Title Galatians 02:20 The Root of Faith
Contents
Title: Roots of Faith
Text: Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
Now that I live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
entry
This text is a message from God to comfort me after I underwent cancer surgery by Dr. Sang-hyun Kim at Ilshin Christian Hospital in Busan at the end of July. These words have a very special meaning to me, so I always reflect on these words when I am tired and struggling. Because it gives me the direction for the rest of my life. How would you live if you were sentenced to death by saying that you only have one month to live, so be prepared? I would gladly recommend to him Galatians 2:20. Because the text shows who we are and how we should live in the future. If Galatians boils down to two words, the key words are "grace" and "freedom." It means that our salvation is a gift of grace, not our merit, and that being in the Lord makes us free from sin from all the laws of death. Therefore, the death sentence in the world is meaningless. Because by grace I will find true rest and salvation, and because I have the freedom that no disease, pain, or iniquity can bind me. From now on, let's take a look at the deep meaning of Galatians 2:20.
I have been crucified with Christ
The root of true faith begins with the crucifixion. When only Jesus is crucified, I am not only acknowledging that fact with my head, but I must also experience being crucified with Christ. "I---together" is meaningful. Faith is not just believing with your head. It is not just about living ethically and morally clean. to experience it right away. Faith without experience is faith without roots. Paul says he was crucified with Christ. experienced Christ. It is also his cross. Galatians 2:20 is not a common expression. It's not a stupid belief that good is good. What does it mean to experience the cross of Christ? that means it's dead. It also means that he completely killed himself in the agony of being crucified. To die on the cross is the root of faith. Have you been crucified with Jesus Christ? Otherwise, you have nothing to do with Jesus.
Some ask this: How to be crucified with Jesus? The crucifixion of Jesus was 2000 years ago, and I am standing right here in the 21st century, what are you talking about? Isn't it too old-fashioned to mention the events of 2000 years ago in the 21st century?
This is the root cause that prevents us from taking root in our faith. Satan says It is said that the cross of Jesus 2000 years ago has nothing to do with you today. It is said that we only need to accept and believe the meaning and teachings of the cross. Many people today think this way, thinking of faith as a part of their life, not everything. It is Satan's twist.
However, the cross of Jesus is a power that transcends time and space. It means that the crucifixion did not stay in one place 2000 years ago. This is because Jesus was resurrected. After Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven, the meaning of the cross comes closer. It is true. In any age, salvation without the cross, there is no cleansing of sins without the cross. Even in the 21st century, when we preach the gospel today, we cannot preach without the cross. This is because the cross is a historical fact that transcends time and is still here today. That is why we can experience being crucified with Christ on the cross. The reason it is possible is "belief". Faith bridges the 2000-year gap. Each of these experiences creates a miracle of change. The root of faith begins with crucifixion and death.
"Unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it will never bear fruit."
In that sense, believing in Jesus is not a guarantee of success in life, material blessings, or health, but a path of suffering and a narrow path. Because the cross is a pain."The affliction of the righteous is many, but the LORD delivers them out of them." Psalm 34:19
Therefore, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
But who would be willing to take up this cross? In fact, we must know that the cross was carried by Jesus. I just die with Jesus by faith when he loses. It is to kill all the fiery sins in me, idolatry, false thoughts, disobedience, hatred, envy, sexual immorality, greed, etc. In this way, all the filth-like sins within me burst out as rain when I had the experience of meeting Christ. This is the time to be crucified with Christ. Then there is the feeling. It is freedom. it's a feeling of liberation It is joy. It is happiness as if approaching the world. Clearly, this is the resurrection. It is the joy of resurrection felt by the Chinese who experienced the experience of dying on the cross. The root of faith begins with the experience of being crucified and dying with the Lord. If you die like this, it's not over. It's a start. This beginning is a new change. it's a new life Something life is wriggling in a body that seems to be dead. It is the risen Lord. With His Spirit dwelling in us, something must have begun to change.
I give you the Holy Spirit. Those who have received the seed of the Holy Spirit in this way are called children of God in the Bible. Children of God are no longer bound by the laws of the world and bound by the laws of sin, but are citizens of heaven, citizens of heaven, and families. So we call God Father.
Those without faith are called bondage from the time they leave the church. They say they can't take time to rest. If you go to church, you have to donate, you don't receive money, you think it's a loss. If you look at ordinary churches, they are actually too busy on Sunday. From morning to night, the church is all over from 9 to 10 o'clock when the service is over. What kind of gatherings are so many that I have no time to take care of my family and children. Too much is definitely a problem. However, being a child of God enjoys inner spiritual freedom, unlike the outward one. Free from all legal bondage and from the oppression of sin. We must emphasize this freedom. The problem is that there are cases where faith has only the form of godliness and lacks the power of godliness. Faith begins with enjoying freedom, not from serving the church. Faith is not all there is to an ethical, moral, upright life, but it starts from accepting, loving, comforting, and building each other even if it is lacking. Even if they are poor, even if they do not learn, are not healthy, and have committed great sins, everyone in the Church deserves peace. Because we demand level rather than status, the church has a class structure and discrimination!
As a community, there are cases where the church feels more inferior. The root of faith is not a matter of level, but a matter of status. When the string is turned, centrifugal and centripetal forces are generated. The centripetal force is the identity of being a child. centrifugal force is What is important is identity. It is true that the Bible clearly requires a level. If you do a high jump, ask them to jump up to 100 meters. Some give up on the impossible. Some are tested by trying. Some people can't run like a Pharisee and act falsely as if they ran. However, this is a burden that arises when looking only at the level. People think it's a miracle if it runs. However, the Bible speaks of such miracles a lot. The sick are healed, the dead are raised, the demon-possessed are healed, and two fish and five loaves are fed 5,000 people. The Bible gives us a guarantee to play first. What is it? First of all, you have to find yourself unable to run. i must die I can run only when I die, who thinks I can run. At this time, you will see someone who can run as a rain. Jesus is risen from the dead. When we become one with Jesus, we can jump.
Now I live in the flesh, because he loved me and gave himself for me.
This is possible because Jesus did not forsake me as a sinner, but because he loved me and wanted to become one by actively giving up his body for me. How can we become one with the Holy One? Can you call one father? Could I be your child? John 1:12 "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" We can expect fruit, but we cannot expect fruit from those whose roots are weak. The root of faith to become a child of God cannot be established unless we are born again. It is possible when the old person dies and is reborn as a new person. How should we live now? ?
to live by faith in the Son of God
Life must be Christ-centered. Dead bodies don't speak.
?쏤or if one died for all, that is, all died. He died for all, that the living might no longer live for themselves, but for those who died and rose for them. Ham??(2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
Our purpose in life has become clear. It must be life for the one who died and rose again, that is, for Christ.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 Life as a new creation. life as a resurrected new being.
So, what kind of life should we live in a wicked and sinful world?
"Therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of righteousness." Romans 2:1,2
In this text, there are three types of terms related to the sacrifices used by the Israelites in the Old Testament. The first is the body. The second is the holy living sacrifice and the third is spiritual worship. In the Old Testament times, sacrifices were made in the body of animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, and doves, and they were not sacrificed from anything but the best thing, the firstborn, etc. In violation of this rule, making a pig's head or using a modestly expensive one, or offering it to the god Baal, not God, was idolatry and was cursed by God.
Even today, the spirit of this worship must be lived. Spiritual Worship! We must live a life that only glorifies God in a way of living that has true content, not form and form, by giving ourselves as wealth and as holy wealth in a way that is distinct from the world. Not only believers on Sundays, but also on weekdays, we must live a life that reveals the name of Jesus, who is dead to sin and lives to righteousness.
Many of the problems of our times, such as our own problems, family problems, society, politics, religion and culture, are in the restoration of this spiritual worship. If people who believe in Jesus live a life of spiritual worship wherever they are, how can they not change my family, my children, my parents, my neighbors, and my people? The real change lies in the renewal of worship.
As in Galatians, if I die, Jesus lives, and we live the life that Jesus requires, we will see miracles every day.