Christ Magnified Whether By Life Or By Death

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. Philippians 1:19-26 NKJV

To live is Christ because we're not our own since we were bought with a price of Jesus the Son. "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV)

To die is gain because the eternal weight of glory is waiting for us when we pass time and enter into eternity. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NKJV)

The Word of God Not Chained

"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:1-13 NKJV

We can't do anything, but Jesus can, so we can do everything in the Lord Jesus Christ. We aren't strong by any means, but Jesus is, so we are strong by His multiplying grace of Jesus Christ. Therefore, since we’re in Christ Jesus, we aren't double-minded, aimless, easy-going, but single-minded like a soldier, purposeful like an athlete, and hard-working like a farmer. We're strong in His grace because we died with Him, live with Him, and reign with Him. 

However, if we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself. That's all facts and true revelations of reality of life. This is our assurance and hope which springs faith and love. Yes, there shall be sufferings and troubles for the cause of Christ Jesus, but the word of God is not chained. Therefore, we endure all things in the hope of obtaining the salvation with eternal glory in Him.

Unshakable Foundation of God

"Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. II Timothy 2:14-26 NKJV

All men are without exception God's servants. The question is to what purpose are you used by Him -- noble or ignoble. I believe that no one wants to be used for ignoble purpose. God never force anyone to obey for noble purpose although He draws you to respond and obey Him. At the same time, God never leave you alone without instructions to follow. Here are the instructions for you and me to follow which are given to Timothy by Paul to be used for the noble purposes.

First and foremost of all, in order to be used by God for every good work, you should say "No" to the wrongs. Paul admonishes his son in the faith to flee youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. You see that flee first evils and then pursue goodness. Flee quarrels and strifes but pursue gentleness, teachings, patience, humility. An amazing statement is that repentance is coming from God. God enlightens the heart of His dear children to repent, so that they may know the truth and they may come to senses and escape the snares of the devil. It's by His grace for you to be used for every good work of the Lord. What you do is to say "No" to the evils and say "Yes" to the Lord.

Real Power

"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:4-8 NKJV

The book of Acts is the record of actions of the Holy Spirit promised by the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's called an unfinished book and is still recording even now. The church is functioning and operating not by humans but by the Spirit of God. Church is people, not building. All believers shall receive power when they receive Christ Jesus as Lord and as a result the Holy Spirit has come upon them. Therefore, Christians shall live not in the flesh but in the Spirit.

The power of the Spirit has been given unto all believers who are now living in the world as witnesses of Christ Jesus, telling and showing what He has done in their lives. The source of power for life is not coming from ourselves since we have received Jesus Christ as Lord, but in entirety from Him. In the past, we ran our lives whatsoever we wanted to run, but now we're possessed by the Lord Jesus Christ and so no longer run it by ourselves.

We were always in want of power, and so desperately inadequate. That's the destination sickness for the fallen humanity. No matter what we tried hard and accomplished, we're not satisfied in full. Something was fatally missing. That missing part of mystery has been met when the promised Holy Spirit has come into our hearts. The power of the Spirit is what all humans has been searching and yearning for generations and ages. So, now we can live in the full measure of life with such a glorious power of the Spirit.

We need the power of the Spirit when we wake up in the morning, eat breakfast and go to work, drive, meet friends, come home and have dinner, have conversation with families, and many others. We need the power in full for every area of our lives. There is nothing we can do without the power of the Spirit. We’re fully and always dependent on Him who is indwelling within us. When we fully and completely let Him abide in us and lead us, we can live His life in full riches of glory. That’s the promise of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All Christians can live His life in full now and forevermore.

A Place To Start Over

"Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. - Mark 16:1-8 NKJV

Where there is no hope, where there is despair, where there is fear, where there is emptiness, where there is bitterness, where there is resentment, where there is loneliness of your soul, where there is anxiety attack out of nowhere, where there is feeling of being separated from everything, where there is a shattered dream in your life, where there is no joy, no peace, no love, no power in you, there is a right place to start which is to listen to the wonderful and marvelous news of the Risen Christ Jesus from the dead. The news of eternal hope was first of all given to a woman at the empty tomb of Jesus Christ and then spread to the disciples and Peter, two disciples down the road to Emmaus, five hundred of brethren at the same time, and last of all the apostle Paul.

This news has still been reaching out millions of people individually and personally throughout the centuries. Yes, individually. Christ Jesus, the Risen Lord, is still available right now in your very midst. He is the life, the way, and the truth. Just open your heart and receive Him, as Jesus promised, rivers of living water will overflow from within you. He is the One who gives that very life, the resurrected life to all who seeks and searches humbly and faithfully. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37b-38 NKJV) Here is a marvelous promise of our Lord Jesus Christ in the last book of the Scripture. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)

Faith’s Reality

 "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NKJV

The risen Lord Jesus is the gospel for all peoples on earth in all ages and generations. It's because the Risen Christ is the reality of our faith. We Christians believe nothing but the Person of Jesus Christ. We don't believe sound teachings, but Jesus Christ. Even Sermon on the Mount itself cannot be the gospel. Only Jesus Christ who is able to help us out to love our enemies can be the object of faith. The risen Christ is alive and living in each and every genuine believer, relentlessly pouring out eternal life unto those who come near to Him by faith. Jesus Christ was the Word in the beginning, visibly manifested in the flesh, justified in spirit, seen by angels, preached to the nations, believed on in the world, and ascended in glory (1 Timothy 3:16). That risen Jesus has been working in Peter and the apostles in the first century, many thousands and tens of thousands of saints, and even you and me in this age and time.

The same Lord Jesus Christ who walked on the streets of the land of Palestine, healed the sick, drove out demons, touched the wounded, and preached the good news of the heaven, is still working mightily, doing exactly the same works he had done in the flesh throughout the centuries. All authority and power was given unto the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven and on earth. "... and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." (Ephesians 1:19-21 NKJV)

That's the message of Christ Jesus forever. Everyone, if he is a genuine believer at all, has that power which is far above all power and principality and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the ages to come. Anyone who has Jesus Christ within has such an exciting and powerful dynamics of life, because He has risen. Christ in you, the hope of glory. So, we can live his life in full in the midst of ordinary days of lives. That’s what our God intended every believer to live even before the foundation of the world.

Expound the Word of Truth

"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV

The first message of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago in the land of Palestine was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17 NKJV) Jesus also said, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12 NKJV) Since His first appearing and His kingdom on earth some twenty centuries back, the kingdom of heaven is open to enter through obedient faith in Him. It was confirmed by the word of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's why Paul admonishes his son in the faith, Timothy, to preach the word in season and out of season. Preaching is teaching and expounding the word of God, revealing the mind of Christ. It is to convince, rebuke, and exhort the hearers and readers with all longsuffering and teaching. Preachers should study the word of God as of the first importance to be able expound what is really going on in life not with the viewpoint of the world, but with that of God who owns and runs everything. Preachers are the servant of Christ to give light on the listeners, helping them out to see and grasp the reality of life. In doing so, preachers shall face oppositions and afflictions. Therefore, Paul says, "Be watchful in all things, endure sufferings, and do the work of preacher." Preach the word faithfully and diligently and fulfill your ministry.

Perilous Times

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 NKJV

Ah, what a dreadful description that is regarding this generation and age! All these things are happening now as happened in the first century and we're all experiencing every day in our midst. These signs of the last days which have been stretched throughout twenty centuries since the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ make us even more alarmed because they are happening within the believer's circle. Paul says that there are such a people who have a form of godliness but deny its power. Truly it indicates so-called Christians. This vicious and malevolent evil being, the devil, has been using this infamous tactic of deceitfulness for centuries among many believers who resist believing the truth. They use the religious languages and look pious but yet deny its power. They know what to say and what to do. However, they do not believe its power. It is indeed perilous times! So, we shall examine ourselves carefully and honestly whether we are in the genuine faith. The question each shall ask daily is “Do I truly believe in the power of Jesus Christ and follow Him?” It’s significantly necessary to do so lest we fall into a deadly trap of having a form of godliness but denying its power.

The Lord Loves You and Keeps the Oath

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NKJV

You're no better or less than others. All men are equal before God regardless of race, religion, ancestry, color, or whatever. There is no difference to God. That mighty sermon of Moses tells the truth that the people of Israel were chosen and loved not because they were more in number than any other people, for in fact they were the least of all peoples, but because the Lord loves them, and because he would keep the oath which He swore to Abraham. This is still true to all who are chosen in this age and ages to come.

However, how easy it is to forget this infallible fact! One mark of such forgetfulness is to look down others whom they are different in race, color, ancestry, religion, whatever reason. The Scripture says, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:11 KJV) There are many people who behave as the enemies of God.  That’s all who we were! But we shall not forget the fact that God had forsaken His Son Jesus Christ while we were still sinners, the enemies of God. This is true to all peoples on earth. Who knows except God that the very people you think that they’re the enemies of God may be the chosen vessels on due time in the program of God? Who knew except God that Saul of Tarsus who persecuted the church of God and yet later called to be a chosen vessel for the Gentiles? Jesus confirms this truth, saying “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16 NKJV)

So, remember what you are now based on the fact what you were. You’re chosen and loved by God through the Son Jesus Christ not because there is any respect of you but because the Lord loves you, and because He keeps his promise to bring you into His fold on due time. That stands true eternally. Amen.

The Message

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5 NKJV

If anyone wants to know about life, take heed to this message, "God is light and in Him no darkness at all." Light reveals, measures, and energizes life. It reveals and measures what is good or evil. So, if you really want to know about what the meaning and purpose of life is, come closer to God who is light and in Him no darkness at all. Coming nearer to God is to open the Scripture and read, meditate, study, and search through it. Light also energizes life because it leads to truth and reality. God is real and doesn't hide anything for you. But without Him, no one can know anything straightly and wholly because he is in darkness. God is light and in Him there is no darkness or crookedness at all. So, only in God, we can see things clearly and realistically. 

Liberty to Obey God

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:1-6 NKJV

We cannot know God by keeping the law. Why not? Remember the Scripture says that we are set free not by works but only by faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. From the beginning, we are saved by faith in Him, so we shall continue to walk in the faith. We're not set free to go back to the old way of living by keeping the law, but to live His life in full by faith.

Christ Jesus had to die for we cannot keep the law. A new and living way has been provisioned for us to keep the law. That is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The old self who cannot keep the law died to sin. The new self made alive in Jesus Christ lives to God. So, it does not make any sense to go back to the law. It’s just like a prisoner who was pardoned and set free walks back the old house again. “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:11 NKJV)

This is a serious problem among many Christians like the saints in Galatia. Although we’re saved not by works but by faith only, many are pressured to keep the law in order to gain the favor of God. They neglect the fundamental truth that we cannot earn any favor of God by works at all. Yes, we need discipline like reading the scriptures and praying and gathering. We shall do them diligently. Again, the activities themselves cannot contribute to earn the righteousness of God.

Then, what matters? What God is after is our hearts and attitudes. Do we do all the disciplines by relying on Christ Jesus who is indwelling the hearts of Christians? Or do we do them by relying on ourselves? There is nothing we can count on our part. The competence and confidence of Christians solely comes from God in heaven. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 NKJV)

Since we're justified in Jesus Christ through faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. It’s because only faith working through love avails. Those who keep the commandments by faith are true worshipers because loving God is to keep His commands. Therefore, we have perfect liberty to choose to obey God.

Yoke Up With Christ

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

As soon as a man is born of God, he begins to take the yoke of Jesus upon himself. He used to yoke with the bondage of sin, but now by the grace of God he has been set free from the yoke of slavery to sin. We all used to walk according to the standard way of living in the world. It says, "If you educated yourself well and earned enough money, you would fulfill your life." Work hard and earn money and then you can enjoy your life in full. That's what we used to believe and pursue.

But contrary to the sayings of the world, we weren't satisfied nor fulfilled but depressed and bored with things of the world. No matter how hard we try to be satisfied or fulfilled, nothing avails at all. Temporarily, yes. To some degree, yes. However, it fails unavoidably at not even close to the goal. Why so? It's because there is serious defect in humanity. The alien power of evil invaded humans and found his home within. So, no effort avails but in subjection to this monstrous and vicious power of evil within our hearts. By natural birth, all humans are doomed to be subjected to this alien evil.

That's why Jesus Christ has come to set us free from this alien power of evil by means of His death. This is the good news to all peoples on earth. Jesus commands the people on the earth to come to Him and take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. What is the reason? Because He is gentle and lowly in heart, and we will find rest for our souls and because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Now in Jesus Christ, we do not have to submit to that devilish power any longer, though we still could. That monstrous power is no more in effect to those who are born of God because we're yoked with Christ Jesus. We submit to Him, listen to Him, breathe with Him, take every steps with Him, and find rest in Him.

Tough Lesson

What is the most difficult lesson for humans to learn in life? I believe it is to learn how they are intended to be functioning from the beginning. Most people think that if they do their best with the best knowledge and wisdom which they think best then everything would be okay. The standard way of living in the world misleads people including many Christians to believe that they have what it takes for life. That’s not true. It never was and never will be. No human has what it takes. No matter how they try hard religiously and morally to be kept clean from guilt and condemnation, they cannot escape from them. All the best they could get with the hard attempt with full devotion and commitment is to be trapped into putting on the veil of pretension or delusion. It’s so deceitful that they think they can keep clean themselves. This kind of life is not what God has intended us to live. We’re not designed to live such an untruthful life. Paul calls it a wasted life which will be burnt by fire. “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15 NKJV)

What is then the true life? The authentic life comes only when we deny the standard way of living in the world that we have what it takes and accept that we need the Mediator and Redeemer all the time of our lives in this age and ages to come. That’s the time we enter into the true life, Jesus Christ the Lord. It’s called conversion or regeneration. A whole new life has begun at the moment of opening our hearts to accept the Redeemer. That marvelous life has blossomed through faith in the Son Jesus Christ. It cannot come through any other way but by Jesus Christ. This is true not only at the conversion moment but also every time and everywhere all throughout this sojourner’s lives on earth and in heaven. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV)

That’s the new way of living which is given from heaven above through the Redeemer Lord to those who have learned a fact that we need the Redeemer and Mediator always. It’s called a new covenant life. “Everything is coming from God, nothing coming from me.” Paul says about this secret of life in his letter to the Corinthians. “And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NKJV)