When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesian church, he was writing to an audience living in a metropolitan city. Since Ephesus was a major port city and trade center, the cultural milieu within the city was ethnically and religiously diverse. Though Paul didn?t speak to any specific local issues within the Ephesian
Read moreMichael Bird on Church Schisms and the Imperative of Love
We have to start with the ecclesiastical vision of the Johannine letters, since that shapes the theological context in which church life exists. Love is foundational to John?s vision for the church, its theology and practice. Love is absolutely central to the ethical vision of the Johannine letters. The exhortations are replete with commands to
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