Submit to Every Authority?!

Peter continues addressing his persecuted, exiled readers (1 Peter 2:11) in today’s Bible reading*. Last month, I commented on the historical context around the middle of the First Century. I mentioned Nero was the Roman Emporer at the time. Under Nero’s reign, Christians were persecuted far beyond what many of us can imagine today. “Pure…

Hospitality and Using Words

In today’s Bible reading*, continues to talk about the importance of walking in both Truth and Love. Next, John talks about the importance of hospitality toward other Believers. (3 John 1:5-8) People don’t talk much about hospitality these days. But it’s a very important character trait. Back in the First Century, especially as Roman religious…

Scripture: Leave it or Love it

In today’s Bible reading*, Paul describes the symptoms of leaving God’s objective revelation of Himself. He also prescribes the remedy. The Description: “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited,…

Honor the Elders

When Paul talks about honoring the elders in today’s Bible reading*, he isn’t talking about honoring your parents or honoring people who are older than you. He’s talking about honoring church elders. Elders in the First Century church were pastors and mature men who had been called to provide spiritual and financial leadership for the…

Pray for Your Leaders

In today’s Bible reading*, Paul tells his spiritual son Timothy that Believers should pray for those in authority over them. He uses several Greek words for prayer, each covering a different type of prayer. And he tells Timothy to pray “for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may…