Title: Spiritual Hanbok (Ephesians 1:3-6)
It is a fact that there are too many inclinations among believers that living a life of faith while living a life of faith is burdensome and cumbersome. We don't know since when, but we have a heart that thinks that worshiping is boring, reading the Word is too much fun, living according to the Word is really burdensome, and keeping our faith is a huge hindrance to our social life. is. Why did believers come up with this idea? It's because I don't know what this faith I have and how great this Jesus I have is.
Because the things of the world are precious and I think they are important, without realizing it, faith has become a burden to me as a burdensome and cumbersome thing. Is faith really such a burden? If we quit, we don't know what's going to happen later, but if we keep going, it's a burden, isn't this our heart? Paul is shocking these modern believers. How is the text starting today? It is said to be praised. The first two verses were greetings. As soon as the salutation was over, Paul began to sing a hymn. Why are you starting like that?
Now Paul is trying to explain the work of God in our salvation through this book of Ephesians. But when he tried to explain God's work and redemption, he could not help bursting out with praise from the depths of Paul's heart. Paul was so overwhelmed that he had to shout, “Blessed be you.” Do we have this kind of emotion? When I try to talk about the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, when I think of His grace, do I have that tremendous emotion that comes out of my heart? Why does Paul have no choice but to praise and exclaim because the work of redemption is so great. The problem with modern Christians is that they think too trivially about this great thing that Paul has no choice but to praise and admire.
So, what is it that Paul cannot help but praise? The text says that He has blessed us with spiritual blessings. Today, we are going to think about what this spiritual blessing is and why Paul was so moved. Isn't this one of the things that Koreans long for and wish for? So, isn't this the word that we do not miss in our daily prayers? But the text says that it has already been given to us. We need to think about the fact that we are already blessed. We are already enjoying the blessings and we are the recipients. But we can't help but ponder why people still pray and ask for blessings. This is because the blessings we want and the blessings that the Bible says are different are different. The Korean church falsely taught that you can enjoy everything in this world if you live a good life of faith. Why is it a lie because this world is not our hometown.
Because this world is not our everything. Jesus died on the cross on this earth. This world does not welcome us. But how do you say that if you believe in Jesus well, you will do well in this world? no. None of the disciples are good in this world. All were martyred. This is the life of a believer. Unbelievers cannot yield in this world because this world is everything. They must live viciously. You must hold onto money, health, and fame. must be stolen. But the believer does not cling to the things of this world. It is necessary, but it is not important. Because we have a place to go and a destination.
The blessings God has given us are not of this earth. The blessings God has given us, there is nothing we can use on this earth. No matter how much I put it, it won't be recognized. It is only recognized in heaven. We have been blessed with such a blessing. No, that's what I'm enjoying right now. What we have is too great to be counted in money. Therefore, we must know that we are all-haves. So Paul had no choice but to praise. Paul praises us, but while we enjoy the same blessings as Paul, why do we always cry for blessings and live in complaints and resentment?
In the end, we need to know that while we seek that world and struggle to get it, we are losing everything we have. Comparing who is better, who is better, and who is more loved by God without us knowing it is because of that of this world, we forget our emotions and lose our praise without realizing it. What we have is not of the world. it is divine. It was given to the only begotten Son of God who came to this earth and even died. From the moment we see the world with the eyes that are free from this cross, we naturally return to the body. Trying to judge and decide everything from the world's point of view.