-Paul tells the church at Philippi to put into practice whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy.

Colossians (written about A.D. 61)

-Colosse—located in what is today southwestern Turkey.

-Small town. Various cults have an extremely strong presence in the community.

-Paul stresses that Christ is the Supreme creator and ruler of the universe.

-He teaches that Jesus is not just a way to God—Jesus is God.

-True fullness is to be found in Jesus Christ and not human traditions—festivals, religious diets, etc.

-Paul urges the Christians in Colosse to pray constantly and share their faith.

Philemon (written about A.D. 61)

-Paul wrote this letter to a wealthy man in Colosse named Philemon.

-Paul writes a very warm and appreciative letter to Philemon asking him to welcome back a slave named Onesimus.

-Onesimus had apparently stole money from Philemon and then ran away.

-Onesimus had a life changing conversion to God and somehow became friends with Paul in Rome. Now Paul wants Philemon to welcome back Onesimus as a brother in Christ.

1 Thessalonians (written about A.D. 50)

-Thessalonica, Macedonia (Northern Greece).

-Thessalonica was a large commercial center and a major seaport.

-Earlier Paul had started a riot there when he visited the town and preached the “Good News.” (Acts 17)

-Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonian Christian’s faith, defends his own ministry there, and rejoices that the Thessalonian Christians have accepted the word of God as it truly is the word of God (ch. 1 & 2). These believers are doing a great job of sharing the faith.

-Thessalonian Christians are being persecuted by unbelievers and tempted by Satan, but their faith is remaining strong (ch. 3).

-Paul gives instructions in Christian living—live a quite life, work, earn respect from outsiders by how you live (ch. 4). Avoid immorality and love each other

-Paul explains what will happen to believers—both the living and the dead—at the time of the second coming of Jesus (ch. 5). Encourage one another and build each other up.

Memory verses from the books we’ve studied.

2 Corinthians 12:9

“But he [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ”

Philippians 3:8-9

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

Colossians 1:18

“And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Philemon v. 16

“no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. ”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

That all humans have a soul from the moment of conception, and that a person’s soul will spend eternity either in heaven or hell.

That the determination of which place a person’s soul will spend eternity depends on whether or not the individual human person places his or her trust and confidence in the risen and living Jesus as Lord and Savior by a personal act of the human will during their earthly lifetime. (Those who die in infancy are assured a place in heaven by the gracious clemency of our Lord Jesus.)

That those who choose Jesus will have wonderful eternal fellowship with Jesus in heaven, and that those who reject Jesus will be eternally separated from Jesus in continual torment in the place called hell.

That it is therefore incumbent upon the church, as Jesus’ current earthly body, to proclaim this message of salvation to all humanity so that all humanity might avoid the place of torment and experience eternal fellowship with Jesus forever in heaven.

That all Christians are called to live godly lives, pursuing the pattern of holiness presented in the New Testament, especially the example of Jesus in the Gospels and the ethical exhortations in all the letters ascribed to Paul.

That sexual relations outside of the Christian marriage of one man and one woman are sinful and very displeasing to God.

That there really is an evil spiritual being called Satan, who is a rebellious angel, who seeks to deceive all humanity and to convince humanity that what the New Testament teaches about faith, life and salvation is not true.

That the God of our salvation will protect us from the Evil One both now and for eternity.

In all that I believe and teach, I only attempt to reflect widely agreed upon traditional Protestant views on Christian faith, life, and salvation.