The second essential truth that came to the fore in the Reformation 500 years ago is “Sola Gracia” or “Only Grace.” While “Only Scripture” answers the question of what is the infallible word of God for us, “Only Grace” answers the question of why God intervened on humanity’s behalf by sending his Son.
Paul reported to the Philippians that his being in prison in Rome had actually produced the positive benefit of encouraging more preaching of the gospel. There were, no doubt, some who preached from bad motives, but Paul rejoiced anyway. In fact, he had a reason to rejoice, not only in prison but also in all circumstances, whether positive or negative, in life and even in death.
As was typical in Paul’s letters, he began this one with a greeting, a thanksgiving, and a prayer. In these, he didn’t waste any words but gave some previews of the major themes of the letter.
“God Has Spoken” from II Timothy 3:16-17 and II Peter 1:19-21. In recognition of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, during October, we are doing a five-part series that covers the “solas” or the “onlys” that summarize five truths that came to the fore in the life of the church, thanks to the work of ministers who were studying the Bible anew. We start with sola Scriptura or Scripture Alone to see what the Bible teaches about itself and how it functions in our lives.
We begin with an overview of the history of the church in Philippi, especially in relationship to Paul and his companions. Also, we were able to cover part of the very first verse, which contains some fascinating previews of attractions coming later in the letter.
From Genesis 2:18-25 and Ephesians 5:22-22 we learn why to get married, how to get married, and how to stay married.
I Corinthians 7:25-35. With an increasing number of adults living alone and only about half of American adults being married, it is important to understand God’s purposes for singleness, which Paul said had distinct advantages over being married if we use it as God intended.
Psalm 90. Today we reflected on what is important in life and how to make our lives count.
Psalm 133. This short song describes the goodness and pleasantness of brothers and sisters living together. Although modern life places obstacles in the path of spending time together, the development of Christian community is essential to our growth as Christians and our mission of making disciples by praising, learning, and loving. The Jews probably sang this song as they went up to Jerusalem for the annual feasts, but the images of the psalm emphasize that the blessings of unity and eternal life flow down from God.