Old Jerry

The characteristics or attitudes that are necessary for maintaining unity with other Christians are humble, gentle, patient, and love. I don’t think that you can separate them. It will take all or there won’t be unity in the church. They are all difficult because we are humans and we have our way of understanding what we are reading. But if we listen to each other then we can learn a lot.

If we are “living a life worthy of your calling” then we are maintaining the unity in the Church by attending to the things that God has called us to do. We are fitting into the part of the church that He has assigned us to. The thing that is “worthy” about unity is that we are able to go forward even if we disagree because we are doing God’s work. I don’t think it is “worthy” about separating from fellow Christians. My calling is to fit into the part of the church that God has given me the ability to do.

The way that our congregation is “a dwelling place for God in the Spirit” is that we devote our services to the Lord. We are always in contact with him so that we don’t wander off too far. The way that the congregation helps bring this about is by being built together and becoming a dwelling which God lives by the spirit. The shape that this should take in my own life is that I need to be there so that I can be built into that congregation.

“The apostles and prophets” contribute to my life today by being the ones that spread the word of God. They and Jesus Christ are the foundation that my belief is based on. The apostles and prophets are the ones that showed us how to live as a congregation by giving us the Bible. The way that Jesus Christ serves as a cornerstone to our congregation is that everything that is said and done is based on the way that Jesus Christ would like to have us do. Now I said based because we don’t always do what Jesus Christ would approve. The way that the congregation “grows” into a holy temple of the Lord is by studying his word and trying to do the things that He wants us to.

The phrase “members of God’s household” tell us that the nature of the Church and God is that we are all interconnected and we are part of that connection. It also tells that the fellowship that is appropriate is like one of a family. This implies that those Christians who aren’t faithful to gather with the local congregation are missing the family relationship that we all long for.

We are fellow-citizens with the Jewish believers in the Kingdom of God. God first grafted them into the Kingdom of God and then had his son sacrificed so that the rest of us could also become citizens with them. The only sense that we are “holy” or “saints” is that we have the Holy Spirit in us and the fact that Jesus died for our sins. That is the only thing that makes us holy.

“Access to the Father” is the most important thing in this world. We can talk to him at anytime with petitions and praise and to thank Him for what He has done for us. The way that having access to the Father is similar as having diplomatic relations is that we can ask for reconciliation whenever we need to. But a relationship with the Father goes much further. We can say anything to the Father but we can’t do that in a diplomatic relationship. We can have access by believing in the One that He went to us and died for our sins.

God’s power works in us according to verse 20. And since it is God’s power that is at work in us, then that is immeasurable. This isn’t more evident because we don’t have the faith that it takes. Exercising Christ’s power on earth brings glory to God because we can do the things that God wants us to do.

The meaning for us Christians that Christ is “head over everything for the church” is that we have the power of Christ if we are in Him. If we are doing the things that He has placed us in His body to do then we can do all things according to His will.

I think that from the standpoint of power, the significance of Paul’s statement that “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” is that we to have been raised above the spiritual powers.

Paul prays that God would open the Ephesians’ eyes to discern “his incomparably great power because he wants them to see that there is more power in them than they think they have. I just realize how power they have in Christ so that is what is wrong with their eyes. This power operates with God because he has this power to raise the dead and that is the same power he is instilled in us. Paul used the example of the level and type of power when he said that it was the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

The significance to the Ephesians by Paul saying that Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms is that He is in full control. He has all the power to do what He wants and will follow whatever the Father wants Him to do. The sense that these spirit beings and powers are “under his feet” means that He has concurred them and they are subject to Him.

This study in 2 Peter and Jude has been able to show me God’s love in all cases. It has informed me that there are still false teaches here and that I should always be looking into the bible for my daily life. I think that this study has been presented in the great way and I don’t think that there is any need for improvement.

God guarding me from falling means that He is watching out for me and protecting me. He has my back covered. The only way that I know how to explain God’s exultant joy toward me is the Cross. For Him to sacrifice is Son for me is more love than I could every hope for. The way that God will manage to present me to himself “blameless” is through Jesus Christ. Jesus is our sacrificial lamb that is without blemish. He is sitting next to God on his right side sticking up for us.

I think that “keep yourself in God’s love” means that we should be talking to God and studying His word and fellowshipping with his people. One of the things that I should do more often is fast more. When I do that I really do feel His love and I can get closer to Him.

God makes it our responsibility to “build up” our own Christian faith because we are the only ones that can do that. We are the ones that have to take the time of the day to engage ourselves in the Word. The things that I do on a regular basis to obey this command is to do a bible study, read the bible and to pray daily.

The privilege that catches my attention more than the other is “Loved by God the Father”. This is so special to me because I know that I am loved. No matter what happens on this earth I still have a Father in heaven that loves me. It encourages my faith by knowing this because I always want to please Him.

The effect that the belief in Christ’s return and coming judgment has on my life is that I am anticipating on that day. It helps me to take the things that are happening in the world today and know that there is something better waiting for me. But the effect that underemphasing this fact makes me want to wonder off and seek thing that will please me.

Our culture resists the idea of sin and repentance because we think that we can do anything and continue to be in God’s grace. Therefore we don’t need to repent. But there cannot be salvation without repentance. Yes, I can think of a time in my life when repentance was difficult for me because it was a sin that I enjoyed doing.

According to Peter, Christ’s coming has been delayed because God does not want any of us to perish. That teaches us that we have an all loving God.

It is important for us to understand what it means to “perish” because that is what is going to happen if we don’t follow Jesus. Going to hell and being tormented for eternity is more than my mind can comprehend. I think that the reason that these truths are underemphasized in our day is because it is politically incorrect. We don’t want to think of a God that won’t let us into heaven because our sins. We want to think of Him as a person that will accept everything and everybody. Since we don’t think that we have a God of justice, they we don’t think we need to follow his laws. If we would just talk about what can happen when we die and the things that will happen in eternity I think that we could find the proper balance.

I think that reminders are so important to Christians because I know I have a tendency to forget. I think another reason that it is important is if you are not reminded I have a tendency to think that it isn’t important any more. I remind myself of God’s promises by do this and other bible studies and reading the bible daily. And I remind others by telling them over again the things I think are important to me.

I think that the reasons that the churches have stopped talking about open sin so much because it is not politically correct. The preachers use to talk about hell fire and the things that will get you there but they don't do that anymore. For some reason we have succumbed to the politically correct calling.

The way that flagrant, defiant sin can enslave a person is that is all that they look forward to committing that sin. They will change their lives just to be with that sin. The only way out of these sins is to turn to God and repent of them. You can truly love the sinner but hate the sin but you have to be very careful not to fall into the same sin that they are in. I have known people that are kind and generous but they have a sin that is very catchy and therefore I cannot hang out with them. We can steer clear of a quick judgmental attitude toward those who sin by watching their life style.

The way that sexual sin denies Christ is that is the only sin that is done to the body. The body is the temple of God is abusing that temple. We Christians have become so complacent about sexual sin because it is so prevalent. We have been brow beaten to the point that we don