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In Romans 2, there is a word about the inward Jew and the outward Jew.
Even in the church today, there are many people who know the superficial work of the Holy Spirit as all that is seen as a visible sign.
Even in the church today, there are many people who know the outward work of the Holy Spirit as all that is seen as a visible sign.
But the Gospel of John speaks of Christ coming into us.
Romans also speaks of the existential Christ coming into us.
He is the Spirit of truth because He makes us know the truth, and He is the Spirit of life because He gives us life.
Therefore, if we believe in the work of the Holy Spirit within us, we become not outwardly christians but inwardly christians.
The water we drink is groundwater rather than surface water.
People say that Korea has been drinking river water, but now it is time to switch to ground water.
Spring water from the rock,
Just as living water must flow from that fountain, faith must overflow with the power of life within us.
Just because a person does a good job does not mean that the person's faith is good.
Many people think that being familiar with the duties of pastor, elder, and deacon are to a good life of faith, but that is wrong.
So, salvation in the Bible begins with the seed and ends with the fruit.
Jesus Christ, the seed of God (1 John 3:9), comes into us and gradually grows and appears as fruit.
Because of the abundance of fruit, the words of the lips must flow like milk and honey.
In James 3, he asks whether the water from the fountain is fresh or salty, but can both fresh water and salty water flow from the same spring?
He says it can't be.
However, humans sing hymns from one mouth and curse others with that mouth.
That's what the Bible says about being a outward Christian but not an inward christian.
Q. What advantage then has the outward Jew?
“What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Romans 3:1-2)
A. The Jew have been entrusted with the words of God is a great advantage.
Even though they do not know the meaning of circumcision and do not know the secret, it is advantage that they have been entrusted with the law and the temple, including circumcision.
Therefore, it is a great advantage to Jews compared to Gentiles to understand everything just by reading the bible like Ezra did, without needing a sermon to interpret the Word.
But then and now, it is the same that they only have been entrusted the words of God and do not know its meaning.
If you ask today's christians what the efficacy of the sacrament is, how will they answer?
Does eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus Christ really have any effect?
Just as Jews use circumcision as a formality and only promote pride in being Jewish, the sacrament only commemorates in a solemn atmosphere and overlooks the actual power of life.
The Lord breaks the bread and says this is my body.
He did not say that it is a substitute for my body, but that it is my body.
He said, ‘whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and he dwell in me and I in him.’ (John 6:54-56)
The sacrament is the actual ceremony by which we become one with Him in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 11)
The sacrament should not be just a formal commemoration, but must taste the effect behind it.
Calvin said in The Christian Compulsory, 'You can partake of the Lord's Supper without the sacramental bread and wine through the Word.'
Baptism and Holy Communion are very blessed ordinances. Do not be satisfied with participating in the rites, but I hope that you will participate daily in the practical and powerful baptism and communion that the rites speak of.
Christianity's receiving of the Word, baptism, and communion from the Lord is markedly different from the way which Jews were entrusted with the word of God but ended up on the surface.
But Jews have many advantages over Gentiles.
Until the Lord comes, God has entrusted the Word to the Jews.
But even though the Jews had the privilege of taking charge of the Word of God and opening the Word, the Jews missed out on that blessing.
Of course, it is the result of God's providence to save the Gentiles first, but the Jews missed the opportunity to open the meaning of the word.
Q. What would happen to God if the Jews who received the Word failed?
“For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” (Romans 3:3-4)
A. The Jews failed, but God's Word still stands.
The Jews who received the word of God did not acknowledge the word of God.
So, even though God has entrusted the word to them, if they do not believe in the word, then is not the word of God null and void? Isn't that useless? You can track it like this. But that's not it.
This is because God's providence has brought about it, and God has never failed.
Even if the person entrusted with the Word is a fake, the Word of God entrusted to him cannot be fake.
God is always true. God is the true God.
He is the God of reality and the God of the clear.
God is true, but all men are false.
The Lord is righteous in what He has said.
Therefore, faith comes in through receiving the word of God, and that faith is counted as God's righteousness. So it is called justification.
Also, the victory that christians who received the Word overcame the world is faith.
We must overcome human judgment and the world with the righteousness given by the Word and the faith given by the Word.
What people say about being full of faith should not be just words.
We have the fear of death, but because we have greater confidence of life, just as we overcome the fear of death, the Word justifies us, and the righteous Word must overcome the judgment we encounter in our lives and circumstances.
God's word justifies me, and since I have faith, I can overcome even if I am judged by people.
That is why Paul regards human judgment as nothing.
But don't be relieved just because you know the word of God.
With faith in the Word, the righteousness of God must be in your heart.
So always, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be full” (Matthew 5:6).
It must always be maintained and preserved with this blessed state of the heart.
So, God's word of truth must be approached with philosophical logic.
This word does not mean 'believe in Jesus, believe in God, obey the Word' in the Jewish way, but follow the knowledge of the truth through the procedures, processes, and methods of faith.
Before philosophy came into this world, both Jews and Gentiles served God in a naturalistic way .
So, philosophy came into this history before Jesus did.
Buddha and Socrates both came to this world before Jesus.
Philosophy comes first, so the Greek term, a philosophical term, was created.
With the introduction of philosophy, people take a philosophical approach to new knowledge.
Without a philosophical approach, the truth of God cannot be acquired.
Even now, there are many churches where christians try to receive God's blessings by emphasizing only the rituals where Christians gather like Jews offering sacrifices and offering substitutes to God.
However, if it is a worship service, it is not successful just by gathering and shouting Hallelujah.
To do true worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), you must follow a logical process.
When you testify of the living and working Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit must work in that logic so that practically everyone can experience the presence of God.
Those who approach God rightly as if worshiping idols in a naturalistic way can never learn the truth.
This is the stark difference between being entrusted with the Word like a Jew but failing, and knowing why you are a sinner, how you are saved, and what the result of that salvation is through the Romans preached by Paul, even though you are a Gentile.
Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.
Translated by Nancy Chung
COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION