Tag: do

Romans 7:20 – Living on our Knees

Posted on by Will

Now if I do what I determine not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin dwelling in me.

Truth to Learn

When we lose a battle against our sin nature we simply need to confess our sin and God removes it from us.

 

Behind the Words

The word “do” (in the expression “I who do it”) is from the Greek word katergadzomai, which we saw back in verse fifteen, meaning “to work fully, to finish, or to fully accomplish.”

“Dwells” is also a word that we have looked at before. It is the word oikeō, which means “living somewhere as a permanent residence, as opposed to a temporary residence.”

 

Meaning Explained

This verse is very similar to verse seventeen, in which Paul identifies the sin dwelling in him as the reason that he does things that he hates. He now states a very similar fact, that it is the sin which has taken up permanent residence in him which fully accomplishes that which he has determined not to do.

According to Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible, Paul is saying;

My will is against it; my reason and conscience condemn it. But it is the sin that dwells in me – the principle of sin, [the sin nature] which has possessed itself of all my carnal appetites and passions, and thus subjects my reason and domineers over my soul. Thus I am in perpetual contradiction to myself. Two principles are continually contending in me for the mastery: my reason, on which the light of God shines, to show what is evil; and my passions, in which the principle of sin works, to bring forth fruit unto death.

It is this contention between the Spirit of life within us and the sin nature within us which produces the daily battle that all Christians face: the wholesome desire to obey and please God versus the lustful desires of the sin nature that drag us into sin and guilt.

We will not leave this battleground until the day that we are taken to glory. We need to learn how to do battle effectively. We do that by submitting our will to God and learning repeatedly how to fall to our knees when our sinful tendencies win out over our desire to do good. Remember:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just so that He might forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:8, 9)

Also, keep in mind that when He forgives our sins, He removes them from us, as David said in the Psalms:

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)

 

Application

Even though we are in a constant battle with our sin nature, and frequently loose the battle, we know that through confession our sins are forgiven and sent away from us as far as the east is from the west. Lord, help us to learn the necessity of living on our knees!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 7:15 – That Thing You Do

Posted on by Will

For the thing I do, I do not understand. For what I determine to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

Truth to Learn

Paul battled his sin nature just as you and I do.

 

Behind the Words

The words “the thing I do” are from the Greek verb katergadzomai, meaning “to work fully, to finish, or to fully accomplish.” In other words, it is not simply something that Paul comes close to doing or that he does a little bit of, it is something that he does completely.

“Understand” is from ginoskō, which means “to come to know completely or to understand thoroughly.”

 “Practice” is from the Greek word prassō, meaning “to practice, to do habitually, or to do repeatedly.”

The word translated “but” is alla. It is an adversative participle which can best be expressed here as “but on the other hand.”

 “I do” is translated from the Greek word poieō, which means “to make or do.” It is expressed in the present tense, active voice, indicative mood, implying continual action.

 

Meaning Explained

This is one of the most important verses of the entire book of Romans. It is Paul expressing the frustration concerning the power that his sin nature has over him. He starts out this verse by confessing that he doesn’t understand why he acts the way he does. The thing which he wants to do (be obedient to God) he doesn’t always do. He is not saying that he never does the things he wants to do. He is saying that he doesn’t consistently do them. Paul wants to obey God and do those things which will glorify Him, but he doesn’t always do them.

Instead, Paul finds that the thing which he hates is the very thing that he continually finds himself doing.

This is a very revealing (and to the rest of us, comforting) aspect of Paul’s walk with God. He is the Apostle to the Gentiles, the most prolific writer of the New Testament and probably the finest example of “Obedience to God” in the entire New Testament. And yet, he has a constant battle with his sin nature and has not reached a state of perfect submission to Christ. Allow me to paraphrase this verse,

I don’t understand my actions. For that which I want to do I don’t always do. On the other hand, that which I hate to do, I keep on doing.

 

Application

Can you identify with Paul? Of course you can! Any Christian who is completely committed to God will undergo this same sense of frustration as he or she contemplates his or her daily walk with God. We want to be obedient, but we don’t always obey and we don’t understand why.

The answer, my friend, is our sin nature. It is constantly battling against us to produce sin in our lives, even when we want to be totally obedient to God.

Keep in mind that Paul wrote this letter toward the latter part of his life. He was not a “young Christian.” He was an experienced, mature Christian who was as submitted to God as any Christian has ever been. And – he struggled with obedience to God and submission to His will. Paul battled his sin nature until God took him to paradise. So don’t feel defeated when you have the same kind of struggles with your sin nature.

But you must understand that doesn’t excuse us! We are still guilty of the sin, but confession, and forgiveness through the grace of God, will restore our fellowship with Him even when we do that thing which we hate!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 3:8 – Misrepresented Truth

Posted on by Will

And not say, "Let us do evil that good may result"—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

Truth to Learn

All sin will be judged, no matter what our excuse may be.

 

Behind the Words

The phrase “Let us do” is translated from the verb poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” If you have followed our teaching on the use of the word “let,” you might assume that this verb is written in the imperative mood (a command), but it isn’t. It is expressed in the subjunctive mood, which indicates possibility or probability. So the quote might be translated as “We should do evil that good may come.”

“Slanderously reported” is from the Greek verb blasphēmeō, meaning “to speak evil of” or “to intentionally damage someone else’s reputation.” When used against God, this verb is often translated “blaspheme.”

The word translated “affirm” is the Greek verb phēmi. It is based on the obsolete verb phaō, meaning “to shine.” Phēmi means “to bring to light by speech” or “to make known one’s thoughts.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verses Paul has taught that God is not glorified when someone commits sin; God is glorified when He judges sin. It is His act of judgment, in keeping with who He is, that brings Him glory. But the Jesuits of the first century, among others, had perverted Paul’s teaching on this subject claiming that Paul and the other Apostles were teaching that we all ought to sin greatly so that God would be greatly glorified. After all, as Paul surely had stated before and will later proclaim in this epistle:

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. (Romans 5:20)

Paul taught that God, in the salvation of people, would be glorified in proportion to the depth and pollution of the guilt which was forgiven. This is true, but how easy it is to misrepresent this as teaching that people ought to sin in order to promote God’s glory! You see, instead of stating it as an inference, which they drew from the doctrine, those who attacked Paul’s teaching declared that Paul taught we ought to sin to bring glory to God. He counters that argument right here by openly exposing the falsehood of what others say about his doctrine. At the same time, he openly declares that those who attack him will receive condemnation. He is also convinced that the condemnation that these false accusers will receive is appropriate because they perverted the truth of God for their own purposes.

 

Application

We are all sinners, so when our lives are compared to the perfect life that Christ lived we will all be found guilty as sinners and it will be shown that our righteousness is like filthy rags. For the past few verses Paul’s teaching has been “God will judge every sin of every man.” Those sins will either have been judged at the cross and declared as fully paid for (everyone who believes and accepts this sacrificial gift) or the sins will be judged and the sinners declared guilty at the coming Great White Throne, where the payment for sins will be eternity in the lake of fire.

Where will your sins be judged?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 3:4 – Obey Your Commander

Posted on by Will

And we are persuaded in the Lord concerning you, both that the things we command you, you both do and will do.

Truth to Learn

It’s up to Him and He is faithful. But, it’s also up to us to do our part.

 

Behind the Words

“We are persuaded” is translated from the Greek verb peithō, which, as we learned in the previous verse, means “to win over” or “to persuade.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the ongoing effect. Therefore, Paul is saying “we were persuaded (in the past) and now have belief (confidence) …”

Parangellō is the Greek word translated “command.” It is composed of para, meaning “near” or “beside” and angellō, meaning “to tell” or “to declare.” It is used in a military sense of “relaying an order from the commander from one soldier to the next.”

The words “you … do” and “you will do” are from the verb poieō, which means “to make” or “to do.” In the first case it is expressed in the present tense, and in the second case it is expressed in the future tense. Thus, Paul is saying “… that you do now and you will do in the future …”

 

Meaning Explained

In the first chapter of this letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul commended them on the manner in which their faith was growing exceedingly and in the love which they demonstrated towards each other. He also encouraged them that God would take vengeance against those who persecuted them. In the second chapter, he cleared up some confusion they had concerning the Day of the Lord and explained why that time had not yet arrived. In this third chapter, Paul is giving them (and us) some practical teaching regarding how to have a profitable and fruitful Christian walk.

As we mentioned in the previous verse, the Apostle Paul is making a play on words here regarding the Greek word pistis (faith). In verse two he stated that “… not all have faith.” Then in yesterday’s verse he said, “but the Lord is faithful …” Now he states, “and we have confidence (faith) …” He is clearly showing that a fruitful Christian life is based not just on the working of God but also on our own responsibility. God will guard us and protect us from the evil one, but we have to do our part in faithfully performing the things that are commanded of us.

A fruitful and rewarding Christian walk is not easy. Any Christian who says he or she doesn’t daily have battles against his or her sin nature and the schemes of our adversary is deluding himself or herself. Once we have believed the truth about our own sinfulness and have accepted the payment that Jesus Christ made for us with his blood, we don’t simply float through life with bliss and ease. The day of our salvation did not mark the end our troubles and battles in life, it marked the beginning. God has done his part and He will continue to guard our salvation, but it is up to us to make this new life count for Him.

 

Application

If you are a born again Christian, then you are facing struggles and battles right now. We all do! They may be big or they may be small, but don’t despair and don’t give up. God is doing His part; you have to do yours.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:24 – The Promise Keeper

Posted on by Will

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Truth to Learn

God will keep His promise regarding your salvation.

 

Behind the Words

“He who calls” is translated from ho kalōn. The word ho is the third person singular personal pronoun (he) and kalōn is the present participle form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call” or “to call forth.” A literal translation of these two words could be “the one calling” or “he who is calling.” The emphasis is on the one doing the calling rather than the act itself.

The word “faithful” is from the Greek noun pistos. It is based on the verb pistis, meaning “to convince, to believe, or to have faith.” Pistos refers to someone who is faithful or trustworthy, that is, someone who will do what he said he will do.

The Greek verb poieō is translated as “will … do it.” Poieō means “to make” or “to do” in a wide variety of applications. It is expressed here in the future tense, indicating something that will happen in the future.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, the Apostle Paul expressed a prayer concerning the Christians in Thessalonica. He asked that God would set them apart completely from sin and the consequences of that sin. He also asked that God would guard them to keep them blameless until Christ comes to claim His own (at the rapture).

Now he reminds them (and us) about a couple of very significant facts regarding our God. The first is that God is the one who called each of us. That’s another way of saying that God is the one who chose us. Let’s look at Jesus’ disciples for an example of this. In Matthew 4:18-21 we see that Jesus called Peter, Andres, James, and John to come and follow Him. And in the upper room after they had completed the last supper, Jesus told all of His disciples:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)

We don’t know what God’s criteria were when He decided whom to call, and Paul does not take any time in any of his writings trying to figure out those criteria. Paul’s point in today’s verse is not to prove anything, he is simply stating that God is the one who calls us, and He is completely faithful in performing what He said He will do.

The question we have to ask ourselves here is What is it that He said He would do? The answer is in the previous verse, God will completely set us apart from sin and its consequences, and He will preserve us blameless until the day He comes to take us home with Him. In other words, our Salvation is completely a work of God. We didn’t deserve it, we don’t deserve it, and we won’t deserve it. This should cause every Christian to humbly bow at the feet of our Savior in thanksgiving for the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive: our Salvation.

 

Application

If you are a Christian, then you are one of the called ones according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:28). And, he will preserve you until the end. You will not be lost because you are His forever. Praise be to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 4:17 – No More Excuses

Posted on by Will

Therefore, to him knowing what good thing to do and not doing it, it is sin to him.

Truth to Learn

Now that we know how to behave, we have no excuse if we do not completely follow James’ teaching.

Behind the Words

The word translated “knowing” is a form of idō, which means “to see, either literally or figuratively.” By implication, however, it refers to seeing something with the mind, that is, to know or understand something because we have mentally recognized it. This particular word is expressed here as a perfect participle. The participle indicates ongoing action, and the perfect tense implies a past completed action with an ongoing effect with the emphasis being on the effect. Putting this all together we see that James is speaking to one who has gained knowledge by recognition and continually has possession of such knowledge. Here’s how this word might be used in a sentence in English:

Knowing the alphabet, we can write words.

We gained our knowledge years ago, but we continually possess that knowledge. Before we learned the alphabet we couldn’t write words, but now that we have that knowledge, we are able to do so.

The words “to do” and “doing it” are from the verb poieō, which means “to make” or “to do,” either as an ongoing action or a completed action.

“Sin” is translated from the Greek word hamartia, which is derived from the verb hamartanō, meaning “to miss the mark.” Hence, hamartia refers to an act of doing wrong, having missed the expectation that God has for us.

Meaning Explained

As we read through the fourth chapter of James’ letter, on first glance it appears that this verse is simply tacked-on, not having any real relevance to the rest of the chapter. Upon deeper inspection, however, we can see that it is very relevant. James has just covered some very difficult interpersonal issues and has instructed us how to resolve, or completely avoid, these issues within the church. Here’s what he told us to do:

  • Get over our selfish desire for “stuff.” Instead of focusing on getting more, we should clean-up our thoughts and actions and humble ourselves in God’s presence, seeking His will for our lives
  • Quit talking evil about and backbiting others in the Church. Instead of comparing ourselves to others in the body of Christ, we need to compare ourselves to Christ Himself. This will produce awareness in us that we are just as guilty as those who we are talking evil about.
  • Don’t make selfish plans for our personal success. We have no control over the future, so we should continually seek God’s will for our lives and give Him all the credit for whatever success we might seem to achieve.

Now that we know what to do, James tells us, it is sinful for us not to do as instructed. We can no longer claim that we didn’t know any better!

Application

The specific subject matter of this verse is sometimes referred to as “sins of omission.” We must do as our Heavenly Father instructs us or face the consequence of not pleasing Him. The real question is, what are you going to do differently, now that you know how you ought to act?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 2:12 – Active Evidence

Posted on by Will

So speak and so do as those who are about to be judged by the law of liberty.

Truth to Learn

Our words and actions should be an indication of the freedom we have in Christ.

Behind the Words

“So” is a translation of the Greek word houtōs, which is a connecting adverb tying the previous thought to the one about to be expressed. It can variously be translated as, “so,” “in this way,” or “thus.”

The word translated “speak” is laleō, which refers to all kinds of conversation. It is often used to refer to casual conversation whereas the Greek word legō refers to conversations involving the intellectual part of man. It is expressed here in the imperative mood indicating a command.

Poieō is the Greek word translated “do” in this verse. Both this and laleō, mentioned above, are written in the present tense, active voice, and imperative mood. This means that James is commanding us to continually be speaking and doing.

The Greek word translated “liberty” is eleutheria, which means “freedom,” “unrestrained,” or “not a slave.” The noun form of this word refers to a person who has the freedom to go wherever he or she wants, as opposed to a slave who cannot leave his or her master.

Meaning Explained

Many of the members of the early church were converted Jews who had been raised under the Law of Moses. They had previously regulated their lives based on what the Law said they could and could not do. Through James’ teaching, God is beginning to show them that they are no longer bound to the requirements of the law. But neither are they free to behave any way they want to. There is another law that should govern the actions of Christians, which James refers to as the law of liberty. The Law of Moses was one which enslaved, but the law of liberty liberates us from the Law of Moses.

Paul taught the same thing to the Christians in Rome:

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are slaves to whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:16-18)

We are no longer under the bondage of sin and slaves to it. We have been set free from sin and have become the servants of righteousness. Before we accepted Christ we could not avoid sin because we were slaves to it. Now, through Christ, we don’t have to sin but we are free to act as God wants us to because we have been declared “righteous.” Our speech and conduct need to reflect our righteous position before God.

Application

Think about the last few times you were in a secular environment. Perhaps you work with a lot of unsaved people, or perhaps you have a number of unsaved friends. Does your behavior in their presence show them of your freedom to please God, or does it show them how enslaved you are to rules?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 3:4 – Obey Your Commander

Posted on by Will

And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.

Truth to Learn

It’s up to Him and He is faithful. But, it’s also up to us to do our part.

Behind the Words

“We have confidence” is translated from the Greek verb peithō, which, as we learned in the previous verse, means “to win over” or “to persuade.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the ongoing effect. Therefore, Paul is saying “we were persuaded (in the past) and now have belief (confidence) …”

The words “you do” and “you will do” are from the verb poieō, which means “to make” or “to do.” In the first case it is expressed in the present tense, and in the second case it is expressed in the future tense. Thus, Paul is saying “… that you do now and you will do in the future …”

Parangellō is the Greek word translated “command.” It is composed of para, meaning “near” or “beside” and angellō, meaning “to tell” or “to declare.” It is used in a military sense of “relaying an order from the commander from one soldier to the next.”

Meaning Explained

In the first chapter of this letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul commended them on the manner in which their faith was growing exceedingly and in the love which they demonstrated towards each other. He also encouraged them that God would take vengeance against those who persecuted them. In the second chapter, he cleared up some confusion they had concerning the Day of the Lord and explained why that time had not yet arrived. In this third chapter, Paul is giving them (and us) some practical teaching regarding how to have a profitable and fruitful Christian walk.

As we mentioned in the previous verse, the Apostle Paul is making a play on words here regarding the Greek word pistis (faith). In verse two he stated that “… not all have faith.” Then in yesterday’s verse he said, “but the Lord is faithful …” Now he states, “and we have confidence (faith) …” He is clearly showing that a fruitful Christian life is based not just on the working of God but also on our own responsibility. God will guard us and protect us from the evil one, but we have to do our part in performing the things that are commanded of us.

A fruitful and rewarding Christian walk is not easy. Any Christian who says he or she doesn’t daily have battles against his or her sin nature and the schemes of our adversary is deluding himself or herself. Once we have believed the truth about our own sinfulness and have accepted the payment that Jesus Christ made for us with his blood, we don’t simply float through life with bliss and ease. The day of our salvation did not mark the end our troubles and battles in life, it marked the beginning. God has done his part and He will continue to guard our salvation, but it is up to us to make this new life count for Him.

Application

If you are a born again Christian, then you are facing struggles and battles right now. We all do! They may be big or they may be small, but don’t despair and don’t give up. God is doing His part; you have to do yours.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:24 – The Promise Keeper

Posted on by Will

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Truth to Learn

God will keep His promise regarding your salvation.

Behind the Words

“He who calls” is translated from ho kalōn. The word ho is the third person singular personal pronoun (he) and kalōn is the present participle form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call” or “to call forth.” A literal translation of these two words could be “the one calling” or “he who is calling.” The emphasis is on the one doing the calling rather than the act itself.

The word “faithful” is from the Greek noun pistos. It is based on the verb pistis, meaning “to convince, to believe, or to have faith.” Pistos refers to someone who is faithful or trustworthy, that is, someone who will do what he said he will do.

The Greek verb poieō is translated as “will … do it.” Poieō means “to make” or “to do” in a wide variety of applications. It is expressed here in the future tense, indicating something that will happen in the future.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, the Apostle Paul expressed a prayer concerning the Christians in Thessalonica. He asked that God would set them apart completely from sin and the consequences of that sin. He also asked that God would guard them to keep them blameless until Christ comes to claim His own (at the rapture).

Now he reminds them (and us) about a couple of very significant facts regarding our God. The first is that God is the one who called each of us. That’s another way of saying that God is the one who chose us. Let’s look at Jesus’ disciples for an example of this. In Matthew 4:18-21 we see that Jesus called Peter, Andres, James, and John to come and follow Him. And in the upper room after they had completed the last supper, Jesus told all of His disciples:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)

We don’t know what God’s criteria were when He decided whom to call, and Paul does not take any time in any of his writings trying to figure out those criteria. Paul’s point in today’s verse is not to prove anything, he is simply stating that God is the one who calls us, and He is completely faithful in performing what He said He will do.

The question we have to ask ourselves here is What is it that He said He would do? The answer is in the previous verse, God will completely set us apart from sin and its consequences, and He will preserve us blameless until the day He comes to take us home with Him. In other words, our Salvation is completely a work of God. We didn’t deserve it, we don’t deserve it, and we won’t deserve it. This should cause every Christian to humbly bow at the feet of our Savior in thanksgiving for the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive: our Salvation.

Application

If you are a Christian, then you are one of the called ones according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:28). And, he will preserve you until the end. You will not be lost because you are His forever. Praise be to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Thessalonians 4:10 – Increase Your Love

Posted on by Will

and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

Truth to Learn

We need to greatly increase our love for all Christians.

Behind the Words

The words “you do” are translated from the Greek verb poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.”

The word translated “urge” is parakaleō, which we have looked at several times before. It is made up of para, meaning “near, in the vicinity of, or alongside” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus parakaleō literally means “to call near” or “to call alongside.” It is a picture of a coach being called alongside an athlete to encourage, comfort, and challenge him or her.

“Increase” is translated from perisseuō, which is the verb form of perissos, meaning “abundant” or “excessive.” Perisseuō means “to be in excess” or “to be full to the point of overflowing.”

Mallon is the Greek word translated “more and more.” It means “much more.” When combined with perisseuō it indicates a huge increase which is what Paul is urging the Thessalonians to accomplish in loving each other.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul began his teaching regarding how we are to conduct our lives, both with regard to our brothers and sisters in Christ and to those outside the church. He told the Thessalonians that they already knew about loving their Christian brethren, having learned this love from God Himself.

Now he gives them a few words of affirmation, demonstrating that he is aware that they do indeed practice love for all Christians in their part of the world. Back in the first chapter of this letter, Paul remembered how hard they worked (labored) at loving others (1 Thessalonians 1:3) and noted that they were good examples to Christians throughout Macedonia (the northern part of modern day Greece) and Achaia (the southern part of modern day Greece).

But – when it comes to demonstrating love in our lives, we can’t simply rely on our reputation, and we can never assume that the amount of love we are currently showing is good enough. Even though Paul tells them that they are “doing” love toward all Christians, he now challenges them to do it even more. And, he doesn’t simply tell them (and us) to increase their (our) love a little bit. He coaches them, he urges them, he challenges them, like an athlete in a race, to increase their love exceedingly.

Take note that Paul does not simply bark out commands to those under his ministry and expect them to perform without any help, he spends time in prayer asking God to give them the ability to follow his advice (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

Application

We need to put more effort into loving others. Even though we may think we’re doing all we can, we need to do more – much more. Remember that our Lord told us that this is how others will know that we are His disciples (John 13:35). How is your love for your brethren? Is it strong, is it openly demonstrated? Good! Now, increase that love – a lot!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved