Title: Why Can't I? (Romans 11:11-21)
Content Paul, who is called the apostle of the Gentiles and the chosen vessel for the Gentiles, lived only to preach the gospel. Knowing that immersing himself in the salvation of the Gentiles is the only way to the salvation of his fellow countrymen, he became more zealous. Paul's point of view was not about loving some and hating others. His interest was to save people. It was the salvation of the Gentiles, furthermore, the salvation of our fellow men, and the salvation of the world. How can we save everyone? From the point of view of God's love, I saw my people and the world from the point of view of a person who embraced God's zeal for man.
Romans 11 is Paul's serious account of the problem of the salvation of his people. Of course, Paul's answer is that my people will be saved. In Romans 11:14, 26, it is said that all Israel will be saved. The time has not come yet, but the Jews now do not believe in Jesus and have not been saved, and God's providence is in them. Paul, who fell for God's love, wept for God's love, and lived for God's love, asks this question about his people.
Romans 11:1 “Has God forsaken his people?”
Romans 11:11 “Have they therefore stumbled until they stumbled?”
In other words, ‘Did it completely collapse and collapse?’. Those who do not believe in Jesus are like that outwardly. Those who depend on works are abandoned, stumbled, and stumbled (Romans 9:32). But Paul answers with confidence.
“It cannot be.”
Why can't it? Why was it not forsaken and not destroyed?
First, because there is a remnant. (Romans 11:5)
God does not forsake his people. In the Old Testament times, Elijah called out to God. When King Ahab's policy of idolatry covered the whole world and trembled in fear, the prophets were killed and Elijah was pursued. So I complained to God that I was not the only one left. At that time, God's answer has been said in 1 Kings 19:18 that there is a remnant. You have reserved for me seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Even though it seems that everyone has abandoned their faith, and it seems that they have all abandoned God and turned to idols, there are some who remain.
Romans 11:5 “Therefore, even now there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
2007 marks the 100th anniversary of the great revival in Pyongyang. The fires in Pyongyang, the holy Jerusalem, which delivered news of wonder and surprise in the eyes of foreigners, have now been extinguished. 100 years ago, the fire of revival in the holy land spread to Seoul and Mokpo, but now it has become a land of pain and suffering, as if God had abandoned his people. In South Korea, churches are prospering and crosses are everywhere, but what happened to North Korea? If there were seven thousand left even in the days of Baal, if there were some who were left by grace in the age of the early church, which rejected and turned away from the gospel of Jesus, there will surely be some left. I believe the remnant is in North Korea. We believe that there is a remnant who kneels to God, a remnant who worships God, and a remnant who lives by keeping the faith. So the remnant will kindle the fire again. The remnant will rise and rebuild the broken altar.
See Isaiah 6:13. “Though a tenth of it remains, it will also be swallowed up; but just as a chestnut and an oak are cut down and their stump remains, so the holy seed is the stump of the land.”
Yes. Just as an oak sprouts again from a stump, holy seeds remain in North Korea even if they cannot be seen or grasped. Let us believe that when the soil is moistened with water and the cold winds of winter are gone, there are seeds left to germinate on a warm spring day. Therefore, prayer should not be abandoned. It should not be said in advance that the land is a land of despair. don't give up
Second, there is the providence of God. (Romans 11:11)
Individual suffering and national suffering are the mazes of life and history that no one can solve. After being divided and living with painful wounds on the back, 57 years after 6.25, how can you comprehend the pain of the separated family? Pyongyang, the Jerusalem of Korea, is extinguished, and the people of South Korea are carrying out missionary missions as a nation of priests around the world.
Romans 11:11b “For by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, making Israel jealous.”
Third, because it gives you countless blessings. (Romans 11:12)
Romans 11:12 “If their fall becomes the riches of the world, and their failures make the Gentiles rich, how much more will their fulness be.” did. This verse means, “How great will be the blessing when Israel, who seems to have fallen and stumbled, stands upright.” It was a blessing to us that they fell, that they failed. Then there is no need to even imagine the blessings of the day when all of Israel will stand upright. In the end, all that's left is to do well. If North Korea looked like one who fell on the ground, there was no need to descend any further from the low floor. North Korea is all that is left to happen.
The principle of receiving blessings is the same for all. Just as Israel needs only to stand upright, if this country, North Korea, only needs to stand upright, the prepared blessings are immeasurable. We must pray for North Korea with only a hope that it will go well and that it will happen. If you throw away the idea of godlessness and stand upright, you will become a country of uncountable blessings.
Fourth, it is because it is an audiovisual education about taking responsibility. (Romans 11:21)
It is a responsibility for the grace of God to come and the holiness of God to come. Those who receive grace must be the first to bear fruit from the olive tree. The olive tree was cut down. Why is it broken? The owner broke it because he did not carry out his mission with only a sense of pride and superiority. It is a useless tree, no matter how proud it is of a true olive tree. Such branches are cut off, and even a branch of an olive tree is used by folding it into the root.
Yes. Having received grace, receiving the Holy Spirit, and becoming the bride of Jesus are all responsibilities. It's a mission. Romans 11:21 “If God did not spare the original branches, neither will He spare you.” If you ignore responsibility, boast only about receiving grace, and lose your direction in a sense of superiority, God will cut you. Through this rigorous audiovisual education, God demands responsibility.
We must bear the fruits of the mission of salvation, the mission of the mission, and the mission of the kingdom of priests. We must build the Daji Altar where the altar was destroyed and carry out our mission so that the gospel can be believed in Pyongyang, a land that is near and far away. In retrospect, Pyongyang in North Korea was a true olive tree that was more trusted than South Korea. But the branch is broken and we are grafted in, and we are receiving the essence from the root. The 38th parallel of the division of the nation is also an audiovisual textbook. We shouldn't be pretending. We must admit that we have grown up to this point with the power given by Jesus, who is the root. It is the power of Jesus. It was done through the power of Jesus. Now, we must pray for the salvation of the world, the salvation of all nations, and the mission of North Korea. You have to feel responsible. We believers must stand upright.
North Korea is also changing something. Regardless of whether it is true or not, what is the movement of the couple who started to build a church and run a seminary? Is it open? Is it temporary? As you step on the ground, you feel the responsibility to see right away.
See Romans 11:11, 14. “When we trust in Jesus, Israel becomes jealous,” he said. He said, “I beg you to make me jealous and save some of them.” That's it. If we believe well and do well, Jews will also come to Jesus. North Korea, which turned away from Jesus, will also open its doors. Stone Olive Tree I long for the fact that South Korea believes in Jesus and things go well, that when the nations get jealous, they believe in the Gospel, open the door to missions, and establish a seminary with an open policy, so that they can be saved. From now on, we must do well. We must live well, believe well, and bear the fruit of faith beautifully and beautifully so that they can see us and become envious.
Envy is a coveting mind. It's an envious heart It's a heart that doesn't want to give up. South Korea's prosperity and economic growth, a country where ethics and morals are established, a country that is sanctified by the revival of Christianity, a country that cares for the underprivileged, a country that has entered the world's top 10 developed countries, and envy North Korea so that it can get jealous The blessing of opening the doors of art, of culture, and finally of the church, of opening all doors and gaining salvation should come upon us. Therefore, unification must come because of the church and the gospel.
Now, whether personally or nationally, there must be a passion to weep and bow down for the salvation of our people. Let's have faith that everyone will be saved someday, even if not now. Let's feel responsible. I pray that you will be able to live a right life of faith because of that strong burden.