Father of the Inklings

Probably the most feared sin in the world, "the Great Sin," is what we commonly refer to as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

The familiar words of 1 Corinthians 13:5 provide an intriguing example where different translations render a passage of Scripture with distinct shades of meaning. The particular phrase of interest to us here reads, Love..."is not irritable or resentful," in the RSV. The NIV has it, Love..."is not easily angered." Finally, the KJV presents the same passage as, Love..."is not easily provoked." It is clear that all three shed enormous light on this often overlooked attribute of love. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

Paul's famous statement in Ephesians (4:26) "Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger," is often used to excuse anger, so long as we don't let it go on too long. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

Guilelessness is one of the most intriguing of all the New Testament virtues, possibly because guile is not a word we use in everyday conversation. We know generally what it means. But its subtleties and nuances mostly escape us. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

This is the second time we have used this passage from Matthew 25 to highlight one of the Commands. And for good reason. This must surely be one of the most powerful passages in all the Bible. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

Probably few other commands of Jesus have been interpreted with such wide latitude as the command to "eat the bread" and "drink the cup" in remembrance of the last supper on the night before his crucifixion. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

This is one of those commands [that is] an "implied" command which we infer from the actual words. What Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:4 is, "If anyone teaches otherwise...he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for...base suspicions." 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

Here we encounter another highly specific command. While said by Jesus only once, it is yet difficult to include in any other grouping or summary of Commands. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

We all want our own way. We would hardly be human if we didn't. Wanting our own way is in the nature of things. If we would live in the region of love, however, which Paul lays out for us in 1 Corinthians 13, we choose not to insist on it. The word "insist" is this command is the sticking point, the stumbling-block to the flesh. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

The examples Jesus uses to address how disputes should be settled are, in a sense, unfortunately narrow of focus. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.