Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 2 Study # 2
November 30, 2014
Dayton, Texas
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<093> Thesis: We need to be committed to "reputation building" with a clear understanding of what that is and how we are to go about it. Introduction: In our last study, we looked into the controlling concepts of "love for the brethren" and "loving one another". This evening we are going to look into another "love" issue that is a sub-set of these previous ones. Paul has been focused upon the notion that the only way we can achieve the "will of God for us" in any sense of significant achievement is if we grow to the point in love that others actually rank higher than we do in the ways we think of the details of life. His phrase is "abound yet more and more". In 4:11-12 we are breaking into a train of thought that was actually introduced at the end of 4:10. There Paul wrote, "Now I exhort you, brethren, to abound more and more...". But, 4:11 goes on with that sentence by saying, "...and to 'study' to..." followed by three infinitive phrases that explain the focus of the 'study'. In other words, "Now I exhort you, brethren, to abound more and more and to 'study' to...". For our understanding, we need to be able to clarify what Paul is talking about and why.