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Our Priestly Service – The Sacrifice of Fellowship

and do not forget to do good and fellowship. For these sacrifices are well pleasing to God – Hebrews 13:16.

We share in common within the body of the Christ and therefore need time together to grow, encourage, and share together in our salvation.

Our Priestly Service – The Sacrifice of Fellowship2023-11-27T10:38:41-08:00

Mental (κάμνω) and Physical (ἐκλύω) Weariness

Mental weariness (κάμνω) is an exhaustion of the soul that impacts the mind. It can result from continual struggles, long, arduous journeys, or the accusing of the conscience for wronging another person.

James writes of the vow of faith by those who are mentally weary. In the early Church, the Elders (Pastors) would assist those who were physically sick (ἀσθενέω), praying over them and anointing them with oil, which was used for relief from sickness. However, for those who are having a mental issue, it is the vow of faith that will provide calmness. This vow is to correct a wrong done, which is causing a negative impact on the mind because of the weariness of the soul.

And the vow of faith will save the mentally ill and the Lord will raise him up and if he has done a sin, it will be forgiven him – James 5:15.

A physical weariness (ἐκλύω) can cause a person to lose heart. During His earthly ministry, Jesus fed a large crowd that had come out to hear Him speak on the Kingdom of the Heavens. He has compassion on them because they were exhausted from their journey, Matthew 9:36. A person who sows should not exhaust their strength, for in due time, he will reap from his work, Galatians 6:9. Sowing righteousness will take more time to reap than sowing to the flesh, which seeks instant gratification. Patience in doing good and taking time to rest is essential so we do not grow weary in overcoming what is wrong with good. As sons of God, He corrects us when we do wrong. We are not to become physically exhausted by this child-training, for the Lord rebukes those […]

Mental (κάμνω) and Physical (ἐκλύω) Weariness2024-04-04T13:48:14-07:00

To Gain a Firm Mental Grasp (ἐπίσταμαι)

Having a firm mental grasp or acquiring information is expressed by ἐπίσταμαι (epistamai). Its root means to stand (ιστημι). Therefore, it expresses standing with a firm mental grasp because of the information a person is acquainted with.

In Peter’s denial of Christ, when questioned by a young servant girl if he was with Christ, he adamantly denied it, saying that he neither intuitively knows nor has acquired knowledge concerning Christ, Mark 14:68. After Peter is restored from the attack by Satan that caused him to deny Christ, God uses him to show the Jews that the Gentiles are also being accepted into the Church. In Cornelius’ house, Peter states that they have a firm mental grasp on the fact that it is not permissible for a Jew to fellowship or enter into a place with another nation, Acts 10:28. However before Cornelius sent for Paul, God showed him that he is not to call any man common or unclean and, therefore, Peter came without objection.

During the council in Acts chapter fifteen concerning whether or not the Gentiles should be circumcised and obey the law of Moses, Peter spoke up concerning what God had been doing. The elders and apostles present had acquired knowledge concerning the situation when God instructed Peter to enter into the house of a Gentile so they could hear the gospel. They were neither circumcised nor immersed before the Holy Spirit came upon them in the same manner as He did on the day of Pentecost to show the Jews a sign, Acts 15:5.

When Apollos came to Ephesus, he was mighty in the Scripture; however, he was only familiar with (had a firm mental grasp) the immersion of John, Acts […]

To Gain a Firm Mental Grasp (ἐπίσταμαι)2024-02-15T08:03:08-08:00

Laying Hold of Eternal Life

Godliness with contentment is great gain. Yet, some seek to deceive the saints by teaching that financial gain is a means of godliness. This false doctrine is also known as the prosperity gospel. The fondness of money is a root of all wrong, and those who follow after it will stray from the faith in their greed, 1 Timothy 6:3-10. Therefore, we are to put away the fondness of money and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and objectivity of mind, 1 Timothy 6:11, for in doing so, we will take hold of eternal life, 1 Timothy 6:12. Those who are rich in this present age are not to be high minded, trusting in uncertain riches; rather, they are to do good works, being rich in proper works, generous, fellowshipping, so that they store up for themselves a proper foundation for the time to come, taking hold of eternal life, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, for those who determine to be wealthy fall into temptation and a snare, leading them into many harmful and foolish desires, 1 Timothy 6:5.

A person who continues a lifestyle of sin after being saved is not taking hold of eternal life. We are to lay aside the things of the old man and put on the new, Colossians 3:9-10, while abstaining from fleshly desires that war against our soul (emotions), 1 Peter 2:11. Although sin does not take away the salvation of the one who is saved, for nothing can separate us from the love of God, Romans 8:39, it still needs to be dealt with. One who is clean only needs to wash his feet, John 13:10. Unfortunately, many saints walk around with filthy feet because they continue to walk in […]

Laying Hold of Eternal Life2023-12-14T07:52:56-08:00

In One Accord (ὁμοθυμαδόν)

“In one accord” (ὁμοθυμαδόν) is a derivative of anger (θυμος), which expresses an inner burning heat combined with homogenize. By merging “thumos” (θυμος) with “same” (ομοιος), “in one accord” (ὁμοθυμαδόν) does not hold onto the concept of anger; rather, it only retains the intensity that thumos (θυμος) expresses.

This together intensity can be seen with those who do not want to hear the truth, Acts 7:57, and those who believed because of the signs and wonders being done through the Apostles at the beginning of the Church, Acts 8:6. In the secular realm “in one accord (ὁμοθυμαδόν)” is used of the people of Tyre and Sidon coming to Herod to retain peace, for their country was supplied with food from Herod, Acts 12:20. We also encounter this concept when Gallio was proconsul in Achaia, the Jews in one accord rose up against Paul, for they were angry that he was having such success with teaching the Jewish people about the resurrected Christ, along with all the Gentiles that were coming to salvation through the gospel Paul was proclaiming. They express their intense togetherness against Paul to Gallio, who dismisses them because it is not a matter of wrongdoing or a wicked crime being committed, Acts 18:12. This act from Gallio finally gave Paul time to rest from the persecution by the Jews. As the gospel of Christ spread through Ephesus, the silversmith Demetrius, whose primary business was selling idols of Diana, stirred up the city because the prosperity of the gospel of Christ was so predominant that it negatively impacted his business. Demetrius persuaded the other silversmiths of their dilemma, and in their wrath, they confused the city as they all, in one accord, rushed into […]

In One Accord (ὁμοθυμαδόν)2023-12-14T08:09:58-08:00
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