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The Letter to the |
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Alabaster African Church, |
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1.
From two of Jesus Christ’s slaves, Paul and Timothy; 3. Every thought of you makes me thank God for you, and all my prayers for you are flooded with joy because of your partnership with me in the good news from the very first moment you heard it until the present. And I can assure you that, having started you off on the right track, I will follow through until Jesus Christ has his day. It is nothing but right that I should feel this way about you all, for I have a very warm spot in my heart for you. All of you are my fellow partners in God’s grace, whether I’m in jail or preaching and explaining the gospel. I declare before God that I have the same tender feelings toward you as Christ Jesus himself does. And this I pray: that your love may keep growing until you have such understanding and keen perception that you can sort out the truly important matters. I pray too that you may overflow with the goodness that comes from following Christ, to God’s credit and honor. 12. I want to let you know, brothers, that everything that has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel. For it is now quite clear to all the guards and to everybody else that I am in jail for my Christian convictions. Furthermore, my jailing has greatly strengthened most of the brothers in the Lord and they are daring to speak fearlessly the word of God. It is true, perhaps, that some are motivated by envy or even rivalry, but the others preach Christ from genuine conviction and love. They know that I am put here to make a clear case for the good news. They who insincerely preach Christ just to get a following of their own suppose that they will make my imprisonment all the more bitter. So what? Only that in every way, whether for outward show or genuine truth, Christ is proclaimed! I am glad about this, and will continue to be glad. I am certain that, with the help of your prayers and the continued support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this thing will actually make me better off spiritually. And I am confidently banking on the fact that I’ll not be let down in the least. Whether I live or die, so long as there’s a breath left in my body, even as previously and so now, I will boldly exalt Christ. For it is Christ if I live, and gain if I die. If I keep living, there must be something worthwhile for me to do. I just don’t know which I’d rather do, because I am drawn by the prospects of both. I have a deep desire to set sail and be with Christ, for this is better by far. Yet for your sakes it is more urgent for me to stay on here. Since the latter seems certain, I guess I will stick around and lend you all a hand for the improvement and enjoyment of your faith. In this way you’ll be all the more enthusiastic about Christ Jesus for my having come by to see you again. 27. The main thing is that your life together be becoming to Christ’s gospel. Then, whether I get by to see you or am absent and hear only reports about you, I’ll know that you stand as one man, carrying out with perfect teamwork the faith of the gospel. Do not be the least bit scared of those on the opposing team. Your fearlessness is proof to them of their failure and of your God-sent success. For to you it has been granted, on behalf of Christ, not only to walk in his way but also to suffer for him. Run the same race you saw me run and in which you hear that I am now engaged.
1. So then, if there is a measure of mutual strength in Christ, a certain persuasiveness of love, a kind of spiritual partnership; if there is an element of genuine compassion and concern, make me completely happy by being harmonious, by having the same love, co-thinkers, people of a single purpose. Never act competitively or for self-praise, but with humbleness esteem others as above yourselves. Don’t confine yourselves to your own interests, but seek the welfare of others. In this regard, you all think as Christ Jesus did. Though he was in a God form, he didn’t think that being on an equality with God was something to be hoarded. So he humbled himself and took on a slave form, just like any other human being. And on purpose he turned up as a man and brought himself so low that he submitted to death — even a death on the gallows. That’s why God is so proud of him and has bestowed on him the name that is above every name. In homage to the name of Jesus every knee on land, sky or sea shall bow, and every tongue shall cry out in praise to the Father God, "JESUS CHRIST IS LORD." 12. So then, my loved ones, just as you’ve always been obedient, not only when I was with you but especially now that I’m absent, I urge you to carry on with your emancipation with a deep sense of reverence and responsibility. For it is God who gives you the energy both to will and to work in his behalf. 14. Do everything without griping and arguing, so as to be clean and above reproach, uncorrupted children of God in the midst of misguided and bad people, among whom you shine as beacons in the world, offering to all of them the living ideas. Then I’ll be proud of you in the dawning Christian era, because you will be my proof that I neither ran in vain nor worked for nothing. For even if my life is sacrificed in ministering to your faith, I am glad and want to share my joy with you. And if you are called upon to do the same, you too rejoice and in turn share your joy with me. 19. As soon as possible I am hoping, with the permission of the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you so he can put my mind at ease about you. For I have no one else with a spirit like his, who will be so genuinely concerned about you. All the others are primarily interested in their own welfare, not the things of Christ Jesus. But you know his record, how he, like a son to his father, practically enslaved himself to me in the gospel. So I’ll send him just as soon as I can find out how things will turn out for me here. I feel certain in the Lord that I myself will be coming to you in a little while. 25. Also, I consider it urgent to send to you Happy, my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, whom you sent to wait on me during this time of need. He has been homesick for you all, and quite distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was so sick he nearly died. But God had mercy on him — not just on him but on me too — so I wouldn’t have one grief on top of another. So I’ll hurry up and send him, because when you see him again you will be happy and I’ll be relieved. Give him a sure-enough joyful homecoming in the Lord, and hold men like him in high esteem, because he nearly died for the work of Christ. He actually risked his life pinch-hitting for you and lending me a helping hand.
1. Finally, my brothers, be glad you are Christians. (Writing like this to you is no great chore for me, and it will do you no harm.) Be on your guard against "the dogs," against the bad actors, against religious racketeers. For we are the true church, that is, all who worship God spiritually, who stand up for Christ Jesus and who put no stock in status symbols — even though I myself have plenty of these symbols. If anybody else thinks he has status, I have even more — a baptized church member, a white man from an old Southern family, a 100 per cent Anglo-Saxon. As to religion, a Protestant; as to dedication, giving all outside agitators hell; as to church rules and regulations, spotless. But everything that was "profit" for me I put down as "loss" for Christ. Yes, indeed, I consider everything to be loss as over against the surpassing worth of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. I lost everything for him and think of it as but garbage, that I might instead get Christ and identify myself with him, not having my own brand of church goodness but a goodness that comes through obedience to Christ, a God kind of goodness based on obedience. I did all this to get to know him, to have the astounding power of his Risen Presence, to be a partner with him in his sufferings. I committed myself to him in death, if somehow I might share in his aliveness. I don’t claim that I have already arrived or that I am as yet fully mature. But I keep on struggling, trying to catch on to why Christ Jesus caught hold of me. Brothers, I don’t think I’ve caught on even yet, but with this one thing in mind, forgetting everything that lies behind and concentrating on what lies ahead, I push on with all I’ve got toward the prize of God’s invitation to the high road in Christ Jesus. So then, let all of us who are mature set our minds on this. Even if you should see things somewhat differently, this too will God make clear to you. Let’s just live up to the progress we have already made. 17. Become my fellow mimics, brothers, and watch those who walk according to the example we set for you. For many people have joined the church, about whom I have frequently told you and even now am telling you with tears in my eyes that they are bitterly opposed to the thought of Christ’s lynching. With their minds set only on material things, their destination is destruction, their god is pleasure, and their pride is in their shameful behavior. For our church fellowship is a spiritual thing, out of which we constantly expect the deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform our humble little group into a form resembling his own glorious body, by means of the inner working which enables him to captivate everybody.
1. Now then, my loved and esteemed brothers, my pride and joy, hold the line for Christ, dear ones. 2. I beg Eunice and I beg Cindy to settle their differences in the spirit of the Lord. Yes, and I beg you too, my loyal and true buddy, to give a hand to those women who shared the gospel struggle with me and Clement and my other co-workers, whose names are inscribed on the "Scroll of Life." 4. Always be glad you are Christians. I say it again, be glad. Let your gentleness show through to all people. The Lord is close by, so don’t fret over anything. Rather, as you thankfully pray, let God in on all your needs. Then God’s peace, which is beyond anything you have ever experienced, will stand watch over your mind and emotions in Christ Jesus. 8. Lastly, brothers, all that’s true, all that’s honorable, all that’s right, all that’s clean, all that’s friendly, and all that’s uplifting — if you are looking for something genuine and worthwhile, consider these things. And keep on practicing all that I taught you and demonstrated to you and told you and showed you. And the God of peace will be with you. 10. As a member of the fellowship, I am truly glad that you are now concerned about me. You’ve had me in mind all along, but were unable to show it. I’m not hinting that I’m in need, for actually I’ve learned the secret of both feasting and fasting, of being loaded and being broke. With the help of him who empowers me, I feel up to anything. 14. But just the same, it surely was good of you to share as partners with me in my troubles. For you yourselves know, my Alabaster friends, that in the earliest days of the gospel, when I left Alabama, not one single fellowship joined with me in the common purse for mutual sharing except you alone. For even while I was in Mississippi, you sent money time and again to meet my needs. It’s not that I’m looking for a handout, but I am expecting the kind of action from you that will increasingly enrich you. 18. I received everything in good shape and am bursting at the seams. Ever since I got the stuff you sent by Happy, I have been brimful. Your gift is like sweet perfume, a noble sacrifice, pleasing to God. May my God meet your every need in keeping with his marvelous wealth displayed in Christ Jesus. And may the credit be given to our Father-God through all ages. Please may it be so. 21. Greet every person dedicated to Christ Jesus. The brothers here with me ask to be remembered to you. In fact, all the Christians here, particularly the government workers who have joined us, send you their warm greetings. 23. May the unmerited favor of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Yours, ©1968 by Clarence
Jordan. Used by permission of Koinonia
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