Since the fate of this site is unknown and the clock is counting down to the final days and not many people took me up on my offer to have a place to meet in case this site ceases, I figure this is a good as of a time as any to tell everyone here bye.
I didn't get much interaction here, but I still hate to see one of the few sites believers can be on going down the tubes since we ought to be standing together.
Solomon is writing about being careful when dealing with a stranger but we can apply this to much more. Proverbs 6:2, “if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,” If you think it’s easier or more convenient to say what someone want to hear instead of speaking the truth you may have set a trap for yourself.
BIBLE STUDY --- NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS
PHILEMON
The shortest of Paul’s Prison Epistles.
AUTHOR
In keeping with his custom and with the contemporary canons of the epistolary genre, the apostle Paul identifies himself as the author of this letter. He says that he was a prisoner at the time of writing {Philemon 1:9-10, 13, 23} because of his witness to Yeshua Moshiach.
ORIGIN
It is difficult to ascertain the location of Paul’s imprisonment at the time of writing. Of Caesarea, Ephesus, or Rome, either of the latter locations seems to correspond to the data available in this epistle and in Colossians, with which it is closely related {Colossians 4:7-14; cf. Philemon 1:23-24}. The mention of Mark and Luke as Paul’s companions favour Rome as the point of origin of the letter {Philemon 1:24}. However, the relative proximity of Ephesus to Colosse, where Philemon resided {about 100 miles, or 160.9 kilometres, away}, and the announcement of Paul’s forthcoming visit to Colosse {verse 22} suggest Ephesus as the place of confinement. Although an Ephesian imprisonment is not explicitly mentioned in the book of Acts, the account of Paul’s missionary endeavours in that city make it clear that he met with considerable opposition {Acts 20:19}, which Paul describes in terms that could imply a time spent in prison {1 Corinthians 15:32; 2 Corinthians 1:8-10}.
RECIPIENT
This document is often improperly viewed as a personal note from Paul to Philemon, his convert and friend, church leader in Colosse, and slave owner. In reality, the epistle is addressed to Philemon, to Apphia {presumably Philemon’s wife}, to Archippus, and to the congregation of believers that met in Philemon’s house {Philemon 1:1-2}. Greetings are sent by the medium of the epistle on behalf of Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who represent together an impressive contingent of church leaders {verses 23-24}. Paul’s purpose in mentioning them is to make Philemon realize that his response to Paul’s plea will not be a private decision but one for which he will be accountable to the community of believers of which he is a part. In the body of Moshiach, matters that pertain to relationships of believers among themselves are of concern to the whole community. Such matters may not be treated as private issues, since they necessarily affect the well-being of the entire church {Matthew 18:15-20}. The epistle makes it clear that a warm bond of brotherly love existed between Paul and Philemon. The apostle calls Philemon his “beloved co-worker” {Philemon 1:1}; he commends him in effusive terms for Philemon’s involvement in the missionary enterprise {verses 5-7}; he appeals to him on the basis of love {verse 9}; he evokes their sharing of a common partnership {verse 17}; he gently reminds Philemon that he owes his salvation to Paul {verse 19}, and he says he trusts him to do what is requested of him and even more {verse 21}.
BACKGROUND
The object of Paul’s letter pertains to a third party -- Onesimus, the runaway slave of Philemon. After having committed some indiscretion not revealed in the letter {verse 18}, the slave had escaped, and having travelled to the big city, he had sought anonymity among the heterogeneous groups of people that form the underclass of any metropolis. Through providential circumstances that remain shrouded in mystery, the fugitive slave had come under Paul’s influence; he had been converted by him {verse 10}, had endeared himself to Paul’s heart {verse 12}, and had become involved with him in the work of the gospel to the extent that Paul would have been glad to keep him in his service as his faithful and dear brother {verse 13; Colossians 4:9}. Paul knew that, had he kept Onesimus at his side as a co-worker, Philemon would have been compelled to assent to his decision {Philemon 1:13-14}. However, Paul decided to use the ambiguous situation that had developed as the occasion to make Philemon think through the implications of his faith on slavery, and to cause him to free Onesimus and elevate him to the status of brother, not only in a spiritual sense {“in Adonai”} but also in regard to his civil status {“in the flesh,” verse 16}. That Philemon acceded to Paul’s request and granted freedom to Onesimus is attested to by the preservation of this document. Had Philemon rejected Paul’s request, he would likely have destroyed the letter in order to erase from human memory what would have become incriminating evidence of his recalcitrance. An intriguing postscript has been added to this story by the discovery of the repeated references to an elderly bishop named Onesimus who led the church at Ephesus in the early part of the second century, according to Ignatius’s letter to the Ephesians. The identification of the bishop with Philemon’s slave is suggested by the use in Ignatius’s letter of Paul’s play on words with the name of Onesimus in verses 11 and 20 {Onesimus means “useful” or “beneficial”}. Should this be the case, it is conceivable that the former slave was the individual who collected the Pauline letters that were eventually integrated into the New Testament canon, including the letter to Philemon.
PURPOSE
The purpose of Paul’s letter to Philemon was to dramatize the incongruity of the institution of slavery with Christianity and thus obtain the release of Onesimus. There is no evidence in the epistle that Paul was worried about Philemon’s inflicting upon Onesimus the harsh punishments that were prescribed by Roman Law for runaway slaves. However, Paul was concerned that Onesimus not be reinstated as a slave but that he be received as a full-fledged member of Philemon’s family, and that he be treated with at least the same deference and dignity that might have been extended to Paul himself {verses 17, 21}.
TEACHING
Among the many teachings contained in this small epistle, three deserve special mention.
First, the letter bears witness to the revolutionary challenge brought by the gospel to the sin-laden institutions of society. As such, it constitutes a condemnation of the practice of slavery. Yeshua had denied his followers the right to own or control other human beings. Within the church community, mastery or leadership was to be exercised in servanthood from the bottom of the social ladder rather than hierarchically along lines of authority {Mark 10:42-45}. As a result, class differences had become irrelevant among believers. In the Moshiach, there was neither slave nor free but all were one in him {Galatians 3:28}. Enslaved believers who could obtain their freedom were to avail themselves of the opportunity {1 Corinthians 7:21}, and those who were free were to avoid becoming slaves of men {1 Corinthians 7:23; Galatians 5:1}. Conversely, slave owners that believed in Yeshua, were to act as servants to their slaves {Ephesians 6:9}, and all believers were to be servants to one another {Galatians 5:13}. Consequently, Philemon was to receive Onesimus “no longer as a slave” {Philemon 1:16}.
Second, if adherence to the gospel prohibits a conservative maintenance of the status quo, it also rules out its violent overthrow. The revolutionary temper of the gospel is expressed in a posture of servanthood rather than in militant hostility. Onesimus was advised by Paul to demonstrate this theology of liberation by returning in submission to Philemon so as to allow the Holy Spirit to effect radical change in their relationship. The employment of Satan’s methods to achieve kingdom results rules out divine intervention and results in increased oppression.
Finally, the epistle provides a masterful model of inspired churchmanship. The situation that had developed between Philemon and Onesimus required the mediation of an advocate who could command the respect of the former in order to speak successfully on behalf of the latter. To win his case, Paul used the psychology of commendation {verses 4-7}; he emphasized his own self-sacrificial suffering for the sake of the gospel {verse 9}; he played on Philemon’s goodwill {verse 14}; he appealed to personal bonds of friendship {verses 17, 20}; he offered to assume responsibility for losses incurred {verse 18}; he reminded Philemon of his own indebtedness to Paul {verse 19}; and he announced a forthcoming encounter that might have caused embarrassment had Philemon demurred at his request {verse 22}. Paul’s approach is personal and pastoral, friendly but fervent. It exhibits a perfect balance of firmness and finesse. It demonstrates how genuine leadership of a believer, is to be exercised through persuasion and en-treatment rather than by heavy-handed authoritarian impositions. Although it is one of the shortest documents in the Bible, the Letter to Philemon stands as a timeless monument to the dignity and equality conferred by the Moshiach on all humans regardless of rank, gender, class, or status. It also offers believers a mandate and a methodology to pursue effective social reform.
BIBLE STUDY --- NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS
TITUS
Paul’s epistle to his co-worker, Titus.
AUTHOR
Though this letter begins with the name and greeting of Paul {Titus 1:1-3}, Paul’s authorship has been questioned by modern scholars on the grounds of its language and style, the church situation it presents, and the way that it sets forth Christian teaching. But Pauline authorship has been stoutly defended by eminent scholars and careful students who have argued that there is no reason for supposing that this epistle was written by someone else using Paul’s name, after the apostle himself had died. The differences in this epistle and Paul’s other letters are explained previously in the section on “Author” in the article “Timothy, First Letter to.”
RECIPIENT
Titus appears to have been one of Paul’s most trusted and valuable co-workers. Paul speaks of him {2 Corinthians 8:23} as “my partner and co-worker.” According to Titus 1:4, he owed his conversion to Paul. It is clear from Galatians 2:1-4 that he was a Gentile, as his was a test case whether gentile believers should be compelled to be circumcised. At that time Titus was with Paul and Barnabas in Jerusalem. Much later, at the time of Paul’s third missionary journey, he had two delicate missions to carry out for Paul in Corinth: the first pertained to the strained relationship between the apostle and the Corinthian believers; the second related to the gentile collection for the Jerusalem church {2 Corinthians 2:12-13; 7:5-16; 8:1-24}. If 2 Timothy 4:9-18 was written at the end of Paul’s life, then Titus went to Dalmatia after the time of this letter.
DATE
To date this letter with precision is difficult. Titus was left by the apostle in Crete to continue his work {Titus 1:5}. Paul was in Crete briefly on his voyage to Rome {Acts 27:7-13}, but that could not have been the occasion referred to. In 3:12 Titus is called to come to Nicopolis {probably the Nicopolis in Epirus in Greece}, as Paul had decided to winter there. Many have favoured the view that after Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome {Acts 28:16-31} he was released, carried out further ministry in various places {including Spain, Crete, and Greece}, and then was arrested, imprisoned a second time, and finally put to death. Those who do not accept Pauline authorship of Titus, date this letter, like 1 and 2 Timothy, in the generation that followed Paul’s death.
PURPOSE AND TEACHING
Although this letter is addressed to an individual colleague of the apostle, it has a minimum of personal references and exhortations. The growing and developing churches in Crete were Paul’s main concern. They were being bothered by false teachings that appear to have had Jewish elements, ascetic emphases, and a great deal of speculative discussion {Titus 1:10, 14-15; 3:9}. In short, it seems that they were dealing with an early Jewish form of Gnosticism. Its advocates promoted this teaching “for base gain” {1:11}. Titus and those whom he would appoint as elders were called upon to refute the wrong teaching and to provide the believers with healthy teaching {verse 9}. Though this healthy teaching is not specified, it must have pertained to the saving grace of YHVH in the Moshiach, the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, and the future coming of Adonai Yeshua {2:11-13; 3:4-7}. In this letter there is constant emphasis on the lifestyle that bears out the truth of the gospel -- with application to different groups in the community: older men and women, young women, young men, and slaves.
CONTENT
SALUTATION {1:1-4}
Greetings come from Paul -- whose apostleship is described as a stewardship of the gospel that promotes faith and strengthens the knowledge of the truth, hope of eternal life, and godliness of living -- to Titus, spoken of as “my true son in our common faith.”
TITUS’S WORK IN CRETE {1:5-9}
Titus was left behind in Crete to continue Paul’s work and to appoint elders in every church {cf. Acts 14:23}. These elders are also called bishops {cf. 20:17, 28} -- that is, those with oversight of the church. The necessary qualities of life for these positions are described {cf. 1 Timothy 3:2-7}.
DEALING WITH FALSE TEACHINGS {1:10-16}
The closing words of the previous section speak about the responsibility of elders “to encourage others with right teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong”. The opposers were upsetting people, indeed “whole families,” by teaching what was not true. These false teachers were described by Paul in terms disparaging of Cretans, and as people whose lives do not demonstrate the knowledge of YHVH that they professed to have.
PROMOTING RIGHT TEACHING {2:1-10}
Titus had a particular responsibility to “promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching.” He was charged to exhort the older men to exercise self-control {2:2}, and he was supposed to teach the older women to live godly lives {verse 3}. In turn, these women were supposed to train the younger women to live pure and loving lives in their homes so that no one will malign the word of YHVH {verses 4-5}. Younger men were to show self-control {verse 6}, and Titus himself was to be an example in word and life so that the opponents would have nothing bad to say about the believers {verses 7-8}. Finally, in this section slaves are taught to submit to their masters, to give good and honest service with the motivation that “then they will make the teaching about YHVH our Savior attractive in every way” {verse 10}.
YHVH’S GRACE {2:11-15}
What has been said leads now to a great statement of the purpose of the revelation of the grace of YHVH in Yeshua Moshiach: to bring salvation to all people, who will make a complete break with godless and sensual living so that they may live upright lives with the constant expectancy of the coming again of “our great YHVH and Savior Yeshua Moshiach.” Their lives will show them to be a people who are YHVH’s very own, always eager to do what is right.
DOING WHAT ISAIAH GOOD {3:1-8}
In this section, Paul encourages Titus to tell the believers at Crete that it is their duty to submit to rulers {cf. Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17} and to be available in the community for honest work. Again, the quality of lifestyle is emphasized -- in particular, courtesy and the desire for peace in relationships with others. This lifestyle comes from spiritual transformation. The means of that transformation is the saving work of the Moshiach -- not merited, but entirely of his mercy. He has brought cleansing from sin, “rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
PAUL’S FINAL REMARKS AND GREETINGS {3:9-15}
In this final section, Paul encourages Titus to avoid those who like to debate about religion for the sake of debating. And he tells Titus how to deal with those who cause divisions. Following this, Paul tells Titus that he will send him Artemas {not mentioned otherwise in the New Testament} or Tychicus. Then he encourages Titus to take care of Apollos and Zenas if they pass by Crete. Titus himself is supposed to come to Paul in Nicopolis before winter. The epistle closes with a final exhortation to “good deeds” and to a spiritually fruitful life.
The council of Laodicea in 363 AD forbade Christians from keeping the Sabbath. That means Christians were keeping the Sabbath in 363 AD to such a degree that it warranted a self-proclaimed religious council to forbid it. Think about it.
Councils that decided people were heretics and subsequently killed them were the bad guys in original Christianity. It's the biggest irony in the history of earth that Christianity turned into that very thing once they an ounce of power. https://open.spotify.com/episo....de/6M5JCKsF0uEVHuzTU
Martial, Epigram, Book V, XVIII + Book XXII, LXXXI
Since, in this month of December (In which presents were made, during the Saturnalia)…
https://thestraightandnarrow.cfw.me/comics/1030
"Cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen."
De27
Thought for Today: Wednesday December 10
YHVH not only knows what is going on in your life right now, but He knew all about you even before you were born. In fact, He gave you life and put you on this earth. You are not here by accident; you are here by His design! The same is true of every human being; every person on this earth, is important in YHVH’s Eyes. Do not ever scorn someone because they are different from you, or ignore them when they suffer. YHVH calls them valuable – so valuable that His Son gave His life for them.
TTN Music 
TTN Promo 
