Title [2011] Love the soul
Contents
(1 Peter 2:11-12)
Life is a stranger in this world, a passerby, like a morning mist that appears for a moment and then disappears, and returns to dust and a handful of dust when the time comes. That is why in Psalm 90:10, “Our years are 70 years, and if we are strong we are 80 years old... but we go swiftly and fly away.” In Ecclesiastes 1, Solomon also said, “Vanity, vanity, vanity, vanity. All things are vanity.”
There is nothing not in vain in the life of such a vain and vain traveler. The first is to serve God well, and the last is to save the soul and lead to eternal life. Today's text begins like this. Beloved, I urge you, as aliens and sojourners... The stranger is referred to as “vain human beings” in chapter 18 of the Apocrypha. Write down what is a human being? What's the use? How well can humans do well, and what's wrong with them? Human lifespans do not exceed 100 years at most. Compared to eternity, a human lifetime is a drop of water in the ocean and a grain of sand on a white sandy beach. What do you call such empty aliens and strangers? “Beloved,” why? Because we are the saints who have been loved by God and have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. The saints who have received God's love in the midst of living a life in vain are not in vain. So what do you “recommend you” to make that life worthwhile and not in vain?
First, live for the soul. The soul is my eternal life that God has given me. He has given us what he has not given to other creatures, and that is the spirit of life. The spirit and my soul are combined to form a soul, and how precious this soul is, it cannot be changed even if you give it to the world. The soul is forever me. It is an eternal existence. You can communicate with God who is spirit. It is the most precious life. Therefore, we must not neglect the eternal life of the soul while we live in this world. When the life of the body ends, the life of the soul leads to heaven and hell. The kingdom of heaven is for those who have participated in the resurrection of eternal life, and the hell is for those who have participated in the resurrection of judgment. Therefore, we should pay more attention to the blessings of the soul than the temporary blessings of the body. If your soul is doing well, you should attack it regardless of water or fire. Longing for the soul to prosper. Serve God the Spirit well. Love the soul. Strive for the salvation of souls. Buy for the soul. That's all that's left.
Second, we must control the lusts of the flesh. The lusts of the flesh are the realm of fighting against the soul. It is an element that keeps you away from God because it destroys your soul. The apostle John of love says 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. For that which is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, all do not come from the Father. It is from the world (the devil). The world and its lusts pass away, but he who does the will of God abides forever. Dear saints, do you want your souls to prosper? Control the lusts of the flesh. We also need to abandon false ideas such as humanism, capitalism, and communism. Inner greed, temper, knowledge, and pride must all be crucified (Romans 8:5).
Third, we must recognize the day of the Second Coming. In verse 12, “in the day of his coming” is the day of judgment, the day of the Second Coming. Do you believe that God created the world? The Bible says If there is a beginning, there is an end, Ecclesiastes 3:1, “In everything there is a season, and there is a time for everything under the heavens: there is a time to be born, and a time to die, and a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted...” It does not happen by chance, but if God created it, the day when the purpose of creation is fulfilled is the end and the day of judgment. Therefore, we believers should not forget the day of the Second Coming even in our busy daily lives. Revelation 22:12 also says, “I am coming soon, and in verse 20, you said, “Truly, I am coming quickly. Amen, come, Lord Jesus.” This is the conclusion of the Bible. Beloved saints, you must be praised on that day. should be rewarded. It should be grain. Be like the five wise virgins.
Fourth, we must live for the glory of God. There is no higher priority for us than the glory of God. It is the glory of God that God created this world, and the glory of God that He gave life in the midst of it (Isaiah 43:7). The glory of God is more important than what we live for. Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord, and this is my name; I will not give my glory to another, or my praise to an idol.” Jeremiah 13:16, “Give the glory to the Lord”, Acts 12:20-23 During Herod's speech, there was cheers and flattery from the people, and he said, "The voice of God, not of men. Because Herod was not discouraged and arrogant, and did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him immediately, and he was eaten by worms and died. According to the Jewish historian “Josephus”, “After the speech, my stomach hurt very badly, and I went to the palace to receive help from medical doctors, but for five days, I suffered from pain and died.”
All glory belongs to God. Beloved saints, control the lusts of the body for the sake of the soul while you live your life as a sojourner. Longing for the return of Jesus, live for the glory of God. This is the holy life that God wants and a holy change. In the name of the Lord, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you value your soul and live a life of blessing that gives glory to God.