Title: Self-righteous Faith? / John 14:1-11
Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. … Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father too. From now on you have known him and have seen him.
- John 14:1-11-
“If you look at the Bible, there is a saying Jesus said in John 14:6. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. No man comes to the Father but by me.' Double negative in English is positive. In other words, after Jesus came, anyone can come to God. It is a story that anyone can now go to God the Father because Jesus laid the way, Jesus showed the truth, and Jesus perfected eternal life on the cross. If Jesus had not come, it was not clear whether or not the teacher would be able to go to heaven, but now even the teacher can go to the kingdom of God without cost. But the truth can never be surrendered.
All other religions say so. ‘It is not certain whether you will go to heaven or not. try it You might be able to go if you are smart, holy, and completely renounce all greed. However, if you do not completely abandon your greed, you will go to purgatory after death and suffer. If you live well on this earth, you will return as a man. All of this is up to you and I'm not sure.'
However, in Christianity, anyone can enter the kingdom of God through Jesus. Among the doctors and teachers gathered here, there is not a single person who cannot go to the kingdom of God. We claim this as ‘self-righteous’. You can never give up on this truth. There is no message in Christianity that some people will not go to heaven, or that it is uncertain whether they will or not. Christianity is clear. Because God has made a way, anyone with a sinful nature can come to God through Jesus. According to the Bible, I will tell you clearly, you can definitely go to heaven. This is an uncompromising truth, an absolute truth.”
After these answers and a few more questions, the meeting ended, and there were several doctors who believed in Jesus that day. One of them even visited our church last Wednesday.
Gentlemen, Christianity is self-righteous. I believe that there is an absolute truth that cannot be yielded. 2+2 is 4. This is the absolute truth of mathematics. There is also absolute truth in physics. And it is the absolute truth that you have to go through that door to get out of this place. If you try to get out of the wall, you will get hurt. However, a religion that says that there is no absolute truth in spiritual and religious matters is dangerous. Life demands a definite answer, but how can a religion that cannot give it help man?
But God is clear. The God who created the heavens and the earth lives, and He absolutely loves you, me, and all human beings. This is an unchanging and eternal truth, a truth that every human being must hear. This is a ‘self-righteous’ truth that cannot be compromised. This is what gives us peace, reassurance, and hope.
People live on this earth, and after a while they have to leave. According to recently released statistics, the average life expectancy of men in Korea is 72 years. Subtracting my age from 72 is not much left I want to live with peace of mind. Everyone wants to know what they will be like when life is over. But when a religious leader answered that question, he said, “Well. This may be or that may be, and it's up to you in the end.” How can people live in peace if they give an uncertain and insecure answer?
But God is clear. God lives and He loves everyone forever and unconditionally. We believe in this. This is an unforgivable truth. If God gives me the message that God does not exist, that the universe is created by itself, that God loves me if I am good, and that He does not love me, I feel anxious and unable to live. But God has made it clear that He loves us with an everlasting love. This is the peace that God gives. We are self-righteous about these claims and truths. You can never give up on this truth.
We don't have to worry about the future. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (14:1) He told us not to live with worry, anxiety, and fear. He said that if you believe in God and believe in me, you can live in peace and worry-free. We have to choose whether to live with worry or worry-free, whether to live with anxiety or peace, whether to live with fear and without confidence or with confidence. Jesus taught us not to worry and not to worry about the future with his words of peace and comfort.
Jesus said that after we die, we have many dwelling places in heaven. Even those who do not have a 15-pyeong apartment on this earth have plenty of places to live in the kingdom of God. “In my father's house there are many dwelling places. Otherwise, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you; if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, you may be also” (14:2-3). When we finish our lives, we will dwell with the Lord where God is. We believe in this. Declare this. Because of this, we will live with eternal life and eternal hope. Even at the moment of the end of my life, I live believing that I will not just disappear, but will go to my home forever. This is an unforgivable truth.
You are not a message to stay in purgatory until you have paid the full price for your sins because you lacked in the world. All human beings have a sinful nature, and no one can bear that sinful nature. No one can heal their own sinful nature. Because of that sinful nature, all human beings have sinned and have the potential to do so. Eternal life does not depend on me, but God has perfected it through Jesus Christ. And God gives it to anyone forever as a gift. There is hope for all of us and anyone in my beloved family can go to heaven. Now that is possible. Because Jesus was the way, taught the truth, and Jesus Himself is life.
There are plenty of places in heaven for us to dwell, and it is a clear declaration that God is waiting for us. God has given us such a sure and absolute message. We believe and proclaim this as ‘self-righteous’. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and since Jesus has opened the heavens and forgave all sins, whoever believes in Him now will not perish but will enjoy eternal life. God has opened the door to everyone.
Folks, we need to spread this message to people. “You can go to heaven now. God also gives you eternal life. You have forgiven your sins and everything, and now you are saved because of Jesus.” This is an amazing truth. It puts us at ease and releases our tensions. Let us thank God for this clear message.
This surprising news is ‘self-righteous’. God lives and loves us forever. We have this wonderful message of peace that God has forgiven all our sins by letting Jesus die on the cross, and now whoever believes in me will not perish but have eternal life. We cannot yield this message. If this were to be conceded, how great anxiety would rule the human heart. As you and I clearly understand this good message and pass it on to my family, I wish all of us the blessing of going to heaven.
October 26th is Evangelism Sunday. We must share this wonderful message with our loved ones. From now on, pray for the evangelist. I sincerely hope that they will hear this sure and wonderful message and enjoy eternal peace.