The Better Country
2003-11-10 15:30
The place that one is born of his parents is called his homeland. Because all people have been born in the world under the sun, their homeland is this world under the sun. The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage, and give birth to their children belonging to this world. They all belong to this world and live the already dead lives that appear for a little while and then vanish.
Stillbirth means that a mother gives birth to a dead baby. All people in the world, which is their homeland, died in Adam. So all are stillborns who came out dead into the world. It is written, "as in Adam all die..." And also it is written, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
If a natural flower is cut from the stalk and is put in a vase, it is actually a dead flower separated from the life. The flower does not live a living life but a dead life. Likewise, all people in the world do not live living lives but dead lives because they all already died in Adam. Therefore, the Bible refers to man's works as dead works. And also it says, " you were dead in your transgressions and sins."
Flesh gives birth to flesh. Flesh is what is already dead. That is the body of death, which was conceived in sin and was born in sin. So all men are stillborns.
God sent his Son from above into the world to make us alive who were dead, and to let us be born again from above through him. It is Jesus Christ who did the will of God, the amazing new thing of God who sent him. That good news is the eternal gospel through which we put off the old self and put on the new self.
This is the covenant and oath God made with Abraham: Through Christ Jesus all nations on earth will be blessed. It is written, "the oath he swore to our father Abraham."
The goal of our faith born through Christ Jesus is the salvation of our souls, that is, the new life. The homeland that the old life came from is called 'this world', but the better country that the new life comes from is called 'that world.'
Abraham who saw Christ afar off was given a new life, an eternal gift given through precious faith by God's grace. It is written, "(as it is written, 'I have made you a father of many nations') in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17)." Therefore, Christ the wellspring of new life precedes Abraham. This new life is the good wine that has been saved, as it is written, "And in this mountain The LORD of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees."
The name of the man who came from the homeland in this world is "Abram", but the name of the man who came from the better country in that world is "Abraham." The love of God is so great and overflowing that God let Abraham in this world see the better country in that world afar off and let Christ Jesus, his offspring be born.
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. It is written, "'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living (Matthew 22:32)."
God gave us the better country of new life, which lasts forever. It is not the homeland of dead life. The Bible says about our God, "If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:15-16)."
Therefore, the people of Jesus Christ, who are born again from above, have a better country. It is God's precious gift given through faith in Christ Jesus to those God foreknew. It is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9)."
The better country is a new heaven and a new earth in which the new lives born again from above through faith dwell with the true Father everlastingly. "Our citizenship is in heaven." Amen. Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
Stillbirth means that a mother gives birth to a dead baby. All people in the world, which is their homeland, died in Adam. So all are stillborns who came out dead into the world. It is written, "as in Adam all die..." And also it is written, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
If a natural flower is cut from the stalk and is put in a vase, it is actually a dead flower separated from the life. The flower does not live a living life but a dead life. Likewise, all people in the world do not live living lives but dead lives because they all already died in Adam. Therefore, the Bible refers to man's works as dead works. And also it says, " you were dead in your transgressions and sins."
Flesh gives birth to flesh. Flesh is what is already dead. That is the body of death, which was conceived in sin and was born in sin. So all men are stillborns.
God sent his Son from above into the world to make us alive who were dead, and to let us be born again from above through him. It is Jesus Christ who did the will of God, the amazing new thing of God who sent him. That good news is the eternal gospel through which we put off the old self and put on the new self.
This is the covenant and oath God made with Abraham: Through Christ Jesus all nations on earth will be blessed. It is written, "the oath he swore to our father Abraham."
The goal of our faith born through Christ Jesus is the salvation of our souls, that is, the new life. The homeland that the old life came from is called 'this world', but the better country that the new life comes from is called 'that world.'
Abraham who saw Christ afar off was given a new life, an eternal gift given through precious faith by God's grace. It is written, "(as it is written, 'I have made you a father of many nations') in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17)." Therefore, Christ the wellspring of new life precedes Abraham. This new life is the good wine that has been saved, as it is written, "And in this mountain The LORD of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees."
The name of the man who came from the homeland in this world is "Abram", but the name of the man who came from the better country in that world is "Abraham." The love of God is so great and overflowing that God let Abraham in this world see the better country in that world afar off and let Christ Jesus, his offspring be born.
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. It is written, "'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living (Matthew 22:32)."
God gave us the better country of new life, which lasts forever. It is not the homeland of dead life. The Bible says about our God, "If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:15-16)."
Therefore, the people of Jesus Christ, who are born again from above, have a better country. It is God's precious gift given through faith in Christ Jesus to those God foreknew. It is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9)."
The better country is a new heaven and a new earth in which the new lives born again from above through faith dwell with the true Father everlastingly. "Our citizenship is in heaven." Amen. Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
