Study Desk

At one time you were a people of no use. Now you are the people of God. At one time you did not have loving-kindness. Now you have God's loving-kindness.

When you are around people who do not know God, be careful how you act. Even if they talk against you as wrong-doers, in the end they will give thanks to God for your good works when Christ comes again.

Obey the men who work for them. God sends them to punish those who do wrong and to show respect to those who do right.

This is what God wants. When you do right, you stop foolish men from saying bad things.

Obey as men who are free but do not use this to cover up sin. Live as servants owned by God at all times.

Show respect to all men. Love the Christians. Honor God with love and fear. Respect the head leader of the country.

This shows you have received loving-favor when you are even punished for doing what is right because of your trust in God.

What good is it if, when you are beaten for doing something wrong, you do not try to get out of it? But if you are beaten when you have done what is right, and do not try to get out of it, God is pleased.

Wives, obey your own husbands. Some of your husbands may not obey the Word of God. By obeying your husbands, they may become Christians by the life you live without you saying anything.

They will see how you love God and how your lives are pure.

This was the kind of beauty seen in the holy women who lived many years ago. They put their hope in God. They also obeyed their husbands.

When someone does something bad to you, do not do the same thing to him. When someone talks about you, do not talk about him. Instead, pray that good will come to him. You were called to do this so you might receive good things from God.

Your heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do. Be gentle as you speak and show respect.

If God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong.

Christ suffered and died for sins once for all. He never sinned and yet He died for us who have sinned. He died so He might bring us to God. His body died but His spirit was made alive.

Those were the spirits of the people who would not obey in the days of Noah. God waited a long time for them while Noah was building the big boat. But only eight people were saved from dying when the earth was covered with water.

This is like baptism to us. Baptism does not mean we wash our bodies clean. It means we are saved from the punishment of sin and go to God in prayer with a heart that says we are right. This can be done because Christ was raised from the dead.

Christ has gone to heaven and is on the right side of God. Angels and powers of heaven are obeying Him.

You should no longer spend the rest of your life giving in to the sinful desires of the flesh. But do what God wants as long as you live in this world.

In the past you gave enough of your life over to living like the people who do not know God. You gave your life to sex sins and to sinful desires. You got drunk and went to wild parties and to drinking parties and you worshiped false gods.