our relationship with God!

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Catch up with Temptation Tactics!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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The GT Weekend Worship IX Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Jesus said, “…True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23) Does that make you wonder if there are “fake” worshippers? Looking at Scripture, I would say yes. In Monday’s Journey Study we saw that worshipping in spirit means we are tuned into and obeying the Holy Spirit living within us. Worshipping in truth means our adoration flows out of knowing His Word and His identity as the unchanging One True God.  Consider some ways you can sharpen your ears to hear from the Holy Spirit? How might you begin putting these into practice starting this weekend? Another side to truth is intention. Worship cannot be like a cloak, used to cover the stain of our sin. We must truly be cleansed to be considered true worshippers. Have there been times when you were a “fake” worshipper? What steps did you take to return to the heart of true worship? What are some ways you can move worship from just “Sunday mornings during church” to the everyday moments of your life? Revisit the Journey Theme Character to remind yourself of the character of the God we serve and worship. Journal something new you learn about God, or are especially thankful for, each day this next week!

2) Did you know that many worship songs are based on Scripture? Does anyone else besides me pause at a passage or verse and start singing the associated song? Brenda taught us that even though songs can tug at our emotions, the most powerful songs are those which sing Scripture back to God. What better way to worship Him than to echo His words? Journal the names of some songs that are based on Scripture, adding the passage or verse and why it resonates with you. A beautiful aspect of worship is how it boasts about God. Who better to boast about?! King David even realized this when he wrote in Psalm 5:11, “…may those who love Your name boast about You”. Spend time this weekend looking up some of God’s promises. How do they spur you on to boast about Him? Recall some hard situations God has seen you through. If you haven’t boasted about His goodness and faithfulness to you during those times, use this weekend to do just that.

3) In Friday’s journey, Paula took us on a stunning journey through the Old Testament, pointing out “I AM” in many chapters and stories. We’re then transported to the New Testament where I AM came to dwell among us in the person of Jesus Christ. If we worship Him for nothing else, this would be a sufficient reason. But even more so, He not only dwelt among us, but also redeemed us by taking our place as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. Revelation 5 tells us all of Heaven will worship the Lamb. Can you think of anything better than focusing your worship on God? Revisit Worship VII, which focuses on God’s wondrous glory! Pick one day from each week of Worship VII (or more if you’re feeling ambitious!) and journal your thoughts on that day’s topic.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I think of the song that talks about “going back to the heart of worship”. I confess the times I’ve made worship about me and my preferences. Only true worship focuses on You because it’s about You in every aspect. I pray I can focus on Your unchanging character so I’m always mindful of how holy, great, and deserving You are of all my worship. May I remember Your faithfulness toward me even in the face of my unfaithfulness. As I live my daily life, I want others to see me worshipping You by the things I do and say, in the small choices and the big ones. Let my internal thoughts also contribute to a lifestyle of worship for You desire truth in every inmost place. (Psalm 51:6) You, God, are the One True God who has redeemed me from all my rebellious sin. I will worship You in spirit and truth because only You are worthy of that kind of whole-life praise.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Alive Day 7 Adopted: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Adopted!

The Questions

1) What is the spirit of slavery? (verse 15)

2) What is the Spirit of adoption? (verse 15)

3) What does it mean to suffer with Christ? (verse 17)

Romans 8:14-17

14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Original Intent

1) What is the spirit of slavery? (verse 15)
Slavery is a concept Paul’s readers would have known and understood as it was commonplace in their everyday lives from household slaves to business slaves. In Acts 16, Luke records the story of Paul’s interaction with a slave girl, setting her free from demons. (Acts 16:16-24) Paul’s Roman audience, a mix of both Jews and Gentiles, knew the history of Jews enslaved in Egypt for 400 years as told in the Torah, which is a Jewish holy text, comprising the first 5 books of what we know as the “Old Testament” in our Bibles. You can read of Jewish slavery in the book of Exodus. Slavery also existed in the Old Testament when a poor person would sell themselves to another person in order to pay a debt they owed. (Leviticus 25:39) However, God included clear commands in Leviticus instructing slave owners not to force these slaves into labor, but instead to view them as hired workers who would be released in the Year of Jubilee. (Leviticus 25:40-41) Paul is using this base knowledge with his audience to explain their condition as sinners. They were slaves of the debt they owed God because of their sin against Him.

2) What is the Spirit of adoption? (verse 15)
In Roman culture, an adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. He became a full heir to his new father’s estate, while forfeiting all ties to his past. Paul uses this imagery to convey what happens spiritually when an individual accepts Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, which paid the debt of all sin. (1 John 2:2) This person has lost all ties, ownership, rights, and connection to the previous “family”, ruled by Sin and Death, they become adopted by God as members of His family. Through Jesus, God as Father, gives the person who fully surrenders themself to Him, the “right to become a child of God”. (John 1:12) This is the only way to be accepted by God and be given an inheritance of eternal life instead of the rightfully earned condemnation of eternal separation from Him. (John 14:6, Ephesians 1:3-12) Children of God no longer belong to the world and its slavery to sin, instead they are welcomed in to God’s family as co-heirs with Christ, the Son. (verse 17)

3) What does it mean to suffer with Christ? (verse 17)
Roman crucifixion was one of the worst forms of death, if not the worst form of punitive punishment, ever invented. It was grotesquely brutal and Paul’s audience knew it full well. Likely, some in his audience had even witnessed it firsthand or had heard the horrendous cries of anguish accompanying such a torturous death. The prophet Isaiah conveys the suffering of Jesus’ horrible death in Isaiah 52:13-53:12, hundreds of years before crucifixion was even invented by the Romans. The recipients of Paul’s letter also knew there was a price for choosing to follow Christ, meaning many of these early believers would face persecution or death for their faith. Paul knew the persecution was growing more intense for the Church and he wrote to remind the believers that the price of following Jesus was known, expected, and shared among all true followers of Christ, but that reward was coming! (Luke 14:26-27, verse 18) They must be willing to suffer with Christ as part of their adoption. “…if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (verse 17)
However, there is the comfort in knowing nothing they would endure would compare to the suffering of Jesus as He bore the punishment for our sin. (1 Peter 2:24) Praise God, no believer will ever be alone after trusting Christ for salvation for God will always be present through the Holy Spirit!

Everyday Application

1) What is the spirit of slavery? (verse 15)
The type of slavery Paul referenced in this passage was not slavery we think of in western culture today. It was selling yourself as a hired hand to pay a debt, knowing you would one day be released, free of your debt, in the Year of Jubilee, which God had instituted. God outlined specifically how slaves were to be treated in Leviticus 25. Paul uses the term “spirit of slavery” to convey our position before the God of Justice without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. We are sinners bound to the debt we owe as sinners, which is death. (Romans 6:23) Each one of us rightfully deserves death and punishment for our sin and it’s fundamentally imperative we do not forget what we deserve.

2) What is the Spirit of adoption? (verse 15)
The day we accept Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin we become co-heirs with Christ (verse 17). We are no longer bound by our sin but instead welcomed into God’s family. The ownership chains of sin and slavery have been removed, we are officially declared “dead to sin”. (Romans 6:11) He becomes our Abba, meaning Father, and, just as an ancient Roman son would become an heir to their father’s estate, so we become an heir to our Father’s inheritance. We are fully adopted into the family of God, our penalty of death is paid through Jesus’ death for us and we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit to live within us, promising us our final inheritance is yet to come in eternity with our Father. (Ephesians 1:13-14) We are given the gift of a restored relationship with our Father, that was once broken because of our own sinfulness!

3) What does it mean to suffer with Christ? (verse 17)
In modern western culture, the concept of suffering and persecution as a believer for their faith is foreign. However, believers around the world are currently persecuted for their faith in Jesus, many in torturous ways or through death. If the Lord has currently blessed your life, keeping you from facing the same type of persecution other brothers and sisters in the faith face, I urge you to please use the freedom you’ve been given to share Christ! Regardless of where we live, or what the cost of following Jesus looks like for us specifically, we must not forget we are all called to a higher standard as a child of God. We are to be set apart from the world, which will inevitably make us “stick out”, often bringing on forms of suffering. Paul calls his readers not to be conformed to the world’s pattern of sin, but instead to be transformed by His Spirit (Romans 12:2); this leads to suffering. (John 15:18-21) We are called to love and serve like Jesus and this will come at a cost. The world hated Jesus, and it will hate all who follow Him as well. Jesus Himself calls believers to pick up their cross (Matthew 16:24-28), deny self, and follow Him. Each of us will pay a different price for our faith in Jesus, but we can be sure following Him won’t be suffering free. However, we can cling to the truths Paul wrote of to encourage the early believers. Jesus experienced worse than we can ever imagine, we are never alone, and the final battle for our souls has already been won. We can say with strength as the psalmist did, “The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me?” (Psalm 118:6) We are able to endure whatever lies before us because of the One who has gone before us!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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