The BIG Picture (Shorts)

Paul doesn’t merely begin his letter to Titus with a greeting— he flings the door open to eternity. With just a few lines, he lifts our eyes from the dusty paths of Crete to the vast timeline of God’s redemptive plan: from before the world began , to the present moment of gospel proclamation, to the unshakable hope of eternal life yet to come . Titus 1:1-3 isn’t just Paul’s credentials—it’s a testimony to the faithfulness of a God who plans with eternity in mind , acts in time , and secures our future . And remarkably, He entrusts this eternal promise to be made known through ordinary preaching, through our apostle, Paul, by divine command. Paul calls himself a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, and he shows us why he holds this role: according to the faith of God’s elect , and the acknowledging of the truth that leads to godliness . These two statements define his apostleship and act like firm foundations—they connect Paul’s ministry to a shared faith and to a truth that...

1Pet.1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (24) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. If you are looking for something eternal, the only place where you will find it is in the words of the Bible. If you want to participate in the eternal, you need to partake of the words of the Bible. Your flesh is going to wither, your glory is going to fade away, your mansion, your stocks, your retirement, and everything else, will all come to vanity, Ps.144:4. Only the words in the Bible will endure forever, and it comes to you by the preaching of the gospel of Christ, the words of eternal value, Jn.6:68. Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of ete...

If Judas was a disciple of Jesus but lost his salvation as prophesied when he betrayed Jesus, what is the chances that I can lose my salvation? Salvation under the Kingdom gospel was not secure because their salvation was based on their own faith and endurance. Jesus preached that kingdom believers had to pick up their cross and follow Him, and the one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the kingdom, and they had to endure to the end in their faith, Matt 24:13; Mk 13:13. In this regard, Judas lost his salvation. In the Tribulation, if one turned from faith in God, it meant that one was turning in allegiance to the Antichrist, and to eternal damnation! Thus, in this time one's salvation is also not secure. Our salvation in this dispensation of grace is eternally secure! Why? Because our salvation is not based on our own works and endurance, but it is based on the perfect faith and work OF Christ. It's because of Christ that we are sealed into the Body u...

What are life examples of unbelievers' futility of mind in Eph 4:17? Paul's epistles should be understood spiritually. Thus, 'vanity of mind' is not natural futility but rather spiritual futility. So, to provide life examples is not to list useless things men do in their mortality, or man’s inept activities or knowledge in his natural state, but to perceive it in view of his eternal existence. For an example of Paul's spiritual context, notice his attitude towards natural things and their futility, compared to the worth and significance of knowing Christ, here: Php 3:7-11. In summary, ‘vanity of mind’, if one occupies one’s mind on temporary things, is in contrast to the full value and excellency of the eternal things of Christ. To have a mind filled with goals, achievements, and knowledge of a temporary nature, is utter vanity, or futility, (or dung), in view of the knowledge of Christ and the pursuit of winning Christ and the eternal attributes and rewards that fl...