CHRIST IN THE LETTERS · IN CHRIST · HIS BODY · PRAYER · A SHARED THREAD

Life in him

What it means to be "in Christ": his people, his church, prayer, and faith that works.

IN CHRIST

Believers and Christ

How the letters speak of believers and Christ.

  • Union With Christ 52
  • Denial of Christ 12
  • Confessing Christ 11
  • Preciousness of Christ 10
  • Love to Christ 8

Union With Christ

  • As Head of the Church Ephesians 1:22 Ephesians 1:23 Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 4:16 Colossians 1:18
  • Described as Christ being in us Ephesians 3:17 Colossians 1:27
  • Described as Our being in Christ 2 Corinthians 12:2 1 John 5:20
  • Includes union with the Father 1 John 2:24
  • Is of God 1 Corinthians 1:30
  • Maintained by Faith Galatians 2:20 Ephesians 3:17
  • Maintained by His word abiding in us 1 John 2:24 2 John 1:1
  • Maintained by Obeying him 1 John 3:24
  • The Holy Spirit witnesses 1 John 3:24
  • The gift of the Holy Spirit is an evidence of 1 John 4:13
  • Saints Have, in mind 1 Corinthians 2:16 Philippians 2:5
  • Saints Have, in spirit 1 Corinthians 6:17
  • Saints Have, in sufferings Philippians 3:10 2 Timothy 2:12
  • Saints Have, in his death Romans 6:3–8 Galatians 2:20
  • Saints Enjoy, in the Lord’s supper 1 Corinthians 10:16 1 Corinthians 10:17
  • Saints Are complete through Colossians 2:10
  • Saints Exhorted to maintain Colossians 2:7
  • Necessary to growth in grace Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 4:16 Colossians 2:19
  • Beneficial results of Righteousness imputed 2 Corinthians 5:21 Philippians 3:9
  • Beneficial results of Freedom from condemnation Romans 8:1
  • Beneficial results of Freedom from dominion of sin 1 John 3:6
  • Beneficial results of Being created anew 2 Corinthians 5:17
  • Beneficial results of The spirit alive to righteousness Romans 8:10
  • Beneficial results of Confidence at his coming 1 John 2:28
  • They who have, ought to walk as he walked 1 John 2:6
  • False teachers have not Colossians 2:18 Colossians 2:19
  • Is indissoluble Romans 8:35
  • Illustrated Foundation and building 1 Corinthians 3:10 1 Corinthians 3:11 Ephesians 2:20 Ephesians 2:21 1 Peter 2:4–6
  • Illustrated Body and members 1 Corinthians 12:12 1 Corinthians 12:27 Ephesians 5:30
  • Illustrated Husband and wife Ephesians 5:25–32

From Torrey's New Topical Textbook (public domain), "Believers & Christ", keeping only the passages in the twenty-one letters.

HIS BODY

The church

The church, as the letters picture it.

  • The Church 37
  • Titles and Names of the Church 26
  • Edification 17
  • Discipline of the Church 16
  • The Excellency and Glory of the Church 8

The Church

  • Belongs to God 1 Timothy 3:15
  • The body of Christ Ephesians 1:23 Colossians 1:24
  • Christ, the foundation-stone of 1 Corinthians 3:11 Ephesians 2:20 1 Peter 2:4 1 Peter 2:5
  • Christ, the head of Ephesians 1:22 Ephesians 5:23
  • Loved by Christ Ephesians 5:25
  • Purchased by the blood of Christ Ephesians 5:25 Hebrews 9:12
  • Sanctified and cleansed by Christ 1 Corinthians 6:11 Ephesians 5:26 Ephesians 5:27
  • Subject to Christ Romans 7:4 Ephesians 5:24
  • The object of the grace of God 2 Corinthians 8:1
  • Displays the wisdom of God Ephesians 3:10
  • God provides ministers for Ephesians 4:11 Ephesians 4:12
  • Glory to be ascribed to God by Ephesians 3:21
  • Elect 1 Peter 5:13
  • Glorious Ephesians 5:27
  • Unity of Romans 12:5 1 Corinthians 10:17 1 Corinthians 12:12 Galatians 3:28
  • Saints baptised into, by one Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:13
  • Is edified by the word 1 Corinthians 14:4 1 Corinthians 14:13 Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 4:16
  • The wicked persecute 1 Thessalonians 2:14 1 Thessalonians 2:15
  • Not to be despised 1 Corinthians 11:22
  • Defiling of, will be punished 1 Corinthians 3:17

From Torrey's New Topical Textbook (public domain), "The church", keeping only the passages in the twenty-one letters.

PRAYER

Prayer in the letters

Prayer, in the letters.

  • Prayer 34
  • Intercessory Prayer 22
  • Answers to Prayer 14
  • Waiting Upon God 4
  • Public Prayer 2
  • Private Prayer 1
  • Prayer under Affliction 1

Prayer

  • Commanded Philippians 4:6
  • To be offered To the Holy Spirit 2 Thessalonians 3:5
  • To be offered Through Christ Ephesians 2:18 Hebrews 10:19
  • Is described as Bowing the knees Ephesians 3:14
  • Is described as Drawing near to God Hebrews 10:22
  • The holy spirit As the Spirit of adoptions, leads to Romans 8:15 Galatians 4:6
  • The holy spirit Helps our infirmities in Romans 8:26
  • Of the righteous, avails much James 5:16
  • Should be offered up In the Holy Spirit Ephesians 6:18 Jude 1:1
  • Should be offered up In faith James 1:6
  • Should be offered up In full assurance of faith Hebrews 10:22
  • Should be offered up With a true heart Hebrews 10:22
  • Should be offered up With the spirit and understanding 1 Corinthians 14:15
  • Should be offered up With confidence in God 1 John 5:14
  • Should be offered up With holiness 1 Timothy 2:8
  • Should be offered up With boldness Hebrews 4:16
  • Should be offered up With earnestness 1 Thessalonians 3:10 James 5:17
  • Should be offered up Night and day 1 Timothy 5:5
  • Should be offered up Without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17
  • Should be offered up Everywhere 1 Timothy 2:8
  • Should be offered up In everything Philippians 4:6
  • For mercy and grace to help in time of need Hebrews 4:16
  • Accompanied with Watchfulness 1 Peter 4:7
  • Accompanied with Thanksgiving Philippians 4:6 Colossians 4:2
  • Continue instant in Romans 12:12
  • Avoid hindrances in 1 Peter 3:7
  • Suitable in affliction James 5:13
  • Shortness of time a motive to 1 Peter 4:7
  • Postures in Lifting up the hands 1 Timothy 2:8

From Torrey's New Topical Textbook (public domain), "Prayer", keeping only the passages in the twenty-one letters.

A SHARED THREAD

Faith that works

One of the threads that run through the collections.

Faith that works

Paul insists that "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law", yet that believers are "created ... unto good works"; James that "faith, if it hath not works, is dead"; Hebrews that "without faith it is impossible to please him"; 1 John that "our faith" is "the victory that overcometh the world". Schaff read James's teaching as "no protest against that of Paul, but prior to it"; the James, Peter and Jude page sets out the other readings. Romans 3:28 Galatians 2:16 Ephesians 2:8–10 Titus 3:8 James 2:17 James 2:24 +2 more [5]

WHERE THIS PAGE COMES FROM

  • Adolf Deissmann (trans. Lionel R. M. Strachan), Light from the Ancient East (1910), ch. III, the twenty-one ancient letters: pp. 147-149 (address and salutation), 153 n. 2 (dictation and the autograph close), 158-159 (letters of commendation; closing in one's own hand), 167-172 (Apion's letters: health-wish, thanks, intercession, greetings, farewell), 176-178 notes ("I would have you know").
  • Adolf Deissmann (trans. Lionel R. M. Strachan), Light from the Ancient East (1910), ch. III, §§4-8: pp. 218-224 (letter and epistle; pseudonymous epistles), 225-234 (Paul's letters and 2-3 John as real letters; letter copy-books, pp. 227-228), 234-237 (catholic epistles, Hebrews, 1 John), 239 (Acts and Paul's letters), 244 (the canon).
  • Adolf Deissmann (trans. Lionel R. M. Strachan), Light from the Ancient East (1910), ch. IV, pp. 372-373 (parousia).
  • Adolf Deissmann (trans. Alexander Grieve), Bible Studies: "Prolegomena to the Biblical Letters and Epistles" (1901), pp. 3-59, especially 14-15 (pseudonymity), 50-51 ("catholic"), 55-56 (the collection of Paul's letters).
  • Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 1: Apostolic Christianity (revised ed.) (1890), §76 (order of the books, with notes 868-870), §86 (The Epistles), §87 (The Catholic Epistles), §88 (The Epistles of Paul).
  • B. F. Westcott, A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament (7th ed.) (1896), pp. 248-249 (Peshitta), 377 with n. 2 (place of Hebrews in the manuscripts), 400-401 (the seven catholic epistles and Euthalius), 488-491 (Luther's prefaces).
  • W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, new edition (first published 1852) (1891), p. 319 n. 1 (letters written by an amanuensis with an autograph postscript), p. 321 (the stages of an apostolic letter), p. 498 n. 1 (Tertius), p. 499 n. (Phoebe the bearer).
  • J. B. Lightfoot, Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians (1865), note on Gal 6:11, pp. 220-221.
  • J. B. Lightfoot, Saint Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (1875), detached note "The Epistle from Laodicea", pp. 340-366.
  • W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen (1895), ch. VII, §6, "The Separation of Paul and Barnabas" (Silas and Silvanus).
  • Dwight M. Pratt, "Epistle", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (1915), §§1-2, 5, 7, 9; checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • Dwight M. Pratt, "Catholic Epistles", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (1915), checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • J. S. Riggs, "Canon of the New Testament", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (1915), §II.1-3; checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • William G. Moorehead, "Peter, the Second Epistle of", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (1915), §§I-II; checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • R. Dykes Shaw, "Corinthians, First Epistle to the", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • R. Dykes Shaw, "Corinthians, Second Epistle to the", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • A. T. Robertson, "Paul, the Apostle", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), part 1, Sources; checked against CrossWire's digital ISBE (1915), 2026-10-07.
  • Robert Law, "John, the Epistles of", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, ed. James Orr (1915), vol. III pp. 1711-1720 (checked against the 1915 scan).
  • M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary (3rd ed.) (1897), "Corinthians, First Epistle to the"; "Thessalonians, Epistles to the".
  • Charles Bigg, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude (1901), pp. 246-247 (secretaries; Zahn on 2 Peter).
  • Joseph B. Mayor, The Epistle of St. James (1892), Introduction, ch. VI (date).
  • Joseph B. Mayor, The Epistle of St. Jude and the Second Epistle of St. Peter (1907), Introduction, pp. lxviii, cxxxv, cxliv.
  • John Calvin (trans. John Owen), Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (1551) (1855), Argument to 2 Peter.
  • John Calvin (trans. William Pringle), Commentary on Galatians (1548) (1854), on Gal 2:1.
  • A. Plummer, The Epistles of S. John (Cambridge Bible) (1886 (1890 reprint used)), notes on 1 John 2:12-14, pp. 97-99; Introduction p. 61 (Demetrius).
  • A. E. Brooke, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles (1912), Introduction p. lxxxiii.
  • B. F. Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews: The Greek Text with Notes and Essays (2nd ed.) (1892), Introduction, "History and Authorship", pp. lxxiv-lxxix.
  • A. B. Davidson, The Epistle to the Hebrews (1882), Introduction ch. III, p. 34.
  • Marcus Dods, "The Epistle to the Hebrews", in The Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. IV (1897 (1910 printing)), Introduction: history, pp. 221-224.
  • Marcus Dods, "The Epistle to the Hebrews", in The Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. IV (1897 (1910 printing)), Introduction: authorship, pp. 228-229 (Harnack on Priscilla).
  • R. H. Charles, The Book of Enoch, or 1 Enoch (1912), 1 Enoch 1:9 with note, pp. 8-9.
  • Eusebius (trans. A. C. McGiffert, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1), Church History (1890), 2.15; 2.23.25 with McGiffert's note 528; 3.3.5; 3.25; 3.39.16; 4.14.9; 5.8.7; 5.26; 6.14; 6.20; 6.25; 7.25.
  • Athanasius (trans. R. Payne-Smith, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4), Festal Letter 39 (1892), §§5-6.
  • Henry R. Percival (ed.), Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 14, The Code of Canons of the African Church (Carthage, 419) (1900), canon 24 (Greek 27), with the editor's note that it is canon 36 of Hippo, 393.
  • Unknown (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5), The Muratorian Fragment (Canon Muratorianus) (1886), §§3-4.
  • Tertullian (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3), Against Marcion, book 5; On Baptism (1885), Against Marcion 5.2-21; On Baptism 17.
  • Tertullian (trans. S. Thelwall, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 4), On Modesty (De Pudicitia) (1885), ch. 20.
  • Clement of Rome (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1), First Epistle to the Corinthians (1885), ch. 47.
  • Ignatius (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1), To the Ephesians (1885), chs. 12 and 18.
  • Polycarp (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1), Epistle to the Philippians (1885), chs. 7, 12 and 13 (13: the letters of Ignatius).
  • Polycarp (trans. J. B. Lightfoot), To the Philippians (1891), 3:2-3; 5:1; 6:2; 7:1; 11:2-4; 12:1.
  • Irenaeus (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1), Against Heresies (1885), preface to book 1; 3.13-16 (3.16.5 and 3.16.8 on 1 and 2 John); 5.2.3.
  • Clement of Alexandria (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2), Stromata; Fragments (Comments on the Second Epistle of John) (1885), Stromata 1.14 and 2.15; Comments on 2 John.
  • Jerome (trans. E. C. Richardson, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 3), Lives of Illustrious Men (1892), chs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 18.

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