An odd instruction is given by the apostle Paul to the church of Ephesus: stop lying! You would think that would be obvious, right? Paul is exhorting Christians to walk away from lying. Two things concerning contextual background need to be mentioned to help understand this passage. FIRST, Paul is….
What do you do when confronted with fear? What kind of fear do you possess? There is a right and a wrong kind of fear. Most would be afraid of the demon possessed men; in fact, no man would go near them. However, it is not the devils that are to be feared. It is actually the devils that are afraid of Jesus.
Everything about the promised Messiah is fulfilled in Jesus Christ! In fact, this is only one of over 300 Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah that are fulfilled in Jesus. God is true to His Word then AND now! However, sometimes, the modern-day church will mistrust God’s Word when it comes to other areas of our lives.
The thief on the cross had not been baptized. The thief had not learned what the words sanctification, justification, and glorification meant. He would have had no time on earth to demonstrate a “changed” life or store up good works to outweigh his bad works. Yet, Jesus offered eternal salvation to the thief in the final hours of his life!
