Study Desk

Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death.

Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning.

Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.

If you have the gift of speaking, preach God's message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen.

Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care. Do it willingly in order to please God, and not simply because you think you must. Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money.

Lot lived right and was greatly troubled by the terrible way those wicked people were living. He was a good man, and day after day he suffered because of the evil things he saw and heard. So the Lord rescued him.

They promise freedom to everyone. But they are merely slaves of filthy living, because people are slaves of whatever controls them.

They will say this because they want to forget that long ago the heavens and the earth were made at God's command. The earth came out of water and was made from water.

The Lord isn't slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.

Don't forget that the Lord is patient because he wants people to be saved. This is also what our dear friend Paul said when he wrote you with the wisdom that God had given him.

We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy.

If we hate others, we are living and walking in the dark. We don't know where we are going, because we can't see in the dark.

Children, I am writing you, because your sins have been forgiven in the name of Christ.

Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you have defeated the evil one.

Children, I am writing you, because you have known the Father. Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you are strong. God's message is firm in your hearts, and you have defeated the evil one.

My dear friends, we are already God's children, though what we will be hasn't yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is.

Everyone who sins breaks God's law, because sin is the same as breaking God's law.

You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.

Don't be like Cain, who belonged to the devil and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? He did it because his brother was good, and he was evil.

We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That's why we must give our lives for each other.