What We Believe - Trinity Evangel Church

Table of Contents

Introduction
Scripture
The Trinity
God's Purpose and Election
God's Creation
Man's Fall
Person of Jesus Christ
Work of Jesus Christ
Work of the Holy Spirit
Justification
Faith and Sanctification
Meditation and Prayer
The Church's Ordinances
Christ's Commission
Death, Resurrection, and End Times

What We Believe
Trinity Evangel Church

The worship of our triune God and the righteous joy of His people depend on properly receiving sound doctrine. Therefore, our aim is not to discover how little can be believed, but rather to embrace and teach "the whole counsel of God."1 Our aim is to encourage a hearty adherence to the Bible, the fullness of its truth,2 and the glory of its Author. We believe biblical doctrine stabilizes saints in the winds of confusion3 and strengthens the church in her mission to proclaim the gospel to sinners trapped in the worldly systems of false religion and secularism.

We believe that the supreme virtue of love is nourished by the strong meat of God-centered doctrine.4 Likewise, we believe that the cause of unity in the church5 is best served, not by finding the lowest common denominator of doctrine, around which all can gather, but by elevating the value of truth, stating the doctrinal parameters of church or school or mission or ministry, seeking the unity that comes from the truth, and then demonstrating to the world how Christians can love each other6 across boundaries rather than by removing boundaries. In this way, the importance of truth is served by the existence of doctrinal borders, and unity is served by the way we lovingly relate to one another across those borders. While this tension is supremely difficult to hold, we believe it is also supremely worthwhile.

With this pursuit in mind, we do not believe that all things in this affirmation of faith are of equal weight, some being more essential, some less. We do not believe that every part of this affirmation must be believed in order for one to be saved, nor to fellowship with this local church.

We, the elders of Trinity Evangel Church, do not claim infallibility for this affirmation and are open to refinement and correction from Scripture.7 Yet we do hold firmly to these truths as we see them and call on others to search the Scriptures to see if these things are so.8 As conversation and debate take place, it may be that we will learn from each other, and the boundaries will be adjusted, even possibly folding formerly disagreeing groups into closer fellowship.

The Trinity Evangel Church doctrinal statement was adapted from the "Elder Affirmation of Faith" of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, and is used by permission.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Contents

1. Scripture, the Word of God Written
2. The Trinity, One God as Three Persons
3. God's Eternal Purpose and Election
4. God's Creation of the Universe and Man
5. Man's Sin and Fall from Fellowship with God
6. Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God
7. The Saving Work of Christ
8. The Saving Work of the Holy Spirit
9. The Justifying Act of God
10. God's Work in Faith and Sanctification
11. Living God's Word by Meditation and Prayer
12. Christ's Church and Her Ordinances
13. Christ's Commission to Make Disciples of All Nations
14. Death, Resurrection, and the Coming of the Lord

1. Scripture, the Word of God Written

1.1 We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the infallible Word of God, verbally inspired by God,9 and without error10 in the original manuscripts.

1.2 We believe that God's intentions, revealed in the Bible, are the supreme, sufficient, and final authority in testing all claims about what is true and what is right. In matters not addressed by the Bible, determining what is true and right requires wise assessment by criteria consistent with the teachings of Scripture.11

1.3 We believe God's intentions are revealed through the intentions of the human authors, even when the authors' intention was to express divine meaning of which they were not fully aware, as, for example, in the case of some Old Testament prophecies. Thus the meaning of Biblical texts is an objective, fixed historical reality, rooted in the historical, unchangeable intentions of its divine and human authors. However, while meaning does not change, the application of that meaning may change in various situations. Nevertheless it is not legitimate to infer a meaning from a Biblical text that is not demonstrably carried by the words which God inspired.12

1.4 Therefore, the process of discovering the intention of God in the Bible (which is its fullest meaning) is a humble and careful effort to find in the language and context of Scripture what the human authors intended to communicate. Limited abilities, traditional biases, personal sin, and cultural assumptions often obscure Biblical texts. Therefore the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit is essential for right understanding of the Bible,13 and prayer for His assistance belongs to a proper effort to understand and apply God's Word.14

2. The Trinity, One God as Three Persons

2.1 We believe in one15 living,16 sovereign,17 and all-glorious18 God, eternally existing in three19 infinitely excellent and admirable Persons: God the Father,20 fountain of all being;21 God the Son,22 eternally begotten,23 not made, without beginning,24 being of one essence25 with the Father; and God the Holy Spirit, proceeding in the full, divine essence,26 as a Person, 27 eternally from the Father and the Son. Thus each Person in the Godhead is fully, completely, and simultaneously God.

2.2 We believe that God is supremely joyful28 as He relates in the fellowship of the Trinity, each Person beholding and expressing His eternal and unsurpassed delight in the all-satisfying perfections of the triune God.

3. God's Eternal Purpose and Election

3.1 We believe that God, from all eternity,29 in order to display the full extent of His glory30 for the eternal and ever-increasing enjoyment31 of all who love Him,32 did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His will,33 freely and unchangeably34 foreknow35 and predestine36 whatever comes to pass.

3.2 We believe that God upholds and governs all things - from galaxies37 to subatomic particles,38 from the forces of nature39 to the movements of nations,40 from evil to good41, and from the public plans of politicians42 to the secret acts of solitary persons43 - all in accord with His eternal, all-wise44 purposes to glorify Himself, yet in such a way that He never sins,45 nor ever condemns a person unjustly;46 but that His ordaining and governing all things is compatible with the moral accountability47 of all persons created in His image.

3.3 We believe that God's election is an unconditional48 act of free grace49 which was given through His Son Christ Jesus before the world began.50 By this act God chose, before the foundation of the world, those who would be delivered from bondage to sin51 and brought to repentance52 and saving faith53 in His Son Christ Jesus.

4. God's Creation of the Universe, Angels, and Man

4.1 We believe that God created the universe,54 and everything in it,55 out of nothing,56 in six literal, 24-hour days57 by the Word of His power. Having no deficiency in Himself, nor moved by any incompleteness in His joyful self-sufficiency, God was pleased in creation to display His glory58 for the everlasting joy59 of the redeemed, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.60

4.2 We believe that God directly created Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from his side. We believe that Adam and Eve were the historical parents of the entire human race;61 that they were created male and female equally in the image of God,62 without sin,63 to multiply and take dominion over the earth;64 that they were created to glorify65 their Maker, Ruler, Provider, and Friend by trusting His all-sufficient goodness, enjoying His personal fellowship, and obeying His all-wise counsel; and that, in God's love and wisdom, they were appointed differing and complementary roles in marriage as a type of Christ and the church.66 God instituted marriage as the covenant commitment between one man and one woman.67

4.3 We believe that God created angels to serve and worship Him.68 We believe that Satan is an angel who, though created good, soon rebelled against God and took a third of the angels with him in his fall.69 We believe that Satan introduced sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve70 and that he currently controls the world system, blinds the minds of all unbelievers, and seeks the destruction of humankind through constant warfare.71 We believe that Satan and all the fallen angels were decisively, though not yet finally, conquered through the death and resurrection of Jesus,72 and that they will be eternally judged in the lake of fire.73

5. Man's Sin and Fall from Fellowship with God

5.1 We believe that, although God created the first man morally upright, he was led astray from God's Word and wisdom by the subtlety of Satan's deceit,74 chose to take what was forbidden,75 and thus declared his independence from, distrust for, and disobedience toward his all-good and gracious Creator. Thus, our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original innocence and communion with God.76

5.2 We believe that, as the head of the human race, Adam's fall became the fall of all his posterity, in such a way that corruption, guilt, death, and condemnation belong properly to every person.77 All persons are thus corrupt by nature,78 enslaved to sin,79 blind to spiritual truth, and morally unable80 to delight in God and overcome their own proud preference for the fleeting pleasures of self-rule.

5.3 We believe that God subjected the creation to futility,81 and that the entire human family is made justly liable to untold miseries of sickness,82 decay,83 calamity,84 and loss.85 Thus all the adversity, suffering, and death in the world is an echo and a witness of the exceedingly great evil of moral depravity in the heart of mankind; and every new day of life is a God-given, merciful reprieve from imminent judgment, pointing to repentance.86

6. Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God

6.1 We believe that in the fullness of time87 God sent forth His eternal Son as Jesus the Messiah,88 conceived by the Holy Spirit,89 born of the virgin Mary.90 We believe that, when the eternal Son became flesh,91 He took on a fully human nature,92 so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one Person, without confusion or mixture. Thus the Person, Jesus Christ, was and is truly God93 and truly man,94 yet one Christ and the only Mediator between God and man.95

6.2 We believe that Jesus Christ was born and lived without sin, though He endured the common infirmities and temptations of human life.96 He preached and taught with truth and authority unparalleled in human history.97 He worked miracles, demonstrating His divine right and power over all creation: dispatching demons,98 healing the sick,99 raising the dead,100 stilling storms,101 walking on water,102 multiplying loaves,103 and foreknowing what would befall Him and His disciples,104 including the betrayal of Judas105 and the denial, restoration, and eventual martyrdom of Peter.106

6.3 We believe that His life was governed by His Father's providence with a view to fulfilling all Old Testament prophecies concerning the One who was to come,107 such as the Seed of the woman,108 the Prophet like Moses,109 the Priest after the order of Melchizedek,110 the Son of David,111 and the Suffering Servant.112

6.4 We believe that Jesus Christ suffered voluntarily113 in fulfillment of God's redemptive plan,114 that He was crucified under Pontius Pilate,115 that He died,116 was buried117 and on the third day rose from the dead118 to vindicate the saving work of His life and death119 and to take His place as the invincible, everlasting Lord of glory.120 During the forty days after His resurrection, He gave many compelling evidences of His bodily resurrection121 and then ascended bodily into heaven,122 where He is seated at the right hand of the Father,123 interceding for His people124 on the basis of His all- sufficient sacrifice for sin, and reigning until He puts all His enemies under His feet.125

7. The Saving Work of Christ

7.1 We believe that by His perfect obedience to God126 and by His suffering and death127 as the immaculate Lamb of God,128 Jesus Christ obtained forgiveness of sins129 and the gift of perfect righteousness130 for all who trusted in God prior to the cross131 and all who would trust in Christ thereafter.132 Through living a perfect life and dying in our place, the just for the unjust, Christ absorbed our punishment,133 appeased the wrath of God against us,134 vindicated the righteousness of God in our justification,135 and removed the condemnation of the law against us.136

7.2 We believe that the gospel should be proclaimed to all nations and that to every person it may be truly said, "God gave his only son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."137 Whosoever will may come138 and, whoever does come, Jesus will not cast out.139

7.3 We believe that the death and resurrection of Christ obtained the omnipotent New Covenant140 mercy of repentance141 and faith142 for God's elect. In His death, Christ expressed a special covenant love to His friends,143 His sheep,144 His bride.145 For them He secured salvation and obtained the infallible and effectual working of the Spirit to triumph over their resistance and bring them to saving faith.146

8. The Saving Work of the Holy Spirit

8.1 We believe that the Holy Spirit has always been at work in the world, sharing in the work of creation,147 performing signs and wonders,148 giving triumphs in battle,149 empowering the preaching of prophets150 and inspiring the writing of Scripture.151 Yet, after Christ had made atonement for sin and ascended to the right hand of the Father, He inaugurated a new era of the Spirit by pouring out the promise of the Father on His Church.152

8.2 We believe that the newness of this era is marked by the unprecedented mission of the Spirit to glorify the crucified and risen Christ.153 This He does by giving the disciples of Jesus greater power to preach the gospel of the glory of Christ,154 by confirming the authority of His Word,155 by opening the hearts of hearers that they might see Christ and believe,156 by transforming His people from glory to glory,157 by manifesting Himself in spiritual gifts for the upbuilding of the body of Christ,158 by calling all the nations to repentance and faith in Christ,159 and, in all this, thus fulfilling the New Covenant promise to create and preserve a purified people160 for the everlasting habitation of God.161

8.3 We believe that, apart from the effectual work of the Spirit, no one would come to faith,162 because all men are dead in trespasses and sins,163 hostile to God, unable to understand spiritual things,164 and morally unable to submit to God or please Him165 because the pleasures of sin appear greater than the pleasures of God.166 Thus, for God's elect, the Spirit triumphs over all resistance,167 wakens the dead,168 removes blindness,169 and manifests Christ in such a compellingly beautiful way through the Gospel that He becomes irresistibly attractive to the regenerate heart. The Spirit indwells every believer and guarantees that saints will persevere to the end.170

8.4 We believe the Holy Spirit does this saving work in connection with the presentation of the Gospel of the glory of Christ.171 Thus neither the work of the Father in election, nor the work of the Son in atonement, nor the work of the Spirit in regeneration is a hindrance or discouragement to the proclamation of the gospel to all peoples and persons everywhere. On the contrary, this divine saving work of the Trinity is the warrant and the ground of our hope that our evangelization is not in vain in the Lord. The Spirit binds His saving work to the gospel of Christ, because His aim is to glorify the Christ of the Gospel.172

9. The Justifying Act of God

9.1 We believe that in a free act of righteous grace God justifies the ungodly by faith alone apart from works,173 pardoning their sins,174 and reckoning them as righteous and acceptable in His presence.175 Faith is thus the sole instrument176 by which we, as sinners, are united to Christ, whose perfect righteousness and satisfaction for sins is alone the ground of our acceptance with God.177 This acceptance happens fully and permanently at the first instant of justification.178 Thus the righteousness by which we come into right standing with God is not anything worked in us by God, neither imparted to us at baptism nor over time, but rather is accomplished for us, outside ourselves, and is imputed to us.

9.2 We believe, nevertheless, that the faith, which alone receives the gift of justification, does not remain alone in the person so justified, but produces, by the Holy Spirit,179 the fruit of love180 and leads necessarily to sanctification.181 This necessary relation between justifying faith and the fruit of good works gives rise to some biblical expressions which seem to make works the ground or means of justification,182 but in fact simply express the crucial truth that faith that does not yield the fruit of good works is dead, being no true faith.183

10. God's Work in Faith and Sanctification

10.1 We believe that justification and sanctification are both brought about by God through faith,184 but not in the same way. Justification is an act of God's imputing and reckoning;185 sanctification is an act of God's imparting and transforming.186 Thus the function of faith in regard to each is different. In regard to justification, faith is not the channel through which power or transformation flows to the soul of the believer, but rather faith is the occasion of God's forgiving, acquitting, and reckoning as righteous.187 But in regard to sanctification, faith is indeed the channel through which divine power and transformation flow to the soul,188 and the sanctifying work of God through faith does indeed gradually change the soul more and more into the likeness of Christ.

10.2 We believe that the reason justifying faith necessarily sanctifies in this way is fourfold:

First, justifying faith is a persevering, that is, continuing, kind of faith.189 Even though we are justified at the first instant of saving faith,190 yet this faith justifies only because it is a living faith that will surely persevere. The extension of this faith into the future is, as it were, contained in the first seed of faith, as the oak in the acorn. Thus the moral effects191 of persevering faith may be rightly described as the effects of justifying faith.

Second, we believe that justifying faith trusts in Christ not only for the gift of imputed righteousness and the forgiveness of sins,192 but also for the fulfillment of all His promises to us based on that reconciliation.193 Justifying faith magnifies the finished work of Christ's atonement by resting securely in all the promises of God obtained and guaranteed by that all-sufficient work.194

Third, we believe that justifying faith embraces Christ in all His roles:195 Creator,196 Sustainer,197 Savior,198 Teacher,199 Guide,200 Comforter,201 Helper,202 Friend,203 Advocate,204 Protector,205 and Lord.206 Justifying faith does not divide Christ, accepting part of Him and rejecting the rest. All of Christ is embraced by justifying faith, even before we are fully aware of, or fully understand, all that He will be for us. As more of Christ is truly revealed to us in His Word, genuine faith recognizes Christ and embraces Him more fully.207

Fourth, we believe that this embracing of all of Christ is not a mere intellectual assent, or a mere decision of the will, but is also a heartfelt, Spirit-given (yet imperfect) satisfaction in all that God is for us in Jesus.208 Therefore, the change of mind and heart that turns from the moral ugliness and danger of sin, and is sometimes called "repentance,"209 is included in the very nature of saving faith.

10.3 We believe that this persevering, future-oriented, Christ-embracing, heart-satisfying faith is life-transforming,210 and therefore renders intelligible the teaching of the Scripture that final salvation in the age to come depends on the transformation of life,211 and yet does not contradict justification by faith alone. The faith which alone justifies, cannot remain alone, but works through love.212

10.4 We believe that this simple, powerful reality of justifying faith is God's gift213 which He gives unconditionally in accord with God's electing love214 so that no one can boast in himself215 but only give all glory to God for every part of salvation.216 We believe that the Holy Spirit is the decisive agent in this life-transformation, but that He is supplied to us and works holiness in us though our daily faith in the Son of God217 whose trustworthiness He loves to glorify.218

10.5 We believe that the sanctification, which comes by the Spirit through faith,219 is imperfect and incomplete in this life.220 Although ultimate slavery to sin is broken,221 yet there remain remnants of corruption in every heart that give rise to irreconcilable war.222 In sanctification, sinful desires are progressively223 weakened by the power of a superior satisfaction in the glory of Christ and believers are called to vigilance in the lifelong fight of faith.224

10.6 We believe that all who are justified will win this fight. They will persevere in faith and not ultimately surrender to the enemy of their souls.225 This perseverance is the promise of the New Covenant,226 obtained by the blood of Christ,227 and worked in us by God Himself,228 yet not so as to diminish, but only to empower and encourage, our vigilance;229 so that we may say in the end, I have fought the good fight,230 but it was not I, but the grace of God which was with me.231

11. Living God's Word by Meditation and Prayer

11.1 We believe that personal faith is granted and sustained by God's Spirit232 through His Word233 and prayer.234 The good fight of faith is fought mainly by meditating on the Scriptures235 and praying236 that God would apply them to our souls.

11.2 We believe that the promises of God recorded in the Scriptures are suited to save us from the deception of sin by displaying for us, and holding out to us, superior pleasures in the protection, provision, and presence of God.237 Therefore, reading,238 understanding,239 pondering,240 memorizing,241 and savoring242 the promises of all that God will be for us in Jesus are primary means of the Holy Spirit to break the power of sin's deceitful promises in our lives. Therefore it is needful that we give ourselves to such meditation day and night.243

11.3 We believe that God has ordained to bless244 and use245 His people for His glory through the means of prayer, offered in Jesus'246 name by faith.247 All prayer should seek ultimately that God's name be hallowed, that His kingdom come, and that His will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.248 God's sovereignty over all things is not a hindrance to prayer, but a reason for hope that our prayers will succeed.249

11.4 We believe that prayer is the indispensable handmaid of meditation as we cry out to God for the inclination to turn from the world to the Word,250 and for the spiritual ability to see the glory of God in His testimonies,251 and for a soul-satisfying sight of the love of God,252 and for strength in the inner man to do the will of God.253 By prayer God sanctifies His people,254 sends gospel laborers into the world,255 and causes the Word of God to spread and triumph over Satan and unbelief.256

12. Christ's Church and Her Ordinances

12.1 We believe in the one universal Church composed of all those who are chosen in Christ and united to Him through faith by the Spirit in one Body, with Christ Himself as the all-supplying, all-sustaining, all-supreme, and all-authoritative Head.257 We believe that the ultimate purpose of the Church is to glorify God258 in the everlasting and ever-increasing gladness of worship.259 We believe that the Church has not replaced Israel, but that God will fulfill all of His specific promises to Israel and use the Church to draw His chosen nation back to Himself.260

12.2 We believe it is God's will that the universal Church find expression in local churches261 in which believers agree together to hear the Word of God proclaimed,262 to engage in corporate worship, to practice the ordinances of baptism263 and the Lord's Supper,264 to build each other's faith through the manifold ministries of love,265 to hold each other accountable in the obedience of faith through Biblical discipline,266 and to train disciples to make more disciples of Christ.267 The Church is a body in which each member should find a suitable ministry for His giftedness;268 it is the household of God in which the Spirit dwells;269 it is the pillar and bulwark of God's truth in a truth-denying world;270 and it is a city set on a hill so that men may see the light of its good deeds - including ministry to the poor, orphans, and widows271 - and give glory to the Father in heaven.272

12.3 We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord by which those who have repented and come to faith273 express their union with Christ274 in His death and resurrection,275 by being immersed in water276 in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.277 It is a symbol of burial278 and cleansing, signifying death to the old life of unbelief, and purification from the pollution of sin.279

12.4 We believe that the Lord's Supper is an ordinance of the Lord280 in which gathered believers281 eat bread, signifying Christ's body given for His people, and drink the cup of the Lord, signifying the New Covenant in Christ's blood.282 We do this in remembrance of the Lord, and thus proclaim His death until He comes. Those who eat and drink in a worthy manner partake of Christ's body and blood, not physically, but spiritually, in that, by faith, they are united with each other and nourished with the benefits He obtained through His death, and thus grow in grace.283

12.5 We believe that each local church should recognize and affirm the divine calling of spiritually qualified men to give leadership to the church through the role of elder (also called pastor, overseer, and shepherd) in the ministry of the Word and prayer. Women are not to fill the role of elder in the local church, but are encouraged to use their gifts in appropriate roles that edify the body of Christ and spread the gospel.284

13. Christ's Commission to Make Disciples of All Nations

13.1 We believe that the commission given by the Lord Jesus to make disciples of all nations is binding on His Church to the end of the age.285 This task is to proclaim the Gospel to every tribe and tongue and people and nation,286 baptizing them, teaching them the words and ways of the Lord,287 and gathering them into churches288 able to fulfill their Christian calling among their own people. The ultimate aim of disciple-making is that God would create, by His Word, worshippers who glorify His name through glad-hearted faith and obedience.289 This mission exists because worship doesn't. When the time of ingathering is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, this assignment will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and the goal of our charge.

14. Death, Resurrection, and the Coming of the Lord

14.1 We believe that when Christians die they are made perfect in holiness,290 are received into paradise,291 and are taken consciously into the presence of Christ, which is more glorious and more satisfying than any experience on earth.292

14.2 We believe in the blessed hope293 that at the end of the age Jesus Christ will return to this earth personally,294 visibly,295 physically,296 and suddenly297 in power and great glory;298 and that He will gather His elect,299 raise the dead,300 judge the nations, and establish His millennial kingdom.301 After Christ's thousand-year reign, we believe that He will create a new heaven and new earth,302 that the righteous will enter into the everlasting joy of their Master,303 and that those who suppressed the truth in unrighteousness304 will be consigned to everlasting conscious misery.305

14.3 We believe that the end of all things in this age will be the beginning of a never-ending, ever-increasing happiness in the hearts of the redeemed, as God displays more and more of His infinite and inexhaustible greatness and glory for the enjoyment of His people.306

Footnotes

1For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.(Acts 20:27)

2Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.(Titus 1:1)

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.(1 Timothy 6:3-5)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.(1 Timothy 4:1)

3[We minister for the building up the body of Christ] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.(Ephesians 4:13-14)

4The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.(1 Timothy 1:5)

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.(Philippians 1:9-11)

...for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.(Hebrews 5:13-14)

5There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.(Ephesians 4:4-6)

6A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.(John 13:34-35)

7For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.(1 Corinthians 13:12)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity Amen.(2 Peter 3:18)

8Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.(Acts 17:11)

9All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.(2 Timothy 3:16)

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(2 Peter 1:21)

There are some things in [Paul's epistles] that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.(2 Peter 3:16)

If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.(1 Corinthians 14:37)

He said to them, "How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet" '?(Matthew 22:43-44)

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.(John 14:26)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.(John 16:13-14)

10Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.(Proverbs 30:5)

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?(Numbers 23:19)

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.(Psalm 12:6)

. ...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.(Hebrews 6:18)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.(Matthew 24:35)

. ...in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began....(Titus 1:2)

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.(John 17:17)

But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God."(Matthew 22:29)

11The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.(Psalm 19:7-9)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

12Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.(1 Peter 1:10-11)

He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.(John 11:51)

There are some things in [Paul's epistles] that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.(2 Peter 3:16)

[Satan said to Jesus], "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"(Matthew 4:6-7)

13Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.(1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

14Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.(Psalm 119:18)

Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!(Psalm 119:12)

[I pray that] having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.(Ephesians 1:18)

15Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.(Deuteronomy 6:4)

16Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."(Matthew 16:16; see also 2 Corinthians6:16; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 3:12; Revelation 7:2)

17I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.(Job 42:2)

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.(Psalm 115:3)

The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.(Daniel 4:25)

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?"(Daniel 4:34-35)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will....(Ephesians 1:11)

Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."(James 4:15)

See also note 57.

67Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.(Genesis 2:24)

68And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire."(Hebrews 1:6-7)

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.(Revelation 5:11-14)

69And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth....And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world�he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.(Revelation 12:3-4, 9)

70Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.(Genesis 3:1-6)

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.(2 Corinthians 11:3)

71We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.(1 John 5:19)

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.(2 Corinthians 4:4)

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.(Ephesians 6:12)

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.(1 Peter 5:8)

72He [=Christ] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.(Colossians 2:15)

73The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.(Romans 16:20)

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.(Matthew 25:41)

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.(Revelation 20:10)

74See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.(Ecclesiastes 7:29)

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"(Genesis 3:1)

Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."(Genesis 3:13)

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.(2 Corinthians 11:3)

75But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.(Genesis 2:17)

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.(Genesis 3:6)

76Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.(Genesis 3:7-8)

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.(Romans 5:12)

77Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned- for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.(Romans 5:12-19)

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.(1 Corinthians 15:21)

78In [sin] you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience�among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.(Ephesians 2:2-3)

79Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ...When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.(Romans 6:16, 20)

80The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.(1 Corinthians 2:14)

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.(Romans 8:7-8)

But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.(Deuteronomy 29:4)

81For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope...(Romans 8:20)

82And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.(Romans 8:23)

83So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.(2 Corinthians 4:16)

84Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."(Romans 8:35-36)

85But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.(1 Thessalonians 4:13)

86Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?(Romans 2:4)

87But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.(Galatians 4:4)

88For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.(John 3:16-17)

Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."(Matthew 16:16)

89And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy�the Son of God."(Luke 1:34-35)

90Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel(which means, God with us.)

90(Matthew 1:23; see also Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 1:34-35)

91And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.(John 1:14)

92Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.(Hebrews 2:14)

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.(Hebrews 2:17)

93See note 24.

94Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.(Philippians 2:6-8; see notes 91 and 92)

95For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.(1 Timothy 2:5)

96For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.(Hebrews 4:15)

97The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!"(John 7:46)

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."(Mark 1:27)

And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances."(Matthew 22:16)

98"He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."(Mark 1:27)

99And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.(Matthew 4:23)

100And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."(Matthew 11:4-6)

101And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.(Mark 4:39)

102And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.(Matthew 14:25)

103Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.(Matthew 14:19-20)

104I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.(John 13:19)

105"But there are some of you who do not believe."(For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)

(John 6:64)

Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.(John 13:21)

Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.(John 13:26)

You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.(Matthew 26:2)

[When he had given the morsel to Judas] Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."(John13:27)

106"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."(Luke 22:31-34)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me.")

(John 21:18-19)

107And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"(Luke 24:25-26)

108I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.(Genesis 3:15)

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.(Romans 16:20)

109I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.(Deuteronomy 18:18)

[He has sent] the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, "The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people."(Acts 3:20-23)

110The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."(Psalm 110:4)

So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you;" as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."(Hebrews 5:5-6)

111Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.(Isaiah 9:7)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.(Matthew 1:1)

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David."(Matthew 22:42)

112Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted... He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.(Isaiah 52:13, 53:3-6)

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.(Mark 10:45)

113"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."(John 10:18)

114This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.(Acts 2:23)

115For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.(Acts 4:27-28)

116When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.(John 19:30)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.(1 Corinthians 15:3)

117So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.(John 19:40-41)

He was buried.(1 Corinthians 15:4)

118He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.(1 Corinthians 15:4)

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.(Matthew 28:6)

119and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,(Romans 1:4)

[He] who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification...(Romans 4:25)

120Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(Philippians 2:9-11)

[God] has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.(Acts 17:31)

121To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.(Acts 1:3)

122And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."(Acts 1:9-11)

123But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.(Luke 22:69)

Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.(Acts 2:33)

God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.(Acts 5:31)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.(Colossians 3:1)

124Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died�more than that, who was raised�who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.(Romans 8:34)

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.(Hebrews 4:14)

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.(1 John 2:1)

125For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(1 Corinthians 15:25)

And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?(Hebrews 1:13)

126Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.(Romans 5:18-19)

127For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.(1 Corinthians 15:3)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.(1 Peter 2:24)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.(1 Peter 3:18)

[They] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.(Romans 3:24-25)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died.(2 Corinthians 5:14)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.(Romans 5:6)

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died.(Romans 8:34)

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.(Romans 14:9)

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.(Galatians 2:21)

128The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"(John 1:29)

knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.(1 Peter 1:18-19)

129In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.(Ephesians 1:7)

In [Him] we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.(Colossians 1:14)

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.(Acts 13:38)

130For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(2 Corinthians 5:21)

[May I] be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.(Philippians 3:9)

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and theProphets bear witness to it�the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction.(Romans 3:21-22)

131For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."(Romans 4:3)

...whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.(Romans 3:25-26)

132[He is] the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.(Romans 3:26)

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.(Romans 3:28)

We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.(Galatians 2:16)

133There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus... For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.(Romans 8:1, 3)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us�for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree."(Galatians 3:13)

134Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ�by grace you have been saved�and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.(Ephesians 2:3-6)

[We] wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.(1 Thessalonians 1:10)

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.(Romans 5:9)

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.(1 Thessalonians 5:9)

135...whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.(Romans 3:25-26)

136And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.(Colossians 2:13-14)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us�for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree."(Galatians 3:13)

137For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.(Matthew 28:19)

[Christ will present you blameless to God] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.(Colossians 1:23)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.(Acts 1:8)

138And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.(Revelation 22:17, KJV)

Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever.(John 4:14)

139Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.(John 6:37)

140[He took] the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."(Luke 22:20)

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."(1 Corinthians 11:25)

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much mo re excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.(Hebrews 8:6)

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.(Hebrews 9:15; see also 12:24)

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.(Hebrews 13:20-21)

141See note 52.

142See note 53.

143Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.(John 15:13)

144I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(John 10:11)

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.(John 10:14-15)

145Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.(Ephesians 5:25)

146And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."(Revelation 5:9)

[Jesus prays] "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me... I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours... And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth."(John 17:6, 9, 19)

[Caiaphas] being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.(John 11:51-52)

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?(Romans 8:32)

147The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.(Genesis 1:2)

When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.(Psalm 104:30)

148Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.(Judges 14:6)

149The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.(Judges 3:10)

150Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.(1 Samuel 10:6)

151For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(2 Peter 1:21)

He said to them, "How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord..."(Matthew 22:43, referring to Psalm 110:1See note 1.)

152And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.(Luke 24:49)

Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.(Acts 2:33)

153Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.(John 7:39)

154But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.(Acts 1:8)

155[Our great salvation] was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.(Hebrews 2:3-4)

156For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience�by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God�so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ.(Romans 15:18-19)

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.(John 3:8)

157Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.(2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

158To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.(1 Corinthians 12:7-10; see also Romans 12:6-8)

159But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.(Acts 1:8)

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.(Acts 4:31)

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them".(Acts 13:2)

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience�by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God�so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ.(Romans 15:18-19)

160"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."(Jeremiah 31:33-34)

"I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me."(Jeremiah 32:40)

161What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."(2 Corinthians 6:16)

[In Christ] the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.(Ephesians 2:21)

162See notes 52 and 53.

163But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ�by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.(Ephesians 2:4-6)

164The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.(1 Corinthians 2:14)

165For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.(Romans 8:7-8)

166The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.(Mark 4:19)

167But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.(Romans 6:17)

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.(Romans 8:7-9)

168See note 163.

169In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.(2 Corinthians 4:4-6)

170In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.(Ephesians 1:13-14)

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.(Ephesians 4:30)

171One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.(Acts 16:14)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit...The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God... God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.(2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4, 6)

172[The Holy Spirit] will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.(John 16:14)

173He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.(Titus 3:5-7)

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.(Romans 3:28)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.(Romans 3:23-24)

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.(Romans 4:4-5)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.(Romans 5:1)

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.(Galatians 3:24)

You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.(Galatians 5:4)

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.(Philippians 3:8-9)

174Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."(Romans 4:6-8)

175See note 130.

176For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.(Romans 3:28)

See note 173.

177Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.(Romans 5:18-19)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(2 Corinthians 5:21)

...and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.(Philippians 3:9)

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'"(Jeremiah 23:5-6)

178Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ(Romans 5:1)

179But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.(Galatians 5:22-23)

180For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.(Galatians 5:6)

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.(1 Timothy 1:5)

We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel.(Colossians 1:4-5)

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.(1 John 3:14)

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love...If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.(1 John 4:8, 20)

We have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.(1 John 4:16)

181But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.(2 Thessalonians 2:13)

[I send you] to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.(Acts 26:18)

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.(2 Thessalonians 1:11; see also 1 Thessalonians 1:3)

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.(James 2:17)

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.(James 2:26)

He made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.(Acts 15:9)

By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.(1 John 2:3-4)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.(1 John 5:1)

182Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.(Hebrews12:14)

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.(Romans 8:13-14)

Envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.(Galatians 5:21)

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.(Galatians 6:8-9)

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.(John 5:28-29)

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.(1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.(Matthew 18:34-35)

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven...(Colossians 1:21-23)

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"�and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way.(James 2:21-25?)

183So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe�and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?...For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.(James 2:17-20, 26)

184[I send you] to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.(Acts26:18)

He made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.(Acts 15:9)

See note 183.

185For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"(Romans 4:3)

And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.(Romans 4:5)

When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just [=justified God], having been baptized with the baptism of John.(Luke 7:29)

Wisdom is vindicated [=justified] by all her children.(Luke 7:35, NAS)

And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God".(Luke 16:15)

186[To the elect] according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you(1 Peter 1:2)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(1 Thessalonians 5:23)

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.(1 Thessalonians 4:7)

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification....But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.(Romans 6:19, 22)

187Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?(Galatians 3:5)

See notes 175 and 178.

188See notes 180, 181, 183, 184.

189They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.(1 John 2:19)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.(Philippians 1:6)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.(Philippians 2:12-13)

[Note that these next three texts represent three successive settings in Abraham's life in which his.(persevering faith is said to be reckoned as righteousness.] )

For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness".(Romans 4:3 = Genesis 15:6)

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead.(since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness.")

(Romans 4:19-22 = Genesis 17:17)

190See note 178.

191See notes 182 and 183.

192[I count all as rubbish that I may] be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.(Philippians 3:9)

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.(Romans 3:21-22)

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.(Acts 10:43)

193No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."(Romans 4:20-22)

[He will present you blameless] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.(Colossians 1:23)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.(Hebrews 11:1)

Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.(Hebrews 3:6)

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.(Romans 6:8I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.)

(1 Timothy 1:16)

194For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.(2 Corinthians 1:20)

195If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(Romans 10:9)

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.(1 John 3:23)

[They were] testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.(Acts 20:21)

We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.(Colossians 1:4)

For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.(Colossians 2:5)

From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.(2 Timothy 3:15)

These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.(John 20:31)

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.(Philippians 1:29)

196In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.(John 1:1-3; see also Colossians 1:15-17)

197He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.(Colossians 1:17)

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.(Hebrews 1:3)

198For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.(Luke 2:11)

199You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.(John 13:13)

200And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.(Acts 16:7)

201I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.(John 14:18)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.(John 14:27)

For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too(2 Corinthians 1:5)

202Yes, and I shall rejoice. for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.(Philippians 1:19)

203Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.(John 15:13-15)

204My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.(1 John 2:1)

205But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.(2 Thessalonians 3:3)

206If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(Romans 10:9)

207Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.(Philippians 3:15)

208Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.(John 6:35)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world�our faith.(1 John 5:1-4)

This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.(John 3:19-21)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.(Hebrews 11:1)

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.(Hebrews 11:24-26)

209Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.(Matthew 3:8)

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.(Hebrews 6:1)

210See notes 183 and 184.

211See note 182.

212For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.(Galatians 5:6 See note 182.)

213See notes 52 and 53.

214But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.(2 Thessalonians 2:13)

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.(Romans 8:29-30)

215For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.(Ephesians 2:8-9)

216For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring theGentiles to obedience�by word and deed.(Romans 15:18)

He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."(1 Corinthians 1:30-31)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.(1 Corinthians 15:10)

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it(1 Corinthians 4:7? )

[May He] equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen(Hebrews 13:21)

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.(Romans 11:36)

217Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?(Galatians 3:5)

218When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.(John 16:13-14)

219But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.(2 Thessalonians 2:13)

220Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.(Philippians 3:12)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.(1 John 1:8-10)

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.(1 John 2:1)

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.(Matthew 6:11-12)

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.(Romans 6:11-13)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.(Galatians 5:16-18)

221For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.(Romans 6:14But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.)

(Romans 6:17)

222But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.(Galatians 5:16-18)

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.(1 Peter 2:11)

223And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.(2 Corinthians 3:18)

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.(1 Corinthians 1:18)

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.(Hebrews10:14)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.(2 Peter 3:18)

224Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.(Hebrews 3:12-13)

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.(1 Timothy 6:12)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

225False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.(Mark 13:22)

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.(Luke 22:31-32)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.(John 10:27-30)

Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.(Romans 8:30)

For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.(Hebrews 3:14)

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.(1 John 2:19)

[He] will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.(1 Corinthians 1:8-9)

I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.(Philippians 1:6)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.(2 Timothy 1:12)

[You] by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time(1 Peter 1:5)

226I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.(Jeremiah 32:40)

227In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me".(1 Corinthians 11:25; see also Romans 8:31-39)

228Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.(Hebrews 13:20-21)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.(Jude 24-25)

229Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.(Philippians 2:12-13)

230I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

231But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.(1 Corinthians 15:10)

232See notes 52 and 53.

233So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.(Romans 10:17)

...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;(1 Peter 1:23)

234Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"(Mark 9:24)

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.(Luke 22:31-32)

I pray that the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.(Ephesians 1:18-19)

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you.(2 Thessalonians 3:1)

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.(2 Thessalonians 1:11)

235And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.(Ephesians 6:17-18)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.(Hebrews 4:12)

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.(Psalm 1:1-3)

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation�(1 Peter 2:2)

236Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!(Psalm 119:36)

Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things out of your law.(Psalm 119:18)

Teach me your way, O LORD; that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.(Psalm 86:11)

237His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.(2 Peter 1:3-4)

For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.(Hebrews 10:34)

Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come(Hebrews 13:13-14)

238When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ.(Ephesians 3:4)

239Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.(Ephesians 5:17)

See note 241.

240Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.(2 Timothy 2:7)

241I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.(Psalm 119:11)

242Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.(Psalm 37:4)

O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!(Psalm 34:8)

243But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.(Psalm 1:2)

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.(Joshua 1:8)

244Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-7)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him.(Matthew 7:7-11)

245I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints.(Romans 15:30-31)

Pray also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.(Ephesians 6:19)

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.(Matthew 9:38)

246"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.(John 14:13; see also 15:16; 16:23-24, 26)

247If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.(James 1:5-8)

248Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.(Matthew 6:9-10)

249Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.(Ezekiel 36:37-38)

250Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!(Psalm 119:36)

251Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.(Psalm 119:18)

I pray that the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.(Ephesians 1:18)

252Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.(Psalm 90:14)

253For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.(Ephesians 3:14-16)

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.(Colossians 1:9-11)

254And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.(1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

255Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.(Matthew 9:38)

256Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you.(2 Thessalonians 3:1)

257He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.(Colossians 1:18)

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.(Ephesians 1:22)

The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.(Ephesians 3:6)

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.(Ephesians 4:15-16)

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.(Ephesians 5:23)

258Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.(Ephesians 3:10)

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.(Matthew 5:14-16)

259And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!(Revelation 5:9-12)

260"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.(Ezekiel 36:22-30; see also Ezekiel 36:31-38; Isaiah 65:17-2; Zechariah 8:1-17; Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.(Romans 11:11)

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins."(Romans 11:25-27; see also all of Romans 11)

261And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem.(Acts 8:1)

Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.(1 Corinthians 16:19)

262And he gave... pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.(Ephesians 4:11-12)

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.(2 Timothy 4:1-2)

263Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.(Matthew 28:19)

264For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.(1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

265Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.(1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

Think also 1 Corinthians 13.

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.(1 Corinthians 14:26)

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.(Romans 12:6-8)

266Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.(Galatians 6:1)

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.(James 5:19-20)

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened....But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you".(1 Corinthians 5:7, 11-13)

If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.(2 Thessalonians 3:14-15)

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.(Hebrews 10:24-25)

267Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.(Colossians 4:5-6)

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.(Romans 15:24)

For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.(3 John 7-8)

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age".(Matthew 28:18-20)

268For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.(1 Corinthians 12:13-18)

269[We have been] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.(Ephesians 2:20-22)

270[I am writing these things to you, so that,] if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.(1 Timothy 3:15)

271Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.(Galatians 2:10)

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.(Romans 15:26)

But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed,because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.(Luke 14:13-14)

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.(James 1:27)

272You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.(Matthew 5:14-16)

273[You Have] been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.(Colossians 2:12)

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.(1 Peter 3:21)

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.(Galatians 3:26-27)

Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."(Acts 2:38)

Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.(Acts 18:8)

They were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.(Matthew 3:6)

274For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.(1 Corinthians 12:13)

275Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.(Romans 6:3-4)

276As they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.(Acts 8:36-39)

John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there.(John 3:23)

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death.(Romans 6:4)

277Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.(Matthew 28:19)

278See note 275.

279Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.(Hebrews 10:22)

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(1 Peter 3:21)

280See note 264.

281But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part....When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God?(1 Corinthians 11:17-20, 22)

282See note 264.

283The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.(1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.(John 6:53-57, 63)

284And he gave...pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.(Ephesians 4:11-12)

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.(1 Timothy 5:17)

When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.(Acts 14:23)

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.(Titus 1:5)

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.(Acts 6:4)

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.(1 Timothy 2:12-13)

285And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."(Matthew 28:18-20)

286And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."(Revelation 5:9)

287See note 285.

288When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.(Acts 14:23)

289We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations.(Romans 1:5)

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.(John 4:23)

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him."(Romans 15:8-11)

290But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.(Hebrews 12:22-23)

291And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."(Luke 23:43)

292I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.(Philippians 1:23; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:1-9; Revelation 6:9-11. On the issue of whether Paul conceives of the body and soul as separable, see 2 Corinthians 12:2-3)

293[We are] waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ(Titus 2:13)

294And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.".(Acts 1:9-11)

295But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven".(Mark 14:61-62)

296But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.(Philippians 3:20-21)

See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it before them.(Luke 24:39-43)

See note 293.

297For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.(1 Thessalonians 5:2-3)

298And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.(Luke 21:27)

299He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.(Matthew 24:31)

300For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.(1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)

301For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.(1 Corinthians 15:22-24)

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.(2 Timothy 4:1)

You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(Luke 22:28-30)

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.(Revelation 20:4-6)

302Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.(Revelation 21:1)

303You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.(Psalm 16:11)

His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."(Matthew 25:23)

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.(Matthew 25:46)

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.(Matthew 19:29)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 6:23)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy...be glory...forever. Amen.(Jude 24-25)

304For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.(Romans 1:18)

305of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.(Daniel 12:2)

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.(Matthew 3:12; see also 18:8; 10:28; 12:32; 25:41, 46; 26:24; Mark 3:29; 9:43-48; Luke 16:26; Jude 12-13)

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.(2 Thessalonians 1:9)

And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.(Revelation 14:11; see also 19:3; 20:10)

306[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.(Ephesians 2:6-7)

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.(Psalm 16:11)

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.(1 Corinthians 13:12)

But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him."(1 Corinthians 2:9)

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Trinity Evangel Church
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Reformed and still reforming disciples of Christ.