January 26, 2020 Do not be Deceived
/in 2020 Lord's Day /by Youhyun Chang[2 Thessalonians 2:1-12]
God
is spirit.
He
is true and is the truth (Jn 14:6).
The truth is the Word (Jn 16:13).
The Word is light and life (Jn 1:4).
His name shall be called ‘Jesus’ (Mt 1:21).
God never changes and is righteous.
To deny God’s righteousness
and assert man’s righteousness is satanic (2 Thess 2:4).
To be deceived by Satan is corruption (2 Thess 2:9-10).
When the saints are deceived, the angels who helped the saints go astray so they cannot help the saints (1 Kings 22:20-23).
God turns helpful angels into deceiving spirits
and works deception upon those who do not seek the truth (Rom 1:28-32).
God gives more to the one who has
and takes from those who do not have in His wrath.
Baptists must keep the purity of their faith.
To do this: they should attend service on the Lord’s Day, do all duties of the saints (Heb 10:25),
learn from the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26),
and hear and do the words of the Bible.
By these means they walk on the path of heaven (Jn 14:6).
If we accept deceiving spirits, we cannot turn back.
Some people are judged or destroyed in the flesh so that their spirits are saved (1 Cor 5:5).
○ Receive fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Keep your spirit by the Holy Spirit.
○ Do not be deceived and hinder deceiving spirits.
If you accept deceiving spirits, you will be judged.
○ Angels help those who seek the truth.
The Holy Spirit orders angels to always help us.
If we do not drive out deceiving spirits, we will be corrupt.
※ Let us resist the devil by the Holy Spirit and the truth,
drive out deceiving spirits
and make angels help our spirit, mind and body.
Coming Soon
God created the world and placed inside blessings, life, death and curses. Humans are lost and conflict between these four paths. Among all creation, mankind is outstanding. He is an erect animal which stands and walks like God. He cultivates land, takes care of animals, grow vegetables, and eats to live. This is simple and primitive life. He tries to improve life by study and science. Culture refers to mankind’s life turned scientific. He goes to school, gains more knowledge and tries to escape primitive life. This is divided into humanities and natural sciences, and he diligently runs on both feet. If you live only for your flesh, it is good to enter a regular university and learn. In each religion, there are educational institutes where they research religious philosophy. Philosophy is outstanding among all academic studies, but it has limits. It is a subject learning and researching psychological values which man cannot grasp with their hands and see with their eyes. It exists only in this world. The student researches religious philosophy to train and cultivate himself spiritually and build up pious deeds. This is merely wandering around the world of hades known as ‘the universe’. This area of study has no salvation or life, but continuous searching. Christian theology centers on Immanuel God, goes beyond the void called ‘the universe’, and learns about the self-existing and existential God since eternity past. It learns and believes in what He was done, seeking to be united with God. The answer is eternal life. Theology studies God’s amazing work to really gain power and life to participate in the resurrection – unlike all other creatures. Let us compare the values of each study. Theology seeks to learn and experience God, who laid root in history as ‘Immanuel’. This is called existential theology. There is learning for little children and learning for young people. But theology is a study greater than all others. I desire through and through that, if my descendants can, they should study Christian theology. It is a study greater than all other areas of knowledge and wisdom. Even if you studied in normal universities or religious philosophy, I want people to study God’s wisdom and power – which is superior, higher, deeper and wider than all others. Then workers with God’s absolute power will come. The greatest leader of theology is the Holy Spirit. The textbook is Jesus Christ. God rewards those who learn it. God is our Father and is Impartially Righteous. Knowing God is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7). It is not about becoming a pastor. It is the greatest study to arm our spirits, minds and bodies (Eph 6:10-17) and become final victors. For this, I recommend the Berea International Theological Seminary. Like Jesus hanging on the cross, the seminary is small with no light of the world. But is full of God’s glory. Let us all become powerful. Semuon, 26th January 2020
Coming Soon
Outline translated by John Kim
Letter translated by John Kim
Interpretations by John Kim
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee