A wonderful day today. The sun was shining and we had an empty slate. Just rest, read, study and be with the word.
I got back to my Apostolic writings today. I've almost completed the "universal" epistles.
- The (extended) Didache to the Nations
- Yacov (James)
- 1st Letter of Petros (Peter)
- 2nd Letter of Petros (Peter)
- 1st Letter of Yochanan (John) <- which was challenging
- 2nd Letter of Yochanan (John)
- 3rd Letter of Yochanan (John)
All I have left is "Jude". These are the original (and first) epistles of the New Testament after the Gospels and Acts. The Seven "Universal" Epistles, the doctrinal foundation of of the Apostles, beyond the Gospel.
Gaius vs. Diotrephes
It's something that's easy to overlook - what we call "Third John" is a very short letter with a simple message: love the truth and teach it. Show hospitality and receive the faithful into your congregation.
The letter is written to Gaius and he is praised for the testimony given of him. Contrasting Gaius is another man named Diotrephes who has removed believers from his congregation and will not fellowship with the likes of John and Gaius or their disciples.
This is a fascinating piece of history recorded in the Bible: a time when the original faith (as preserved by John and Gaius) begins to clash with a new faith doctrine, which resulted in a twisting of "certain doctrines which are difficult to understand".
Peter's second letter address this:
It would seem that Diotrephes was among those "unlearned and unstable" who were twisting the words of Paul "unto their own destruction".
Diotrephes' "nonsensical words" and refusing to receive the brethren, and casting the brethren out from the assembly, are all examples of the beginning stages of the great split between the original faith and the new religion of the Hellenistic "Pauline" assemblies which took root in John's day and grew into maturity over the next few centuries.
Of course it's almost a certainty that (Shaul) Paulos himself would have received the students of Gaius and John with open arms, and the doctrine of Diotrephes would be completely foreign to Paulos. Perhaps he would (or did) say "May it never be".
So it's been a great day to relax and dive deep into the WORD of the Most High!
Bless His Holy Name.
Bless the Most High!
Teach Your Children Liberty from Sin
We encourage parents to teach their children principles of Godliness, beginning with the Word and an understanding who God is and what His Son has done to form a relationship with us.
No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13
Teach Your children Liberty from Tyranny
Second to this is the principle of self-determination and freedom, lest we loose the ability to teach our children the first principle in future generations.
Our children read the Tuttle Twin books, specifically to learn libertarian principles, which most people learn later in life. These books are useful for our family, and yours, to teach children concepts that seem complicated, but are made simple in these books.
I am an affiliate for Libertas Publishing, your purchase will help our family grow financially.
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