Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

27 August 2025

Reading From I Corinthians 9

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?  Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”

—I Corinthians 9:1-2

There are those today who do not accept the letters of Paul as authoritative Scripture. Ironically many of the same people are looking to the apocryphal writings such as the Book of Enoch and the Gospel of Thomas. I do not think it is coincidental that they are rejecting Pauline epistles and embracing works that have never been accepted by a majority of Christians through the ages. My speculation is that much of what Paul has to say is convicting and therefore difficult for some to accept and apply.

Personally, my discipleship has benefited greatly from learning the teachings of the Lord Jesus through Paul. Much of what I know and what all of Christendom knows about salvation is gleaned from his writings. The same Holy Spirit speaks and comforts and convicts through his epistles same as all the other books of Scripture.

The Apostle Peter recognized the value and the struggle that comes with reading and applying the Scriptural principles introduced and clarified by the Holy Spirit through Paul.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawlessand fall from your secure position. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

—II Peter 3:14-18

From Peter’s second letter we discover that he accepted Paul’s writings as Scripture and that the Pauline epistles were written through the wisdom of God. Some do not believe that Peter wrote the letters attributed to him, but they were recognized as coming from Peter by one of his followers, Clement the bishop of Rome.

If we are to be healthy, stable, balanced disciples of Jesus Christ, then we need to accept the authority of the sixty six books of the Old and New Testaments, read them, study, meditate upon their precepts and apply them to our lives. When a scriptural truth is hard for us to accept, we need to pray for the strength and power of the Holy Spirit needed to understand and live out the principles of His Word.

“Lord Jesus, help me to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. Sanctify me with Your Truth, Your Word is Truth. Humble my heart and mine that I would be sensitive to the voice of Your Spirit, listen, contemplate and apply Your principles in my life. May I accept Your Word no matter how difficult I perceive it to be. I want to obey You out of love for You. Amen.”

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

—II Timothy 3:16-17

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.—I Corinthians 11:1