The Evening and the Morning
2004-02-05 20:43
Morning cannot exist without evening: Light without darkness, purity without filthiness, peace without suffering, love without hate, obedience without disobedience, and good without evil. At the marriage of Cana, the last wine was better than the first, "...Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now (John 2:10)."
The Bible clearly speaks about this truth. When darkness was over the surface of the deep, God said, "Let there be light." Abel was born later than Cain, Isacc later than Ishmael, and Jacob later than Esau. Jacob was loved, but Esau was hated. There is the last Adam of obedience becuase there is the first Adam of disobedience.
There is righteousness because there is sin; if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. The new covenant, the law of the Spirit of life is given later than the old covenant, the law of sin and death. The Bible testifies about the second man Jesus, "who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16)."
The Bible says about this truth, "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6:1)." Knowing this truth leads us to the way to God. The Lord came into the world to testify to this truth, and he finished it.
It is written, " 'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me (John 18:37).' " And again, "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30)."
Therefore, this is the order in which God works in Christ Jesus; darkness comes first, light comes last. It is clearly written, "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all (Romans 11:32)."
The phrase "God has bound all men over to disobedience" means that all men were conceived in sin and born in sin. It is written, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalms 51:5)." And also, "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Romans 3:10-12)."
It is written, "He said to them, 'Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old (Matthew 13:52)." No one except the owner of the house can distinguish between new treasures and old in his storeroom.
Therefore, the Bible says about the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ, the truth. With this knowledge of the truth, we can know that all things of flesh are refuse and rubbish, and we can put away all of them. Putting away does not mean leaving this world. We put away them with a true heart in full assurance of faith. The Bible says that with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Now this is eternal life: that we may know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. It is written, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32)."
The prophet Isaiah said, "For this is what the LORD says: "You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed (Isaiah 52:3)." Now we say, "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence (Hosea 6:1-2)."
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).' " Amen. The Evening and the morning... Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
The Bible clearly speaks about this truth. When darkness was over the surface of the deep, God said, "Let there be light." Abel was born later than Cain, Isacc later than Ishmael, and Jacob later than Esau. Jacob was loved, but Esau was hated. There is the last Adam of obedience becuase there is the first Adam of disobedience.
There is righteousness because there is sin; if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. The new covenant, the law of the Spirit of life is given later than the old covenant, the law of sin and death. The Bible testifies about the second man Jesus, "who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16)."
The Bible says about this truth, "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6:1)." Knowing this truth leads us to the way to God. The Lord came into the world to testify to this truth, and he finished it.
It is written, " 'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me (John 18:37).' " And again, "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30)."
Therefore, this is the order in which God works in Christ Jesus; darkness comes first, light comes last. It is clearly written, "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all (Romans 11:32)."
The phrase "God has bound all men over to disobedience" means that all men were conceived in sin and born in sin. It is written, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalms 51:5)." And also, "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Romans 3:10-12)."
It is written, "He said to them, 'Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old (Matthew 13:52)." No one except the owner of the house can distinguish between new treasures and old in his storeroom.
Therefore, the Bible says about the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ, the truth. With this knowledge of the truth, we can know that all things of flesh are refuse and rubbish, and we can put away all of them. Putting away does not mean leaving this world. We put away them with a true heart in full assurance of faith. The Bible says that with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Now this is eternal life: that we may know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. It is written, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32)."
The prophet Isaiah said, "For this is what the LORD says: "You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed (Isaiah 52:3)." Now we say, "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence (Hosea 6:1-2)."
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).' " Amen. The Evening and the morning... Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
