In the letter to the church in Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13, we read the second of two letters that contains only praise and encouragement from Jesus for the church. Although the church in Philadelphia looked weak, it was actually strong, because it had done the one simple thing that all churches and all Christians must do: keep Christ’s word. Jesus’ instruction to them (and to us) was correspondingly simple: hold on to what you have.
The proclamation of the King’s word provokes two opposite responses.
God fulfills his plan against human opposition and even through human suffering.
According to Ephesians 5:25-33, Christ’s death not only revealed the meaning of marriage, but also calls husbands to follow Christ by laying down their...
