Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, had triple citizenship status. He was citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, and a Roman citizen. His subjection to the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, took precedence over the other two realms;“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Phil 3:20) In the world he was “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews.”
The Gospel Saves Posts
From age to age God has dealt with his creation in the same manner. He has framed his interaction and conveyed his wishes through the vehicle of a covenant. The beauty of God’s interaction can be seen in the uniform simplicity of the format of His message. This concept of a covenant is so integral to the Bible that the two major divisions are named the Old and New Testaments.
The New Testament writers use the word faith in broader terms than simple belief in Jesus. Following Paul’s conversion, the brethren observed, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches THE FAITH which he once tried to destroy.” (Galatians 1:23)
Mankind has always been captivated by great public speakers. We can look through history and see those are remembered for their great oratory skills. To name just a few: Cicero, Patrick Henry, and Winston Churchill. These were men who inspired and persuaded others not only by their message but by their eloquence and charisma.
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:17). What a day that will be! When in Hebrews 8:6 the writer tells us that the better (new) covenant is established on better promises this day must have been in mind. Every child of God watches and waits for this great day, hastening its coming (II Peter 3:12). Everyone that has this hope in them endures every trial, even the passing of dear loved ones in the Lord, knowing that it won’t be very long until Christ returns to receive His own. It is no wonder then that I Thessalonians 4:18 reads, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
The world has always wanted to know when the end will come. Christ promised his return and for almost 2,000 years we’ve been waiting and watching, wondering how and when it will happen. So when is Christ coming? When will the end come? Can we even know?
When Christ died on the cross, He abolished the law given by Moses to the Children of Israel, thereby giving opportunity of salvation to anyone whould believe, “to the Jew first, AND also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him…” (John 14:21). He also said, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love…” (John 15:10). Plain talk. Hard to swallow, maybe, but not hard to understand. Simply put, love and obedience are inextricably linked, each following on the heels of the other. According to Jesus, to love Him is to obey Him, and to obey Him is to be loved by Him.
Thus Jesus spoke to the woman caught in the act of adultery. Her accusers wanted to corner Jesus through this matter. After all, He had put them on notice concerning the righteous mercy of God and their own unrighteousness. Consider these previous events from the book of John:
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Jesus drove the money changers and sellers of livestock from the temple.
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He taught that God did not send His Son to condemn, but to save.
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A Samaritan woman was given hope.
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A man was healed on the Sabbath
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The leadership of Israel was criticized for scratching each others backs while rejecting the truth.