Philippians
1:12
[ They Can't Imprison the Message ] I want to report to you,
friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended
effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually
prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out
that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity,
and now they've learned all about him.
Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far
more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out
fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.
Romans
10:4
The earlier revelation was intended simply to get us ready for
the Messiah, who then puts everything right for those who trust him to
do it. Moses wrote that anyone who insists on using the law code to
live right before God soon discovers it's not so easy—every detail
of life regulated by fine print! But trusting God to shape the right
living in us is a different story— no precarious climb up to heaven
to recruit the Messiah, no dangerous descent into hell to rescue the
Messiah.
Romans
2:4
Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise
and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and
long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of
the fact] that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repent
(to change your mind and inner man to accept God's will)?
1
Corinthians 6:13
Food [is intended] for the stomach and the stomach for food,
but God will finally end [the functions of] both and bring them to
nothing. The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but
[is intended] for the Lord, and the Lord [is intended]
for the body [ to save, sanctify, and raise it again].
