2016.10.09_Receive the Comfort of the Holy Spirit

The word of God is our Eternal Life

God never rests from his work. We are nothing but dust before God. Worshiping God means letting God do His own work (Isaiah 62:6~7). As long as we rely on God, He will let us partake in His work. What a tremendous grace! Nevertheless, if the people hinder God’s work by ignoring it, will they be able to have the hope or come to know the true value of their lives?

God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light, He said, “Let there be a vault,” and there was the vault.” God’s word is accomplished in full. The fulfillment of His word is in progress in this very moment, as well. Even heaven and earth will change, but the word of God never changes, not even a stroke of a letter. On the other hand, the world constantly changes. Depending on the era, things including languages, cultures, knowledge, the way of living etc. are changing and change faster than ever. We need to keep up with the changes in order to be part of the world; however, we must remember that, even if we manage ourselves well to be part of the world, it does not provide us with eternal life. Because the Devil, the ruler of the kingdom of the air, is at work in this world, nothing of this world can help us in attaining eternal life (Eph. 2:1~3).

When Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day,” many followers could not understand his word and left him. But Peter confessed, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:68). Faith is to follow forever the unchanging word of God. It is the word that gives us eternal life.

 Jesus Christ, the way of eternal life

What has the word of God made known to us? Languages express man’s thoughts, feelings, knowledge and wisdom. Jesus Christ is God’s word that is manifested in flesh. In other words, Jesus Christ is the image of God that reveals everything of God. By manifesting God’s Will during his public life, he enabled man to meet God.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man. He surely came to the earth as a man. If he had not come to the earth as a man, but only manifested instantly to the world as God, we would have never been able to meet God. In 1John 4:2~3, it reads that every spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. Jesus was born through a woman’s body and grew up as a man. The only difference was that there was no sin in him.

In fact, the truth that Jesus is the Son of Man gives us hope. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25~26). Because Jesus, who is without sin, has surpassed death and was resurrected, whoever believes in Him becomes without sin and lives forever. Moreover, just as Jesus sat on his glorious throne by obedience, we, too, will ascend before the glorious throne with Jesus if we obey God’s word after we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these,” (John 14:12). It was said by the One who had been like us; who knows so-well of our weaknesses. We must believe this word. Jesus Christ is our role model. We must repent of our disobedience, due to our sinful desires, and begin to obey God’s word. Likewise, God will exalt those who believe in Jesus, that he is the image of God and follow him.

Let us follow Jesus by the Holy Spirit

After the ascension, He sent us the Holy Spirit. John 16:13~14 says, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Although Jesus has ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit, whom he has sent, manifests the word and the works of Jesus to us. The Holy Spirit does not work apart from Jesus Christ, and he reflects the image of God into our souls. Thus, everyone who has received the Holy Spirit ought to reflect Jesus in all ways.

Our faith is to believe in Jesus, about whom the Holy Spirit teaches, in Jesus, whom the Holy Spirit speaks of, and in Jesus, whom the Holy Spirit shows us. This is how to live like Jesus: live with the Holy Spirit (John 14:16~20). Those who live their faith life in the Holy Spirit are not wavered by the worldly circumstances or conditions. Jesus knows very well that we are full of frailty, so he has sent the Holy Spirit to help us. The Holy Spirit confirms that Jesus is in us. Just as Jesus was resurrected by the Holy Spirit, we who live in the Holy Spirit will experience the resurrection at last.

In obedience to Jesus who said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” the disciples gathered and prayed in Mark’s attic and they received the Holy Spirit. That was the first church on the earth. Now, our Lord Jesus wants us to follow the Holy Spirit. The church must rely on, obey, and work in the Holy Spirit. Only through that way can the church do the work that Jesus Christ has left for us to fulfill.