These closing verses breathe the love and deep concern of the apostle to his readers, and here also is the warmth, commitment, hospitality and 'addiction' to the cause of Christ that make a church a place of zeal, light, holiness and happiness.

A number of practical instructions reveal ongoing 'rules' of conduct for believers and churches, including aims to pursue in living for the Lord and responsibilities that rest upon us for the defense of the faith and the work of the Gospel.

Indebtedness to the Lord is the engine of real commitment, and the exhortation to serve Christ Jesus in this verse relies on an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Here are the duties we owe to God. Whoever is not moved to respond is possibly not saved at all.

'For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.'

So much is here about our transformation to resurrection bodies at the coming of Christ. The bodies that have the likeness of animal life will be adapted to the physical yet heavenly realm of the new heaven and new earth. How? When? Paul tells all.

Six things unique in world history to the Gospel. The prominent public witness of the resurrection. Its purpose in human history. God's plan and order for salvation, and the judgement at the return of Christ. Here is the message and meaning of Paul's resurrection teaching.

Paul speaks of Christ as our substitute and sin-bearer. Here are some of the prophecies he refers to about the atonement. Here also are texts from the Gospels and Apostles that show crucial aspects of Christ's redeeming work, these being the basis of our love for Him.

'And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.'

'..and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations..'

Reading these God-given rules and limitations of the ministry of prophets and tongues speakers we see the enormous gulf between what really happened in the formation stage of the church and what charismatics do today. The path of obedience is the true path of blessing.