Thirty Seconds or Less

Hey Jude, You are a short, ferocious, simile-filled letter about some people who are infiltrating the church. We don’t know exactly what these people are up to but you mention sexual misconduct, problems with authority, and obsession with money. They are manipulative, arrogant, and divisive. They take advantage of the loving kindness of the church... The post Hey Jude appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

In the letter of Third John a church leader who calls himself “The Elder” writes to his friend Gaius. He praises Gaius for the way he has shown hospitality to those who have visited Gaius’ faith community. The Elder knows that hospitality isn’t always easy. He knows that there are some in Gaius’ community who... The post Whoever Does Good appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

In Second John, as in our lives, finding the Good News isn’t as hard to do as it is to figure out what to do with it. The Elder rejoices that the people know the truth, that our hope and salvation come through Christ, the Word made flesh, and that they celebrate that by loving... The post This Is Good News appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

In just thirteen verses, Second John provides a practical puzzle of applied theology. The Elder writes to a house church rejoicing that they are living in the truth, at least some of them. He reminds them of the command to live in agape love and to love one another. But the Elder warns them not... The post A Practical Puzzle appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

The Bible says that we’re body, mind and spirit – but sometimes it feels like we’re being told our bodies don’t matter, or are something to be ashamed of. In contrast, John writes about Jesus saying – “That …which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched”.... The post In The Flesh appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

1 John is a letter to the Christians the elderly apostle calls his ‘little children’. As he thinks about his own death, he worries about their faith, and presents them with a series of stark contrasts: Those who walk in the light and those who walk in the darkness. Those who love God and those... The post A Series Of Stark Contrasts appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

We are called to partake in the divine nature, to be caught up in that holy power and experience of freedom. And to exercise that freedom in the vision of what is to come. And yes, it will be tricky at times and there will be all kinds of voices clamoring with promises that they... The post What Is Right appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

There’s four basic takeaways in this letter: First, we are reminded that we have already been provided with everything needed to partake in the divine nature, that is, to be in godliness. Second, we’re encouraged to actually show in our lives that we are in that godliness. Do good things Third, we’re warned not to... The post Four Basic Takeaways appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

It may be possible to squint hard and see the good in First Peter, but I like to imagine is the stuff Peter said to Paul in the infamous tiff they had in Antioch that Paul recounts in Galatians 2. I imagine Peter saying all of these things and Paul countering, “if I build up... The post If Only He Knew Peter Better appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

There’s a lot of reasons to look at First Peter sideways—what’s this about slaves obeying harsh masters because Jesus, or women not braiding hair because authority, or husbands being super nice to wives because they are weak—and so on. There’s things about the person who’s suffered in the flesh, is done with sin, and the... The post A Little Problematic appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.