Moving Towards Godliness

Review

Week 1: to be complete for all good works, 2 Tim. 3:16-17

The bulk of conversation was need for completion to be of service

There’s a time to be a consumer, a time for service

Levels of service for all levels of development

Week 2: Who are you God? Ex 3:14

What did you find in the way of God’s attributes? Texts?

Communicable attribute? Incommunicable attribute?

As commented last week, my OT choice of just one book would be Psalms

My NT book of choice? John—once again, because we find out the most about the character of God buy looking at the actions of His Son, Jesus Christ

Don’t ever stop thinking of these things while you’re reading/studying Scripture

This morning’s key text is in the context of exhortation, encouragement and prayer

Starts with FINALLY, BROTHERS! He’s starting to wrap the letter up

Whatever is:

True, honorable, just

Pure, lovely, commendable

True—normal understanding with a twist towards not being less than stated; living up to its name

Honorable—interestingly underlying word more often used as “dignified” as in the qualifications for deacons

Just—carries the thought of morality, rightness, righteousness; most common use is for a righteous person or righteousness itself

Pure—underlying (hagnos) closely related to hagios, holy

Lovely—simple in thought: pleasing; it’s a hapax

Commendable—euphemos, admirable, well-spoken of, another hapax!

If there is any excellence

If there is anything worthy of praise

Excellence—good character

Praiseworthiness—nothing hidden here—exactly as it says

Think on these things

Why is this important?

What helps us to do follow these instructions?

On to verse 9

What you have...

Learned and recieved

Learned and seen

In me

All are aorist—seen as completed without reference of time

So, if we have learned, received, heard or seen it in Paul...

Does it sound a bit presumptuous?

Practice these things

Not practice, as in “until you get it right”

Make a practice of doing these things

It’s an imperative: DO IT!

There’s a Promise

…and the God of Peace will be with you