While I was driving, I heard on the radio this new concept of love --
Every person in this world loves themselves. Sometimes, they love themselves so much that they feel they don't deserve what's happening to them but rather, they deserve something better. They love themselves so much that when they don't get what they think they deserve, they feel as if the world is not cooperating with them and hence, they harbor discontentment, hatred, and to the extreme, commit suicide.
Everyone loves themselves. Whatever the outcome - hatred, narcissism, committing suicide, caring for others - it is still an expression of love.
Anyway, we need to love others as we love ourselves (Mt. 19:19, 22:39; Gal 5:14, etc) and we all know we love ourselves a lot. Selfless love. The ultimate example displayed to us by Jesus Christ. Being able to cast his own personal feelings aside and have the courage and strength to do what is necessary for the good of everyone else. To love even when no one notices. To love when no one else is reciprocating. To love for the sake of love.
Simply amazing.
I'm still learning.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Righteous Will Live by Faith
After praying one night, I decided to sit down on the floor and skim through my old NYTS notes when I found this - NYTS '04 Romans homework.
"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:17). This verse is the main concept that Paul is trying to elaborate throughout the entire book of Romans.
In order for anyone to receive salvation, that person must meet the two basic requirements of water baptism and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit from above and also be justified by their faith. Aside from those requirements, one also needs to have faith, as it stated in the latter portion of Romans, "The righteous will live by faith." A person can only be righteous if that person is in the state of being 'in the right' in relation to God. What does it mean to be 'in the right?' Romans 2:13 explains, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Having faith is wonderful but having faith in itself cannot label a person as being righteous nor can it make anyone righteous. "In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2"17-18). Also in verse 26 of the same chapter, it tells us that, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
Faith and deeds cannot exist independently of each other just as how Jesus has to be the son of God and from the seed of David in order to save us. Being the son of God and from the seed of David worked dependently with each other in order to fulfill the prophesy. If Jesus was the son of God but not a seed of David, then He cannot die for our sins and if He was from the seed of David but was not a son of God, then He would have been a sinner and still cannot save us from all our sins. Having know that and reading "a righteousness that is by faith from first to last," we know that deeds has to fit into that verse with faith somehow since they are dependent of each other.
If anyone does any good deeds for anyone, then they are classified as a good person. That is correct, but Paul went further in depth with that concept. He said that if you have good deeds, then you should have a good heart. Having a good heart means that one has a good root in his faith. Furthermore, if a righteous man is justified by faith, then faith should decide what kind of deeds you will perform. Deeds are the only natural consequence of your faith so if you have good faith, then you are a good person and eventually you will perform an act of good deed.
We cannot be justified by our deeds but rather we are judged by what our deeds are. "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28). The only way we are justified is through the blood of Jesus by water baptism, not circumcision. Circumcision is the practice of law by shedding your own blood, rather than accepting the blood of Jesus by baptism. Through baptism, the blood of Jesus washes away all our sins.
All of us needs to be justified because by default, we "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners in sight of God for through one man sin entered in. When we were born, all of us started with original sin and after baptism, our personal sins start to accumulate as our desires grow. Faith is only half of the role in justification. Justification by faith needs to involve the blood of Jesus, which is water baptism.
Only the righteous that lives by faith from the first to the last can be saved when the time comes. One cannot have faith and merely act out one good deed and expect that they will enter into the kingdom of Heave. Rather, set your mind to keep on doing what is right and to keep building on your faith.
When we build up on our faith, not only will we be justified but we can also be sanctified and glorified. With faith, we have the chance to receive the spirit of God and water baptism and through water baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit, we are sanctified.
We are glorified through the same way. If we have already received the Holy Spirit and the water baptism, then we are glorified with righteous deeds since water baptism and Holy Spirit is from above.
I don't remember writing that AT all. I need to cultivate more so I can reflect like that.
"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:17). This verse is the main concept that Paul is trying to elaborate throughout the entire book of Romans.
In order for anyone to receive salvation, that person must meet the two basic requirements of water baptism and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit from above and also be justified by their faith. Aside from those requirements, one also needs to have faith, as it stated in the latter portion of Romans, "The righteous will live by faith." A person can only be righteous if that person is in the state of being 'in the right' in relation to God. What does it mean to be 'in the right?' Romans 2:13 explains, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Having faith is wonderful but having faith in itself cannot label a person as being righteous nor can it make anyone righteous. "In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2"17-18). Also in verse 26 of the same chapter, it tells us that, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
Faith and deeds cannot exist independently of each other just as how Jesus has to be the son of God and from the seed of David in order to save us. Being the son of God and from the seed of David worked dependently with each other in order to fulfill the prophesy. If Jesus was the son of God but not a seed of David, then He cannot die for our sins and if He was from the seed of David but was not a son of God, then He would have been a sinner and still cannot save us from all our sins. Having know that and reading "a righteousness that is by faith from first to last," we know that deeds has to fit into that verse with faith somehow since they are dependent of each other.
If anyone does any good deeds for anyone, then they are classified as a good person. That is correct, but Paul went further in depth with that concept. He said that if you have good deeds, then you should have a good heart. Having a good heart means that one has a good root in his faith. Furthermore, if a righteous man is justified by faith, then faith should decide what kind of deeds you will perform. Deeds are the only natural consequence of your faith so if you have good faith, then you are a good person and eventually you will perform an act of good deed.
We cannot be justified by our deeds but rather we are judged by what our deeds are. "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28). The only way we are justified is through the blood of Jesus by water baptism, not circumcision. Circumcision is the practice of law by shedding your own blood, rather than accepting the blood of Jesus by baptism. Through baptism, the blood of Jesus washes away all our sins.
All of us needs to be justified because by default, we "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners in sight of God for through one man sin entered in. When we were born, all of us started with original sin and after baptism, our personal sins start to accumulate as our desires grow. Faith is only half of the role in justification. Justification by faith needs to involve the blood of Jesus, which is water baptism.
Only the righteous that lives by faith from the first to the last can be saved when the time comes. One cannot have faith and merely act out one good deed and expect that they will enter into the kingdom of Heave. Rather, set your mind to keep on doing what is right and to keep building on your faith.
When we build up on our faith, not only will we be justified but we can also be sanctified and glorified. With faith, we have the chance to receive the spirit of God and water baptism and through water baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit, we are sanctified.
We are glorified through the same way. If we have already received the Holy Spirit and the water baptism, then we are glorified with righteous deeds since water baptism and Holy Spirit is from above.
I don't remember writing that AT all. I need to cultivate more so I can reflect like that.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Unity Among Churches
During the weekend, I went to Elizabeth church for Spiritual Cultivation. It was my first time back since over a year or so. While I was back there, one of the r.e. students came up to me and asked me what I was doing there and labeled me as Hillsborian. Haha. Thought about that for a bit, then disregarded and went on throughout the rest of the day.
Later on today, I was talking online with that same r.e. student and she called me that again. To which I responded by saying there should be no distinction between churches. We're all one body -- tjc-er. Then jokingly, the student, responded saying that (their current church)-ian, is different and cooler.
Different and cooler, huh? 1 Cor. 1:12-13 came to mind.
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
If this is the way the kids are thinking these days, then I think we have failed as r.e. teachers. As their brothers and sisters in Christ. As examples for the younger generation. Often, in the classroom, we would emphasize on love, unity, patience, obedience, etc among men, but more emphasizes on God. But if even in this minute situation, they're making distinction among their own brothers and sisters in Christ because of worship location. Then I fear they already have the wrong mentality.
I remember when the church first branched out, there were disharmony among the councils of both church over something as insignificant as A/V and now, if the younger generation are also having this mentality (hopefully not), then we have not improved and our relationship, as the entire body, have not strive to become closer to God.
It just seems like a lot of people are forgetting we are one body. Our Father died for ALL of us. Location should not matter, but that doesn't seem the case.
It is I, Lord. I'm the one that sent you to the cross
Later on today, I was talking online with that same r.e. student and she called me that again. To which I responded by saying there should be no distinction between churches. We're all one body -- tjc-er. Then jokingly, the student, responded saying that (their current church)-ian, is different and cooler.
Different and cooler, huh? 1 Cor. 1:12-13 came to mind.
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
If this is the way the kids are thinking these days, then I think we have failed as r.e. teachers. As their brothers and sisters in Christ. As examples for the younger generation. Often, in the classroom, we would emphasize on love, unity, patience, obedience, etc among men, but more emphasizes on God. But if even in this minute situation, they're making distinction among their own brothers and sisters in Christ because of worship location. Then I fear they already have the wrong mentality.
I remember when the church first branched out, there were disharmony among the councils of both church over something as insignificant as A/V and now, if the younger generation are also having this mentality (hopefully not), then we have not improved and our relationship, as the entire body, have not strive to become closer to God.
It just seems like a lot of people are forgetting we are one body. Our Father died for ALL of us. Location should not matter, but that doesn't seem the case.
It is I, Lord. I'm the one that sent you to the cross
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