Hold Your Grip on Scripture

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teaching we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.--2 Thess.2:15 Paul was very aware of what would happen after he left a town upon leading people to Christ. He would stay as long as the Holy Spirit would allow, teaching and training the people in the teachings of Christ and Scripture. He knew that false teachers would challenge the belief and understanding of the new converts as soon as he left. He knew that these empowered by satan's schemes and their own jealousy would try to pry their grip from the truth. While he tried to ground them in the truth during his stays, he knew the reality that some would listen to the lies and lose their grip. Consequently, he would come back through as often as he could or send people to help in the continued disciple-making process. It also prompted him to write notes or letters that would end up being essential contributions to the New Testament. These Scriptures would be Holy-inspired as well. Jesus himself revealed the fulfilling of the Old Testament by explaining to Paul how it all fit together.---Paul tells these new followers of Jesus to "stand firm and hold to the teaching we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." Later on Peter would refer to Paul's writings as Scripture. ---We must hold our grip on the truth, because the devil will use many schemes to get us to question God. You see, this goes as far back as the original fall of man. The devil said to the woman "God didn't really say..." Bad things happen when we question the whole truth of God's Word. For good reason, Paul said, "...stand firm and hold to the teaching we passed on to you..." When is the last time you heard someone say, "God didn't really say..."? Think about it. It was an attempt to get you to lose your grip. As humans we only question God's Word when we don't like what it says. I'm sure Adam and Eve were getting bugged out about not getting to eat from that one tree, because Satan kept attacking their potential for selfishness. Never mind the fact that they could eat of every other tree. Likewise, we get bugged out about "the don'ts", and Satan plays us for the fool; even though God has made things clear...and we lose grip. Hold firm to the truth. Live to glorify God. Remember the things that He did say. Finally we need focus to maintain our grip: " And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."-2 Cor.5:15 Hold your grip on Scriptures, and live for Him.

Note from Acts 19:27

A riot was started in Ephesus by a business man. Demetrius made little iconic gods representing the goddess Artemis. Business was down, because many people were accepting Jesus and turning from this false god. Consequently, a riot was incited to go against those preaching the gospel. This much I garnered from this incident---A god that can be robbed of his/her majesty is no god at all. The true God does not need man to protect His glory and honor.