KWADWO

Love for money grows when we become discontent with what we have. Discontentment brings about envy and when it happens, we want to find all possible means to make money. The love of it, Jesus said is the root of all evil. One can only escape when we become content with what we have.

Chrristianity is build on the basis of contentment. Contentment is not competition or having to steal to survive. Is about totally surrendering to God and His word. The balance is faith.

The distortions are numerous but want to talk about the teachings that God will only bless us when we give to Him. I don't believe that we can buy blessings from Him. We actually give out of respect and reverence for God and not that we give because that is the only way He can bless us. Sometimes I hear teachings which subscribe that you have to sell your all in Give to God for Him to bless you. These are all distorted teachings in my view. Thanks.

The gospel makes it clear that we were all created in the image of God, whether slave or freeman. The blood that was shared was for the remission of sin of all. Paul was just stating what God meant. We must love and respect people not because of their status but because they have the image and breath of God. He was therefore in no way condoning slavery. His motive was for people to love and respect each other.

Our responsibility is by taking care of their physical needs. Those who need financial support must be catered for. Those who can longer do chores must be support by the youth to carry out those chores. I will say that anything that they were able to do but now because of old age are unable to do must be done for them by someone. It is actually a repayment of debt because it goes back to what the scripture says 'give and it shall be given unto you...' They gave it when they were young and now it is the responsibilities of those who received to give back.

I am of the view that church leaders should not be rigid or unsmiling. Such will not change the attitude of people. People naturely expect to be free and independent and rather guide on the path of truth. Godliness in leaders is what will attract people to God. A strong example of godliness is therefore essential to to a healthy church since that is what people expect. Thanks. Collins

I believe that some people still filled attractive to legalistic performances simply because they find the message of salvation maybe too simple. They want to add effort to salvation so that they can claim their portion of the work. The work has already been accomplish by Christ and therefore no needs for any works. The performance of legalistic requirements produces fear and total commitment to the gift of God which is salvation. The true gospel is about faith and not works. The bible says ' as many as believed in Him, He gave the power to become....'. Thanks.

There are clear differences in the two offices. One is that the Overseer must not be a novice. He must be someone old in age. Maturity in age is therefore pertinent in the office of the Overseer. Thanks. Kwadwo

It is important because it defines the personality of an individual. Anyone who wants to be a leader must have control over his/her emotions. When emotions are ignored or not considered it can lead to people who have no control over their emotions to take up leadership in the church. People with no control can divide the church and also cannot function well as team players. Thanks. Kwadwo

Leadership is key and one way of assessing one's ability to lead is how the person handles his family. Paul was referring to leaders who can lead small groups like families and lead very well. This then can be translated into leading a bigger number. Thanks.

I think that the instruction must be contextualized. Dressing forms part of a peoples' culture and therefore the 21st century churches must consider that and not make doctrine out of it. I will to use my own country as an example. Per our culture, in Ghana, women wearing trousers is seen to be foreign and therefore some people frown over it. It is therefore not an accepted norm in the past for women to wear trousers to church. Wearing trousers to church by women is therefore not acceptable and especially the pentecostal churches although some of the evangelicals allows it. Thanks Collins

The dressing in those days cannot be taking out of context. They dressed according to their culture. I think the problem was that people wanted modesty so that those who could not were not deterred from coming to church. He perhaps was avoiding class establishments in the body of Christ. In today's world, the same applies. Culture plays a key role here. In some cultures, women can wear trousers to church whilst in some cultures, it is frown upon when a woman wears a trousers. Strict adherence to dressing must be avoided since there is not fast rule about that. Dressing cannot be said to be sinning. People must be encouraged to be modest but not that the bible says so. Thanks. Collins

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1 Timothy 2:8 Dear Brethren, Greetings in the name of the Lord. Paul was making a very simple request, 'God is a spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth'. Wishing Him with wrath and doubting will meeting worshipping Him in the flesh. He requires of us to be at peace with ourselves and with others. Such wrath could divide the church and thereby allow the enemy to attack the church. Thanks. Kwadwo

'I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Dear All, I agree perfectly with the above quotes. The Holy spirit empowers both men and women and in the Bible God used some 'ordinary' men and women to accomplish some great task for Himself. God uses us to accomplish task for Himself and He can choose to use either a man or a woman. Pauls' teaching of this must be contextualised. The church was knew and the cultural did not allow women to play major roles in society. He therefore did not want that to enter the church. It would have therefore be wrong if women were allowed prominent roles in the church. The men would have opposed it and the could have affected the church. I am of the view that were the culture of the people do not prevent women from being themselves anywhere there are, then I don't see why did could not take up position of teaching and leading in the church. The gospel much be preached with cultural relevance. Thank you all. Collins

Dear all, Paul was simply trying to avoid the situation where the dressing of some of the women could put off others from coming to church. Dressing in such ostentatious manner could have prevented the poor from serving God. It could also be a way of discouraging unnecessary expenditure so that resources could be channeled to the work of God. There were the poor to be taking care off and therefore an act of irresponsibility if people ignore the weightier matters and rather spend on dressing. In the 21st century, I believe the message is still relevant but is should not be an issue of dos and not. People must be taught to be modesty and use resources rather for the furtherance of the Gospel. After all, we don't not have to build our treasures on perishable things as the bible says. Thank you all, Collins

Dear Friends, Thanks for your great contributions. Paul had a problem with the men in the church. There was no love among them and I think also that there were some unhealthy competition which entered the church. The could not show true love to each other. However in the church, they pretended that everything was fine. This is not far fetched in our churches today. God said to His followers (worshippers) that He is a spirit and those who want to worship Him must do so in truth. Period. These people were not worshipping Him in truth. Thanks. Collins

Dear All, I am grateful to read such wonderful contributions from all of you. I want to say that Paul's emphasis on the role of a mediator and ransom is the core of the message of Christ. He want to make clear the salvation is a gift and that the price has already been paid. There is therefore 'no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus' he said. In the past, God was washing away the since of His children through the payment of a ransom (sheep) with the high priest serving as a mediator. When Christ made the statement 'it is finished' on the cross that faithful day, He became the ransom for our sins. The scriptures below attest to Christ being a ransom for sinners. Matthew 20:28

Paul was called by Jesus on the road to Damascus and the instruction was that he should preach Christ the risen Lord to the Gentiles. He was actually called to the Gentiles and that is exactly what he emphasised. The basis of our calling is evangelism. As the scripture says in Matt. 28. He had no other choice but to preach Christ, the risen Lord. Paul said in one of his letters that 'woe unto me if I don't preach Him'. He had a specific calling. His style of evangelism in Ephesus was superb. He took time to teach those converted so as to root and ground them in the Lord. To Him anything outside salvation was irrelevant in the mission for which he was called. Thank you. Collins

"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm". The teaching of false doctrine in the church resulted in whoremongering, defilement, lying and the likes. This divided the church. Whilst some were of the position that they were under the law others said they were not. such a division prevented growth because as the bible said, a kingdom against itself shall not stand. A church in this condition will fail in its mission simply because it becomes difficult for the people to be committed to a cause that they do not believe in. This is the problem of buy in. Kwadwo

Q2. (1 Timothy 1:12-14) Why does Paul comment on his own life after a paragraph on the law (1:8-11)? Why does he share this with Timothy and the church that will read the letter? How might sharing this help get the church back on center? Paul was writing to a young man and there was the need to build his confidence in a him Paul. Paul had a checkered history as one who persecuted the church and therefore the was the need to proof to the young man that he is a changed person. It was more of an image building exercise. He also wanted Timothy to know what the grace of God can do for even the worst sinner.

Gideon I think was a bold young man for the fact that he heeded to the instruction of God. He decided to do the tearing down of the alters in the night because he was being wise. There was no need to do anything that would have brought the whole system against him. Jesus said to His disciples that He was sending them among wolves and so they must be wise as serpents. In spreading the gospel, there is the need not to be apologetic. Thank you all for the great contributions.

Dear All, My name is Collins from Ghana. I am excited to have you all on board. I trust that we are all going to share and learn from each other as we are lead by the Spirit. May God bless you all. Collins