The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The benediction stands at the end of an appeal to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered and to hold fast to the One who gives power to become children of God with life hidden with Christ in God. It closes a warning to mark and turn away from those who stir up divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine already learned, because they do not serve Christ but deceive unsuspecting, simple hearts by good words and fair, pleasing and persuasive speech. Behind that deception Satan works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, every kind of unrighteous trickery, to lead men and women to deny the faith.
It belongs with the call to remain obedient, an obedience that has come abroad and become widely known, and to be wise unto that which is good while remaining simple and innocent concerning evil. It belongs with trust in Him who is of power to establish believers according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets by the command of the everlasting God for the obedience of faith among all nations, to God only wise, to whom alone glory belongs forever through Jesus Christ, with the grace of Christ resting upon all. The obedience to the truth connected with this closing sanctifies the soul, making men and women Christlike and like Christ in thought, word, and deed by bringing habits, practices, and ideas into conformity and harmony with the Word. It produces earnest, wholehearted men and women ever ready to stand in defense of the truth, instead of building on a sandy, unstable foundation while themselves still needing to learn what truth is from the great Teacher.
The benediction stands at the end of an appeal to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered and to hold fast to the One who gives power to become children of God with life hidden with Christ in God. It closes a warning to mark and turn away from those who stir up divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine already learned, because they do not serve Christ but deceive unsuspecting, simple hearts by good words and fair, pleasing and persuasive speech. Behind that deception Satan works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, every kind of unrighteous trickery, to lead men and women to deny the faith.
It belongs with the call to remain obedient, an obedience that has come abroad and become widely known, and to be wise unto that which is good while remaining simple and innocent concerning evil. It belongs with trust in Him who is of power to establish believers according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets by the command of the everlasting God for the obedience of faith among all nations, to God only wise, to whom alone glory belongs forever through Jesus Christ, with the grace of Christ resting upon all. The obedience to the truth connected with this closing sanctifies the soul, making men and women Christlike and like Christ in thought, word, and deed by bringing habits, practices, and ideas into conformity and harmony with the Word. It produces earnest, wholehearted men and women ever ready to stand in defense of the truth, instead of building on a sandy, unstable foundation while themselves still needing to learn what truth is from the great Teacher.