"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."(1Corinthiana 1:9)
Could this word have been fulfilled in the Corinthian church? No, they are believers who have received the gospel, but Paul feels sorry that they have not yet properly heard the explanation that Christ dwells in them.(2Cor.13:5) Because of this, they know that Christ, who is the resurrection, is outside, and since the truth is not inside them, they are not connected to love and remain in one part. Paul clearly declares that God justified and glorified us by calling us into Christ to hear and believe.(Romans 8:30)
Whereby, because of that glory, we become one spirit with the Lord, who is the glory, and become children of God who can have fellowship with us to reach the glory of God. Looking closely at 1 John, the Word of life in the beginning came to this earth in the flesh, became a sin offering on the cross, raised up, ascended into heaven, and now becomes Christ, a peace offering, to mediate between God and us.(Heb.7:25)
He does us born again, gives us eternal life, and gives us glory so that we may have fellowship with God the Father. For this fellowship, the blood of Jesus the Son is needed, and whenever we step into the light, the blood of Jesus the Son cleanses us. When we have fellowship with the Lord, our hearts are purified and we see the Father.(Mat.5:8) In this light, God bestows every good gift from heaven.(James1:17)
However, if you do not have the word of truth, you do not know the light and darkness exist within you. You do not see rightousness and sin coexisting in you. So, not knowing exactly what repentance is and what confession is, they end up saying, "Lord, forgive me" as if they were confessing only the types of sins that appear on the outside. It is like plucking the leaves without pulling out the roots of the weeds.
These are the appearances of natural people who belong to sin. They can't confess their sins because they don't know that they became righteous through Jesus Christ and the oldself who was in sin are still together in them. So, because the blood of his Son Jesus does not work, they cannot meet the Lord. Because they do not find themselves in darkness, they cannot confess their sins and do not have the heart to seek the Lord and do not know the way to fine the Lord. Therefore, it is like a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal that cannot reach love even though they believe in Him all their lives because they do not have fellowship with the Father.
In Psalm 32, it is not the righteous who meet God, but the sinner who meets the Lord. The chance to meet the Lord is when you realize your sins.(Psalm 32:6) Those whose bodies are dead because of sin but whose spirit is alive because of righteousness through Jesus Christ.(Rom.8:10), realize that they are in the wrong place and move from darkness into the light. At that time, the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, cleanses that sins and unrighteousness.(1John 1:7,9)
A person who realizes that both light and darkness exist within him confesses his sins and goes before the Father in heaven. " I am a righteous person, plesse meet me, Lord". This kind of person cannot meet God. In the book of Revelation, Jesus comes as a warring king on a white horse. Why is that? Becsuse He must conquer our hearts. Many people are unaware of or ignore the conflict between light and darkness within us.
They do not know that sin, which is more deceitful and corrupt than all things, is in us.(Rom.7) Even though we are born again, there are times when we forget that we are a double personality, the body is still dead because of sin and the spirit is life because of righteousness of the Lord. Sin is not a problem with external sins, but with the nature within us. Anyone who says he has no sin is a liar. Since there is no truth and no word in them, they cannot see the old self with sinful nature.
The God who calls us into Chtist, justifies us, gives us life and glory, binds us together in the Spirit of truth, and brings us into fellowship with God the Father, is faithful to His promise.
The Spirit of truth comes into us and makes us know the new commandment that the Lord has promised. The Spirit of truth reminds us of the word of the Lord so that we know that the Lord is in the Father, we are in the Lord, and the Lord is in us. The Spirit of truth reminds us that the Lord became our sin offering, and makes us see the heavenly line which He is alive and intercedes for us.(Heb 7:25) The Lord promised fellowship, "I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. If you love me, the love of the Father will appear, and I will appear in you."(John 14:20-21)
Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.
Translated by Nancy Chung
COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION