Man’s Freewill and Beliefs

God keeps His covenant. He made His covenant with mankind to benefit anyone who believes. By making a covenant with man, God bound himself to its fulfillment. Man was created to definitely keep the covenant with God. He was created with a mental ability, namely freewill, that no other animals could possess.

With freewill, man can live out their lives according to what they freely choose. They have the freewill to think, evaluate, decide and execute into actions. Out of the four levels, the first two levels are certainly influenced by beliefs. Without beliefs, man is not able to accomplish anything.

Three Types of Beliefs

Beliefs are necessary for anyone, Christians or non-Christians, to normally live out their lives. In others words, all mankind lives with a certain belief. The word belief in this instance is so wide in its definition that in order to bring a clearer understanding, we will categorize them into three: common knowledge, convictions, and faith.

Common Knowledge

A common knowledge is an indisputable logic or knowledge that has solidified over time in the life of a natural man. For example, everyone acknowledges that the sun rises from the east and sets to the west. An internal belief system based on such self-evident facts is important to carry on life.

Even in a simple example of a person waking up to go to work, we can see an intricate process of much closely-related common knowledge that collaborate to make the transition possible. A person opens his eyes to a new day. Rubbing his eyes, he is reminded that he is an employee of a company. As he gets ready to leave the house, he thinks about the subway he must take to go to work. As he is seated on the subway train, he thinks about the City Hall station that he always exits, and when the train is near the destination, he moves to the exit door. As he exits, he knows (believes) that he must speed walk in order to arrive to work on time. In this way, many fragments of beliefs connect and fulfill a comprehensive operation named, go to work.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of common-knowledge fragments that influence us throughout the whole day. They might be acquired passively throughout life but they are still necessary part of life. Adults who have much common knowledge are experienced with many coping skills. On the other hand, children lack common knowledge and thus are inexperienced in life.

(Self) Convictions

Convictions are beliefs that serve as the basis for actions concerning the hope for future; they are active thoughts that arise from people’s hearts. Convictions are at times too unreachable and thus unreliable. However, convictions are needed to make tomorrow better than today.

Convictions allow a student who has been receiving F’s on his test for the last five years to think, ‘If I study well this year, I can make it to a prestigious university!’ or a businessman who just started a business last month to think, ‘In five years, I will build a skyscraper too!’ These resolutions are effects of convictions. There are big convictions and there are small convictions. For example, it seems as though a person is too late for an important appointment. The wife says, “I think we should find another alternative.” But the husband exclaims, “I can make it on time. Just trust me!” These all apply to convictions.

A certain patient believes that he would be healed as long as he does what the doctor tells him, though the doctor never said, “You will recover.” These types of convictions stir up much effort and restraint. Even though there is not an exact fulfillment of one’s hope, a certain amount of progress and advancements can be achieved. For example, if a student has the conviction to succeed in studies and endeavors enough to even distance himself from his favorite smartphone, then even if he does not get accepted to a desired university, he would have still made improvements in his life.

However, there is a weakness to convictions. Much of the goals that arise from one’s convictions are difficult to actually achieve. Strictly speaking, convictions hope for miracles. Miracles are related with probabilities. If a student has determined to enter a prestigious university in Korea, then he must become highly competitive to achieve that goal. If the entrance ratio were 1 out of 5, then though he tries as hard at other students, he would still have a 20 percent probability of succeeding. At this rate, he could either give more effort to raise his probability or hope for a miracle like winning the lottery, which would actually be lowering his probability of success. But if he depends on a thousand-to-one-ratio miracle, then before him, 999 people would have to fail before he gets his chance of being accepted to the university.

People with weak convictions can only accomplish minor things in life; they cannot bear greater things. When they fail, since they have not invested much, they lose a little. On the other hand, people with greater convictions in life boldly invest much of what they have. They could accomplish much, but at the same time, they could lose everything when they fail. The issue is that convictions do not guarantee or promise any success. Goals based on convictions seem to aim high but lack any basis for setting them. When the much-invested work, pushed by hopes for a miracle or better odds for success, fails at the end, it could become nothing in a matter of seconds. Then, it becomes impossible to obtain help or comfort from anywhere. Many people live a lifetime of numbness in their heart without getting back up again. This is man’s limitations.

Faith

The last of the three beliefs is faith. This is what Jesus Christ brought into the world. Before Jesus Christ came into the world, faith did not exist. Faith cannot exist without the foundation of Jesus Christ.

In His public ministry, Jesus always spoke concerning faith. 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light” (John 12:36). Every time Jesus met His disciples or even others, he stressed about faith.

Even when Jesus prayed to the Father, He said: “For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me” (John 17:8). “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word” (John 17:20).

Jesus rebuked the disciples when they did not have the faith that He sought. One man brought his epileptic son and said, “So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him” (Matt. 17:16). Jesus said the following to the disciples, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me” (Matt. 17:17). 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief” (Matt. 17:19-20).

Another man brought his son that was possessed with a mute spirit and said, “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). Jesus could not accept the weak faith of this father who came with a worldly belief. But when he understood what Jesus required, he knelt in repentance and said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Wherever Jesus went, He sought for faith. A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years believed that if she touched the border of Jesus’ garment, then she would be healed. After knowing that the power flowed out of Him, Jesus sought for the woman and said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well” (Luke 8:48).

A certain centurion came to Jesus and asked that his servant be healed from sickness. When Jesus offered to come and heal him, the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (Matt. 8.10). “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’” (Matt. 8:11). “Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you’” (Matt. 8:13).

A paralytic was brought to Jesus by his four friends. “When they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling” (Luke 5:19). Jesus saw their faith and was pleased; He said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20).

Jewish scholars hated Jesus because He constantly stressed faith to them. “And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?” (John 8:46). The people from Jesus’ hometown also rejected Him. They said, “55Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” (Matt. 13:55-56). “Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matt. 13:58).

Jesus wanted to sow faith into the people while He was on earth. Even after His death and resurrection, Jesus expected faith from the disciples. “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen” (Mark 16:14). To Thomas who would not believe even the other disciples, Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

The Old Testament only gives about 16 references of ‘faith.’ Of course, the Old Testament substitutes ‘obedience’ or ‘keeping the commandment’ for ‘faith.’ But the New Testament, which is much shorter in length, gives about 465 references for ‘faith.’ The New Testament time is the era of faith. Some people might say, “The Old Testament people lived well even without faith.” They did live well but in the flesh. However, before Jesus, they all lived in darkness. The situation of the Old Testament completely changed after Jesus came. Jesus is the faith from heaven. Through the name of Jesus, God’s readily available works covered the earth. Those who were powerless through their ignorance of God were able to receive God’s power.

Man’s Beliefs and God’s Faith

Many people argue that the Christian faith relies on miracles. But miracles do not exist in the Christian faith. For example, salvation, the main point of the Gospel, is not a miracle. God, who desired to grant salvation to us, allowed Jesus to be crucified. Salvation is the result of the costly ransom that was paid on behalf of sinners. And faith is when those who are purchased by God believe in the works done in His name. Nevetherless, many people think that Christians still depend on miracles. They have misunderstood the Gospel.

Many Christians share in the responsibility of people’s misconception about the Christian faith. The word miracle can easily be heard in most churches these days. Many preachers profess to speak about faith when in faith they are preaching about convictions and miracles. This shakes the foundation of the Gospel. Many Christians cannot distinguish between self-conviction and faith. Because they misunderstand self-conviction as faith and consider both as the same, they eventually lose the strength of true faith and in many cases are dragged by probabilities and common knowledge. As a result, people with so-called faith experience much more failures than those who live with their own convictions.

During prayer, people could get a surge of confidence and think that they could succeed. But if such confidence has been there even before believing in Jesus, then it has no association to faith. The Christian faith is possessing the faith of God. Mark 11:22 says, “Believe in God.” It actually means to possess the faith of God. The Christian faith is not possessing the beliefs that arise out of man’s mind but the faith that comes from God.

Jeremiah 1:12 says, “for I am ready to perform My word.” God works according to His thoughts and confidence. A believer must possess God’s thoughts and confidence. God definitely keeps His promises. “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6). “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips” (Psalm 89:34). “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19). God does not change his mind, break a promise or forsake responsibility of His words like man does. Luke 1:27 says, “For with God(‘s words), nothing will be impossible.” In all of His works, God never abandons or despairs because of problems.

Before we knew Jesus Christ, we lived only by our convictions. Of course, it is important to live with convictions in the world. However, before coming to Jesus Christ, we must lay down all of our convictions at the foot of the cross and humbly receive the faith that God has revealed.

Word and Faith

Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Knowing the Creator is the foundation to our faith. The Creator of heaven and the earth can change His creation at any time.

The Word that was with God and created the world with God became flesh and came into the world. One day, He came to the disciples walking on water. Peter said, “Lord, if it is You,

command me to come to You on the water” (Matt. 14:28). When Jesus commanded him to come, Peter came out of the boat and walked. But when the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and fell in the water. Jesus said him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31). When both of them came onto the boat, the wind ceased. Everyone on the boat said, “Truly You are the Son of God” (Matt. 14:33). They were really saying, “You are the Creator!” Walking on water goes against man’s common knowledge and convictions. Peter sought the Lord’s command to walk on water because he knew that if the Creator commanded him, then He would take all responsibility.

One day, Jesus came to the Lake of Gennesaret where two boats were docked. Peter and his crew of fishermen just ended fishing and were washing their nets. Jesus said to Peter, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:4-5). Peter was an expert fisherman. Furthermore, they did not catch even one fish that night. Nevertheless, Peter obeyed the very words of Jesus and they caught two boatloads of fish.

A certain nobleman whose son was sick came to Jesus. He said, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” (John 4:49). Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives” (John 4:50). The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, went back home and discovered that his son was healed at the very hour that Jesus said, “Your son lives.” When the nobleman received the words of the Lord in faith, the Lord Jesus fulfilled them for the honor of His name.

In another occasion, as Jesus went with a ruler of a synagogue to heal his daughter, they received word that she was dead. But he said, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well” (Luke 8:50). When they arrived home, all the people were mourning. Jesus said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping,” but all of them ridiculed Him (Luke 8:52). Yet, Jesus took the girl’s hand and raised her up.

Romans 4:17 says, “(God) gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” God’s confidence is completely different from our confidence. Our own assurances must not interfere with what God desires to do. The Creator God does what He desires according to the pleasure of His will. Though God’s will differs from our common knowledge and convictions, we should not obstruct His works.

Faith Better Than Convictions

Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). This does not mean that God will unconditionally do whatever we ask for. We must be attentive to His words, “If My words abide in you.” God’s words are his confidence, His promises and answers altogether. Therefore, possessing God’s words is possessing God’s answers. Only those who possess God’s answers can offer supplications to Him.

People do not receive God’s power because they do not have His words. Because they do not have God’s words, they cannot seem to overcome in the midst their difficult situations. Demons are expelled before the saints because of the word of God in them. It is more beneficial for us to continually possess God’s words. Since the ones who have the word of God live according to those words, they are always able to overcome the enemies. Those who possess the word of God are able

to see His power and act as if that word has already been accomplished. We must relinquish our own assurances and step into the works that fulfill God’s confidence. We must possess the faith that is greater than convictions.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). We are able to have the authority to possess what we hope for and the evidence of things we have yet seen. Faith gives us that authority. If we possess faith, namely the faith that God has manifested, then the Holy Spirit supports, guarantees and works until all is fulfilled. In other words, if we hold onto the words of Jesus, namely the words of God, then the Holy Spirit in us will definitely fulfill those words. We should never obstruct the work that God confidently does.

Various problems such as family, studies and work related matters bring heartaches and fatigue. But time wasted by convictions must now come to an end. We must lay down our convictions before the cross of Jesus Christ and live by God’s confidence. Beliefs that rise from our hearts and God’s revealed faith, namely our convictions and God’s faith, should never be confused or mixed. Failure in life caused by clinging to groundless hopes must come to an end. The saints should endeavor to come together so that they all could encourage, strengthen and pray for other members of the body of Christ to possess God’s revealed faith. When we love and care for the church in this way, God’s power will be also revealed in our families as well. The faith that is greater than convictions must be full in the church and families.

Church, Seek the faith of God! Church, Seek the faith of God! Church, Seek the faith of God!

Beloved Sungrak members!

Every one of you must treasure and protect your soul. (Please detach this column off the bulletin and keep it in your Bible for a constant reminder).

1. God commanded Abram to leave his country, from his family, and from his father’s house (Gen. 12:1). Abraham is the father of the faith and the source of faith (Gen. 12:2-3). God has commanded this because we would definitely not win the battle if our faith does not sever from personal attachments, affections, and feelings. Therefore, He says that we can be His disciples only if we leave our brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands (Mark 10:29-30). Thus, we buried our personal attachments, affections, and feelings of the flesh in baptism (Gal. 5:24). Look. The outcome of those who did not abandon and bury personal attachments, affections, and feelings will clearly be evident (Matt. 10:36-37).
2. All Sungrak members (national and international) are members of Seoul Sungrak Church. However, each member’s affiliation is his or her respective regional worship centers. Your respective affiliation is where you were nurtured and thus, that is where you should serve, faithfully fulfill your tasks, and become martyrs as witnesses of Jesus. We are not dead leaves, but fruits that contain seeds.
3. Ordained deacons (elders) are affiliated with Seoul Sungrak Church. Wherever they are and wherever they go in the world, they belong to Seoul Sungrak Church. As ordained deacons of Seoul Sungrak Church, they are dispatched and commissioned to serve in regional worship centers. They are to support the main pastor of the respective worship center and his ministry, comfort and bless the laypeople as they encounter difficulties in their lives. As pillars of the church, the ordained deacons (elders) will receive crowns. Therefore, wherever they are sent, they must be diligently to do the work of God there. (Just like Philip).Ordained deacons (elders) do not belong to a certain regional worship center. In other words, they are not affiliated with the child, but with the father. Some people mistakenly believe that they are affiliated with regional worship centers as ordained deacons (elders). However, they are officers of Seoul Sungrak Church sent out to regional worship centers to constructively build a bridge between the worship centers and Seoul Sungrak Church (it is like in the early church where ordained deacons in Jerusalem went throughout the regions of Samaria and baptized people (Acts 8:1-15). Even if the main pastor in charge of the regional worship center periodically moves from his post to another like a pilgrim, the ordained deacon still remains as the pillar of his designated worship center and a lampstand of Seoul Sungrak Church.
4. A person anointed to an office must transcend man’s personal attachments, affections, and feelings and only become the servant of the Lord.
5. The head of Seoul Sungrak Church is the resurrected Jesus Christ. Seoul Sungrak Church is His body; each regional worship center forms the arms and legs of His body; and saints affiliated with the regional worship centers are the smaller members of the body of the Lord. Anything beyond this is in danger of becoming part of the Nicolaitans, which is hated by the Holy Spirit (Rev. 2:6-7, 2:15). Please keep these matters in mind.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim
Lord’s Day Worship Column

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Outline translated by Sam Park
Summary translated by Sarah Nam
Letter translated by Jada Shim
Revisions and Interpretations by Sam Park

Chief Editor: Helen Nam
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee