by Jamie Pantastico | Feb 16, 2024 | Daily Encouragement |
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the apostle Paul paints a vivid picture of the last days, revealing a world marked by moral decay and perilous times. As we observe the present state of affairs, it’s striking how Paul’s prophetic warning aligns with the reality unfolding before us.
The list of characteristics—lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, blasphemers, disobedient, unloving, unthankful, unholy, and more—reads like a snapshot of the world around us. The warning isn’t a mere historical footnote but a timely revelation of the challenges facing the believers today.
Today, deception abounds, seismic shifts in society’s moral fabric are evident, and signs of unprecedented unfathomable immoral events are on the rise daily. Just as Paul foretold, we witness an alarming increase in apostasy within the Church, a surge of self-centeredness, and a disregard for the values of godliness.
The urgency of Paul’s message becomes clearer with each passing day (hour). The perilous times he described are not a distant prophecy but a present reality. As believers, we must heed Paul’s admonition to recognize the signs and fortify ourselves against the encroaching moral decay.
In this contemporary landscape, marked by deception, chaos and confusion, the relevance of Paul’s words cannot be overstated. As we navigate these perilous times, let us stand firm in our faith, anchor ourselves in God’s unchanging truth (His word), and find encouragement in the promise of Christ’s imminent return. The world may be in turmoil, but we, as the body of Christ, can find strength and assurance in the enduring hope of the gospel.
May we be vigilant, studying the word of God, discerning the signs, and steadfast in our commitment to living out the transformative power of God’s Word in these challenging times.
by Jamie Pantastico | Feb 16, 2024 | Daily Encouragement |
In 2 Peter 3:15-18, the apostle Peter provides instructions to his Jewish audience (and for us today), in his last words before martyrdom, urging them to turn to the epistles of Paul for things pertaining to salvation. Rather than pointing to Christ’s earthly ministry, Pentecost (his own sermons), or the Gospels, Peter acknowledges the wisdom given to Paul by the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus. This divine wisdom, hidden until around 40 AD, unravels the mystery of the gospel of the grace of God and doctrine for the body of Christ.
Warning!
Due to men’s failure to comprehend the hidden wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:7) revealed to Paul, they have opted to twist scripture to align with their theology. This aligns precisely with the warning Paul issued in Acts 20:29-31.
Acts 20:29-31
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
Takeaway
Let us follow Peter’s guidance and study the teachings of God’s grace for the body of Christ exclusively found in Paul’s writings. Acknowledge them as a guiding light for the salvation of this lost world and for gaining knowledge into the unfolding of God’s magnificent plan of redemption.
2 Peter 3:15-18:
“And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You, therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
by Jamie Pantastico | Feb 13, 2024 | Daily Encouragement |
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
1 Corinthians 13:8
In a world captivated by fleeting pleasures and the mantra of self-gratification, believers are anchored in the unshakable truth that “love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8). The divine love we embrace isn’t mere sentimentality; it’s a supreme power (the gospel), rooted in the sacrificial love God demonstrated through Jesus Christ (the finished work of the cross).
2 Corinthians 5:21 echoes this love, emphasizing Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. In a culture overshadowed by humanism and self-indulgence, our calling is to shine as beacons of God’s unwavering love. It’s a love that stood firm at Calvary, where Jesus willingly took our place, bearing our sins, and triumphantly rising from the grave.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
As the world drifts away from all semblance of love (2 Timothy 3:3) we are called to embody the transformative love that mirrors Christ’s finished work of the cross. In every circumstance, love endures, triumphs, and holds the power (Romans 1:16, the gospel is the power) to transform hearts.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Romans 1:16
Takeaway
Amidst these perilous times and a world becoming unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, and despisers of good (2 Timothy 3:1-3), let’s anchor ourselves in the unchanging truth of God’s word—love never fails. The heartbeat of the gospel is a love that conquered sin, death, and the grave. Let this truth illuminate our lives, compelling us to love all with the same sacrificial, unyielding love that our Savior poured out for us.
by Jamie Pantastico | Feb 11, 2024 | Daily Encouragement |
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:4
In Colossians 3:4, is an often overlooked revelation, one that speaks of a future event when believers shall appear with Christ in glory. Colossians 3:4 declares, “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” The question arises: Is this appearance linked to the rapture or the second coming?
The key to understanding Colossians 3:4 is found in recognizing the present reality of believers (those who Paul is writing to at Colossae, and for us today) being hidden with Christ. Paul sets the stage in verse 3, stating, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” This hiddenness, a spiritual reality experienced by believers the moment they believe the gospel of grace, lays the foundation for the glorious unveiling mentioned in the subsequent verse.
Only when a person can distinguish the difference between Peter and Paul, Israel and the body of Christ can one interpret the “shall appear” in Colossians 3:4 as a reference to the rapture. This interpretation aligns with the idea that believers, presently hidden with Christ v. 3, will be revealed or appear with Him in glory at the time of the rapture.
The anticipation of this event is echoed in other passages, such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, where Paul speaks of the Lord descending from heaven, and believers being caught up to meet Him in the air. This harmonizes with the concept of appearing with Christ, suggesting a distinctive event apart from His second coming.
Moreover, the emphasis on glory in Colossians 3:4 resonates with the broader theme of future glorification. The rapture, as the resurrection moment (…in the twinkling of an eye 1 Corinthians 15:51) for grace age believers (both the dead and alive), aligns with the idea of appearing with Christ in glory.
Takeaway
As we study the full counsel of God’s word, the consistency and rigor of this interpretation becomes evident. Colossians 3:4, rooted in the present reality of believers hidden with Christ, points toward a future manifestation of glory—the glorious unveiling that awaits us at the rapture. This event stands distinct from the second coming, offering grace age believers a blessed hope and assurance of eternity with Christ.
by Jamie Pantastico | Feb 9, 2024 | Daily Encouragement |
Enveloped within the term “mystery” across Paul’s epistles (Romans 11:25, 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7, 4:1-2, 13:2, 14:2, 15:51; Ephesians 1:9, 3:3-6, 3:9, 6:19; Colossians 1:26-27, 2:2, 4:3; 1 Timothy 3:9, 3:16), unfolds divine wisdom given to Paul alone directly from the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus. Foremost among these revelations is the gospel of the grace of God—once veiled, now unveiled.
This new revelation, a new gospel message concealed throughout time, stands as a testament to the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God’s preordained plan of redemption. The term “mystery” encapsulates a body of new revelations, culminating in the disclosure of Christ’s finished work of the cross as the eternal purposes of all that God does on mankind’s behalf for His glory.
All mankind will either be saved or judged by Paul’s gospel.
‘in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. ‘
Romans 2:16
‘Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, ‘
Romans 16:25
To clarify what Paul means by “My Gospel”; he is simply saying that the gospel revealed to him alone by the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus is the only gospel that can save a person today. Furthermore, it is by this same gospel by which ALL mankind (the lost person) will be judged and the great white throne.
And what is Paul’s gospel?
‘Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:’
1 Corinthians 15:1-4