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Fullness and freedom - two aspects of Christian life that we all
want to share. Paul wrote about them at length (and depth) in his
letter to the Christians at Colossae, where certain new teachers
were proclaiming that 'mere Christianity' is not enough. There is,
they suggested, a fuller experience, a greater liberation, than
they had so far enjoyed. But Paul was adamant: all God's fullness
is in Christ alone, and only through his complete work are we set
free. Paul's letter to Philemon is of particular interest to us as
a letter to an individual friend and convert. Yet it is not marked
'personal and private'. It was also to be read by the church in
Philemon's house. This letter applies the themes of the fullness
and freedom found in the gospel to the complex situation of
Onesimus and Philemon, a scenario with much to teach us today about
the relationship of the gospel of Christ to social concerns. These
are the great objective truths of the faith that Dick Lucas
highlights in his exposition, enabling us to see both the riches
that are ours in Christ and the irrelevance - even blasphemy - of
all would-be improvements on what God has done.
The letters of 2 Peter and Jude form a robust pair, with their
distinctive overlap in theme and wording. These letters are
sometimes overlooked, yet their message for today's church is
powerfully relevant. Both their writers aim to expose false guides
who bewitch young believers. In response, they set before the
churches bedrock conditions of survival, providing inspiring and
always practical guidance on Christian growth. Without a maturing
knowledge of God, churches (then as now) would be destabilised by
destructive and heretical teaching.
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