7. The Faith and Life of the Christian

<Note: This article is the concluding part of the "Gospel of Salvation" web blog. So, if you are new to this article, please read this one together with other articles from Web Blog #1: "Why We Should Believe in Jesus" to Web Blog #6: "When is the End Time?" Then, you will be able to understand this article better.> 

 

It seems that people are always worrying about the issue of livelihood. It is because they think that eating and living is the biggest problem in their lives. However, we must first solve the problem of eternal life. Because one day we will all die and be judged by God. So, the writer of the book of Hebrews testifies:

 

Hebrews 9:27..."It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."

So, we must first solve the problem of eternal life.

 

We humans are a union of spirit, soul, and body from the moment we are born (see web blog No. 1, “Why we should believe in Jesus”). When we die on this earth, our bodies return to dust, but, our spirit and soul never perish (Spirit: Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Soul: Genesis 35:18; Revelation 6:9, 20:4; Matthew 10:28). Unlike humans, beasts are made up only of soul and body, and there is no spirit. So, when the body of an animal dies, the soul immediately disappears. However, a person's soul is not destroyed by the spirit even when the body dies. Spirits and souls who have believed in Jesus and have been saved go into paradise (heaven), and those who have rejected Jesus’ grace to the end and have not received forgiveness of sins go into hell. Then, at the Second Coming of Jesus, the saved spirit and soul come down to this earth, unite with their own body that was buried in the earth, and resurrect as an eternal body, and then enter the Millennial Kingdom and Heaven and live forever with Jesus. However, unsaved spirits and souls will be resurrected with bodies on the final judgment day, stand before the judgment seat of Jesus, be judged (according to their deeds), go to hell, and live a life of eternal torment (Revelation 20:11-15). Therefore, the truly blessed people are not those who eat well and live well on this earth for a while, but those who receive Jesus as their Savior, solve the problem of sin, and enter the kingdom of heaven for eternal life. 

<Reference>: The structure of human(spirit, soul, and body) and its function: Click the picture below to see more clearly.

In the 6th chapter of John's Gospel, we can see that the people of Israel were most concerned about their livelihood. It was because they were too poor. After teaching them, Jesus performed miracles with five breads and two fish, and fed them who were so hungry. After that happened, they followed Jesus more earnestly. 

 

Jesus said to them in John 6:26-27.... "You seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give for you, because God the Father has sealed on him." The crowd asked Jesus (John 6:28): "What shall we do that may work the works of God ?" Jesus answered them (John 6:29): "It is the work of God that you believe in him (Jesus Christ) whom God sent."

 

Jesus said that believing in Jesus is the work of God. What does that mean? Jesus was saying that the work of God is that they believe in Jesus whom God sent and receive eternal life. Jesus is the bread of our eternal life. This is because Jesus is the Savior (Messiah, Christ) who was sent to this earth by God the Father to give us eternal life. So, Jesus told the crowds who had followed Jesus because of their livelihood problems, to believe in Jesus for the solution of their eternal life problem. Eternal life refers to the life of eternal blessings that we receive when we accept Jesus. If we accept and believe in Jesus as Lord, even if we face physical death on this earth in the future, just as Jesus rose from the dead, so we will be resurrected, enter the kingdom of heaven, and enjoy eternal life (John 6:40, 53-57). 

 

Jesus, in Matthew 6:31-33, told the crowd to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, instead of seeking first the things to eat, drink, and wear: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat’, of ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Seeking God's kingdom and righteousness is no different than seeking eternal life. If we do not receive eternal life, no matter how abundant our life on this earth is, after death we have to go to hell to pay the price for our sins, so it is of no use. However, if we accept Jesus, receive forgiveness of sins, become children of God, and receive eternal life, we will receive God's protection, provision, and care on this earth as well.

<Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!> What you must seek is not a matter of livelihood, but a matter of eternal life. So, you must, first of all, open your heart and accept (believe) Jesus as the Lord. Then, Heavenly Father will give you the gift of eternal life. Those who have been saved must start a life of faith. It means that the saved children of God walk with Jesus with true faith and live for the kingdom and righteousness of God (Matthew 6:33). God will provide the obedient people with what they need so that they do not have to worry about their livelihood, and will allow them to live for the expansion of the kingdom of God. As a result, they will receive a reward worthy of it on the day of Jesus' second coming and when the eternal kingdom of heaven comes.

 

 

The followings are “the Truth in the Bible (15 things)” that we need to know in order to properly believe in Jesus. Please read the following information carefully so that your faith can be built on the right foundation. 

 

 

1. God's Creation

The Sovereign Lord God created the heavens and the earth and all things (Purpose of Creation: To reveal the glory of God: Isaiah 43:7). The heavens and the earth are the products of Almighty God's creation. Among them, man was specially created in the image of God, and was entrusted with God's mission to be fruitful and multiply, and to rule over all things on this earth. (Purpose of creation of man: God created man to have fellowship with God, to glorify God, and to please Him forever: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36).

 

... Gen 1:1; Gen 1:26-28; Isa 44:24; John 1:3; Romans 11:36; Col 1:16; Hebrews 1:2-3; Acts 17:23-28; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Revelation 4:11

 

 

2. The fall of mankind

 

The ancestors of mankind, Adam and Eve, were deceived by the lies of Satan (the devil), the fallen angels, and disobeyed God's Word (eaten the forbidden fruit of good and evil) and fell. As a result, Adam's dominion passed to the devil, and the devil became the god ruling this world (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; John 12:31; Eph 6:12), and Adam's sin was passed down to his descendants through Adam's blood. So everyone is born a sinner and commits sin (everyone becomes a slave to sin and a slave to the devil). That sin brought suffering and death to all (Satan is the main cause of the problem of evil).

 

... Genesis 3:1-10; Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 6:5; Romans 5:12,19; Ephesians 2:3; Isa 64:6; Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 1:18-23; Isa 1:4; Romans 3:23; John 16:9; 1 John 3:4; 1 John 1:8; Proverbs 6:16-19

 

 

3. God’s Covenant (Testament) and the Bible

 

All human beings, born of Adam's lineage inherited the sin nature, will die by committing sins and will be judged and tormented in hell for eternity according to God's justice. So, God, who is rich in mercy, pronounced a covenant to save all mankind who would be born from Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15). God made garments of animal skins (shed blood) for Adam and Eve and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). Those clothes were the clothes of God's covenant of salvation. God chose Abraham, his only son Isaac, and Isaac's son Jacob (Israel), and made a covenant with them (Genesis 17:7-8, 12:2; Gal 3:17-18). * (Note: The covenant between God and Abraham was made with blood. God made the covenant with the blood of clean animals, and Abraham made the covenant with the blood that he shed when he was circumcised). 

God's covenant is that God, being the God of Israel, is always with them in their journey of life, governing, guiding and protecting them, so that they inherit the land of Canaan (the promised land: foreshadowing the kingdom of heaven) from generation to generation and enjoy it. And the Israelites, by becoming God's people, fully worshiping and serving God, and obeying God's word, receive the great blessings promised by God, enjoy the inheritance God has given, and become the kingdom of God's priests so that they reveal and spread the presence and glory of God. By doing so, the people of the world can come to God, believe in Him, be saved, and worship Him (Ex. 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:9). The Old Testament contains that Covenant.

 

When the descendants of Jacob (the people of Israel) who had migrated to Egypt and lived for a long time were enslaved by the kings of Egypt, suffered and groaned, God brought them out of Egypt through the prophet Moses. (God freed the Israelites from the slavery of Pharaoh in Egypt and led them into the Promised Land). God did this because He heard the suffering of the people of Israel and remembered the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 2:22). God is faithful to the covenant. God gave the law to the covenant people, the Israelites, through Moses at Mount Sinai. The purpose of God giving the Law to the people of Israel was not that they might be justified by keeping the Law. The purpose is that through the law, they can realize their sins, confess their sins, and offer blood sacrifices for their sins so that they could receive forgiveness of their sins and live again as covenant people. Since God's covenant comes first and the law last, the law cannot nullify the covenant and make God's promises in vain either (Galatians 3:17). 

 

Although the Israelites experienced God's miraculous hand of salvation, they were still weak. They still distrusted God, betrayed God, failed to keep the law perfectly, followed the world, worshiped idols, and failed to keep their covenant with God. Nevertheless, a faithful God did not invalidate his covenant with them. Only through discipline, God made them realize their sins so that they repented and offered a sin offering with the blood of clean animals. So, their sins were forgiven (not killed) and they were able to go on with their lives. However, they sinned again, and their sacrifices were repeated again. Even though their sins were forgiven, why did they continue to commit sins over and over again? It was because the sin offering through the blood of animals could not cleanse their conscience and sins (Hebrews 10:11). That is why their inner man (spirit) had to be created anew, and their soul (mind: thought) had to be changed (Ezekiel 36:26-27). For that purpose, God gave the Israelites a new covenant through the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The new covenant, in the future, is that God will write God's law on their hearts, so that God becomes their God, and they become God's people. It was because God had them fear Him with all their hearts, and as a result, He wanted that He was willing to bless them (Jeremiah 32:40).

 

Then, how can God get rid of the hardened hearts of the people of Israel and give them a tender heart so that they can truly fear God? (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Jeremiah 32:40). With what will God do it? He does it only through God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and His pure blood (Jeremiah 33:14-16). (Note: The blood of clean animals is a type of the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God). God, finally, when the time has come, according to the new covenant, according to the genealogy of the chosen people Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God sent Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to this earth as the mediator of the (new) covenant (Hebrews 9:15, 12:24). So, the new covenant means that God saves those who believe in Him as Savior through the bloodshed and sacrificial death of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. God regenerates our spirits (gives us a new heart: Ezekiel 36:26: justification), makes us children of God, gives us eternal life, and restores us to His image (sanctification). (Note: Abraham was chosen and used as the channel for our Savior, Jesus Christ, to come to this earth in a physical body. Through Abraham and Isaac, God showed us that we can be the beneficiaries of that covenant when we only believe in God’s covenant of salvation: Rom. 4:23-24; Gal. 4:28).

 

Before He was crucified, Jesus gave the sacrament to His disciples and said: "...Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:27-28). Jesus was saying that the blood of the new covenant was the blood He would shed on the cross (Luke 22:20). Jesus offered the perfect and eternal sacrifice with blood once and for all and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 10:12). The fact that Jesus shed His pure blood on the cross, died and rose again is the fulfillment of God's covenant (John 19: 30, 34, 20:17; Matthew 27:50; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; Hebrews 10:9). God did this so that the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus might extend not only to Israel, but to all fallen mankind (Galatians 3:14). The Old Testament is the proclamation of that covenant, and the New Testament is the fulfillment of that covenant. So, we, according to that covenant, if we believe and receive Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified, died and rose again on the cross for our sins and transgressions, as our own Savior and Lord, we become God's children and live a holy life on this earth and receive and enjoy the eternal heavenly inheritance that God gives you. Hallelujah!!

 

God has given us the Bible as a gift. The Bible is the book of the covenant that contains the proclamation of God's covenant of salvation and the fulfillment of that covenant, and the core of that covenant is to redeem us with the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross. The Bible is the Word of God written by those who met God the Creator and his Son Jesus Christ (eg. Moses, disciples of Jesus, Apostle Paul, etc.), directly hearing the word of God, and being moved by the Holy Spirit. So, the Bible is the Word of God that is error-free and 100% reliable. The Bible testifies to God's work of salvation and God's judgment, starting with God's creation and the fall of mankind. So, we must learn how we can be saved and how we should live through the Bible. Man is composed of spirit, soul, and body. It means that man was not created to live on bread alone, but was created to live on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matt 4:4). So, man must not only eat bread, which is the food of the body, but also the word of God, which is food for the spirit and soul. The core of those words is Jesus Christ (John 5:39).

 

 

Here are the core gospels of Jesus Christ.

 

1) Jesus Christ, as God the Creator, created the heavens and the earth in the beginning.

2) Jesus Christ came to this earth in a physical body to save mankind who had fallen through sin.

3) Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed His pure blood to atone for our sins.

4) Jesus Christ was buried in his tomb, and he was resurrected three days after his burial.

5) Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and on the Day of Pentecost, He sent the Holy Spirit to those who believed and asked for it, and He still sends the Holy Spirit to those who believe and ask Him. Jesus still sits at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for those who believe. 

6) Jesus Christ will return to this earth as the Judge.

7) Jesus Christ will establish the millennial kingdom on this earth.

 

(**Note: For how the gospel of Jesus applies to us, please refer to the following section, Basics of the Christian Life: "4. Witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ.").

  

... Ex. 24:4; Deut. 8:3, 27:8; Jer. 51:60; Luke 1:1-4; John 5:39; John 20:30-31; John 21:24; Psalm 19:7-8; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:18-19 

 

4. God's Salvation (Redemption) and Judgment

God is just and must judge all sinners. So, the punishment of eternal destruction lies before the sinner. But, on the other hand, God loves us very much. It is because God created mankind in His own image. So, God already planned to save fallen mankind from judgment and the punishment of hell and give eternal life to mankind who were sinners. Then, how can God judge sinners and save sinners at the same time? How could He satisfy both His justice and love at the same time and save sinful mankind? To our eyes, it seems like a dilemma. But God perfectly solved the problem. It is through sacrifice. God has already enacted the sin sacrifice law from the Old Testament times to save the people of Israel who have sinned. When the Israelites sinned and realized their sins, they brought clean animals to the temple, slaughtered the animals and offered their blood as a sin offering to God, and God forgave their sins. The sacrifices must be a clean animal, such as an ox or sheep.

 

However, the sacrifices of the Old Testament era are a type and shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice in the New Testament era. Jesus is not a creature like us. Jesus is the one who was sent to this earth by God the Father in heaven. That means that Jesus is God who came to this earth in the flesh. So, Jesus is the perfect God and the perfect man. Unlike us, who are corrupted with our sins and transgressions, Jesus has no sin and is an extremely perfect man. So, Jesus is the only One who can atone for all our sins. Nevertheless, the ignorant Israelites did not recognize Jesus, and had Jesus nailed to the cross for blasphemy and bled and died and was resurrected. However, it was done according to God's plan to save us, who are already sinners. Jesus became the sacrifice for fallen mankind to complete His atoning work (John 19:30).

God saves us from the punishment of hell and gives us the gift of eternal life in heaven when each of us repents of our own sins and accepts Jesus as our Savior. So, as sinners, in order to be saved from God's judgment and the punishment of hell, we must accept Jesus as our Savior. Jesus died on the cross for us, shed His blood, was resurrected and ascended into heaven, continued to baptize believers with the Holy Spirit, and on the last day, He will return to this earth to complete the kingdom of God. We are saved only by accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

<The triple structure of man (spirit, soul, body) and application of salvation: spirit--> soul--> body>

 

Man is composed of spirit, soul, and physical body (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 57:15; Ezekiel 18:31; 1 Corinthians 14:15). So, salvation comes in three stages: Justification, sanctification, and Glorification.

  

1) Salvation of the spirit (Justification): It means that our spirits, who had been dead because of original sin (Spirit: Ephesians 2:1) were born again (regenerated: recreated:  we have a new spirit) by the Holy Spirit and we believed in Jesus and were justified (Forgiveness of the original sin; to have a new spirit: Ezekiel 36:26: to have a good conscience: 1 Timothy 1:5). Justification is the past tense for believers.

Title: Correct translation of Romans 10:10 and its meaning:

​

Romans 10:10 “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ”

 

​- the English translation of “believes” is not active but passive in the Greek, the Bible language. It can be literally translated, “to be believed.”​

 

- the English translation of “confess” is not active but passive in the Greek, the Bible language. It can be literally translated, “to be confessed.”

 

​However, in Romans 10:9, the above two words are in the active voice, not the passive voice: “If you ‘believe’ and ‘confess.’”

 

​Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ”

 

​<Question>: Then, in Romans 10:9, the two words are in the active voice in Greek, but in Romans 10:10 they are in the passive voice. Why are the two words in different voice each other? Why did Apostle Paul repeat the words again in Romans 10:10 even though he mentioned them in Romans 10:9?

 

<Answer>: I believe Apostle Paul meant to say that what we “believe” and “confess” is not done by our own wisdom or strength but by initiating of the Holy Spirit. It means we are led to believe and led to confess. So, by what means are we believed and confessed? It is accomplished when God regenerates our spirit by the Holy Spirit. So, our faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ”). Before Jesus told Nicodemus that we are saved by faith, He said that unless a person is born of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the heaven, because it is by being born again that we can believe (John 3:3 … “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ”).

  

2) Salvation of the soul (Sanctification): Our souls have been polluted and degenerate because of original sin and have been living in mental suffering (anxiety, fear, doubt, anguish, despair) (Psalm 90:10). Therefore our souls should be free from mental pain gradually and our minds should become holy gradually. When our hearts are baptized with the Holy Spirit and filled with the love of Jesus and the word of God, our emotions are transformed so that we are at peace, our minds are changed so that we can achieve sanctification by following the desires of the Spirit instead of following our desires. Sanctification is the present continuous tense for believers.

 

3) Salvation of the physical body (Glorification): Because of original sin, our mortal Physical Body (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8) should be controlled by spirit and soul while we live on this earth so that we can serve God and serve our neighbors (Romans 6:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 10:31). Our infirmities and diseases can be healed by the atonement of Jesus’ blood (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24). After death we will be resurrected (resurrection: transformed into an eternal body by the Holy Spirit within us) and experience glorification. Glorification is the future tense for believers.

 

Justification, sanctification, and glorification come only in Jesus and by the Holy Spirit.

 

...Hebrews 9:27; Heb 6:2; Genesis 6-8, 19; Ecclesiastes 12:14; La 2:1-4; B 1:2-6; Romans 1:18; Romans 2:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:1-15; 21:8; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-10; Gal 2:16; Romans 3:23-31; Isa 6:5; about 4:11-12; Revelation 20:11-15

 

* God's main work is creation, redemption, and judgment.

<References> Title: Understanding the difference between heart and spirit and soul: Click on the link below to read:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/13qnkEpqspt3sQHtOsaFzOhy5fS2vnHDn/view?usp=sharing

 

 

 

5. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ

 

Jesus is the eternal Son of God (Son means relationship with the Father, and the Son is also God), according to the covenants and prophecies with Adam, Abraham, Moses, and the prophets (Gen. 3:15; Gen. 12). :1-4; Ex 19:3-6; Isa 7:14, 9:6, 53:5; Jeremiah 23:5-6 (33:15-16); Dan 9:25-26; Mic 5:2; Mal 3:1), conceived by the Spirit of God in the body of the Virgin Mary and came to this earth in a human body (Jesus, who is God, came to this earth in the flesh) to accomplish the salvation of mankind. John 1:18 testifies: "No one has ever seen God, but the only-begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father (God's only-begotten Son) has made [God] manifest." Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15, 2:9; Hebrews 1:3: John 14:9; 10:30; Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus is the perfect God and at the same time the perfect man. Because Jesus is the only person without sin (1 John 3:5; Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22), only Jesus could save sinful mankind, and no one but Jesus can be a savior. This is because all people are born sinners, live in sin, and die because of their sins. By nature, only Jesus is a righteous man, and all others are sinners. By offering His pure blood and resurrecting from the dead (after His maturity), Jesus became, in fact, the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:17, 7:25, 8:1, 9:26; 1 John 2:1, 3:5). Therefore, those who believe in God, who raised Jesus Christ from the dead and glorified Him, and Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, will be saved from sin (1 Peter 1:21).

 

... Jer. 23:5-6; John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 1:7; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 3:17; 17:5

 

6. The Divinity of Jesus Christ

 

Jesus has existed with God the Father from eternity, and He Himself came to this earth in the flesh to save us from our sins. Although Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the body of the virgin Mary, took on a human body, and was called the Son of God, Jesus did not exist from then on, but existed from eternity. (John 1:18; Mic 2:5; Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:35). In other words, Jesus is not a (sinner) creature like us humans, He is the perfect God, but He came to this earth in a perfect, sinless body to save us from our sins (so, Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sins). The incarnation, words, work, and miracles of Jesus Christ testify to the divinity of Jesus.

 

...Hebrews 1:3; John 1:1-3, 14, 18; 5:17-18; 6:35; 8:58; 10:30; 14:9; 17:11; 20:28; Matt 26:63-64; Philippians 2:6-8; Col 1:15-16, 2:9; 1 John 5:20

 

 

7. Jesus Christ's Crucifixion and Atonement

 

Jesus Christ lived a perfect life on this earth (1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5) and as prophesied (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 1 Peter 1:10) -12), as a sin offering for mankind, He shed His blood on the cross to bear the sins and punishments of mankind (Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30), and satisfied the justice of God (Romans 3:25). God, on this earth, washes away all the sins of those who receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and saves them from the penalty of eternal death (John 3:16; John 5:24). Salvation is God's exclusive grace and gift to those who believe (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 

... 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Gal 3:13; Revelation 5:9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Heb 9:12; 10:10-14; Matthew 20:28; Romans 3:24; Romans 5:8

8. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

 

Jesus was condemned by sinful humans (Jews) and died on the cross, but He rose from the dead on the third day and testified that He was the Son of God and the Christ (Messiah), and became our Savior and Christ. The resurrection of Jesus foreshadows the resurrection of all people. Those who believe and die will be resurrected to eternal life at the second coming of Jesus, and those who died without faith will be resurrected just before the final judgment and receive eternal punishment.

 

... Luke 24:39-43; Acts 1:3, 1:22, 2:32, 4:10, 5:30; Romans 1:4; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-19; Psalm 16:10; Revelation 1:18; 2:8

 

 

9. The Holy Spirit (or the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Jesus)

 

When the Bible calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Christ, it does not mean that the Holy Spirit belongs to Jesus Christ, nor does it mean that the Holy Spirit is the same person as Jesus Christ. That means the Holy Spirit is the Spirit in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is one and independent person of the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). However, the Triune God is always present and always working together. Where the Father is, there is the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit is also there. Where the Son (Jesus) is, the Father is with him, and the Holy Spirit is also with him. Also, where the Holy Spirit is, the Father is and the Son (Jesus) is also there. The Triune God is never separated from one another. So, in John 14:16, Jesus said to his disciples, after he took up the cross and died, was resurrected and ascended into heaven, he will send them another Counselor, the Holy Spirit and will come back to them. Why did Jesus say that? Because Jesus, as one of the Triune God, cannot be separated from the Father and the Holy Spirit, and is always united with them, so when the Holy Spirit comes to the disciples and indwells them, Jesus will come to his disciples with them.

 

Jesus is God who came to this earth in the flesh, and the Holy Spirit is God who came to this earth in Spirit. Just as Jesus is God the Comforter, so the Holy Spirit is God the Comforter (John 14:16). God the Comforter is the God who protects us, gives grace to us, and teaches us.

Heavenly Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to save fallen mankind. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, took on a physical body, was born, and after he grew up (at the age of 30), he was baptized with the Holy Spirit and filled with the Holy Spirit and began his work as Christ. Jesus proclaimed the Word of God, freed those who were oppressed and captive by the devil, healed those who were afflicted with disease with the word, and raised the dead. Although Jesus is the Son of God and the person of God (Phil 2:6; Hebrews 1:3), he did all things by the Holy Spirit alone.

 

The core of Jesus' ministry is the redemption of our sins on the cross. Jesus died on the cross to forgive all the sins (original sin and self-sin of all mankind who are born as descendants of Adam who sinned by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and to save believers and lead them to heaven. He shed and died, and after being buried in the tomb, he was resurrected on the third day, and he testified of his resurrection to about 500 disciples for 40 days. However, Jesus did not leave his disciples alone. As promised, on the day of Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples who believed in the promise of the Holy Spirit and sought with all their heart in Mark's upper room (Acts 2:1-4: The baptism with the Holy Spirit).

While Jesus was on this earth, he was limited in time and space because he had a body like us humans, but unlike Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit without a body and is not limited in time and space. So, the Holy Spirit came to this earth on the day of Pentecost, entered the hearts of his disciples, indwelled them, and did not leave them.

The disciples boldly testified of the gospel of Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus baptized them with the Holy Spirit so that they could receive power and boldly live the life of Jesus’ witnesses in the midst of persecution. They received salvation by receiving them (Acts 2:22-47), and after that, the disciples led many lost and wandering souls to Jesus to be saved (Acts 1:8). How was it possible that the stubborn people who once shouted to crucify Jesus were saved by repenting of their sins and accepting Jesus as their Lord? It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit regenerated the dead spirit (to the life of God) of those who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they realized their sins, repented, and accepted Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah (Messiah) and became children of God. Hallelujah!

Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit those who have already believed in Jesus Christ as the Savior (Matthew 3:11; John 1:33; Mark 1:8; Acts 2:38-39). When believers are baptized with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will dwell in their spirits and guide their lives in Jesus Christ (John 14:17; 2 Cor. 1:22; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 3:17). The fundamental purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is that the Holy Spirit directly enters and dwells in the spirits of God's children, so that they may no longer commit sins by following the thoughts, wills, and emotions of their fallen flesh (like before), instead, they can follow God's will, testify of Jesus Christ, and live a holy life every day by receiving the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is always with them. Therefore, believers who are 'born again by the Holy Spirit' must continuously receive 'baptism in the Holy Spirit'. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is not optional for Christians. It is a must.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to believers in Rome (Rom. 8:9). We should know that when the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, he thought that the recipients of this letter were Christians who had already been baptized with the Holy Spirit. Why did he say that they had the spirit (Holy Spirit) of Jesus? He wanted to encourage them to no longer live according to the flesh, but to live according to the Spirit within them (Rom. 8:13-14; 8:4).

“Being born again of the Holy Spirit” and “receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit” are strictly separate events. Those who are born again of the Holy Spirit must receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, we must not misunderstand this. The apostle Paul said in Romans 8:9: "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Christ." That does not mean that those who have been born again of the Holy Spirit but have not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit are not Christians. Note: If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we have already been born again. It means that we are legally Christians and the Holy Spirit is with us at our side. But it is a beginning. This, we must not stay at that level. We must grow in Christ. Therefore, we must be baptized with the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Holy Spirit, He enters and dwells in us, and we become Christians united as one body with Christ through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (cf. John 14:17, 20). As a result, we can live not according to the flesh, but according to Jesus' will who is in us through the Spirit.

The New Testament does not refer to the temple in the Old Testament or the church buildings as the holy temple, but to Christians who have received the Holy Spirit as the temple (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16). In other words, when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, we become a true temple.

If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, the Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Rom 8:16). As a result, we will call God Abba Father (Galatians 4:6; John 1:12; Romans 8:14).

The ascended Jesus is not only in heaven. Jesus makes believers receive the Holy Spirit, dwells in their hearts, teaches them the truth of God, makes them see revelations, so that they may know God rightly and know what the hope of God's calling is and the riches of the inheritance of heaven. And, He helps us to know the greatness of God’s power, deepens our understanding of the love of Christ, change our hearts, and leads us to live holy lives by following God’s will and truth (Ephesians 1:17-23, 3:16-19; Ro 12:2; Eph 4:23; Phil 4:7).

The saints who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit (first filled with the Holy Spirit), as the apostles showed, must be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The apostles, no matter what persecution or tribulation, never compromised with the world, never yielded to the world, and never fell into the world, obeyed only the word of God, and walked with the Lord with all their heart to expand the kingdom of God. They have prayed for that. So, they could again be supplied with the living water of the Holy Spirit from the Lord (Acts 4:29-31; 5:32). If we too are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will have greater faith, have Jesus Christ as Lord in our hearts and walk in complete union with Jesus, overcome the lusts of the flesh, achieve sanctification, and bear the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). And if we receive the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-10: Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discernment of spirits; faith, healing, works of miracles; tongues, prophecy, interpretation in tongues), we can boldly preach the gospel in the presence of the devil, overcoming the devil’s temptations, schemes and attacks, defeating the devil (Ephesians 6:10-11), curing diseases, solving various problems in our lives and can give glory to God.

Therefore, those who have believed and accepted Jesus Christ must seek the Holy Spirit, be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and be filled with the Holy Spirit so that like the disciples of Jesus in the book of Acts, we must boldly preach the gospel of Jesus (Acts 1:8) and save lost souls (Mark 16:17).

 

... John 14:16-17, 26; John 7:37-39; Luke 11:13; Acts 1:8; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17-18; Eze. 36:26; Acts 10:45; Titus 3:5; Romans 8:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:12

<Reference>: (Book) "How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit" (Author: A. W. Tozer): Please refer to this book because it introduces the Holy Spirit very well. Click the link below to read:

https://spiritruledlife.blogspot.com/2023/05/8.html

10. The Sanctification of the Christian

 

When God created the first man, Adam and his wife, Eve, they were made into a union of spirit, soul, and body, in the image and likeness of God (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Gen. 1:26-27). However, they were deceived by the lies of an evil spirit, the devil (Satan), and disobeyed God's word and ate the forbidden fruit (they became servants of the devil). As a result, the Spirit of God departed from them, and after that, all those born to Adam and Eve were under the control of the devil from birth. So, God sent Jesus to this earth to destroy the works of the devil and to save people (1 John 3:8). Jesus borrowed the body of the Virgin Mary and took on a physical body, suffered a substitutionary death on the cross and rose from the dead. And Jesus called people to the gospel so that their fallen spirits could be regenerated by the Holy Spirit (their spirits were reborn by the Spirit of God), so they opened their hearts (Acts 16:14) and received Jesus as the Lord and became children of God. 

  

Likewise, when God saves us, the first thing God does is to regenerate our spirits through the Holy Spirit. As a result, our hearts will be opened and we will receive Jesus as the Lord (John 1:12-13, 3:5; Matt 16:16). We must admit that we have never received Jesus as the Lord in our own strength (with the intellect and wisdom of our souls) (Matthew 16:17). It is because those who have not been born again cannot receive Jesus. In other words, what we believed in and accepted Jesus with our hearts was accomplished because our spirits were first born again by the Holy Spirit. So, our salvation is the sovereign work of God and the grace of God.

 

The apostle Paul testifies in Galatians 3:26: "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

 

Above word means that we became children of God because we believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

 

Also, the apostle Paul testifies in Galatians 4:6: “Because you are sons (children of God), God has sent the Spirit of the Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father.”

 

Here, the word that God sent the Holy Spirit into the hearts of God's children means that He baptized them with the Holy Spirit. Thus, we can know whom God baptizes with the Holy Spirit: God baptizes His children with the Holy Spirit.

  

However, the Apostle Paul testifies in Romans 8:15: "You have not received the spirit of slavery again to fear (the spirit of the devil to fear), but you have received the spirit of adoption (the Spirit to become sons of God). Therefore, we (you) cry out, Abba, Father."

  

If we only look at the above words, we may misunderstand that only those who are baptized with the Holy Spirit can become children of God and can call God Father. However, we must not misunderstand. Because the Apostle Paul already said in Galatians 3:26, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." In other words, we became children of God only by accepting Jesus as our Savior in our hearts. Therefore, the above verse (Romans 8:15) does not mean that those who have not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit are not children of God, but rather that those who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit can pray and call God Father with greater certainty. 

 

So, now we can summarize, “How we became children of God, and how we can cry out to God as Father and Father?” We become children of God by believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord (Galatians 3:26). And, God baptizes us with the Holy Spirit in our hearts, who have already become children of God. As a result, we can pray with greater boldness in calling God our Father (Romans 8:15). Amen!!

 

In conclusion, we can summarize how God saved us, how God leads us who become His children, and why God baptizes us with the Holy Spirit as follows. God first called us to the gospel of Jesus Christ, regenerated our spirits (by the Holy Spirit), and made us believe in Jesus as our Savior and made us His children. Also, God baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, who are God's children. As a result, we can call God Abba, Father, and live holy lives as God's children.

 

The Holy Spirit is always present in the spirit (born again) of the Christian who has received Jesus as the Savior, and he holds and keeps the spirit of the Christian, so that the spirit of the Christian (saint) can never sin (1 John 3:9, 5:18; Philippians 4:7). However, the souls of Christians who have just received Jesus as their Lord are not yet perfect, unlike spirits who have been born again. In other words, even if we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior once, our soul (mind) does not mature overnight. The reason is that, in our souls, the fallen nature of the old man (sinner) inherited from Adam still remains. If that (imperfect) soul is not transformed into holiness, it will sin according to the fallen flesh (Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21).

 

Because of the original sin we inherited from Adam, we have a sinful body, which the Bible calls "flesh." The Apostle Paul, on the road to Damascus, met Jesus, who came as the light, and his spiritual eyes were opened (born again by the Holy Spirit) and was saved. He confessed that there was still nothing good in his flesh (Romans 7:18). Likewise, our Christian’s flesh never changes after being born again.

 

Although the devil's authority over Christians was completely broken due to the events of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, the devil's schemes have not yet completely disappeared (the punishment of hell for the devil was withheld until the time of Jesus' second coming). The lawless devil (Satan, evil spirits, demons) still finds the weakness of the flesh of our Christians and attacks us nonstop to deceive us and corrupt our lives (Luke 22:31). However, we Christians must never be victimized by the schemes and attacks of the lawless devil. We must resist and defeat the devil and demons (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9). Because we believers are all children of God and have the power to control the devil (John 1:12; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19; Ephesians 6:10-13). In order not to fall into the temptations of the devil, we basically have to change our minds daily through the word of truth and prayer, so that we live according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh (Rom. 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24; Romans 8:12-14). That is the process of Christian sanctification.

 

God said that our soul should be led by our regenerated spirit and achieve sanctification (Sanctification means that our souls are being changed daily to resemble the image of Jesus so that we can live a holy life: the essence is to crucify our wills and live only in obedience to the will of Jesus (1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Phil 2:12; Gal 4:19; Romans 12: 2; Ephesians 4:23)

 

(Caution!!!: Please make sure you understand why Christians need sanctification on a daily basis). The level and speed of sanctification of our souls will not be directly proportional to the number of years we have attended church, but will depend on how much our souls are led by the Spirit. The more our soul follows our spirit, the faster the sanctification of our soul will be.

 

In John 4:24, Jesus told us to worship God in spirit and truth, for God is Spirit. Since God is Spirit, even though we cannot see Him (Colossians 1:15; 1 Tim 1:17), God is clearly alive, so we must know Him rightly, believe in Him, and worship Him truly.

The Holy Spirit communicates with our regenerated spirit. Also, our spirit communicates with our soul. Our soul communicates with our body. Therefore, our actions will ultimately depend on how intimately our spirit communicates with the Holy Spirit. The more intimately our spirit communicates with the Holy Spirit, the more sure our spirit has dominion over our soul, and our body will be governed by our soul and obey the will of God. Then, no matter how much Satan incites us to greed, lies to us, and tries to knock us down by causing negative emotions and thoughts such as cares, worries, doubts and fears, we will never fall.

 

Therefore, our heart must first be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6; Romans 5:5) and always be filled with the Holy Spirit. We can receive the filling of the Holy Spirit through God's Word, praise, prayer, thanksgiving, and obedience (Ephesians 5:15-21). The most important thing is obedience. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). When we obey God's Word, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Also, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we can have strong faith and obey the Word of God. Obedience to the Word and filling of the Holy Spirit are complementary and always go together. We should not look to our weak bodies, but only to be filled with the Holy Spirit and look to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Then, the work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope will be revealed in us (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11). What is the essence of faith? It is believing that our old self has already died on the cross with Jesus and has been resurrected with Jesus to become a new person (1 John 5:4; Romans 6:11-14; Gal 2:20, 5:24). In other words, we believe that we have no body to respond to sin, only a body to respond to God. It is because Jesus already died on the cross for us, was resurrected, sent us the Holy Spirit, and became our Lord. When we have such faith, whenever there is temptation, false sedition, scheming, and attacks from the devil, we can overcome the devil, overcome sin, achieve sanctification, and live as witnesses of Jesus by boldly proclaiming what we believe in.

 

Sanctification is the process of soul transformation that the children of God, who have been saved through the grace of Jesus Christ, must achieve throughout their lives, and our goal is to conform to the image (Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 4:13; Genesis 1:26-27). Our mind (head: soul) can only be transformed by the Word of God (James 1:21). So, we must first of all fill our heart with the Word of God. And, through the Word, our imperfect mind should be transformed and renewed, so that we can discern God’s will and submit our bodies thoroughly to His Word by presenting it as a living, holy sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1-2).

Jesus said, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink." He said that rivers of living water will flow out of those who believe in Him (John 7:37-39; Luke 11:13). Those who believe in Jesus and come to Jesus and ask Him will receive the Holy Spirit, and the work of the Holy Spirit will be revealed in their lives. Jesus' disciples gathered in Mark's upper room on the Day of Pentecost and prayed with all their hearts. As a result, they received Jesus' promise. We must have that experience too. To do that, we must go to the Lord with a thirsty heart and pray with all our hearts so that we will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit from the Lord. When we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, Jesus indwells us, and we are united with Him so that we can take Him as Lord and walk with Him (John 14:20; 1 John 4:13). At home, at church, at work, and in society, we must follow the will of Jesus (not our own will), love each other, live holy lives (sanctification), and share Jesus with unbelievers. Through obedience, we can continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit, follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and walk with Jesus to achieve sanctification.

 

... 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 3:18; Philippians 2:12; Ephesians 1:4; 5:17-27; Col 1:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Lev 19:2; Gal 2:20; 5:16-18; Romans 8:29; Rom 6:11-14; John 17:17; 1 Timothy 4:5

<Question>: Before Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected, His disciples could not be baptized with the Holy Spirit circumstantially. Only after Jesus' glorification they were baptized with the Holy Spirit (John 7:39). However, since now is the post-Pentecost era, I think that when we believe in Jesus, we are automatically baptized with the Holy Spirit. Isn't that right??

 

The above question is by those who regard “being born again of the Holy Spirit” and “being baptized with the Holy Spirit” as the same thing. Are those two events the same or are they different events?

<Answer>: They are different events. The reason why being born again by the Holy Spirit and being baptized with the Holy Spirit are different events is as follows.

 

1) The reason the two events are different is that the purposes of the two events are different.

 

God regenerates us by the Holy Spirit so that we can receive Jesus as our Savior and be justified. It is called justification. However, God baptizes us with the Holy Spirit so that we can take Jesus as our Lord in our hearts, walk with Him, achieve sanctification, and become Jesus' witnesses.

 

The disciples of Jesus, who believed in and followed Jesus for three and a half years, were saints who had already been born again by the Holy Spirit, believed in Jesus, and received the forgiveness of their sins (Mt 16:16-17; Jn 15:3). However, their faith was still weak. After Jesus' death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension, on the day of Pentecost, he sent the promised Holy Spirit to them. It shows that the case of being born again by the Holy Spirit and the case of being baptized by the Holy Spirit are completely different events.

 

The book of Acts continues to give examples showing that the two events are different. Deacon Philip, who was baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, went to Samaria and preached the gospel, and the Samaritans heard the gospel of Jesus Christ from Deacon Philip, accepted Jesus as their Savior, and were saved (received justification). However, they have not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that they had received Jesus, they visited them and prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit, and they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

 

Saul(Paul), who persecuted Jesus' disciples so much, and the believers in Ephesus did the same. They first accepted Jesus as their Savior and then were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Only those who believe in Jesus (those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit) can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That is why, in John 14:17, Jesus said that worldly people (unbelievers) cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus still baptizes with the Holy Spirit those who believe in and accept Jesus Christ as Lord. This is because being born again and being baptized in the Holy Spirit are two separate events. The reason why we must be baptized with the Holy Spirit after receiving Jesus as our Savior is that, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we must be united with Jesus not only legally but practically. The legal union is achieved by being born again (receiving a new spirit and becoming a child of God), but the practical union is achieved by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The legal union means marriage registration, and the practical union means living a life together. So, the reason we must be baptized with the Holy Spirit is to accept Jesus as the true Lord, walk with Him, achieve sanctification (Philippians 2:12), and become Jesus' witnesses (Galatians 2:20; 1 John 3: 24; 1 John 4:13; John 17:21; Acts 1:8).

 

2) The reason why being born again by the Holy Spirit and being baptized by the Holy Spirit are different is because God is the triune God.

 

God is Spirit. The Spirit of God is in God the Father and in God the Son (Jesus). So the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit are the same God. However, the three are different (divine) persons. That means, if we believe in Heavenly Father, we must receive the Son (Jesus), and if we have received Jesus, we must also receive the Holy Spirit. When we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, it means that we receive the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we believe in the triune God, we must receive Jesus, and once we have received Jesus, we must be baptized with the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).

 

In other words, if we have already received Jesus Christ, we must be baptized with the Holy Spirit by asking with all our heart (Luke 11:13; Acts 1:14). As a result, we must always walk with Jesus. Then we will be able to sanctify our souls and become the Lord's witnesses. I pray in the name of the Lord that such blessings come to all of us.

* <The difference between "being born again by the Holy Spirit" and "being baptized with the Holy Spirit">: 

Please click the following link and read: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YtRtNvQyF7VhFS2jSPB55T49O9gE_EG5/view?usp=drive_link

* Criticism of unbiblical claims regarding "the regeneration by the Holy Spirit" and "the Baptism with the Holy Spirit":

Click once on the picture below to view the picture in more detail.

* The relationship between "human's spirit" and "the Holy Spirit":    Click once on the picture below to view the picture in more detail.

Title: Explanation of the relationship between “human spirit” and “the Holy Spirit” (in the picture above):

 

No. 1. "Before Adam's Fall" (Genesis 2:7): Adam received the human spirit through the breath of God (Prov. 20:27). His fellowship with God began.

No. 2. "After the fall of Adam" (Genesis 3:6; 2:17): Adam's spirit died (the function of his spirit ceased). The evil spirit entered Adam. We received that sinful nature (evil spirit) because of Adam when we were born. We were children of the devil (John 8:44). We live by committing sins under the control of the devil (evil spirit). Our relationship with God was broken.

No. 3. “When our spirit is born again” (John 3:6; 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1; 1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18): When we believe in Jesus Christ, our spirit is born again (but, logical order: by receiving a new spirit, we come to believe in Jesus as the Christ). Because of the new spirit, we become children of God (Galatians 3:26), but we are not yet sure that we are children of God. But we are new people, new creations (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Our faith is soulish and incomplete because the Holy Spirit has not yet entered our spirit.

 

*Caution:

In Genesis 2:7, God created Adam from the ground of dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the breath of life was not the Holy Spirit, but the spirit of man (breath of life: the first spirit that the first man, Adam, received from God). It is Neshamah in Hebrew. The word is also recorded in Proverbs 20:27, and the English Bible records it as “the spirit of a man.” Looking at it, we can see that the being born in Genesis 2:7 is not the Holy Spirit, but a human spirit. In other words, the new spirit we receive when we believe in Jesus is completely different from the Holy Spirit. If we do not make the distinction, we will equate being born again in our spirit (which results in us believing in Jesus) with being baptized by the Holy Spirit. However, being born again by the Holy Spirit and being baptized by the Holy Spirit are completely different events. That is why, in Ezekiel 36:26-27, God clearly distinguishes between “the new spirit (the human spirit)” and “my spirit (the Holy Spirit of God)” (Ezekiel 36:26: “And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgments and do them.”

 

No. 4. “When we are baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4; 8:17; 9:17; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 12:13; Galatians 3:2, 5; Ephesians 1:13; Colossians 2:11): The Holy Spirit enters our spirit and begins to dwell (John 14:16-17; First filling of the Holy Spirit: we are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16); Jesus Christ dwells in us as the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27; 1 John 4:13; 3:24; Ephesians 3:17). Practical union with Jesus. Our faith is spiritual. We are assured that we are God's children through the Holy Spirit's witness to us that we are God's children. (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:16)

 

No. 5. “When we quench the fire of the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19): If we do not live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but live according to our own will, we grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit (no work of the Holy Spirit); This state is that of a carnal person, a child in Christ (Example: Corinthian Church: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

 

No. 6. “When we are filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18): When we obey the Lord's words and are continually filled with the Holy Spirit, we live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit (we always walk with Jesus in faith). The work of the Holy Spirit appears.

 

 

 

 

11. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

 

Resurrected and ascended into heaven, Jesus will come again (second coming) on ​​the earth in the same form, riding on clouds. As already prophesied in the Bible, Jesus will come again to establish the millennial kingdom on this earth and finally complete the eternal kingdom of God. So, our purpose and vision of life are not of this earth.

 

<Caution>: In order not to be deceived by many cults disguised as Christianity, we must properly know the truth in the Bible. On what will happen before the Second Coming of Jesus, please see my weblog #6. "When is the End Times?” 

 

... Matt 24:30, 26:64; Mark 13:26, 14:62; Luke 21:27; John 14:2-3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Heb 9:28; Revelation 1:7, 22:20; Dan 7:13;

12. Resurrection of the Dead, Eternal Life and Eternal Punishment (God's Judgment)

 

The human body dies, but the spirit and soul never die. At death, the spirit and soul, separated from the body, enter either Paradise (a place in Heaven) or Hades (a place in Hell). The spirit and soul of those who believe (those who have received Jesus Christ: the righteous), at the second coming of Jesus, will be reunited with the body that has died and will rise again (resurrected as an eternal body: first resurrection: glorification), and enter the kingdom of heaven (through millennial kingdom). But, the spirits and souls of unbelievers (those who have not received Jesus Christ: the wicked) will be resurrected after the end of the Millennium to be judged and enter Hell, where they will suffer eternal torment(punishment).

 

... Matt 25:46; Matt 10:28; Acts 2:27; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Heb 9:27; Ec 3:20-21; 12:7; Mark 12:26-27; Luke 20:37-38; Luke 23:43; Luke 16:19-31; Acts 24:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 5:28-29; John 11:25; Matthew 22:30-31; Eze. 37:10; Dan 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:12-52; Romans 8:10-11; Phil 3:21; Hebrews 11:35; Isa 26:19; Rev 6:9-10; Revelation 20:4-5; Revelation 20:13-14; Revelation 21:8;

 

 

 

 

13. The God in the Three Persons: The Trinity 

 

1) God exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

2) Each person is fully God.

3) There is only one God.

 

We Christians must understand the Triune God well. Only then will we be able to worship God rightly, understand the Bible properly, and not fall for the temptations of heresy or worldly religions. The meaning of the Triune God is, “God exists as three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, the three are in essence (attributes) the perfect God. So, there is only one God (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 43:10, 44:8).” God's name is Jehovah (Lord) (Exodus 3:15). 

 

Knowing that God is Spirit is the key to understanding the Triune God. The spirit is the body of spirit material, invisible to our naked eye, unlike the body of physical material we now have and can see with the naked eye. There is only one Spirit of God, and that Spirit exists in God the Father and God the Son. They both have the same Spirit of God. So, the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20), and also the Spirit of the Son, that is, the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:9). So, the three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God. 

 

The Triune God is always present, fellowshipping, and working together. God the Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to save us humans from our sins. Jesus died on the cross, was resurrected on the third day, and had a perfect physical spirit body. After Jesus was resurrected, he showed his body to his disciples and allowed them to touch them, saying that the Spirit does not have flesh and bones, but Jesus' body has flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). After his ascension, Jesus interceded with his Father to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples. The Holy Spirit, as a separate person with the same essence (same Spirit) as Jesus, regenerates our spirit through the gospel of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, makes us believe in the Lord Jesus.

The Holy Spirit enters and indwells us and testifies to our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16), enabling us to cry out to God, Abba, Father (Romans 8:15). He illuminates the Word of God, gives us emotions and desires, and guides us using various special methods (eg, inner witness, foreboding, dreams, visions, circumstances, etc.). As a result, we can become successful in worship, be sanctified, and become witnesses of Jesus. 

In John 8:28, Jesus said that he does nothing on his own and he speaks only as his Father has taught him (cf. John 8:26, 28, 38; John 14:10). Jesus' mission was to testify of his Father. So Jesus said, He who has seen Himself has seen the Father (John 14:9). So, what about those who could not see Jesus Christ in person? How can we believe in Jesus and be saved? But that shouldn't be a problem at all. The reason is that there is the Holy Spirit.

  

John 16:13-14: “… When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (14) He will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you.”

 

Although Jesus' disciples followed Jesus full-time for three and a half years and believed in Jesus as the Christ (Messiah, Lord) sent by God, they did not have the ability to overcome the world's persecution and testify of Jesus boldly. But Jesus said, when the Holy Spirit comes upon them (they are baptized with the Holy Spirit), the Holy Spirit will receive the words of Jesus (moment to moment) and testify to them, and as a result, the disciples would testify of Jesus to people so that people eventually will believe in Jesus Christ and be saved. The disciples prayed wholeheartedly to receive the Holy Spirit, and as Jesus promised (John 14:18; Acts 1:4), on the Day of Pentecost, He sent the Holy Spirit to them (Acts 2:1-4). They were baptized with the Holy Spirit and became disciples completely different from before. Even in the midst of extreme persecution, they became Jesus' witnesses, converting many, healing the sick, and freeing those who were oppressed by the devil. It is the result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

So, those who have received Jesus as the Christ but have not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit must be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And those who have already been baptized with the Holy Spirit (baptism with the Holy Spirit is the first filling of the Holy Spirit) must continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Refilling: Ephesians 5:18). So, like the disciples on the day of Pentecost, we too must be witnesses of Jesus Christ. Because unless we testify of Jesus Christ, people will die in their sins (John 8:24; Romans 10:13-15). So, it is not an option for us to be witnesses of Jesus, but a command (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

... Gen 1:1, 26, 11:7; John 14:16-26; Matt 28:19; 1 John 5:7-8; Acts 2:1-4; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 12:9

** The God of Trinity and the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Click the picture below to see more clearly.

14. Heaven

 

Heaven does not only come into the hearts of those who believe in Jesus (Luke 17:20-21), but it is actually a place of eternal blessings from God. Heaven is a place where there is no more death, pain, tears, and pain, but only joy, peace, and happiness. No sinner can enter the kingdom of heaven, only the righteous can enter. We can receive forgiveness of sins and justification through faith in Jesus as our Savior (Romans 3:24), become children of God, and enter the kingdom of heaven to enjoy eternal life.

  

Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

 

... John 14:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Matthew 6:10; Mark 16:16; Matthew 25:34-40; Revelation 21:1-22:5; Isa 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Acts 1:11; Acts 7:55-56

 

 

15. Hell

 

Hell is the place of God's eternal punishment prepared for Satan and his followers and for unbelievers who did evil and did not receive Jesus Christ on this earth. Those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior will have no choice but to go to hell because of their sins. There is a lake of fire in Hell, and because the fire is boiling, those who fall into Hell suffer extremely (that's why we need to keep praying for unbelievers and preaching Jesus to save them).

 

... Mark 9:43-48; Mark 16:16; Revelation 21:8; Matt 10:28; Matthew 13:39-40; Matthew 25:41-46; Psalm 86:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Luke 16:23; Revelation 20:10-15

 <Dear brothers and sisters in Christ>, The Creator God created and blessed us. However, we have committed numerous sins by living only for ourselves without fearing God, not keeping His commandments. As a result, we could not escape the punishment, suffering, and judgment that followed. However, God has compassion on us who are sinners, and to wash away all our sins and save us from the punishment of hell, He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth, and Jesus shed His precious blood on the cross. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we must know the seriousness of our sins, and we must know how much God loves us. 

However, because we were all born spiritually dead for the sin we inherited from Adam, in our own wisdom and strength, we were not able to realize the great love of Jesus for us and respond it. So, God calls us to the gospel of Jesus and regenerates our spirits through the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5), and as a result, we realize that we are sinners, repent and accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord (Matt 16:16-17), and God justifies us and gives us the authority to become children of God.

We must know the reason why Jesus gave us such great grace. This is so that we can praise Jesus, live for Jesus, and depend on Jesus alone (Colossians 1:16). We must live according to the will of Jesus, not our own. We must love Jesus with all our heart, mind, and heart (with all our best) and obey His commandments (Deuteronomy 4:29; Hebrews 11:6, 12:28; Ephesians 2:8-10; Matthew 22: 37-40). Those who fear Jesus and keep His commandments are those who know His grace and love Him (John 14:15; 1 John 5:1-2). Jesus is pleased with such people, uses them beautifully, and gives them corresponding blessings on earth (Deuteronomy 30:9) and rewards in heaven (Hebrews 10:35-36; 2 Timothy 4:7-8).

<<In order for us to succeed in the life of faith, we must overcome the things that hinder the life of faith, such as the devil, the world, the flesh, the self, humanism, the surrounding environment, temptation, and persecution. For that, God has given us spiritual means and weapons. It is: 1) God's Word of Truth; 2) the Holy Spirit; 3) faith; 4) the blood of Jesus; 5) the name of Jesus; 6) the authority of children and the privilege of prayer; 7) worship; 8) spiritual gifts; 9) Church; 10) Offices and missions 11) Angels of God. So, we must use the spiritual weapons that God has given us to overcome the devil, the world, the flesh, the self, and the environment, and carry out the missions entrusted to us well>>.

 

 

The basics of life of faith can be summarized in the following seven points.

 

  

1. If you accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and your savior, attend the (Protestants) Church and receive the pastor's guidance. Be baptized with water and become a member of the body of Jesus Christ, the church (Ephesians 1:23). Be sure to attend the Sunday worship service and worship God (Hebrews 10:25).

 

- Receive education for baptism from church pastor and be baptized with water (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 16:16; Acts 2:38).

 

- Worship God on a regular basis (Must worship on Sunday; Basic elements of worship: repentance, praise, thanksgiving, the Word, offering, blessing, fellowship) … John 4:23; De 6:4; Romans 12:1; Isa 55:3; Hebrews 10:19-22

 

- Offer to God the offerings (tithes, thanksgivings, and other offerings) … Mal 3:10; Matthew 5:24; Matthew 23:23; Luke 18:12

 

- Listen to church pastor's sermon and learn the Word of God...Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7-11; Col 1:28; 2 Tim. 4:1-2; Heb 13:17; 2 Timothy 2:25

 

- Take part in the holy communion ... 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew 26:26-28

 

- Fellowship in Jesus Christ....Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:46-47... The sanctification (growth and maturity) of believers is accomplished through the Holy Spirit and true fellowship in Jesus Christ.

 

* <<Application of Salvation (in logical order)>>:

 

(1) God's call: we hear the gospel of salvation of Jesus Christ ----> (2) (God regenerates our spirits by the Holy Spirit): we confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior: Legal union with Jesus: Remission of sins/ (Justification: Salvation of the Spirit: Receiving a new Spirit: Past tense) : (3) Be baptized with water in a church and become a member of the church, the body of Christ ----> (4) Fellowship with God and spiritual training: Worship / the Word and prayer ----> (5) Baptism with the Holy Spirit (the Holy Spirit's dwelling in our spirit: initial filling of the Holy Spirit: the Holy Spirit fills our spirits): Receives the gift of the Holy Spirit (e.g., speaking in tongues…. ): Overcoming the flesh and living according to the spirit under the guidance of the Holy Spirit: Continuously denying the old self: Living by the spirit not by the flesh----> Being constantly filled(refilled) with the Holy Spirit ----> (6) Walk with Jesus as the Lord of our soul: We are practically united with Jesus / (Sanctification: Salvation of the soul: present progressive) ----> (7) (By the gift, power and authority of the Holy Spirit) preaching Gospel and salvation work ----> (8) God's calling us to heaven: the death of the body ----> (9) The second coming of Jesus / We are resurrected with an eternal body / (Glorification: Salvation of the body: future tense ) / Millennial Kingdom

 

  

2. Read and meditate on the Bible every day.

 

- Read and meditate on the words of the Bible every day. So, discern God's will for you.

 

- The Bible is the Word of God, and it is the truth… . Acts 17:11; John 17:3; John 17:17; Hos 6:3; John 8:32; 2 Corinthians 3:17

 

* Eat the Word of God every day as you eat the food of the flesh every day (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3). The Word of God is the daily bread for your spirit.

 

* “Stand having girded your waist with the truth” (Ephesians 6:14): the opposite of truth is false. Satan deceives ignorant people with countless lies, leading them to distrust God, disobey God's Word, sin, and lead them down the road to destruction. Without the word of truth, we collapse. Therefore, only when we know and hold on to the truth of God revealed in the Bible, we can not be deceived by Satan, and only when we proclaim the truth we can overcome Satan's schemes and enjoy the freedom that God gives us in Jesus. (John 8:32; Gal 5:1). Oppose the devil by proclaiming the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10).

 

- When you hear the word of God and realize in your conscience that you have sinned, immediately repent of that sin. Unless we repent, our fellowship with God will be weakened, and we will live as hypocrites.... Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; Psalm 51:17; Psalm 34:18; James 4:9;

 

 

3. “Always offer prayers and supplications.” (Ephesians 6:18).

 

- Pray always in the Holy Spirit (in spirit: in tongues & in mind) (1 Corinthians 14:15). God hears and responds to our prayers.

  

- Prayer is a personal conversation with God. We should not ask only what we ask of God. When we pray, we must be able to hear and respond to the inward witness of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (cf. the inward witness of the Holy Spirit: Romans 8: 16). The inner witness of the Holy Spirit never goes against the Word of God. When we hear the witnesses of the Holy Spirit, we can live according to God's will rather than our imperfect reason and the five senses of our flesh.

  

- Pray only with faith.

When praying, first, be specific about your own wishes. Make sure it is in accordance with the will of our Heavenly Father as revealed in the Bible. If your wishes accord with the word of God, do not doubt, but with faith, ask your Heavenly Father boldly, in the name of Jesus.

 

- Pray for the healing of physical ailments and mental ailments. Healing is the absolute will of God (Isaiah 53:5; Matt 8:17; 1 Pet 2:24). So, the Apostle James exhorted the sick saints to ask the pastors of the church for prayer(James 5:14-17). So, if a disease comes upon us, we must ask the pastors of the church for prayers, and if the circumstances do not allow, we must hold on to the promise of healing ourselves and pray (by faith). 

<Caution>: If the children of God have heard the word of God (the Lord) and prayed in faith according to the word, they must believe that they have already received what they asked for (Mark 11:24; James 1:5-6; John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15). And, we should give thanks to God for the answer and praise Him. Because that prayer will surely be answered. In order for us to receive answers from God, we must pray and confess (declare) in faith. Then, we will eventually experience answers from the faithful God. However, don't be discouraged if the answer doesn't come right away. The answer will surely come. If we are sure of the answer, we should no longer be concerned about the answer to our prayers. We must leave everything to God and keep the faith (our responsibility). This is to protect our prayers from the tricks and attacks of Satan the devil without losing our answers to the end.

 

- Only long for God's grace... Isa 33:2; James 4:6

 

- Have peace, joy, gratitude, courage… 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Philippians 4:11-13

 

… Mark 11:23-24; Matt 21:21-22; John 15:7, 14:14; 16:23; 1 John 3:21-22; 5:14-15; Matt 6:9-13; Philippians 4:6-7;

 

... The five components of prayer: praise, thanksgiving, repentance, intercession, supplication

 

4. Be filled with the Holy Spirit, overcome the lusts of the flesh, and live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

 

- In order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must first be baptized with the Holy Spirit (baptism with the Holy Spirit is the first filling of the Holy Spirit).

 

- In order to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, like the 120 disciples of Jesus in the upper room of Mark on the Day of Pentecost, we long for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and we must pray with all our hearts and not give up until we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. Another way to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to ask a pastor or minister who can baptize you with the Holy Spirit by laying on the hands (Matthew 3:11; Luke 11:13; John 7:37-38; John 10:22; Acts 1). :8; Acts 2:4; Acts 8:16-17; Acts 10:44; Acts 19:2-6).

 

- Always change your mind and achieve sanctification through the Word and prayer (Romans 12:2; Proverbs 4:23; John 17:17; 1 Timothy 4:5). 

 

- When deciding and pursuing a certain task, do not follow your own imperfect reason and emotions, do not follow the lusts of your fallen flesh, and do not unconditionally follow the recommendations of those around you no matter how plausible it may seem. Instead, you should listen only to the Word of God, which the Holy Spirit testifies to your spirit, through Word and prayer alone (recognizing the absolute necessity of Word and prayer).

 

- "Only be filled with the Holy Spirit."... Ephesians 5:18. A Christian who has been baptized with the Holy Spirit must continue to be refilled with the Holy Spirit. To be refilled with the Holy Spirit, we have to worship God, give thanks to God, maintain reconciliation in your relationship with others, and obey each other in the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19-6:4).

 

* “Put on the breastplate of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 6:14), and live a righteous life. Do not follow the desires of the flesh (the old man), but only the desires of the Holy Spirit: (When you put on the breastplate of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, it means that you overcome sin and live a righteous life through faith in the merits of Jesus Christ) ... Ephesians 6:14; Gal 5:16-18; Romans 8:5-17

 

- Completely deny self (Matthew 26:39-44; Mark 14:36-39; Luke 22:40-44; Gal 2:20; Phil 1:20-21; 2 Corinthians 4:7-11; Matthew 16: 24). In order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be led by the Holy Spirit, and to experience the work of the Holy Spirit, we must first completely deny our self (our independent will, opinion) (Matthew 16:24). This is because our ego interferes with the work of the Holy Spirit. By the way, denying our self is not our human effort. It can only be done by faith. That faith is the belief that our old self (body) has already died on the cross with Jesus and has been resurrected with Jesus to become a new person. When we have that faith, we will live according to the will of the Lord without claiming our will. However, as long as our old self is alive and not dead, we can never do God's will. Declare daily: “My old self has already died on the cross with Jesus. Also, I have already risen from the dead with Jesus and became a new person. All my body belongs to the Lord. I no longer have a body to respond to sin (my hands are the hands of the Lord. I cannot sin with the hands of the Lord. I cannot go where the feet of the Lord sin). So today, I will be led by the Holy Spirit and live only for the kingdom and righteousness of God in my body according to the words of Jesus. amen!" (Romans 6:1-14) 

 

- Stop all iniquity (1 Thessalonians 5:22). If you have sinned, be forgiven of your sins by confessing your sins and relying on the merits of the blood of Jesus for forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

 

- Love Jesus with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.… Matthew 22:37-40; If you love Jesus, you are bound to obey the words of Jesus… .John 14:15, 23;

 

- According to the gifts God has given you, carry out the office of the church and the mission of God… 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:13

 

* In order to be used well by God, always seek the gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-12).

 

- Serve your neighbors...with compassion, forgiveness and love... Matthew 22:39; Lev 19:18; Heb 13:1-2, 16 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Witness the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

- Strive to save the souls of your neighbors... . Matthew 28:19-20

 

* The purpose and vision of our life is not on this earth. It is the new heaven and new earth, the millennial kingdom that Jesus will come to fulfill at his second coming and the eternal kingdom of God that will come after that. That is why we must always strive to save souls.

 

- Only be filled with the Holy Spirit and preach the gospel of Jesus... Mark 16:15; 2 Timothy 4:2

 

* “Put on the shoes of the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15): The reality of the gospel is Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ leads us to the peace of God and provides it to our neighbors as well. 

 

The following is the core 7 gospel of Jesus Christ that we must believe for our salvation and preach to our neighbors.

 

1) Jesus' identity: Jesus, as the Creator God, created the heavens and the earth and all things in the beginning. (John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-2; Genesis 1:1-3)

2) The incarnation of Jesus: Jesus came to this earth in the flesh to save mankind who had fallen by sin. Jesus is the perfect God and the perfect man (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:14, 18; 5:18; 10:30; 1 John 5:20; Philippians 2:6-8). * Matthew 16 :16: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

3) Jesus' atonement on the cross: Jesus hung on the cross, shed his pure blood, died, and atoned for our sins (John 19:30). Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ (by being born again by the Holy Spirit) will receive eternal life (John 3:5; 3:16).

4) The resurrection of Jesus, Ascension: Jesus was buried in a tomb, resurrected with an eternal body three days after his burial, appeared to his disciples for 40 days, taught them, and then ascended to heaven. (Matthew 27:50, 60; John 20:26-29; Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:20)

5) The baptism with the Holy Spirit by Jesus: Jesus ascended into heaven and on the day of Pentecost sent the Holy Spirit to those who believed and asked for, so that they received power and become witnesses of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8; 2:4). Even now, at the right hand of the God's throne, Jesus intercedes for those who come to God through Him (Romans 8:34; 7:25), and baptizes with the Holy Spirit those who seek Him (John 14:16-17; Luke 11:13; Acts 2:38-39). Therefore, the believer (the born again: the regenerate) must be baptized with the Holy Spirit and become witnesses.

6) The Second Coming of Jesus: Jesus will return to earth as the Lord of Judgment, and those who believe will be resurrected like Jesus. (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

7) Jesus’ (earthly) reign: Jesus will return to this earth and establish the millennium kingdom (on the earth), and those who believe will rule and live with Jesus in the thousand-year kingdom and then enter the eternal heaven (new heaven and new earth) and enjoy eternal life. (Revelation 20:1-6; Revelation 5:10, 11:15; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-2)

6. Rely on Jesus Christ alone in everything.

 

- Don't rely on yourself and the world, but only on Jesus... Psalm 37:5

  

- Turn all your worries over to Jesus through prayer, and don't worry any more (only then can you experience the answers to your prayers) .... Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7;

 

- Live by faith alone.... Romans 1:17; Gal 2:20; Habakkuk 2:4;

 

* “Take up the shield of faith.” (Ephesians 6:16), and extinguish the fiery arrows of the devil. The devil will try to tempt us, to instill worry and anxieties, and to knock us down by all means (1 Peter 5:8). 

  

- (by the authority of the children of God), resist the devil, in the name of Jesus.... James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9;

 

- Oppose the devil (1 Peter 5:9). (Anytime the devil deceives you with lies or evil thoughts or attacks you with fear), in the name of Jesus, or by the blood of Jesus, or by proclaiming the word of God (sword of the Holy Spirit), Repel it (Ephesians 6:17; Matt. 4:10). And, obey only God's Word:

 

- Destroy the works of the devil in Jesus name.... Luke 4:18-19; 1 John 3:8; Mark 16:17-18; The devil brought sin, disease, and death into the world (John 10:10). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to this earth to destroy the works of the devil and showed the power of forgiveness of sins by healing people's various diseases (Mark 2:9-11). At the end of His public ministry, Jesus Himself died on the cross, shed His blood, and rose again to save us from all sins, diseases, and the power of death (to destroy the works of the devil). So, those who have received the forgiveness of sins and justification by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord must resist the devil in the name of Jesus Christ and be healed of all diseases (physical and mental diseases). Healing is God's will (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

 

 

 

 

7. Hope for Heaven (Kingdom of God)

 

- Our life of faith means that we walk daily with the Trinity, Jehovah God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are our Creator, Lord of our salvation, protector and guide) and hope for Heaven, our eternal home. do. So, even if Satan (the devil, demons, and demons) interferes with our worship, sanctification, and evangelism work of Jesus and persecutes us through worldly authorities, worldly religions and unbelievers, we should never lose faith or become discouraged. We must be patient, resist the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9), and live only with joy and thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). It is because we have the Lord God who never changes, is always with us, and gives us victory (John 10:29; 1 John 4:4; Romans 8:37), and that the eternal kingdom of heaven is prepared for us.

- Don't love the world... 1 John 2:15-17; 2 Timothy 4:3-11

 

- Longing for your eternal home (Heaven) and a better resurrection....John 14:1-2; John 5:29; Heb 11:16, 35; 1 Corinthians 15:41-44; Revelation 20:4-6

 

* “Put on the helmet of salvation.” (Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8): The devil prevents us from having the assurance of salvation. However, if you have believed and received Jesus with your heart, have the unwavering assurance and hope of salvation (Rom. 8:35-39; 2 Tim. 1:12). And, live by faith alone (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hab 2:4). The helmet of salvation guides our lives safely. 

 

 

 

<The Importance of Repentance and Faith>:

 

The event in which we first received Jesus as Savior and Lord is called conversion. Conversion comes through "repentance and faith." We are saved (justified) only through repentance and faith. However, repentance and faith are not only necessary when we first received Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Repentance and faith are needed every day. It is for sanctification.

 

1) Repentance Meaning: Repentance is acknowledging my sins (what I did was bad), grieving and hating them, and deciding to never sin again but to live a life of obedience to Jesus.

 

2) The difference between regret and repentance: If I mourn for a sin I have committed, but do not turn to God through the blood of Jesus, and do not resolve to quit the sin, it is not repentance. It is regret.

 

3) The relationship between repentance and faith:

 

If we sin again and come to Jesus without repenting of our sins, or if we repent of our sins but do not come to Jesus, that is neither true repentance nor true faith. Repentance and faith must happen at the same time. Without faith, there is no repentance. That is, when we repent, we repent with faith that we can be forgiven. When we have sinned, we must confess our sins and go to Jesus and ask Him to forgive us (1 John 1:8-9).

 

4) Faith does not mean that we believe in Jesus only as Savior, but we believe in Jesus as Savior and the Lord. Jesus is our Lord. That means we live with Jesus as Lord.

 

If we come to Jesus only for the forgiveness of our sins, that is not true faith. It is because we have no intention of living a changed life. In other words, repentance and faith are necessary not only for forgiveness of sins but also for a transformed life. When we come to Jesus, we must come to Jesus not only for the forgiveness of our sins, but also for the purpose of turning away from our sins and obeying him. That is the essence of repentance and faith. We must live a life transformed by repentance and faith: Matthew 3:8: “(Therefore) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are burdened.... Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…. and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

John 15:5: “I am the vine, and you are the branches, if you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” 

 

 

 

<<Conclusion>>: We are saved only by faith. Our beliefs are two-fold. We believe that all our sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus on the cross. We believe that our sinful body (flesh: the old man) has already died with Jesus, and our spirits have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, making us a new man (Justification). So, those who have been saved must no longer live according to the flesh. We must live only under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must completely deny our imperfect self and live with Jesus as our Savior and Lord. For that, we must meditate on God's Word every day and come before God in praise, thanksgiving, and prayer (worship and service). If we have sinned inevitably, we must repent of your sins and receive forgiveness of sins based on the merits of the blood of Jesus. With the word of God, our mind must be changed (sanctification) to discern God's will, to spread Jesus to unbelieving souls, and to expand the kingdom of God. I pray in the name of our Lord Jesus that God's great grace may come to all of you.

<Important!! We must take the bread of eternal life every day.>

 

After Jesus performed the miracle of feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, the crowds came to Jesus more earnestly to get their daily bread. However, Jesus told them not to work for the food that perishes, but to believe in Him for eternal life. Jesus alone is our bread for eternal life (John 6:27). This is because Jesus was crucified on the cross, torn His flesh, shed all His blood, died and rose again to atone for our sins and became our Savior and Lord.

 

Even if we are sufficiently supplied with our daily bread on this earth and have all other means of livelihood, it is meaningless if we do not have the bread of eternal life. This is because we cannot escape eternal suffering by going to hell because of our sins. So, having compassion on us, Jesus came in the flesh and died on the cross as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. It is to give us eternal life. So, we must accept Jesus to receive eternal life.

If you have not yet believed in Jesus and have not received eternal life, please accept Jesus now.

 

Jesus did not die on the cross for his own sins. Since Jesus was completely without sin (Hebrews 4:15), there was absolutely no reason to pay for his sin. Jesus died for our sins. It is the work of costly sacrifice that Jesus made to give us eternal life. So, we must accept Jesus deeply in our hearts and confess Jesus as Lord with our lips (Romans 10:9-10).

 

If you have already accepted Jesus as your Savior, it means that you have already received the eternal life that Jesus gives you. However, you must admit that it was not done by your wisdom, but only by God's regeneration of your spirit through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). So, you must, always, give thanks, praise and glory to God.

  

However, there is one thing we should keep in mind. Eternal life does not mean only the life we get when we die and go to heaven. Eternal life must be experienced from this earth.

 

How, then, can we enjoy eternal life every day?

 

Jesus said (John 6:53-57): "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me." 

 

We can enjoy eternal life by eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood, every day. However, that does not mean, in reality, that we eat Jesus' flesh and drink his blood. We can't actually eat the flesh of Jesus and we can't drink his blood. Even if we do, we cannot directly obtain eternal life. This is because we cannot obtain eternal life by eating material things. So, Jesus said (John 6:63): "It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life." We receive eternal life by believing in Jesus, because of the work of Jesus, according to the words of Jesus.

 

We must, by faith, eat the flesh of Jesus and drink the blood of Jesus every day. The blood of Jesus has the power to wash away all our sins. So, every day, we must think of the sins we have committed in our minds and deeds, and repent by relying on the merits of the blood of the Lord. Then, Jesus will forgive our sins and cleanse our mind and body so that we can walk with Him again (1 John 1:7-9).

 

The flesh (body) of Jesus has the power to prevent our sins. Jesus was crucified on the cross, shed all his blood, and died. We, through faith, died with Jesus and rose again with Jesus (Romans 6:11; Galatians 2:20). We believe that there is no longer a sinful body but only a new body. So, we will no longer respond to sin, but only to the Word of God.

 

Jesus said (John 7:37-38): "...If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture says, out of his belly (heart) will flow rivers of living water." (The living water here refers to the Holy Spirit that those who believe in Jesus will receive).

 

Even if we eat enough food for our bodies every day, without Jesus in our hearts, minds, and lives, we will surely experience thirst. That is why we must come to Jesus by faith every day. We must look to Jesus every day (Hebrews 12:2). We must call on the name of Jesus (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). Then, Jesus will fill us with the Holy Spirit and lead us to hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27). As a result, we will be able to achieve sanctification every day and live the life of a witness for Jesus. I believe that this is the eternal life we should enjoy on this earth.

 

Jesus commands us who are saved to go out into the world and preach Him. It is for people to believe in Jesus and have eternal life. When we obey Jesus' command to evangelize, we are putting into practice Jesus' command to love our neighbors as ourselves. I pray, in the name of the Lord, that all of you will eat the bread of eternal life that Jesus gives you every day, fulfill your sanctification, and live as witnesses of Jesus.

<References>:

1. “Problems and Solutions of some Protestant Soteriology.” (Click the link below to read the article):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_lAZJUwyTleEDwmSq1nq3InzsStdCvcQ/view?usp=sharing

2. "Reasons for failure in life of faith and the solutions":

Click the link below to read the content:

: https://spiritruledlife.blogspot.com/2022/05/spirit.html

*Note: 

1) The text in English is posted last (Korean Text is placed first).

2) <The difference between "being born again by the Spirit" and "being baptized with the Spirit"> is included here.

3) "The Way to Revival" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones : Click the link below to read the content. (in Korean and English):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DrL6XP1qBnnQzRtJtnVgw0LJOCNfbPkq/view?usp=sharing

3. (book) The Holy Spirit (by E. W. Kenyon) & Its Review: 

Click the link below to read the content:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hBnaXSiA_xQSgCaECmBvUurwWJQXuKl2/view?usp=share_link

4. (book) The Baptism in the Holy Spirit: [The Holy Spirit and You] by Dennis & Rita Bennett: If you click the link below, you can read: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XzL6PNaQoAbuFwFQ9VD7z3HxPoLE92cQ/view?usp=share_link

5. (book) How to be filled with the Holy Spirit by A. W. Tozer :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15wNFglSWy9LYtMQuSpR3lGVYzgPj-ssS/view?usp=share_link

** Title: "Review of claims regarding the regeneration of human spirit, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, the filling with the Holy Spirit." Please click the link below and read it: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d6TnQbA6S7T3Pz3Km9DXb9cOBQtU6Yt4/view?usp=drive_link

6. (book) “Listen to your spirit ”:

Click the link below to read the content: 

:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eDoJinOGemO_U-5TyK_BA2sOEA4If_pj/view?usp=sharing

 

7. (book) : [How You Can be Led by the Spirit of God?] by Kenneth E. Hagin: 

please click the link below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ulkSzk4jAwGKCzbw3cIsj-6Az3mR-IIC/view?usp=sharing

 

8. (book) "Jesus-the-Healer" by E. W. Kenyon:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSPotAW4vceI27VzyoLKtZZDt59FGIV7/view?usp=share_link

9. (book) "The wonderful Name of Jesus" by E. W. Kenyon: 

Please click the link below to read!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bVHxDTzcnG9Dt7CRUSXNQwLZ9d8jv85X/view?usp=share_link

10. (book) "Father and His Family" by E. W. Kenyon.(click below link to read)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M7r0ygBhslHcwYLOw1yuZg31hi0u-1Tf/view?usp=share_link

11. (book) "The Pursuit of God" by A. W. Tozer: 

Please click the link below to read!

https://spiritruledlife.blogspot.com/2023/12/10-pursuit-of-god.html

12. (book) "Mystery of the Holy Spirit" by A. W. Tozer: 

Please click the link below to read!

https://spiritruledlife.blogspot.com/2023/12/11-mystery-of-holy-spirit.html

13. (book) “Teaching from the Tabernacle" by C. SUMNER

WEMP: Please click the link below to read!

https://spiritruledlife.blogspot.com/2024/10/12-tabernacle.html

<Another option>:  

<How to move to Other Articles: No.6 ~ No.1>: If you want to read other Articles, go to the bottom of this page and click Right Arrow(>>) or Older Posts. Then you can see No. 6 Article. Instead, if you click "View web version" on the bottom, you can see Blog Archive and the Years of writing(2016, 2013, 2012). When you click each year, you can see No.1 ~ No.6 Articles in them.>