Blog
“How to Have Peace”
Categories: Apostle, Example, Faith, Faithfulness, Obedience, Peace, Philippians
“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4.9, ESV)¹
___________________________
¹Though Jesus has all authority (Matt. 28.18), He has delegated authority to His apostles and commanded us to listen to and obey them. To begin with, Jesus prayed that people would believe in Him through their [the apostles’] word (John 17.20). Further, He told His apostles, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me” (Matt. 10.40, ESV) and “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10.16, ESV) and finally, “if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town” (Matt. 10.14, ESV).
Hence, we are to follow the “apostles’ doctrine (teachings)” (Acts 2.42). However, we must understand that their teachings (that must be obeyed) came from Jesus (Matt. 10.19-20; John 14.26; 16.13, 1 Cor. 2.10-13, 16; 1 Cor. 14.37; 1 Thess. 2.13; etc.).
Simply put, “We [the apostles] are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4.6, ESV).
Not only are we to obey them, but we are to imitate (follow) the example of the apostles as well. Paul said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11.1, ESV).
Are you listening to and obeying the apostles of Jesus Christ? Are you following their faith? God included these things in His word for our learning! Only when we practice these things will the God of peace be with us!
E-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905 if you’re interested in learning more about the apostles’ doctrine!
