Eternal Gospel

The Joy of Carrying Around the Death of Jesus!
2003-10-21 17:46
Truly blessed are those who carry around in their body the death of Jesus because the life of Jesus is also revealed in their body. It is written, "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body (2 Corinthians 4:10)."

Those who carry around in their body the death of Jesus have been united with Jesus in his death, and also have been united with him in his resurrection. The life of Jesus is also revealed in their body. That life is the light of men. Anyone without the light does not belong to Christ Jesus.

We offer whole burnt offerings on the altar to our God who has let us carry around in our body the death of Jesus. The everlasting praise is God the Father of love, who gave up his own Son as a man for us, and has let us be united with Jesus and carry around in our body the death of Jesus. Amen.

Carrying around in our body the death of Jesus means our dying with him. If we died with Jesus, we will live with Jesus and the life of Jesus will certainly be revealed in our body. All these are accomplished by precious faith. This faith is the fully assured faith, working through love.

God sent us his own Son, the man Jesus Christ so that we may carry around the death of Jesus, and that the body of sin may be destroyed with Jesus, and that we may put off the natural body, be raised a spiritual body, and be saved.

If we die separately from the death of Jesus, that is just the death of Judas Iscariot. The Bible says, "Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him (2 Timothy 2:11)."

This is truly trustworthy saying! "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." Amen.

The joy of carrying around in our body the death of Jesus cannot be found in this world. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. The Lord spoke by a parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field (Matthew 13:44)." He who found the life of the Lord will go in his joy and sell his own life and buy this life.

This is the message of the cross, in which we lay down our lives to take them up again. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It is written, "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance (Romans 8:24-25)."

Carrying around in our body the death of Jesus means our becoming one body with Jesus. Jesus as the head and we as the body die together. Without dying as one body, there is no living as one body. Here is the mystery of Christ and the church. It is written, "This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32)."

It is as if two half shekels become one shekel. This is the mystery: He gave himself as a ransom (a half shekel) for all men. A half shekel is for atoning for our lives. But the testimony will be given in its proper time. It is written, "who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time (1 Timothy 2:6)."

This half shekel atoning for our lives has been sent into the world to find another half shekel, its mate. It is written, "go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours (Matthew 17:27)." Another half shekel that is joined to the Lord to become one shekel is one with him in spirit. In order to obtain one united with him in his death and also in his resurrection, God sent his only begotten Son into the world and has been finding another half shekel, his mate.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus become his mate and carry around in their body the death of Jesus. And also, they have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires and have been raised with him and will walk in newness of life. Therefore, it is written, "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:4)."

Here is the joy of those who carry around in their body the death of Jesus. Thank you, Lord.

The least brother, Kim Yun-gu

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