The Church in Pergamum is written for us to see the dangers of compromising our faith instead of standing firm in our faith in Jesus.

Jesus has come to fulfill the teachings of the Old Testament and because He has done so, we are now free to not only obey His commands, but to teach others to do the same, knowing that our righteousness is secured through the righteousness of Jesus.

As we share the Gospel, we must remember the power of God is what truly brings salvation. We also recognize as we pursue holy living that He empowers us to live in a way that honors Him.

Paul makes his final call to stick close to the Gospel and repel anything that goes against God’s word.  And he reminds them of what ultimately matters- Christ and Christ alone.  As we finish this study, think about all the things have been challenged as additions to or replacements for the Gospel.

The thesis statement for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount tells us why He came; not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. But what does this mean for Christians today? It means we live in the fulfilled work of Christ.

We can only do good because of Christ in us.  More and more the failure of the flesh continues to show up, as we see that it only brings about destruction.  And Paul reminds the believers to love each other, Jew or Gentile, it does not matter. How can you show love to the family God has provided you?

Happy Mother's Day! For many of us, the greatest mission field we will ever have will be at home, pointing our kids to Jesus. Jesus helps us as parents be the light of Jesus to our children at home.

Continuing off the end of the last section, Paul exhorts us to support one another through the Christian walk. This will look different from person to person and situation to situation, but all of it stems from a reminder of the Gospel, and a recognition that heavier loads need more hands to lift.  We must also be careful not to let being helpful go to our heads.

It's one thing to know we are the salt and the light, but what does it look like practically in the life of a believer who seeks to live out this calling to represent Jesus on this earth?

We get two lists in this passage.  First is a list of acts that may seem obviously “bad” but include things like hatred and envy, which are more internal and perhaps easier to hide. But the fruit of the Spirit is obvious as well- those elements that mark the life of a Christian connected to the true Vine.  And he sums this section up with the reminder that we can support one another rather than compete with one another.