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Column - Is there anyone who should seem to come short of it?
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering to his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1).
1. We say that the Bible consists of four stories.
These are creation, the fall, redemption, and perfection or restoration.
In creation lies God’s predestination and design. Due to Adam’s fall, the Word came as Jesus, died for our sins, and rose again (Romans 4:25). He redeemed us with mysterious power, and after ascending, He sent the Counselor, the Spirit of truth, to bring about perfection.
The problem here is that regarding the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, since it is history, the content was recorded based on facts seen with the eyes and heard with the ears. Those who are called know.
The problem is that the realm of reaching the dimension of perfection —after the Spirit of truth has come, and after receiving forgiveness of sins through repentance that crosses the cross and receiving the Holy Spirit as a gift—is a mysterious realm known only to the chosen.
Therefore, through Christ, the mystery dwelling within us, we have the hope of glory (Col 1:27).
The indwelling of Christ is essential to reach the dimension of perfection.
2. The core of Christianity is the holy communion, in which we die with Christ and live with him through the grace of his death on the cross and his resurrection, becoming united with resurrection and life within him.
Becoming one bread, one body, and one spirit with Christ is the mark of Christianity.
It is the pride of Christianity.
Through this, a march begins in the truth leading to perfection, following the redemption of Christ's cross.
In other words, it means becoming a seeker who invades Heaven.
Currently, creation and the fall are explained clearly.
However, the explanation of redemption is chaotic, and knowledge of the truth regarding perfection is almost closed off.
They even go so far as to call something the truth simply because it corresponds to the facts.
The truth is a word that can be used only for God in bible.
It is the reality in which God actually manifests through Christ, who is the truth.
Therefore, we offer true worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23).
If a person can worship God anytime and anywhere in the Spirit and truth, rather than through formalized rituals, that person is righteous.
If there are many people in a neighborhood who can speak with the President at any time, it is only a matter of time before that neighborhood becomes prosperous.
If there are many in South Korea who, like David, approach the throne of God's grace at any time and are recognized by God as one after His own heart, then it is a great nation.
3. However, Paul sheds tears and feels distressed for the ignorant who cannot cross the cross and are acting as enemies (Philippians 3:18).
These are those who seek earthly things while speaking of walking with Jesus.
If we have died with the Lord and risen with Him, and are seated with him at the right hand of God, what is the true purpose of walking with the Lord?
Doesn't walking with the Lord mean grasping even the hem of His garment to draw closer to him?
However, if we walk with the Lord for our own selfish desires, that is precisely what makes us enemies of the cross.
This is the reason Paul, speaking to the Galatian church—which began with the Spirit but acted according to the flesh—says that he must again labor of childbirth for them until the image of God is formed within them (Gal. 4:19).
No matter how good and beautiful flesh may be, it cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
How can the image of God be formed within those who do not submit to Christ’s atoning death and resurrection on the cross, but instead act according to the flesh?
It is actually easier to plant a dead seed in the ground and wait for it to sprout.
Without image, there is no glory; without glory, there is no unity; and without unity, there is no perfect restoration, and thus there is no love, which is the pinnacle of salvation with perfection.
According to Peter, they cannot see far ahead and therefore cannot partake in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
In other words, they are nearsighted individuals whose eyes are veiled as it move toward the Omega Point of perfection.
4. Currently, Christianity conveys the gospel of atonement through words such as the blood of Jesus or the blood of the cross.
Nevertheless, love is rare.
This is because the method to attain perfection is not presented.
That is why the book of Hebrews is always emphasized.
We have died with Christ and have risen with him, and have been made holy (Heb 2:11).
Holiness is not something achieved through effort or striving, but rather keeping the Lord’s sanctification of us.
By this we know that we are grasped by the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 2:16), and we consider the Lord, who is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (Heb 3:1), and we become those who dwell in his house and participate in him (Heb 3:14).
If we do not know this mystery, how can we, born as sinners, boldly approach the throne of God’s grace, and how can all the words we have heard until now be comprehensively encompassed and mixed with faith? Will a chemical work take place and the Word be embodied, thereby manifesting as a life of action? (James) It is impossible.
The Lord intercedes at the right hand of God for those who have attained the perfection of salvation—that is, those who have been restored and stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion—and for those who, relying on him, approach God the Father for our perfect salvation(Heb 7:25).
This is the ministry of the high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
If we see him, we are the chosen ones.
In the Catholic Church, priests perform sacrifices under the name of priesthood.
While some speak of a thousand burnt offerings because this leaven remains, our Reformed Church has no sacrifices.
Jesus has already completed the sacrifice on our behalf with his own body.
We learn the truth from the Holy Spirit with a regenerated spirit, become one spirit with Christ, and worship as those belonging to heaven, calling God in heaven "Abba Father."
That is the very path to our perfection, that is, restoration, according to the purpose of creation.
The book of Hebrews is concerned that we might come short to this point.
Written by Pastor. Yohan Kim
Translated by Missionary Sookyung Chung
COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
