We are international students and scholars from all over the world and American Christians who meet together for friendship, intercultural exchange, sharing of ideas and understanding of the Christian faith. TIF is a ministry of Tenth Presbyterian Church in the heart of Philadelphia.
To those who are lost, we are the smell of death that brings
death. But to those who are being saved, we are the smell of life that brings
life. So who is able to do this work? We do not sell the word of God for a
profit as many other people do. But in Christ we speak the truth before God. We
speak as men sent from God.
Are we starting to brag about ourselves
again? Do we need letters of introduction to you or from you, like some other
people?You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts. It is known
and read by everyone.You show that you are a letter from Christ that he sent through
us. This letter is not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.
It is not written on stone tablets.[a]It is written on human hearts.
We can say this, because through Christ we feel sure before God.I do not mean that we
are able to say that we can do this work ourselves. It is God who makes us able
to do all that we do.God made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to
his people. This new agreement is not a written law. It is of the Spirit. The
written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
The law that brought death was written in words on stone. It came
with God’s glory. Moses’ face was so bright with glory that the people of
Israel could not continue to look at his face. And that glory later
disappeared.So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.That law judged people
guilty of sin, but it had glory. So surely the new way that makes people right
with God has much greater glory.That old law had glory.
But it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of
this new way.If that law which disappeared came with glory, then this new way
which continues forever has much greater glory.
We have this hope, so we are very brave.We are not like Moses.
He put a covering over his face so that the people of Israel would not see it.
The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end.But their minds were
closed. Even today that same covering hides the meaning when they read the old
agreement. That covering is taken away only through Christ.But even today, when
they read the law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds.But when a person
changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away.The Lord is the Spirit.
And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.Our faces, then, are not
covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him.
This change in us brings more and more glory. And it comes from the Lord, who
is the Spirit.
9 He has saved us and called us to a
holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own
purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning
of time,
18For you know that it was not with perishable
things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your ancestors,19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect.20He was chosen before the creation of the world,
but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Ephesians 1:4New International Version (NIV)
4 For he
chose usin him before the
creation of the worldto be
holy and blamelessin his
sight. In love
Isaiah 53:4-5New International Version (NIV)
4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet
we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was piercedfor our
transgressions, he was crushedfor our iniquities; the
punishmentthat brought us peacewas on him, and by his woundswe are healed.
Titus 1:2New International Version (NIV)
2 in the hope of eternal
life,which God, who does not
lie,promised before the
beginning of time,
In the beginning God created the Heauen, and the Earth.
2And
the earth was without forme, and voyd, and darkenesse was vpon the face of the
deepe: and the Spirit of God mooued vpon the face of the waters.
3And
God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4And
God saw the light, that it was good: and God diuided the light from the
darkenesse.
5And
Godcalledthe light, Day, and the darknesse he
called Night: and the euening and the morning were the first day.
6¶ And
God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters: and let it
diuide the waters from the waters.
7And
God made the firmament; and diuided the waters, which were vnder the firmament,
from the waters, which were aboue the firmament: and it was so.
8And
God called the firmament, Heauen: and the euening and the morning were the
second day.
9¶ And
God said, Let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered together vnto one place,
and let the dry land appeare: and it was so.
10And
God called the drie land, Earth, and the gathering together of the waters
called hee, Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11And
God said, Let the Earth bring foorth grasse, the herbe yeelding seed, and thefruit tree,
yeelding fruit after his kinde, whose seed is in it selfe, vpon the earth: and
it was so.
12And
the earth brought foorth grasse, and herbe yeelding seed after his kinde, and
the tree yeelding fruit, whose seed was in it selfe, after his kinde: and God
saw that it was good.
13And
the euening and the morning were the third day.
14¶ And
God said, Let there bee lights in the firmament of the heauen, to diuide the
day from the night: and let them be for signes and for seasons, and for dayes
and yeeres.
15And
let them be for lights in the firmament of the heauen, to giue light vpon the
earth: and it was so.
16And
God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser
light to rule the night: he made the starres also.
17And
God set them in the firmament of the heauen, to giue light vpon the earth:
18And
to rule ouer the day, and ouer the night, and to diuide the light from the
darkenesse: and God saw that it was good.
19And
the euening and the morning were the fourth day.
20And
God said, Let the waters bring foorth aboundantly the mouing creature that hath
life, and foule that may flie aboue the earth in theopenfirmament of heauen.
21And
God created great whales, and euery liuing creature that moueth, which the
waters brought forth aboundantly after their kinde, and euery winged foule
after his kinde: and God saw that it was good.
22And
God blessed them, saying, Be fruitfull, and multiply, and fill the waters in
the Seas, and let foule multiply in the earth.
23And
the euening and the morning were the fift day.
24¶ And
God said, Let the earth bring forth the liuing creature after his kinde,
cattell, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kinde: and it was
so.
25And
God made the beast of the earth after his kinde, and cattell after their kinde,
and euery thing that creepeth vpon the earth, after his kinde: and God saw that
it was good.
26¶ And
God said, Let vs make man in our Image, after our likenesse: and let them haue
dominion ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the aire, and ouer the
cattell, and ouer all the earth, and ouer euery creeping thing that creepeth
vpon the earth.
27So
God created man in his owne Image, in the Image of God created hee him; male
andfemalecreated hee them.
28And
God blessed them, and God said vnto them, Be fruitfull, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it, and haue dominion ouer the fish of the sea,
and ouer the foule of the aire, and ouer euery liuing thing that mooueth vpon
the earth.
29¶ And
God said, Behold, I haue giuen you euery herbe bearing seede, which is vpon the
face of all the earth, and euery tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree
yeelding seed, to you it shall be for meat:
30And
to euery beast of the earth, and to euery foule of the aire, and to euery thing
that creepeth vpon the earth, wherein there is life, I haue giuen euery greene
herbe for meat: and it was so.
31And
God saw euery thing that hee had made: and behold, it was very good. And the
euening and the morning were the sixth day.
1 Paul, an
apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the
promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Thanksgiving
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors
did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you
in my prayers.4 Recalling your tears, I long to see
you, so that I may be filled with joy.5 I am
reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois
and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame
the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the
Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love
and self-discipline. 8 So do not be
ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his
prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power
of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a
holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own
purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning
of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the
appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and
has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of
this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a
teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is
no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced
that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the
pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the
good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy
Spirit who lives in us.
Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty
15 You know that everyone in the province of
Asia has deserted me,including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of
Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my
chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he
searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the
Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know
very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
2 Timothy 2New
International Version (NIV)
The Appeal Renewed
2 You then, my
son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things
you have heard me say in the presence of many witnessesentrust to
reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in
suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving
as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please
his commanding officer. 5 Similarly,
anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s
crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking
farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what
I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised
from the dead, descended from David.This is my gospel, 9 for which I am
suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But
God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I
endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain
the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with
him, we will also
live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also
reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also
disown us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains
faithful, for he cannot
disown himself.
Dealing With False Teachers
14 Keep reminding God’s people of
these things. Warn them before God against
quarreling about
words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
15 Do your best to present yourself
to God as one approved, a worker who does not need
to be ashamed and who correctly handles the
word of truth. 16 Avoid godless
chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more
ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like
gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have
departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken
place,
and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless,
God’s solid foundation stands firm
, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who
are his,” and,
“Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away
from wickedness.”
20 In a large house there are
articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and
clay; some are for special
purposes and some for common use. 21
Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments
for special purposes,
made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good
work.
22 Flee the evil desires of youth
and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along
with those who call on
the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have
anything to do with
foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce
quarrels.
24 And the Lord’s servant must not
be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone,
able to teach, not resentful.25 Opponents must
be gently instructed, in the hope that God
will grant them
repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 2']
6 and that they will come to their
senses and escape from the trap of the devil,
Tenth International Fellowship has its own Sunday service at 11am, currently being held in Fellowship Hall at Tenth Presbyterian Church, 17th and Delancey. Please email tif@tenth.org for up to date location information. See you there!
Posts
