The life of a saint in the world
Contents
♡♥♡ The life of saints in the world / Proverbs 3:27-35
***Introduction
This sermon deals with detailed and practical issues in the sermon given in the morning. The first half, verses 27-30, tells us to love our neighbor and be at peace with one another, and the second half, verses 31-35, tells us not to envy those who do evil, and not to follow their actions.
The saints are God's people called out of the world spiritually, and at the same time, they belong to the world physically. Saints do not live in a completely different world away from the world, but live in harmony with their neighbors and live as a component of society. Therefore, it is important to know how to live as God's people and as a member of the society in which the flesh lives.
There is a non-fiction drama by Lee Dong-cheol called ‘Children of Darkness’ that made a big impact a long time ago. If you look there, the surrounding of a certain church was a brothel. The church reported to the police that the nearby prostitutes were disturbing them, and they chased the prostitutes away. However, there is a scene where a prostitute who cannot do business because of the church gets drunk and hangs naked from the church door and yells at a whale whale.
“These children! Did we ask you for food? Did you ask for rice cakes? I sell my body and I make a living, so what do you care? Feed us all.”
This prostitute's cry to the church makes me think a lot. Of course, the prostitute's words are not justified. Perhaps we too are Pharisees who act as if they were righteous on the outside while being rotten on the inside. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who boasted of being righteous at the time as “whitewashed tombs.” Jesus has even earned the nickname the friend of tax collectors and sinners, don't we regard ourselves as holy beings and view them as filthy beasts? is to do
Then, how do the saints live in society worthy of God and wise?
1. Do good.
Let's look at verses 27 and 28 as a joint translation. “Do not shake off the hand asking for help, and do not hesitate if you have the strength to help. Even though there is, do not send your neighbor back, saying, ‘Come back tomorrow, I will give it to you’.”
The Hebrew word translated “the one who deserves it” in the text is (baal), which means 'owner' or 'owner'. Some theologians see it as a “creditor” who deserves debt, but it doesn't make much sense. This refers to a person who is in dire need of help. The whole context is a saving imperative, ‘when you have opportunity and ability, show mercy to those in need.’
God never forgets to show compassion or to give to the poor, and He will surely repay them. Let's look at Deuteronomy 15:10-11. “You will surely help him. When you give alms, do not be greedy. Because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do and in the work of your hands! Because the poor will never cease to exist on earth, I command you, saying, You must open your hand to the needy and needy of your brothers in your borders!” Luke 12:33 says, “Sell your possessions and give alms, so that you may make sacks that do not wear out. It is an inexhaustible treasure laid down in heaven, where thieves do not approach, and moths do not eat.”
Let's look again at the words we saw in the morning. 1 Timothy 6:18,19. “Let them do good, be rich in good works, be generous and sympathetic. This is to build a good foundation for yourself in the future, so that you may take the real life.” The Gentile centurion, Cornelius, was remembered by God for his prayers and almsgiving. Although he was not God's people, his prayers and alms in the fear of God received God's approval. In this way, alms and good deeds are God's commands and are effective things that God remembers.
2. We must make peace.
Let's look at verses 29 and 30 as a joint translation. “Don’t even think about harming your neighbors who live and trust you. You must not openly argue with someone who does not harm you.”
It is God's will for us to make peace. The word “harm” in the text is (harash), which means “to scrape” or “to plow”. It is the intentional planning and promotion of evil, like a farmer plowing a field. However, what you need to think about is the content of verse 30. This verse reflects the idea of retaliation for the east of the law. Let's look at Leviticus 24:17-20. “Whoever strikes a man shall surely put to death; whoever strikes a beast to death shall repay the beast with the beast; and if a man injures his neighbor, he shall do to him as he has done; break for break, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. pay it back As I injure another, I will do to him.”
This idea was reinterpreted by Jesus as it entered the New Testament era. Matthew 5:38-45. “And you have heard it was said, ‘Eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,’ but I say to you, resist the evil one. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the left side as well; and if anyone accuses you of taking the robe, even the cloak, go with him, and if anyone forces you to go a duck, go two miles with him and give him to the one who asks you. Give and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. And you have heard it was said to love your neighbor and hate your enemies, but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. When you do this, you will become sons of your Father who is in heaven... “
Not only that, God has called us to be His people and asked us to be “reconciled.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. “All things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, because in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, and bearing their sins upon them. He did not turn away, but entrusted us with the word of reconciliation.”
He said that those who achieve reconciliation among people and make peace in all circumstances are called the sons of God.
3. We must not envy the prosperity of the wicked.
Let's look at verses 31-35 as the joint translation of the Bible. “Do not envy those who cheat, and do not try to associate with them. The LORD hates the wrong and draws close to the upright. The Lord puts a curse on the house of the unrighteous and a blessing on the nest of the righteous. The LORD despises the proud and shows favor to the humble. A wise man will inherit glory, and a fool will be despised.”
Proverbs 24:19-20 says the same thing. “Do not be angered by the gain of the evildoer, and do not envy the prosperity of the wicked. For the evildoer has no future, and the lamp of the wicked goes out.”
He tells us not to envy those who engage in violence and oppression and have earned unjust income through this. Because there will always be judgment from God who repays you according to what you have done. They seem to be happy for a while, and everything seems to be prosperous, but when God repays them, they become a curse and a shame. You don't have to look far and you can feel the reality of Korean politicians these days.
In particular, verses 32-35 explain why the counsel mentioned in verses 27-31 should be kept through the contrast between the wicked and the righteous. In other words, by enumerating God's grace to those who obey, it encourages the good deeds of the saints. Hebrews 10:23-25, “And he who promised is faithful, holding fast the hope of the doctrine we believe in, looking out for one another, encouraging love and good deeds, not as is the habit of some who forsake meeting together. But let us encourage them, and let us do it all the more as we see the day drawing near.”
There is a parable like this. Once upon a time there was a bird with two heads, and one of the heads ate all the good fruit by myself. The other head got angry when he found out about this. So, I picked only the poisonous fruits and ate them. Eventually the bird died.
God created weak humans to help each other and live. So he created a family and made it a society to live. Therefore, as God has commanded, believers must keep their attitude towards society. Thinking of the Lord's love for me, let's not wait for others to be good neighbors, but let's be positively good neighbors. Through this, I pray that you will achieve a faithful Christian life that testifies to the love of the cross of the Lord.