Making Peace

"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, HAVING MADE PEACE through the blood of His cross.

(Colossians 1:19,20)

"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.’ (Colossians 1:24-28)

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace BY THOSE WHO MAKE PEACE."

(James 3:17,18)

Jesus Christ made peace THROUGH the blood of the cross. Paul was willing to FILL UP in his flesh what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of the church, not in disorder but according to the stewardship God gave him. How do you suppose to make peace?

Each One's Work Will Become Clear

"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear, for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise." 

(1 Corinthians 3:11-18)

"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Paul has introduced the "foundation" of Jesus Christ to the Corinthian people. He declares that their works, subsequent to their conversion and empowerment, will be revealed by fire. If what they do is burned, that work will be lost, which is a good thing! Since they are young in Christ they will receive opportunity to continue, YET SO AS THROUGH FIRE. The fire burned up their works, the error of their way, that the will of God may become evident and made manifest: works which endure the fire.

A Form of Godliness

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, head-strong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

"Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but these will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs (Jannes, Jambres) also was." (2 Timothy 3:1-9)

MANY have recognized, and received the message that Jesus Christ, on the cross, was the propitiation to God for their sins. A cross seen, on church or on a hillside, or on a printed page reminds that He did that for them. These HAVE a form of godliness, confessing what God had done and they had received.

Paul warns Timothy that underneath the form these have, 'men will be'. No one is excluded. As the scriptures note, you may have a form of godliness yet deny its power. Now we see that Jesus was on that cross for a time, suffered and died, and was resurrected. He teaches that unless you will do the same, according yourself to His grace, you will not be fit for the kingdom.

Growing up, I had a neighbor who had a flatbed truck on which he carried metallic forms. He was a homebuilder. When I was young, I had no interest those things. But now I know he put those forms together in order to pour concrete for foundations of dwellings. Those forms did him no good unconstructed, but constructed were useful.

It would be perilous for the bride-elect to become easily deceived by men who sell short the power of godliness which glorifies God in those who endure.