Verses 1-6
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Leaders of churches should hear these instructions first, as leaders should deliver messages to their communities.
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Like the church of Ephesus did well, do not bear those who are evil in the church. How so?
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Test people. Find out who they really are, as you get to know them, and do not let people fellowship with the church if they are practicing sin and do not have the fruits of one who is a sincere believer.
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This is way to remain doctrinally sound.
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But don't let work for pure doctrine cause your love to sour. Keep focused on doing everything out of love, and don't do what is done without love. Love God deeply, love others tenderly.
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Notice that Jesus calls this church, already believers, to repent. Repentance is something that we must continue to do our whole lives. It does not stop after we first get saved.
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Just as we first come to Christ while turning away from sin, we must repent by continuing to turn away from known sin today.
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Verse 7, 11, 29
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As believers, we must learn to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to resist temptation without giving up on our faith or obedience to God.
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Learn to hear from the Holy Spirit better! (See notes on Matthew 10:27 and Psalm 62 for insights on hearing from the Holy Spirit).
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Verses 8-10
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The task is simple. Don't fear persecution or suffering, and be prepared to keep your faith until your death, no matter how that death comes.
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We have to keep our faith in order to be saved by it. And during the end, there will be great persecution. If we cannot learn to keep our faith through such a time of suffering, it could end badly for us.
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Also remember that suffering tests and proves your faith, and makes you stronger in the end (1 Peter 1:6-7).
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Start preparing for this today by doing what is right even when it's uncomfortable!
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Verses 12-28
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It is good that we, as the church, do not deny our faith or Christ's name and continue in good works, but we must also make sure that we do not allow negative influences to continue in the church.
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Do not allow sin and/or false teachers to continue in your community without taking action to get rid of it! This could mean urging fellow believers to repent or removing a person from the fellowship.
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Stop people who are influencing others in the church to sin, and be careful about who you let into the community!
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Do give people time to repent, but if they do not, exercise judgment and remove them (Matthew 18:15-17).
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Continue to repent and to obey God faithfully until the end—until you die or until Christ returns (whatever comes first). There will be a reward for this.
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But if you do not repent, know that there will be judgment.
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