The result is “the bond of peace” or “the bond which consists of peace,”[7] (O’Brien, 280), meaning unity in the body is evidenced in peace. Such peace is telling of the peace that every Christian enjoys with God the Father through God the Son by God the Holy Spirit. Just as there is unity in God, so there should be unity in his body, as it is manifested in the local church.
Author Archives: John Clayton
The Whole Truth
How does the truth of God’s Word set us free? Consider this: It is through God’s Word that we know the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, God’s Word reveals the truth that we are sinners by nature and evidenced by thought, word, and deed (Rom. 3:23).
Give and Take
The basic definition of stealing is taking “(another person’s property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.” What someone owns is theirs, and if you take it you are stealing. But stealing is not necessarily limited to property.
The New Covenant Supper
In our communion with Christ by his Spirit, we also enjoy communion with one another, a fellowship of the church. The Lord’s Supper is not an individual meal to be eaten in isolation but is a family meal to be eaten in fellowship with one another.
Worship According to God
God has graciously given us in this life His ordinary means of grace, of Word, sacrament, and prayer to worship Him. In this context, we may think of them as anti-idolatry means.
The Blessing of Authority
The reality is, however, that we have not honored our parents, or God-ordained authority, as we should, and fall far short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). The wages of our dishonoring disobedience is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Where we have failed, He fulfilled, honoring his earthly parents and honoring His heavenly Father in perfect obedience.
Life is Precious
The remedy for murder of head, heart, or hand then is love: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16).
Holy Mediation
Because He is holy, for God is holy, He mediates for us the perfect holiness of God forever. Therefore, we worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness (think of the seraphim around His throne) through the holiness of our Savior. And, our holy Mediator calls us to find our salvation, our hope, our sustenance, and our future in Him.
He Who Is God
Indeed, He is God and there are no others, but there are plenty of false gods that seek our attention and devotion. In Christ we have been redeemed as the sole possession of the one, true God.
Hallowed Be Your Name
To hallow is to praise, honor, bless, and even celebrate the name of the Lord our God. Consider the testimony of the psalms, for example: “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness” (Ps. 29:2). What is His name due? Glory!
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 