Not to Remain on the Earth

God is He who gives blessings. Though many people are leading their lives of faith, they fail to have the full assurance of God and rely on their own conviction, expecting a chance or luck. However our faith is founded on solid grounds. Jesus Christ came to the world and died on the cross just as the prophets had already prophesied; countless witnesses who witnessed His resurrection and ascension were martyred for their testimony; the Holy Spirit is still presently at work in order to testify the words of those witnesses written in the Bible. We ought to believe the Gospel unlike those who have determined to perish (2 Co 4:3-4).

For Christians, their souls depart this world without any lingering attachments when their flesh dies. On the other hand, the souls of unbelievers remain roaming around their families and relatives when they have departed the flesh, unable to abandon their attachments to the world. Then at the appointed time, they go into the abyss. Philippians 2:10 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth”, and thus mentions the spirits present in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Those that refuse to leave this world are the spirits of unbelievers. They remain wandering in this world and in due time, go into the abyss. After that, they will be brought out and thrown into the fiery furnace of hell.

God has blessed us with His grace by sending Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many do not realize the will of God who commands us to receive His grace. God is able to bless us, and also desires to do so. Nevertheless, sinners are not able to receive His blessings. After Adam sinned, the land began to bring forth thorns and thistles. As long as man is living on the earth, he is afflicted with all kinds of torment. In order to save and bless such man, God sent Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the source of blessings. God sent Him to the world that we might be blessed through Him. People often equate ‘blessing’ with material riches that continues on for generations. However if anyone truly desires God’s blessings, his longing must be that there is nothing of his possession remaining on the earth when he departs this world. It is written in Luke 12:20, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” Mark 10:25 says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”, while Matthew 19:21 says, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me”.

Blessings For a Thousand Generations

If we have nothing left the moment we depart the earth, what can we inherit to our children? It is blessings. If we are faithful to God by faith, God will certainly bless our children even if we may not leave any inheritance for our children. Whoever does not believe this truth but thinks he must leave some fortune to his children, is already far from the Bible. It is imperative we acknowledge that our obedience towards God not only profits our own soul but also blesses our children down to a thousand generations.

God desires to bless our children to a thousand generations. Among those secularized by the ways of this world, some even consider poverty a virtue. However the Lord does not want us to be poor. “The poor” referred to in the verse, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:1) should not be misinterpreted as someone in financial poverty. Jesus became poor, however that does not mean that He wants us to be poor also. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” Poverty is not a virtue; it is something that must be overcome.

The reason man cannot receive God’s blessing is because of sin. So then what is sin? The Law has played a significant role in uncovering what sin is. The Law stipulated countless clauses saying, “It is sin if you do this; it is sin if you do that.” Even so, that did not actually point out the essence of sin. Through parables the Law simply showed that the wages of sin is death.

The essence of sin was finally made known when the Holy Spirit came. Jesus said, “It is to your advantage that I go away; if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin; and of sin, because they do not believe in Me” (Jn 16:7-9). Sin is essentially unbelief, that is, not believing in Jesus whom God gave us as a source of blessing. Though the Paraclete Holy Spirit came and revealed this truth to us, people still ignore this. Whilst many take heed to observe the Law, they do not consider it a very serious problem that they do not have faith.

People without faith even deceive themselves that poverty is actually a blessing. That is what the Devil wants. The Devil wants us to remain in curse, to be poor, fail, ailing in sickness, perish and die. Those who do not believe in the blessings of God naturally accept those thoughts from the Devil and entrust their lives to fate. However, by being baptized we have buried our cursed fate.

Some believe they are unable to do anything because they sinned too much. And they are right. Originally man was not able to do anything because of his sin, as well as his flesh. Nevertheless, what man cannot do, God does. That is the very reason we need to receive grace. Without grace we cannot be forgiven of sins, and without forgiveness we cannot be blessed. We have no righteousness, merit or right to receive God’s blessings, which is why we must receive grace. We have to believe in Jesus, the source of blessings. We must receive the name Jesus He gave us into our hearts, and use our rights as God’s children given through that name.

Sin originates from man’s disregard for God. Though God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam ate it because he despised God. God knew just how dire our situation was that He sent us Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and His promise. Yet people refuse to believe and obey. They fret and grumble, but would not pray and even fall into pessimism. This is all because they disdain God.

We must not disdain God but receive grace. Even if our flesh is old and the day of our death draws near, there is no reason for us to be afraid or moan. Whoever trusts in the Lord’s promise will go to Paradise the moment he leaves the body, while on the earth, God will continue to bless our children and use them for His works. Knowing that we cannot live without God’s help, God has already given us many provisions, and keeps pouring out His gifts. Thus we must never disregard God and continue to receive His grace.

Ask God

Unbelievers disdain God. They sneer at those who preach that God will bless them and refuse to receive God’s grace. However we have already received grace. We have the right to be blessed. Now the important question is, how much of God’s blessings we are able to handle. We could receive much more blessings from God so long as we can manage it. Yet no matter how much blessings God pours out, if we are unable to manage it, we cannot enjoy them.

Then how can we manage God’s blessings? Above all, we must be obedient. As long as one does not despise God, he would certainly obey God’s commandments regardless of how difficult they may be. He would obey even if God commands him to lay down his life. And he would do so with all of his heart, his might, his mind, his soul, and even life. The obedient will receive blessings in proportion to his obedience. On the contrary, the disobedient are not be able to receive nor manage God’s blessings.

If anyone desires blessings, he also needs to pray in supplication. God does not want us to live in sickness, poverty or pain. He desires to help us, His children to have prosperity, riches and a fullness of life. However, people still cannot receive God’s help because they do not ask.

We must never disregard God, but ask of Him. Matthew 7:11 says, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” People do not receive because they do not ask; they do not find because they do not seek; the door does not open because they do not knock.

If a friend comes in the night and asks you to lend him some bread, it may not be easy for you to open the door for him. Yet if that friend knocks on the door persistently and does not give up, you would rather give him the bread just so that you could have some rest. Luke 11:8 says, “though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs”. We must never commit the sin of disdaining God, and ceaselessly knock on the gates of the Heavenly temple. We need never give up praying after one or two tries, but keep asking even if it takes ten days, ten months or a year.

Fatalists do nothing but blame their own fate. But we are the one that crucified our fate and live by God’s grace. If we confess God and ask Him for anything in Jesus’ name, God will be pleased and help us (Jn 14:13-14). The right given to God’s children is that to receive blessings. We have the right to freely receive God’s help, and God also desires us to be rich and healthy. Let us not ignore God but seek His help.

Throughout my life, I have poured out my everything for Sungrak Church and the Berea Movement but even then, I still wish I have done more.
Yet, I do not expect any personal benefits from the church. The church is like a grave for my spirit and thus, it is appropriate to be eternally buried and decay there. However, I simply cannot understand why people neglect the message that I have been emphasizing and teaching with all my strength. Do they actually have hope? Or do they not care if they are always labeled as religious people? I seriously do not understand.

Jesus Christ came to this earth and gave not only His name, but love, sweat, life, and blood to us. And left only with a cursed body, He resurrected from the grave. When He came to this earth, He did not take even a single thing with him but only the memories of the 12 disciples and the fulfillment of Immanuel through His mother. He spent His short life as a lonely wanderer, not having a place to freely rest His head. But why is His life bringing my spirit to tears?

After hearing His voice, my faith that was like a corpse in a grave was awaken like Lazarus. Thus, I do not envy any types of glory received in the world when I think about the moment when I heard His voice. The glory of the world comes to me temporarily like a firefly and disappears into the deep as a tiny light. Hence, how could it tempt my spirit?

First, there is faith when you are thankful for God’s grace. Our spirits have tasted His sacrifice first and thus, we decide to be baptized. Once we’re raised above the water in baptism, we begin our spiritual life, which is to live a life of giving thanks for His grace. I have completely spent all my life, trying to teach this to others.

Being stingy toward God is an evil sin, which is still loving the world more as one eventually abandons God’s grace. Was there any rewards from God for those who were stingy? Were they certainly successful in the world? Were they able to receive God’s love after extorting things from God? There are much works to be completed in the church because the Lord has asked us to accomplish such works. Nonetheless, He is not begging us, but He is rather trying to save us from drowning in deep waters. Why don’t people acknowledge this?

Stinginess causes one to resent God, God’s servants, and the church. A church is a place of dedication for the saints. It is a place where He asked us to devote ourselves as a sacrifice until death. For those who do not give thanks to God must not seek His signs and wonders. And there is no use of grabbing His hands even if they are urgent. True faith is having a relationship with the Lord. It is to truly love, live, and die for Him.

The Lord’s Day offerings are like tokens that display how genuine you are to meet God. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). Yet, we are hypocrites before God on every Lord’s Day. God is alive. We must sincerely give Him our best heart every Lord’s Day.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim
Lord’s Day Worship Column

[gmedia id=53]

[vimuse id=”2″]

Outline and Summary translated by Sarah Nam
Letter translated by Jada Shim
Interpretations by Sarah Nam

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