Title Do you love and buy?
Contents
Today's world doesn't like people who go to church that much. They call us 'talkers' and sarcastic that our mouths will float on the water even if we fall into the water. The fact that the world considers Christians to be fighters who can only speak is proof that Christians have been living their lives wrong. No matter how much we have faith and hope for salvation, it is of little importance to the world. What the world wants to see most in Christians and must see is our love.
In 1 John 3:14, it is said, “We know that we have passed from death into life because of the love of our brother, but he who does not love remains in death.” Here, the phrase ‘passing from death into life’ is another expression of ‘to reach salvation’. In other words, we are saved by “love” our brothers. However, in John 5:24, which the Apostle John wrote before 1 John, he asserts that salvation comes through faith. Then, why did the Apostle John say that salvation is achieved through faith at first, and then through love?
If you don't love someone else, it's like you don't believe in the Lord's love for you. That is why the Apostle John changed the word “by faith” to “salvation through love.” For the Apostle John, faith and love were synonymous. To love God is a sure sign that you are a child of God.
When we recognize death, we realize the most important thing in life.
Hebrews 9:27 “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…”
Most people are reluctant to think about death. But we need to know that when we recognize death, our life looks completely new. The reason why I say it's more about a funeral than a feast is because there are many things I realize when I attend a funeral. In particular, Christians must learn to face their own death. Not because death itself is precious, but because death makes us realize what is really important to us.
People usually think that they know what is most valuable in life. But in reality it is not. Most people can't be the most precious thing in life. We always know what is most precious in the face of death. In Luke 12:20, God says to the rich man, “You fool.” Because he lived without thinking about the problem of death. When we recognize death, our life looks completely new. Just facing the fact that we are eventually dying can change our lives. Real wisdom comes the moment you see death. A person who cannot see death is a fool. How sad it is to realize something so precious and valuable only in death. Children of faith must have eyes that look forward to death.
The most important thing is to have the heart of Jesus.
Philippians 4:2 “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord”
Euodia and Syntyche were two female evangelists loyal to the Philippian church. However, these two women had a very bad relationship in the church. We hated seeing each other and hated each other, so we couldn't become one. This problem was a great test that the Philippian church met. Can trustworthy people do this? it could be. This is not the case with Eudia and Syntyche alone. It is something we can also experience. The devil is well aware of our weaknesses. And take advantage of that weakness. This causes hatred, quarrels, divisions, jealousy, and rivalry among the saints. When we do something, it is very important to consider what is right and what is wrong. There are more important things than right and wrong. It is whether the center is in Jesus Christ. It is to have a Jesus-centered mind. It is whether or not it brings peace.
I went to a retreat for a church executive seminar. On the evening of the arrival, after the seminar was over, the participants were given a place to stay. The next day, the program was scheduled from early in the morning, so I thought everyone would go to bed early, but no one went to bed. The lights are on in every room, and they sit together and talk through the night. When I saw one story, I saw that they were talking about different people. In the end, he decided that it was wrong to put him to sleep early and decided on a topic for the conversation. I said, “Give me an idea for church revival,” and in less than 5 minutes, he said, “Let’s stop,” and the lights go out in every room.
If we judge what is right and what is wrong, we are in a position to kill each other. Therefore, rather than arguing about ‘who is right and wrong?’, we should think about ‘how can we become one, save each other, and love each other?’.
So, how can we love with the love of Jesus? For the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of love in us, there are roughly three stages:
1. He makes you realize that there is no love in yourself.
In fact, our selves are very selfish. Therefore, even children do not truly love for him, but for themselves.
2. He makes you struggle and pray for love.
The reason you struggle is that the more you try, the greater the setbacks you experience. The reality of our completely selfish self is revealed as it is. Only through this process can we accept the truth that our old self has already been crucified with Jesus.
3. God pours out love.
When we acknowledge that we died on the cross with Jesus and that what we live now is living the new life of Jesus, we feel that we are loved not with our own love, but with the love of Jesus. This is the evidence of a person filled with the Holy Spirit.
I love you with your love.....