Father of the Inklings

Though we have taken the two letters to the Thessalonians as our starting point for the next series of commands, Paul does not directly address home and family issues to a great extent in those letters. Most of his family-specific commands come later, notably in Ephesians and Colossians as well as, interestingly, in the letters to the two single men, Timothy and Titus. 

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.

In now climaxing this series of "Turn from sin" commands, we recognize that it would have been equally appropriate to have begun with the conscience as with the admonition to repent. 

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.

We are familiar with the saying, "Confession is good for the soul." There is little doubt that confession is cleansing. Yet why does confession make us feel better? 

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 sounds like a command straight out of the Old Testament. What came to your mind when you read the words--a crucifix on the wall, a statuette, a golden calf, a revered object such as people have been falsely worshipping for thousands of years? However, here we're talking about idols of another kind. 

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 clearly the most difficult of the three "avoidance commands" (participation, association, avoidance) to lay hold of. 

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 mirror probes deeper. Indulgence in sin may be passive. Participation raises the stakes a little higher. Now the command becomes active, forceful, imperative: Don't even associate with immorality. 

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 practicality of the progression continues to tighten like a noose around our necks. Can it get any more real than this -- Do not participate in the sins of others. 

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 progression of commands in this section grows probing, stringent, convicting...eve, perhaps we should say, impossible. 

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.

We suddenly crash headlong into a command whose reality may be difficult to penetrate at first glance. You may have turned the page and feel like you rounded a corner and collided with a stranger. 

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.

We return to the pivotal passage of Romans 12:1-2, the all-important undergirding foundation of the Commands. Jesus said: My kingdom is not of this world. In becoming his followers, we make ourselves citizens of a different world than that existing around us. We have emigrated to a new kingdom. 

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.