15 June 2025

Established in the Faith, Part 3 (TMF:2640)

Friday, June 20, 2025

Peace to Live By: Established in the Faith, Part 3 (TMF:2640) - Daniel Litton
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All the correct practice pays off. A reputation is developed that is trustworthy and admirable. This is what Paul would bring up later to Timothy, remember, in saying “He must not be a recent convert” when discussing the appointment of elders or overseers (ESV). This has been something that has been noted as a problem among modern Evangelical churches—the appointment of people before they’re ready for important, or in-front-of-others roles. “But we need people to lead,” it might be said back, “We don’t have anybody else.” Then your model is flawed. It would be better to have a couple strong, more mature leaders than several who are not “established in the faith.” Better to give more responsibility to a couple of individuals who can handle it. You don’t need so many leaders like you think you do. Recall what Paul also said to Timothy, “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2, ESV). Being “established” is someone who can be “entrusted” and can also teach.

Established in the Faith, Part 2 (TMF:2639)

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Peace to Live By: Established in the Faith, Part 2 (TMF:2639) - Daniel Litton
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We understand this, don’t we? That’s why a business usually says “Established in… whatever year it is.” The hope from the business is that in emphasizing its longevity, it will persuade the consumer to perhaps buy whatever product it is offering.” Or, to look at it another way, consider the Established Church of England. It wasn’t that the church was just ‘established,’ but the emphasis is that it has been around a long time, and it is the church that is recognized as the official church of England, the state endorsed church. The point in saying all this is that the Christian becomes “established” over time in walking in Christ in the right way. All the correct practice pays off. A reputation is developed that is trustworthy and admirable. This is what Paul would bring up later to Timothy, remember, in saying “He must not be a recent convert” when discussing the appointment of elders or overseers (ESV). This has been something that has been noted as a problem among modern Evangelical churches.

Established in the Faith, Part 1 (TMF:2638)

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Peace to Live By: Established in the Faith, Part 1 (TMF:2638) - Daniel Litton
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This leads to the next part of the verse, “established in the faith.” At first, it sounds like Paul’s saying the same thing, just in a different way. However, there seems to be more to it. So, we are “rooted and built up in him,” and then we are “established in the faith.” It seems best to understand the word “established” here not as a foundation, like in saying, “I established a tree by planting it here.” But rather, it appears best to understand “established” as in, “The tree is now established because it has been there for a long time.” It is something that because it has been there a long time, it is now accepted as being there. We understand this, don’t we? That’s why a business usually says “Established in… whatever year it is.” The hope from the business is that in emphasizing its longevity, it will persuade the consumer to perhaps buy whatever product it is offering.” Or, to look at it another way, consider the Established Church of England.

Rooted in Christ, Part 3 (TMF:2637)

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Peace to Live By: Rooted in Christ, Part 3 (TMF:2637) - Daniel Litton
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It’s probably easier to understand maintenance when discussing a building—using the house illustration from Jesus in Matthew 7. We easily understand how a building needs maintained. Why, there is a whole cable T.V. Network that is basically dedicated to that point. We can’t just build the house, or plant the tree, and walk away. Over time, things will happen, and as those things happen, maintenance is needed. Home and garden maintenance. It’s what Paul alluded to in chapter 1 in discussing the threat of false teachers, when he said, “if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (ESV). See, there is a choice. The Christian can shift over time, or not shift. The tree can be taken care of and grow into a healthy, old tree, super big and seemingly going in every which direction. Or it can be neglected, dry up, start to look bad, brown and whatnot, and then eventually fall over.

Rooted in Christ, Part 2 (TMF:2636)

Monday, June 16, 2025

Peace to Live By: Rooted in Christ, Part 2 (TMF:2636) - Daniel Litton
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The roots allow the tree to stand up in general, and then against the elements of the world. They allow of the tree to take its place in the world. And to get a little scientific, for certainly this is not the speaker’s mind’s inclination, we also know that the roots draw up water, or feed the tree water that they get from the ground. So, nutrients. Survival even. Constant feeding. Sound familiar? Yup. This illustration from Paul, again, emphasizes the importance of a good foundation. It’s the same point Jesus himself made at the end of his great sermon in Matthew 7, with the houses and where they are built. But the rooting of the tree also ties into the second pointer, and that is that of being “build up in him.” It’s necessary to have the proper foundation, but maintenance is also needed, at least, to be healthy. With a tree, a healthy tree is one that is tended to from time to time. Branches might need cut off. It could even be that it needs watered due to being too dry.