Let's make the title strong.
Contents
♡♥♡ Let's build it up strong. / Jude 1:20-23
*** Introduction
Things in the world are so chaotic. I can't figure out where people's minds are going. Even Christians who have a firm hope that the world cannot bear have been witnessed swaying to and fro. Is there anything wrong with your faith line? Does the life of your heart cause you to worry or worry?
In ancient Spain there was a famous general named ‘Hermann Crtes’. This general led the army and sailed the seas and landed in Mexico. However, the opponent, the Mexican army, was numerically superior, and even the position of the Spanish army was at a disadvantage. When the situation became unfavorable, the Spanish soldiers clamored to return home as their morale fell. The general was perplexed. That night, the general summoned some of his servants and ordered them to burn down all the ships they were on. All the ships have been burned down and now no one can go back. The general declared to the soldiers.
“Now, we either conquer or die, or both. There is no way back!”
Then he ordered an advance. In the end, Spain won the war.
We Christians must not go back. To return is rather to go towards death. If you want eternal life, you must keep moving forward. When the Israelites left Egypt, they often tried to return to their former slavery. Although it was a slave life, it was better than the painful life it is now. Perhaps, in terms of a momentary life, life in slavery was more comfortable than life in the wilderness. But slavery has no guaranteed future. At best, the body will seek a more pleasurable and comfortable way. Let's see what Israel recalls. Exodus 16:3. “I said to them, “If we had died at the hand of the Lord when we sat by the meat pots in the land of Egypt and when we were full of bread, you have brought us up into this wilderness to make this whole congregation die of hunger.”
Israel's resentment and complaints were evident when life was hard and difficulties were encountered. The reason they had so much resentment was because they did not have a pure heart. They had no faith in God. I have seen and experienced the great miracles and powers of God, but it was like a storm that suddenly passed. When I was in the storm for a while, I experienced the power of God and trembled in fear, but after a while, I was clinging to the reality in front of me again as if, ‘When did you do that?’ The reason for this was because my faith in God was not strong enough.
The text that exhorts the Christian life for the end times also commands us to build ourselves firmly on the holy faith in Jesus Christ. “Build yourselves on your most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” There is. Why is this steadfast faith more necessary in the end times?
In the past, the world condemned and rejected Christians. Still, the congregation continued to increase. But today, there is more indifference than criticism and rejection. And the fact is that believers are also moving away from Christianity to other religions. Naturally, the number is decreasing. Why did this happen?
There is a story I heard the most when I was doing street evangelism in the past or planting a church in this village. “Hey, Jesuits can’t use it.” “People who can only speak well” “Eat only among themselves.” Etc. These are the kinds of stories that show this negative view. A gentle-looking old gentleman said, "I like Jesus, but I don't go because people who believe in Jesus don't like it." Not all of them are right now. It is sad to see the Christian image reflected in them. In other words, Christians are criticized and rejected because they do not live like believers in Jesus. Now, I have become indifferent to this duality of life. So what should we do now?
“You build yourselves on your most holy faith,” he said. Christians must build themselves on the love of God and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus said that a house must be built on a rock so that it will not be destroyed by storms and floods. He said that this ‘rock’ is ‘Jesus Christ’, and hearing the words of Jesus and keeping them in practice is a house built on the rock. The foundation of our house, which is built in the kingdom of God, is God's love and Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us. 1 Corinthians 3:11. He said, “No one is able to build another foundation except this one, which is Jesus Christ.”
No matter what happens, I hope you have a firm faith in Jesus Christ. An unshakable, sure belief is a belief that is detached from one's own feelings and the world's environment. It is such a faith that can proudly declare the Lord even in the face of death like the saints of the early church. You must build your own house on such a solid foundation. How do you build a house?
“Pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourself in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” This is how a house is built.
Praying in the Spirit is praying in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the God who understands the will of God and intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered according to the will of God. Therefore, we cannot ask according to the will of God unless we are in the Spirit. In other words, the spiritual house to be built in the kingdom of God must be built according to God's design. This is the principle of the spiritual life.
To keep oneself in the love of God is to live in the world but not be stained by the world, but rather to do everything with the love of God. This is the principle of carnal life. A life that can receive approval even before God is a life lived with love in the world.
Colossians 3:14 says, 'Love is the perfect bond.' In 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, "I have the power to prophesy, knowing all mysteries and all knowledge, and having all faith that can move mountains." But without love, I am nothing. Even if I give with all that I have and give my body for fire, but without love, it is of no use to me.” In conclusion, 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Do all your things with love.”
These principles are the building principles approved by God. In the future, when we stand before God, the house we built will pass through the judgment seat of God's work. At the aerodynamic judgment seat, it will be judged whether it was designed according to God's will or whether materials suitable for the kingdom of God were used. The way to reveal the work is ‘God’s fire’. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13. “If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, or straw, each of his works will be revealed, and the day will reveal his work, which will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each man’s work. for it is.”
We must build a house with this architectural principle in mind. How do you build it? It is to give the best of strength and devotion to the talent, health, ability, wealth, etc. given to you. It's not even a house to live for ten years, but shouldn't we put a lot of effort into building a house where we can live forever? Entering the kingdom of God is not through our merits. It is only through the grace of God. But building a house requires each person to build his own house. (For reference, since there are no married couples in heaven, each must have their own home.)
Now, let's have a sure faith in Jesus. And now that we have been called by God to become servants, let's build a strong house that is pleasing to God. We pray that we will become the joy of God and that we will also create a blessed life in which we can enjoy God forever.