An ancient hymn
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself
My study bible makes a great case that verses like these in Paul's letters were ancient Christian hymns from the early church.
Perhaps this was the whole hymn, perhaps not and the whole hymn has been lost to the sands of time, it's incense still rising to God.
if we are faithless, he remains faithful
This is the part I want to focus on- it is so moving because we know it to be true. When we sin and backslide God is still for us- and we should take this to heart in our treatment of others.
We may write people off as lost cases.... but Christ never will.
When thinking of this possible ancient Christian hymn I imagine a secret house gathering in 1st Century Rome, Christians worshipping in secret (to avoid arrest) their praise going to God under the ancient stars.
