Commentary on John 8 (5)

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Commentary on John 8 (5)

Look at John 8:33. “They answered, We are Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage  s to any man: how say you, we shall be made free?" The Jews claim that they are free.

So Jesus answered  them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)

This means that the very act of committing a sin is the servant to sin.

In other words, there is no truth in them.

To say that there is no truth means to be a passive being, not a free being.

The characteristic of a Jew is either trembling before God or being greedy for blessings.

Even today, Christians who are bound by sin are like this.

The characteristics of a person bound by darkness have only two characteristics: either they tremble before God if they do something wrong, or they shout out to receive blessings from God if they are somewhat free and confident before God.

After listening to it, don’t you think it’s talking about the current church?

The problem with the servants is that they don't know what they're caught up in.

However, their thoughts and ideas are being pulled there without their even realizing it.

This means that it is caught, and it is especially dependent on people.

Because they keep relying on people, they keep putting people in their background without even realizing it.

These days, when they are evangelizing, members of a certain church says that our pastor is truly amazing.

No matter how much crisis Jesus faced, he never used people as his background.

He do not say  that even though he look like this,  he is a member of the tribe of Judah, a member of the royal family, or an orthodox Jew.

Neither Paul nor Peter rely on people or set people up as their background.

When Paul says that he is a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, a student of Gamaliel, and a Roman citizen, doesn't that mean that the Jews persecuted him so much that I was as good a Jew as you, but after meeting Christ I threw away all that? Like excrement...

To say this, he is only talking about his background, and he is by no means saying that he is a person with something to boast about. (Acts 22:3, Philippians 3:4-6)

Paul is a self-existent being everywhere because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, through Jesus Christ, we too must become like Paul.

There are people who, after living as strangers in this world, do the ugly thing of gathering together in groups of two or three to form a party and start a movement for independence from God.

Even though they speak different languages, they come together, form a union, and use their power as a force.

We must realize that God only gave us the wisdom to know Him, but He did not give us horns.

The kingdom, power, and glory always belong to the Lord.

In other words, aren't people coming together now to acknowledge each other, let's take each other's glory, and do this?

Whether other people don't acknowledge me, my children don't acknowledge me, my siblings don't acknowledge me, my parents don't acknowledge me, or the pastors of my church don't acknowledge me, I must become a self-existent being through Christ.

Even if no one acknowledges me, I must have a strong confidence that only the Lord acknowledges me.

Next, let’s look at John 8:35 again.

“And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever.” A servant is always bound. But the son has the right to be free.

That is why we dwell in the house of the Lord.

We deserve to live forever.

Our eternal inheritance is right there in Christ.

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Because what does the Son have?

Because he has the truth.

The truth gives freedom.

However, the truth must always come with the Holy Spirit.

Only when the Holy Spirit dwells in us can the Word become character and finally become a life.

Since God is spirit and the living Word is also spirit, only the anointing of the Holy Spirit permeates our hearts and gradually becomes embodied (John 1:14), becoming our being and a life.

“I know that you are Abraham’s seed; but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.” (John 8:37)

It is not important to be a descendant of Abraham by blood, but the words of Christ have no place in you. 

This is a very important statement.

Even now, Presbyterianism, Pentecostalism, Baptistism, Holiness Church, and Methodism are not important; they are nothing if the words of Jesus Christ have no place in them.

When you look at people, you can see that they are full of everything.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was pregnant, had to give birth, but no matter how many times she searched for an inn and a room, there were signs posted in each house saying there were no vacancies (Luke 2:7)

This is the church of Laodicea, the last of the seven churches.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20)

These words are not meant to be used when evangelizing, but are spoken to believers.

No matter how much Christ stands outside the door of the church in the last times and knocks on the door, you will always hear the voice inside saying, “There are no rooms, there are no empty rooms.”

The evidence I have for saying this is that when people listen to the Word and go outside, they are busy doing what they need to do, where they need to go, and what they want to say.

If you go to member's house, you will find this kind of home.

I sincerely pray that peace will come to that house.

I pray for true blessings.

However, as soon as I opened my eyes after praying, he immediately asked, ‘Pastor, when did you come to Korea?’

They wonder about that, and I see that during prayer, their minds are filled with only random thoughts and they are unable to focus on the true blessings that God wants to give them through His servant.

There are not just a few people like that.

Unfortunately for such people, there is no room available to receive Christ.

There is no room for the Word of God to penetrate.

After finishing the service quickly, I have to go to the department store, and after the service, I have to quickly go see if the rice is boiling or the porridge is boiling... There are no empty rooms.

When I go to a meeting at another church, I see assistant pastors wandering around.

They are unable to find a vacant room because they are busy managing church work and church members.

What is the reason why the Jews were destroyed and are still an unreached people?

It is not because they were not zealous before God, but because they did not make room for God.

Isaiah 66 says, the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool: where is the house that you build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things have mine hand made, and all those things have been, said the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and tremble at my word.(Isaiah 66:1-2)

Now people are too busy eating, drinking, buying, selling, and building houses.

Like Martha, it is so busy that there are no vacant rooms.

Martha has no vacancy.

However, Mary has an vacant room in front of the Lord where she receives His words.

Therefore, we must always make room within us for the Lord. (Matthew 5:3)

We must make room within us for the Lord at every moment.

It is sad to see that so many people are caught up in the stereotypes and habits of faith, as well as the forms and rituals of faith, and have no room to receive the word of God.

There are many people who think that once they become pastors, they are teachers.

However, I see that there is no room in their heart for the Lord.

Let’s look at John 8:42.

“Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded for and came from God;  neither came I of myself, but he sent me."

Chapter 5 of 1 John also says that everyone who is born of God loves those who are born of Him. (1 John 5:1)

In other words, those who are born of God are bound to love Jesus Christ.

He is destined to love the Holy Spirit.

In the same way, we become to love our brothers in Christ who are born of God.

That is why it is said that the characteristics of a born again person are presence, member, and missionality.

“Why do you not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word.” (John 8:43) They do not know how to listen.

This does not mean that you cannot hear the sound, but that you cannot understand the words.

So, “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

To be honest, if we are not shepherds who save souls, it is more beneficial for those souls not to evangelize.

If there is no way for your soul to come to that church and be saved, the way to commit fewer sins is to not evangelize.

This is not done to ruin the church.

Do you understand what I mean?

I am speaking to my and your conscience through the Holy Spirit.

This is because God does not destroy people because of murder, adultery, theft, or any other ethical or moral sin they commit.

However, it is the responsibility of oneself to waste a lot of time and material and cause many disputes, but the main reason why people perish is because of the actions of causing others to stumble and entangling and killing other people's souls.

The reason why God hates Satan so much is because he lied from Eden.

Many souls are slaughtered with this lie.

This is a murderer.

The actions of the Jews are by no means bad.

They are world-class model prisoners.

The problem is that once they make people into church members, they turn them into twice as children of hell, so they are very special evildoers.

Even now, I see many people who claim to have served exemplarily throughout their lives but are suffering alone in hospitals or nursing homes because they are seriously ill or have difficulty moving.

Why is that so?

First of all, it is because of the problem with their own salvation and the sin of causing many souls to stumble throughout their life with their clumsy words.

I only served as a pastor at a church for 11 years, from 1988 to 1999, and even now, I pray sadly, calling on the names of the saints from that time as I remember them.

I, like an unripe green fruit, could not convey the complete truth of the gospel, and now I feel sorry, and sometimes my back gets cold sweat and my face gets hot.

I am looking back and praying for the times that passed with the heart of a mother who left her baby behind.

Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.

Translated by  Nancy Chung

COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION

To God be the glory.