Title: Romans 09:1-5 Christianity and Patriotism
Content Christianity and Patriotism (Romans 9:1-5)
Today is a meaningful Liberation Day to commemorate the 54th anniversary of our nation's liberation from Japanese colonialism and 36 years of oppression. August 15, 1945 was a Sunday, and this year it is also a Sunday, so our hearts are deeply moved.
There is nothing sad and miserable in the world like losing a country and becoming a nation in ruins. We thoroughly experienced this fact in our colonial life under Japanese colonial rule. People who have lost their country are like orphans without parents. It is the same even when we live abroad. In order to be treated as a human being, the national community to which one belongs and the mother country are prosperous, prosperous, and prosperous. In that regard, I would like to receive grace by examining Paul's national spirit focusing on the words of Romans 9.
In today's text, the apostle Paul confesses his passionate love for his national community and shows how painfully he had love for his people.
1) He said, 'I tell the truth and do not lie'.
It is easy to think that loving the country and serving the nation is doing independence movements and political activities, but in reality, patriotism is living by faithfully and faithfully carrying out one's duties as a citizen. Students are honest and sincere in their studies, so they can build their own skills. The people who make products are the ones who make high-quality products so that they can hear that Korea’s technology is the best in the world.
Doing business with integrity and kindly serving customers is patriotism. Athletes show good sportsmanship by putting all their heart into sports, and it is the way to brighten the country. Se-ri Pak, Chan-ho Park, Dong-ryeol Seon How much are they brightening the country through sports? We don't have to do politics to be patriotic. Rather, politicians think of their own interests and work dishonestly, claiming that they are in politics, often disturbing the country, driving society into crisis, and throwing the people into chaos.
The biggest problem of our nation and society today is the lack of integrity. When this truth disappears, mutual trust is lost, creating an untrustworthy and distrustful society. When integrity is lacking, that's where fraud and embezzlement begin and corruption begins. In our Korean society, we are shouting for reform, but why is it not working? First, the leaders above must show an example of an honest life and show the sincerity of keeping the promises made even if they run away, otherwise all problems arise.
2) Paul said, 'There was great sorrow and unceasing pain'
Paul speaks of two sorrows in the book of Corinth. One is the sorrow according to God's will, which results in salvation without regret through repentance. The reason Paul is grieving and suffering is to accomplish the salvation of his fellow Israelites. 'My conscience bears witness with me in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.' This means more and more pain. Everyone has pain. You can tell that a person is a person by looking at the person's pain. Someone said that there are two kinds of suffering in the world. One is flat pain and the other is three-dimensional pain.
Flat pain is pain without money, pain without a home, pain without a lover, etc. But how will three-dimensional pain live my life? How will I save my people? How can we accomplish God's will and glorify God? It is a high-level concern.
3) He said, 'Even if I myself am cursed and cut off from Christ, I want it to be'.
Here, we can see the passionate love for our fellow countrymen. Many people think that zealous Christians are indifferent and passive toward their society or the world, but this is a misunderstanding. If we read the Bible, we can easily discover that a true believer had a passionate patriotic spirit toward the national community or country to which he belongs. For example, in Exodus 32:32, when the people of Israel sinned, Moses interceded with God and said, 'If you agree, now forgive their sins. ' he said. How much love do you really show for your fellow countrymen? Paul had not only love for his people, but also pride and pride. Israel was God's specially chosen channel (Exod. 4:22; Deut. 14:1; Hos. 11:1).
Of course, Christians are not state supremacists. This is because national supremacy can rather be an action that ruins the country. In the text, Paul shows how much God loved and blessed the people of Israel. Although he has given us many such blessings, we will see if we have become a people who are ridiculed and ashamed because we have not kept, cultivated, and developed them right away. If there is something to be healed by repenting, healing, and being healed, I must go before God and receive healing.
2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us the secret to being healed.
(1) You can be healed by turning away from the evil way and repenting.
In Genesis 3:17, it says, 'Cursed is the earth because of you'. Because our ancestor Adam Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and sinned, the earth was cursed, polluted and desolate. Therefore, we must repent and turn to God. You can live a healthy and happy life by living in God's way and in order.
(2) Humble yourself (in verse 14)
We must be humble to return to God. We must humble ourselves and let go of pride.
(3) He said, 'If you seek the face of God, I will hear from heaven and forgive your sins and heal the land'.
In order for an individual, country, or people to live well, God must help and bless them. Psalm 33:12 says, "Blessed are the nations that the LORD has made their God, a people taken away as an inheritance for God."