Overview Article
The church in Crete was full of new believers in a culture where conduct was very crude. By this time, Paul was an aged missionary. He skillfully applied the good news to the spiritual condition and circumstances of these believers in Crete as the church was beginning to grow.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 9
Places 2
Key Terms 59
Themes
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The Grace of God 2 Grace is an important word in the Bible. It shows God's kindness and favor. It is often related to how he saves those who do not deserve it. The New Testament emphasizes that grace came through Jesus Christ ( John 1:1... The Coming of God’s Kingdom 2 A key part of Jesus' message was that God's kingdom had come. The people of Israel eagerly awaited this reality. It would fulfill God's many promises that had not yet become a reality: The Holy Spirit would return, as... The Household 1 The household was the basic family unit of Greco-Roman society. People believed that if households were stable, the state would also be stable. In these households, everyone had clear roles and responsibilities that w... Anger 1 Wise people do not get angry quickly. “ A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly ” ( Proverbs 14:29 ). Anger can cause bad judgment, so wise people think before they act ( 14:16 )... Baptism 1 Baptism has been a key part of Christianity since it began ( Acts 2:38 ). In Judaism, "baptism" and "baptize" referred to a religious cleansing ceremony. The law of Moses required water to cleanse people from ceremoni... Dealing with Conflict 1 God's people often experience conflict. It either comes from those outside of God's people who are against God. Or it comes from those within God's people who cause trouble. Dealing with conflict needs wisdom and care... God’s Commitment to His People 1 Sometimes, God's people have had to wait what seems like a long time to see God's promises come true. Here are some examples from the Bible: God first promised Abraham and Sarah he would make them a great nation. Yet,... God’s Faithfulness to His People 1 God made a special agreement (called a covenant) with the people of Israel. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28:1–68 ). Many years later, after King Solomon dedicated th... Knowing God 1 To know someone meant having a close relationship with them. Knowing God involves more than just learning facts about him. It goes beyond discussing God's nature and character, though those things are important. Knowi... Passing On Authority and Responsibility to a New Leader 1 The role of a Christian leader is to serve and endure difficulties for those they guide ( Mark 10:35–45 ). For the apostle Paul, good leadership meant setting an example like Jesus Christ. Jesus's death on the cross w... Religious Hypocrisy 1 Religious hypocrisy happens when people selectively obey rules and only pretend to follow God's law without real change in their motives and lives. Those who boast about their religious commitment often lack a true de... Salvation in Isaiah 1 The prophet Isaiah’s name means Yahweh is salvation . He urges people to turn from false saviors to God who is the only true savior and protector. Salvation affects all parts of life, including physical and spiritual... The Day Is Coming 1 Jesus prophesied three future events in the Synoptic Gospels: One event was his own death and resurrection ( Mark 8:31 ; 9:31 ; 10:33–34 ). This had already happened before the Gospels were written. The Family Redeemer 1 The idea of the family redeemer was established in the law of Moses. The story of Ruth shows us an example of this idea. In that book, this term has a specific legal meaning. In other places, the Hebrew term go’el tra... Women’s Roles in the New Testament Church 1 The apostle Paul's words in 1 Timothy about women's roles in the church were intended to correct what was happening in Ephesus. But Bible scholars debate how this passage applies to other situations. There are three m...