The Mystery of Faith That Pleases God
2004-11-29 22:51
If a man pleases God, it is the most valuable thing. How, then, can a man please God? The Bible says about what makes God pleased.
It is written about the people who please God, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith." (Romans 3:27). And also, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6).
Therefore, the righteous one, with whom God is pleased, will live by faith. It is written, "But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." (Hebrews 10:38).
The first one who pleased God was not the first Adam but the last Adam, the second man. This man is Jesus Christ who was declared to be the Son of God. He is before Abraham, the father of faith, was born.
It is written, "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am!'" (John 8:58). And again, "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." (John 8:56).
Therefore, Abraham is "the father of faith" who became a model to all those who please God, and the man Jesus Christ is "the author of faith." It is written, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2).
The Bible does not refer to God Himself as "the author of faith," but to the man Jesus Christ who was born of the seed of David. That is because faith is the most precious gift given to man by God in the relation between God and man. It is written, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8).
The faith to the saving of the soul is "the hidden manna" and "the aged wine" for God's foreknown children who will please Him.
Those who belong to the world, and who are not the people of God, cannot know this precious faith, because it is hidden treasure. It is written, "However, as 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).
Therefore, only those who hold the mystery of faith can be the servants of the house of God. It is written, "holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience." (1 Timothy 3:9).
No one can have the knowledge of the mystery of faith except by the Spirit of truth, because it is the things of God. It is written, "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11).
The man of God is the one who knows the mystery of the precious faith that pleases God. It is written, "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12).
May you, God's chosen brothers and sisters who are called to it and have heavenly citizenship, overflow with the peace of Christ.
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21). Amen. Oh, thank you, Lord!
Brother of the End, Kim Yun-gu.
It is written about the people who please God, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith." (Romans 3:27). And also, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6).
Therefore, the righteous one, with whom God is pleased, will live by faith. It is written, "But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." (Hebrews 10:38).
The first one who pleased God was not the first Adam but the last Adam, the second man. This man is Jesus Christ who was declared to be the Son of God. He is before Abraham, the father of faith, was born.
It is written, "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am!'" (John 8:58). And again, "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." (John 8:56).
Therefore, Abraham is "the father of faith" who became a model to all those who please God, and the man Jesus Christ is "the author of faith." It is written, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2).
The Bible does not refer to God Himself as "the author of faith," but to the man Jesus Christ who was born of the seed of David. That is because faith is the most precious gift given to man by God in the relation between God and man. It is written, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8).
The faith to the saving of the soul is "the hidden manna" and "the aged wine" for God's foreknown children who will please Him.
Those who belong to the world, and who are not the people of God, cannot know this precious faith, because it is hidden treasure. It is written, "However, as 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).
Therefore, only those who hold the mystery of faith can be the servants of the house of God. It is written, "holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience." (1 Timothy 3:9).
No one can have the knowledge of the mystery of faith except by the Spirit of truth, because it is the things of God. It is written, "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11).
The man of God is the one who knows the mystery of the precious faith that pleases God. It is written, "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12).
May you, God's chosen brothers and sisters who are called to it and have heavenly citizenship, overflow with the peace of Christ.
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21). Amen. Oh, thank you, Lord!
Brother of the End, Kim Yun-gu.
