A Caring People
In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul addressed the unity which is to exist among God's people in the church. He concludes this portion of his discourse by saying,
...that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)
Paul was a great example of this care for other Christians. Regarding the tone of his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul stated
...out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. (2 Corinthians 2:4)The personal letter penned by Paul to Philemon highlights the apostle's care for a runaway slave, Onesimus. He could have simply commanded the fella to return to his master, and be done with it, but he involved himself intimately in the issue.
In the opening verses of Paul's first letter to Timothy, we see this young man being called "...a true son in the faith..." (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2). This displays the affection which he had for Timothy.
To the Thessalonians, whom Paul had spent just a short time with (Acts 17:1-10), these words were written:
...we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8)
“Paul was a great example of this care for other Christians.”
Again, consider the words of Paul written to the churches at Colosse and Rome. We read:
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you... For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you... (Colossians 1:3, 9)
God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you...Romans 1:9-11)
Paul had not been to either city, nor did he know many Christians there. And yet, he assured them that they were in his prayers constantly. What a boost it must have been to their faith to know that Paul was concerned for them, and petitioning the Father on their behalf.
Brethren whom he'd not yet met, some whom he'd only spent a very short time with, those whom he had formerly rebuked sharply, a good friend and his servant, and a young protege - all of these and more were perpetually on Paul's mind and in his prayers.
Friend, I want us to consider the sincerity of Paul's concern for all of God's people. They had confidence that he was praying for them, and that he loved them - he wrote such by inspiration of the Spirit of God. That is not to say that Paul has some special measure from the Spirit which caused this care to reside in him, simply that the Spirit saw it appropriate to record what was in Paul's heart regarding all of these, to encourage them and us also. Yea, and even to leave us an example that we should follow in.
Consider, how often have you told someone that you would be praying for them, and then failed to do so? How many opportunities to encourage God's people with a simple statement of our love and appreciation for them have we let slip by for one reason or another? Again, it wasn't a special measure of the Spirit that caused Paul to be concerned and express his concern - it was genuine love and devotion to God's people, and a fervent attention to detail.
Friend, let us express our care for God's people, both those who are near to us and those who are in other areas. May we express our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and mean what we say. Let us be diligent in prayer for one another, and if we have said that we will pray for someone let's do what we have said - pray!
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Answering The Atheist
Complaint:
Was Jesus a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45 or a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6)? Is there a contradiction?
Response:
As we look at Jesus' words in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45, as compared with what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:6, we need to consider the time in which it was stated.
Jesus, while still alive and upon the earth, and in His ministry which was almost exclusively conducted among the Gentiles stated that He had come "to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45). His words here do not address the full scope of the ransom which He would provide, but is consistent with the primary focus of His ministry.
When Jesus sent His disciples to preach, He commanded that they "not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:5-6).
A Greek woman had come to Jesus, seeking to have a demon cast out of her daughter. Jesus responded to her,
Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. (Mark 7:27)
The woman took no offense at Jesus' statement but realized the primary focus of His ministry was to the Jews; but still, she said:
Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs. (Mark 7:28)For this, He commended her faith and healed her daughter (Mark 7:29-30).
In a conversation with a woman of Samaria, Jesus made the very direct, but true statement:
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22)But, He extended hope to her, for
...the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth... (John 4:23)
During the time of His earthly ministry, Jesus' focus was upon national Israel, for which reason he would speak of Himself as being a ransom for many. However, after His resurrection, the message of salvation was not limited to the Jews, but was extended to all (1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:11).
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible