We have now become God’s temples. The Holy Spirit came into us and is doing His work. This is not in a figurative sense but a reality. The temple built by the hands of men in the Old Testament times was a pattern. But to say we are temples in the present age is not a pattern. It is a reality, for God Himself comes into us.

Furthermore, we will go to heaven in the future and enjoy the glory by entering the place prepared for the Son. Thus, our faith transcends this universe. It transcends the laws of this world. The people of the world cannot understand this. However, we are constantly influenced by the laws of this world because we are living in it. Nevertheless, our faith is fundamentally of heaven.

When the Holy Spirit came into us, He came by the name of Jesus. In John 14, Jesus said ‘the Holy Spirit who will be sent in My name.’ He also said the Holy Spirit will never leave us once He comes into us. So, when that Holy Spirit comes into us, the name Jesus comes into us and that name will never leave us. Thus, we have the name Jesus within us.

When Jesus prayed to the Father, He prayed, “Keep through Your (Father’s) name those whom You have given Me.” He also said He had given them His name already. Towards the end of chapter 17, He said, “I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it.” Let’s read John 17:26 together.

“And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

The Holy Spirit which God gave us is the greatest gift that God could give to mankind. Man did not deserve to receive Him, hence Jesus came and shed His blood so that we can become worthy to receive that gift. This is a gift God gives to those whom He loves. Because God loves Himself, the Holy Spirit originally dwelt in God alone. But He loves His Son. Therefore, the Holy Spirit was given to His Son. Just as the blood that flows within God which, if we do not have, would perish, He is also giving the Holy Spirit which is found only in Him to someone else. So, the fact that He granted us the Holy Spirit shows that we are regarded as objects of His love. God demonstrated His love.

Whoever has received the Holy Spirit should not doubt the love of God any longer. People tend to have doubts from insecurities if they are not reassured regularly. But the fact that one received the Holy Spirit should be more than sufficient to not doubt His love forever.

As we lead our faith life, we do need to experience God continuously. However, if we are going to doubt His love just because we do not have such experiences, God will not be pleased. People have experienced that God loves them even if it was just once. They confessed with their mouths that God truly loves them. Even so, later down the road, they speak otherwise. They start to doubt saying, “Does God really love me? Is He really with me?” If they know that God is immutable, that one encounter of His love should be enough to keep them throughout their lifetime. They should be able to go without doubting their whole life. People are so changeable, and because they cannot be consistent, they think that God is just like them. So, if God does not express His love to them in some way, they keep doubting Him and whether He loves them.

The single fact that we received the Holy Spirit should be enough to keep us throughout our lifetime. I received the Holy Spirit in August 1992. That is when I realized the love of God and wept my eyes out. And it is that encounter which has been the strength to lead me to this day. I cannot forget that love. Moreover, I cannot imagine that love is ever-changing, nor have I ever questioned whether God loves or not. I do not even want to delve into that. Even if He deals with me harshly, even if He lets me walk in the valley of darkness where I may be tempted, I do not doubt this truth. Because God never changes. We ought to have such faith at the least.

The Holy Spirit has come into us by the name of Jesus. We are temples that have the name Jesus. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we are the temples of Jesus. What was the temple for originally? What was kept in the temple? The name of God. That is what God said Himself of the temple. A temple is where the name of God will be. Put differently, where the Holy Spirit is a temple. So, we became a temple. The Holy Spirit and God’s name are inseparable.

Thus, during the Old Testament times, though all others sins were forgiven, there was one sin that was not forgiven. In the Ten Commandments, it says that whoever takes the name of God in vain will not be called guiltless. It is impossible for that sin to be forgiven even if one repents.

Then, coming to the New Testament, another sin was mentioned which will not be forgiven. Whoever blasphemes or hinders the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this age or in the age to come. This is actually referring to the same sin. What is said in Exodus 20 – that one must not take the name of God in vain – and Matthew 12:28 – that one should not blaspheme the Holy Spirit – are actually the same. There is no forgiveness. If there is no forgiveness, it means one will be judged according to his deeds. Thus, even if one repents by saying, “Forgive me for I blasphemed the name Jesus. Forgive me”, it will not be forgiven. Of course, he can be saved and still go to heaven, but he will be held accountable for that sin nonetheless. Every other sin can be forgiven, but profaning the name of God is unacceptable. Even God cannot save a person from that sin. Among unbelievers, there are some who simply reject saying, “I don’t want to believe in Jesus. You believe in Him.” Yet, there are those who profane and mock the name of Jesus. Personally, I think it will be very hard for those people to believe in Jesus. Because they profaned His name, God will probably detest such people. Those people that make fun of Jesus’ name and ridicule… if they are not going to believe in Him, they might as well not believe gracefully but instead, they go against God. Such people are so reckless that we can even say that they are seared with a hot iron.

When I was at school, I had a technology teacher when I was the class captain. One day he called me forward, “Come here Kitaek”, then told the class to do self-study and made me massage him. Then I would have to massage him. While I am doing that, he would talk nonstop about useless things, but it was always the same repertoire. His last name happened to be Na. So, he would always say he was Jesus the Nazarene’s older brother. (In Korean it would be Nazarene Jesus). Whenever he was bored, that was what he said. Because I was not a believer at the time, I did not think much of what he said. But the year after he was my class teacher, he was on the front page of the newspaper. His family was hit by a train in Incheon, I think, and they all died horribly. He had one daughter as well. They were on their way to his brother’s housewarming or something, and he crossed the tracks first with his wife following behind holding their young daughter. But her high heels got stuck between the rocks in the tracks and could not get it out. As he went back trying to rescue them, the three of them got hit. You know how they say that not a bone is left unbroken in such accidents? Well when their bodies were recovered, they literally found a bone here and there all scattered. What an accursed death!

In this way, how vulnerable is the person who blasphemes the name of God to the devil? But for whoever honors the name of God, when they are given His name, would not the powerful protection of God cover him from that moment? It is for the namesake. In the past he might have just been a clay jar but because he now has the treasure in his clay jar, how glorious has he become?

In the recent election, both Park and Moon were not much different from each other as candidates. They were ordinary people. But when the votes are counted and the new president announced, the Blue House sends their people to guard the newly elected president’s house, with police and bodyguards escorting the president wherever she goes. From that time on, she is treated as the president. She rides in a bulletproof car, and the chief officer of presidential security makes sure she is safe wherever she goes. She is guarded and protected wherever she goes. She is treated differently than before.

Similarly, the holy name of God which belonged exclusively to God was given only to Jesus. Hence angels always attended Him. But we have been given that name also. What did Jesus say? “Protect them by Your name.” We were living off the help of the devil in this universe, but suddenly we were delivered out of the devil’s hands and given the name Jesus to possess. From that time on, angels are sent to protect and guard those who have the name Jesus.

Thus, the moment we receive in Jesus’ name, the moment the Holy Spirit comes in, angels surround us. Because we became targets. How many people are there wanting to kill President Park? Since they have different opinions. So, she was once attacked with a knife and her face was cut. Hence, they are taking every precaution so that nothing similar would happen.

From the time we receive and possess the name Jesus – God’s name – by receiving the Holy Spirit, everything moves in perfect order in heaven so that the angels come to guard us all around, though we may not be able to see it. Even though the devil will try to destroy us we are able to concentrate on God’s work wholeheartedly and at peace, aren’t we? How is that possible? Because the angels protect and guard us. This is not because we are anything important but because we are the vessels that carry this name.

That name we received is the greatest name. People of the past asked about the name yet were never told. Although Moses was told of a name, it was only Jehovah – a title by which to address God; he was never given the real name of God. Jehovah is only a title by which to call God. But Jesus is the name that is inseparable from the Holy Spirit. The name which is inseparable from the Spirit of God who is in God alone, is Jesus.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit is given only to those who believe and have the name Jesus. If that name has come into us, it means everything of God is given to us. Through that name we receive authority. We have the authority to mobilize the angels. That is the authority of Jesus’ name. Some people do not understand what the president does but think the president simply exercises authority. To them, it looks fun to be the president. Would you be willing to be the president if you were offered the job? We cannot. We will not be able to do it even if we were offered. The load is too heavy. How heavy is the load of a pastor of a church?

As I am given responsibilities, the load which is certainly not light, the stress is immense. I am always on the edge. Especially since we have more churches in China now and hence many incidents and troubles, I have to make inquiries to attend to those matters quickly. So, lately, I am turned off by Chinese mission work. As the churches are growing in number, I have lost my interest. When you first build a church and the souls start coming, it is enjoyable because, from nothing, something is growing. But when churches are built and those churches encounter problems, make requests, ask for discernment, ask to teach them or what to do in their situations, I get headaches and do not want to hear about it. I do not feel like I am enjoying it at all. I get irritated when they call me. In the early days, I was glad they called me but now it has become a problem. They have issues that they are very upset about but they are bringing their issues to me. So, I ask them why they are telling me their problems. And the pastors over there say ‘Who else can I talk to if not you?’ That is why they keep ringing us up in Seoul. But after listening to them, who can I talk to? That is why it is tormenting.

So, we do not only gain authority when we receive the name, Jesus. When one becomes the president, he does not only hold power; there is an overload of work to do. I do not think I could handle that if I was given the position. They would not even offer me anyway. But the same goes for Jesus’ name. We do not only receive the authority. What is the meaning of that name? To save His people from their sins. It means that God will save us. That is the meaning. Whoever has that name then takes part in the fulfilment of the meaning of that name. We unite with that name. To deliver the people of God is now the work of those who possess the name Jesus. Therefore, the name is heavy in some ways.

It is not a name to call upon only but a name to use. He is telling us to work. Drive out demons in that name, teach in that name by the Holy Spirit, preach by the Holy Spirit, that is, by that name. Drive out demons by the Holy Spirit, meaning drive them out in that name. The reason He gave us that name through the Holy Spirit is so that we do the work in that name. Pray in that name. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Minister in that name. Minister by the Holy Spirit.

In all these things we are partaking in God’s work. We have that name. Here is where we work. But in heaven true rest awaits those who have that name. While we are on earth, let us understand the duty of that name. Since we are commissioned to testify to the truth and spread the gospel, let us pray Lord, fill us with the authority and power worthy of that name. Help me to amply carry out the work which I cannot possibly do on my own. Let us pray that as we have the authority of Jesus’ name, we may fulfil every duty given through that name and use the power worthy of that name.

God our Father, thank You for giving us the name that was only with You God. Father God, we want to obey and unite with the purpose of that name. Fill us with the authority and power of that name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.