5. No one wins an athletic contest without obeying the rules.
6. And farmers who work hard are the first to eat what grows in their field.
7. If you keep in mind what I have told you, the Lord will help you understand completely.
8. Keep your mind on Jesus Christ! He was from the family of David and was raised from death, just as my good news says.
9. And because of this message, I am locked up in jail and treated like a criminal. But God's good news isn't locked in jail,
10. and so I am willing to put up with anything. Then God's special people will be saved. They will be given eternal glory because they belong to Christ Jesus.
11. Here is a true message:“If we died with Christ,we will live with him.
12. If we don't give up,we will rule with him.If we denythat we know him,he will denythat he knows us.
13. If we are not faithful,he will still be faithful.Christ cannot denywho he is.”
14. Don't let anyone forget these things. And with God as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don't help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them.