Title Let's Think Again / Jude 1:5-7
Descartes, the progenitor of modern rational theoretical philosophy, said, “I think. Therefore, I exist.” Humans have the power to think. To think, that is a human privilege.
Humans can ask questions about their own existence and find answers to those questions themselves. The power to think is the greatest aspect of human beings.
It is not an exaggeration to say that our lives are not determined by the external environment, but by our own thoughts and thoughts. Our lives depend on the thoughts of the heart, our character depends on the thoughts of the heart, the shape of our faith depends on the thoughts of the heart, and our spiritual state depends on the thoughts of the heart. . So, “What do you think?” It's really important to do. If we truly believe in Jesus and our spirit is renewed, we will think 'how can we live according to God's will', 'how can we become like the Lord', and 'how can we give our life to God? You have to think 'is there?
Judas, who wrote the book of Jude, is the brother of James and the physical brother of Jesus. But he humbly called them servants of Christ and sent greetings and blessings to those who were called, who were loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ, and prayed for more mercy, peace, and love.
Verse 5 says, “You originally knew everything, but I want to remind you that the Lord delivered the people out of Egypt and later destroyed the unbelievers.” This implies that if we are to receive the Lord's blessing in this world and live a wonderful and rewarding life, we must not live according to my thoughts and my ways.
It's already July 2002. Today, we should look back on the past and become people who think deeply. 'Is there anything wrong with my faith?', 'What is my life for?', 'Am I always thinking of God's will and providence?' I hope you have this time.
Let's rethink the path of unhappiness
Judah cites the people of Israel as the first example of those who have gone down the path of misery. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 400 years. God, who heard the suffering of this people, saved them all through Moses.
However, in the wilderness life, they showed disobedience and unbelief that departed from God, and because they complained and complained about God, they were destroyed and could not enter into the welfare of Canaan, which they had longed for. Except for Joshua and Caleb, who trusted and believed in the Word of God, all people over the age of 20 and 2 million people died in the wilderness.
Also, Judas gives a second example, the fallen angels. There were three archangels in heaven: Archangel Gabriel who preached the good news as a civil servant, Archangel Michael who presided over God's judgment as a military officer, and Archangel Lucifer who helped and praised God's throne.
However, pride entered Lucifer's heart, 'I want to be exalted like God' and 'I want to go against God', and I disobeyed God's commands and left my position and place and began to do vain things. After betraying God and falling, Lucifer was cursed and bound, and became a devil who was imprisoned in eternal darkness.
And Judah cites Sodom and Gomorrah as a third example (v. 7). The city's iniquity is one of the most horrific stories in world history, and a man named Ryle called it 'disgusting.' Sodom and Gomorrah were punished with eternal fire for their lust. Turning God's grace into lust, denying Jesus Christ and worshiping idols is a reef of love feast, a shepherd who raises his own, a cloud without water blown by the wind, an autumn tree without fruit uprooted, a bubble of shame Judas writes that they are raging waves of the sea that spurt out, and wandering stars that return to darkness.
Then, let's look for representative people who had wrong thoughts in the Bible.
b) Consider Balaam's false spirit (2 Peter 2:16). Although Balaam was a prophet, he was bought by Balak king of Moab and rebuked by a donkey while going to curse Israel. Covetousness had blinded him. It tells us that the act of trying to do anything for money is a scary and dangerous person. He made the people of Israel eat things sacrificed to idols, worship them, and commit fornication before them with the women who had been given to them. Balaam is an extreme egoist, a sacrificial apostate, and an opponent of Christ, who is the truth.
c) Consider Korah's rebellious behavior (Numbers 1:32). Kora formed a party and rebelled against the leader Moses and was destroyed. Even though he was an official serving in the tabernacle undeservedly, he demanded even the priesthood out of honor and was destroyed. When he was not satisfied with his own greed, he murmured against the leader Moses and fell. At the end of his resentment, he gathered the crowds to form a party, and while rebelling against Moses, he harmed others, and he himself was killed along with 250 others. It is an apostasy from the church, an act against Christ, who is life.
Let's think again and think of those who have been changed
Let's look at the prodigal thoughts again. The younger son did not listen to his father's fervent pleas, and in the end he received a portion and left his father. I made a plausible plan and dreamed of succeeding without my father's intervention. However, he became drunk with the pleasures of the city and became a beggar.
We also met a great famine. As a pig farmer, he struggled to fill his hungry stomach with the oyster berries that the pigs ate, but even that was not enough. During this severe deprivation, he reconsidered his father's abundance.
In spite of his sin, he chose the wrath of his father over the wrath of hunger. He chose his father's whip rather than starvation. Then he came back and begged his father to use him as one of the hired men.
But he rejoiced that he lost his son and found him again. I matched my mouth. This means the culmination of love. I took off my dirty clothes and put on new ones. This means that you have become a new person. I put the ring on. This means that you have regained your lost sovereignty. I trusted God. This symbolizes that slaves are free because there is no God. Thinking again, the prodigal son who returned to his father received an unimaginable blessing.
Dear saints, This prodigal son is who we are. It is the image of us who died for our sins, repented, and returned to the arms of God. If we turn from the path of sin and turn to Jesus, He forgives all our transgressions, heals any ailments, comforts our wounds, and embraces all our pains warmly.
Let's look at Naaman's thoughts again. This man, who had nothing to envy, had leprosy. At this time, an Israeli slave girl brought as a slave told him that if he went to Samaria, there was a prophet, and if he went to the prophet, he would be healed. Even though it was the servant's words, he believed this and went to Israel.
Naaman was the most powerful person in the most powerful country at the time. Therefore, he thought that if he went alone, Elisha would welcome him, call on God's name, and wave his hand over the wound to heal him. But Elisha door does not open, through Gehazi was delivered olppun malman said, "You shall go to wash himself seven times in the Jordan, still referred to four years clean."
Naaman was angry that he had treated him so poorly. So I go back. However, a subordinate who was by his side advised him that he had to do something more difficult than this to get rid of his leprosy, and when he did it in the end, his leprosy was completely cured. Naaman could have stood up for his argument until the very end, but he changed his mind and threw away his pride and erroneous thoughts.
Instead of trying to solve problems according to my own thoughts like this, we must give up our thoughts and focus on God's thoughts. If we change our thinking, God will change our dirty and ugly past without asking about it.
Jesus came to this earth in the flesh to save those who are in sin. Jesus was crucified and died on the cross according to the will of God. He saved all mankind through the sacrifice of the cross and the love of agape.
This love of the Lord has forgiven our sins, delivered us from death, healed us from disease, and set us free from our sins.
God blesses us. God wants us to do well. He wants all of us to live a life of true happiness. Therefore, do not grumble or complain, think again, and I hope that you will bear the fruit of the Spirit abundantly for the rest of this year.