Like a chestnut tree

… you have not come to know Him, but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you; but I do know Him, and I follow His word. (v. 55)

I am a stranger on the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing For Your ordinances at all times. (Psalm 119:19-20)

It is easy to think that Psalm 119 is about the law of God. Many Christians consider the Psalms irrelevant to them, saying that they live in the age of New Testament. Psalm 119 is about God’s words. And it contains 22 songs that have 8 verses each. Each song starts with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is about the words of God.

In chapter 8, we see the stark contrast between Jesus and the Jews. The Jews claim to know God and keep the law but did not neither know God nor keep the law. Jesus is accused of breaking the law by the Jews but He knows God the Father and keep His commands. He does not glorify Himself because the Father glorifies Him. Jesus Christ and the Father are one.

I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)

Theologians and ministers have been neglecting the importance of the knowledge of God. Although I spoke of the dreams I had, my knowledge is rooted in the words of God. The dreams made me focus on His words. I believe that God has revealed Himself to the visible church over time. And the knowledge of God was studied and written for teaching. That is why I emphasize the need for learning the three Ecumenical Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity although they do not have the same authority as the Bible. They should not be interpreted literally. They are understood only when one understands the Bible. Each church must nurture their saints, but this task has been neglected. It is very strange that there are few churches who emphasize on reading the Bible every day. Many people read only a few verses a day, which is not sufficient to understand God’s will. The Bible must be understood as whole. In many ways, the Reformed churches appear to obey God. They teach their children about God using the Reformed confessions. But they have adopted the false doctrines like the Covenant theology and the Active Obedience of Christ and put emphasis on the law. Most of them are not different from the Jews who opposed Christ and accused Him of breaking the law. The law has become their lifeline.

The words of God and the law are not different. But the law has a specific purpose. The law teaches us that we need Christ. The law is only a portion of the words of God. So when one is united with the Word, he/she keeps the law because the law and the words of God are inseparable. However, keeping of the law does not make one righteous. Rather, the one who is righteous keeps the law.

The Jews and the Christians think that they keep the sixth Commandment simply because they have not murdered anyone. They consider themselves righteous. But God judges them by what is in their heart. God saves those who have the heart of flesh. God condemns those who have the heart of stone. It is God who gives us the heart of flesh to dry bones as we find in the Book of Ezekiel. King David committed murder and adultery but received mercy because he was one of the elect, saved by Jesus Christ. That does not mean that the saints walk free even when we sin. God disciplines us so that we would hate to sin against Him. Sin separates us from God. And we may feel free when we sin. But we soon learn that we are a slave of sin. God does not allow us to keep sinning because sin prevents us from having fellowship with God.

We often think that keeping the law is doing something. Keeping the law is believing in Christ. That is God’s will. Being one with Him allows us to know God and keep His word. However, faith is false if it is not connected with love. Love and faith are inseparable. Love and knowledge of God are inseparable. Love is what makes everything perfect. And God is love. Only God can truly love.

Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:7 – 14)

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” (vv. 31-33)

God knew exactly what we would witness in the present age. The Bible teaches us that there are false believers in churches around the world. Many Jews followed Jesus when He performed miracles. But they deserted Him when He said about Himself.

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” (vv. 23-24)

Christ knew who truly believed in God and who did not. He directly opposed to those who were not His people. Although they pretended to be obedient to God, they despised and rejected Him in their heart. Adam and Eve disdained God’s words and we do the same as we are the descendants of Adam. Unless the Spirit comes and makes us hear and understand the words of God, we are destined to fail and perish. Anyone who receives the Spirit by grace comes to know God through Christ (Word and Truth).

Christ could please many people if He wanted. Many Christians around the world try to find someone to idolize and praise. And some ministers gain much fame and praise from their followers. They have much money and influence on politics. Christ did not do as they do. Instead, He spoke only truth, and this made people angry.

But because I say the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God. (vv. 45-47)

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind. (John 2:24-25)

We must not forget that God made the world to build His kingdom. God created the devil and his followers to teach and train us. The Bible testifies that there are two kinds of people: the elect and the reprobate. True Christians speak the truths of God, but we do not try to persuade or convince people by making up stories. Anyone trying to convince many people wants money and fame. When the pandemic broke out, many ministers preached that everything was going well, and that they were on the right track. Some made money by writing books about the pandemic. False Christians hear what they want to hear. They believe that their father is God. But Christ has rejected their claim.

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. (vv. 43-44)

If anyone claims to be Christ, do not believe him/her. Christ proves Himself by His words. Anyone who knows Christ understands His words. False shepherds can fool people by their sweet talks and miracles. We know Christ by His words. That is why the Bible is the lifeline for the saints.

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (v. 12)

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (1 John 5:11)

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John17:3)

I mentioned a few times that the Reformation heavily relied on the letter of Paul and the Reformers had limited knowledge. I am not saying that Paul and John had different understandings. They spoke and wrote the same gospel that Christ preached. But people without knowledge always take God’s words out of context and make their own stories about God. And I believe that is what happened in the seventeenth century. Theologians and ministers still discuss about which of the two – faith and works – comes first. It is a meaningless discussion. The gospel works only when one understands God. In other words, one must be united with Christ to know to have faith in God. And there is nothing that we can do on our own initiative to be united with Him. It is a free gift. Only those who have ears can hear God’s words and understand them. The most important role of a church is to proclaim God’s words. Those who are chosen will hear God’s words. They will be united with Christ. They will repent of their sins and turn away from the evil ways. Then they start to make the fruit of God. The fruit of God may not be something visible. Many Christians think that we must show good works to others. And they judge people by works. In this passage, we see the Jews judging Christ by His works and claiming that He broke the Sabbath law. Christ tells them that He does not judge people like others do. He is Truth and knows all things. He is God. And He does not need two witnesses to testify about Him because He is God. Even if He is judged by the law, He is free from sin because He and the Father testify together. But those who put all their hope in the law do not accept their testimony simply because they do not understand. God has shut their eyes and ears.

Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. (v. 14)

Our eternal life is not from the law. It is in the Son. The Son knows, understands, and loves the Father. We become like the Son. We are nothing without the Son. The cross of God is not just forgiveness of our sins. The Son redeemed us and made us the children of God through the cross. However, theologians and ministers love the theology of the Roman Catholic Church and reject this. They say that the cross is not enough. They keep saying that our eternal life is from the Son’s perfect keeping of the law. Therefore, they say that our righteousness is from the law. The gospel of John clearly refutes their claim. Our life is in the Son. He resurrected and lives forever. We, who are united with Him, lives forever. If our righteousness is from the law, we must keep the law perfectly now and forever even in the kingdom of God. One single disobedience will send us to eternal damnation. The Son came to redeem us from the curse of the conditional covenant. We simply cannot please God by works on our own initiative.

So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” As He said these things, many came to believe in Him. (vv. 28-30)

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’” (Matthew 4:7)

In John 8:1-11, we read that the scribes and the Pharisees try to test Christ. Christ is the exact representation of God. He is God.

Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. (v.6)

God is known to His people, and we do not test God. God does not need to prove Himself before His own people. Even when God showed many signs when He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, most of them did not believe in Him. Only Joshua and Caleb trusted God and entered the promised land.

But as for My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. (Numbers 14:24)

… not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun–because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly. (Numbers 32:12)

Faith is not from our own initiatives. Seeing miracles and signs do not make us believe in God. We live by faith given by God. Testing comes from the pride of Adam and Eve because they thought they could judge God by their own wisdom. They trusted the devil. They tested God.

When your fathers put Me to the test, They tested Me, though they had seen My work. (Psalm 95:9)

Throughout the Bible, we learn that faith in God is the most important for us to live forever. Indeed, “the righteous will live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:24) Knowing God is knowing Christ (Word and Truth). Through Christ and His works, we understand God and believe in Him. Christ made us know the Father and saved us from the eternal damnation. Obedience that does not come from faith is only false piety. It does not benefit anyone. The reprobate are satisfied with their false piety and are praised by many. They love darkness more than light.

Those who hate the Lord would pretend to obey Him,
And their time of punishment would be forever. (Psalm 81:15)

In this passage, we see a woman caught in adultery. According to the law, she had to be put to death. But Christ forgave her. The law is not above God. We judge people by their deeds and appearances. Most people will judge that the scribes and the Pharisees are righteous, and the woman is sinful. But God judges differently. Only He can judge righteously because He is God. And only He can forgive.

When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (v. 7)

And God gives a different righteousness to His people. It is not from the law.

For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

We suffer because of our sins. The law exists for us to know it. Those who do not know the law, their conscience acts as the law. Whether born under the Jewish law or not, we know that we suffer because of our sins. Therefore, salvation is for all. I do not mean God saves everyone. God saves His elect from all mankind regardless of their backgrounds. Not only God sent His Son to redeem the elect, He gave us His Spirit to overcome the temptations. When we continue to sin, God will discipline us. God does not let us dwell in agony. God’s words strengthen us.

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.” (v. 11)

“Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you seeking to kill Me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all are astonished. For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and even on a Sabbath you circumcise a man. If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry at Me because I made an entire man well on a Sabbath? Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (vv. 19-24)

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. (1 Corinthians 7:19)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love. (Galatians 5:6)

Circumcision does not mean anything. It is only a shadow of the new covenant. Circumcision is a shadow of the true circumcision, which is the circumcision of the heart. As the only Mediator of the new covenant, Christ brought the new covenant.

The Sabbath was not made for God. It was made for mankind. To be more precise, it was made for the church, God’s elect people. With this in mind, we conclude that all things including the law were given for us to seek Christ. But many of the Jews did not recognize Christ because God blinded them.

“Make the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes blind, So that they will not see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:10)

We now see that it was not only the Jews that God blinded but most people in the world. Even people who call themselves Christians are not true Christians. We know this because of their understanding. Theologians and ministers are only interested in money and fame. They preach lies to people. There are few who truly know God.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Matthew 23:15)

Not knowing God or His ways is the beginning of all sins. Among those who are ignorant and dull, God saves some and gives them understanding. Paul was one of those who did not know God although he received much education under the Jewish system. The knowledge of God comes from understanding the words of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not about having dreams or having mysterious experiences.

In John 7, we see that the Jews emphasize the law and yet, do not understand God’s words. They do not believe in Christ, whom the prophets foretold in the OT. They circumcise babies on a Sabbath but do not know the meaning of circumcision or the Sabbath. This is still happening in the world. There are people who say that we must worship God on Saturdays. These people emphasize the Ten Commandments but do not know the meaning of the Sabbath. We must be careful not to be persuaded by them. There is no true worship without understanding Christ. Churches have been worshiping God on the day Christ resurrected, which is Sunday. So we worship God on Sundays. But worshiping God on Sundays is meaningless to those who do not know Christ. There are many people in churches who do not know God. Worshiping God is not about what we must do. It is about what we know and understand.

True Sabbath is Jesus Christ.

So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:28)

We need to pay attention to the fact that Christ referred Himself as the Son of Man, not the Son of God, when He talked about Him being the Lord of the Sabbath. The Son of God became the Son of Man to free us from a conditional covenant. Adam was under a conditional covenant. Therefore, all the conditional covenants in the OT existed for the one and only eternal covenant, the new covenant. No one can fulfill a conditional covenant. We are slaves under a conditional covenant. We perish as slaves. But the Son is different. If the Son sets us free and makes us the children of God, we are free indeed. The Father does not make a conditional covenant with the Son because the Father does everything for the Son. It is absurd to say that Christ had to fulfill a conditional covenant when the Father and the Son are one. I have been telling you that the Son came to fulfill the law, not to keep it. Keeping is for the slaves. The Son came to perfect the law. Christ mentioned that he worked on a Sabbath like the Father. Strictly speaking, He broke the law by working on a Sabbath. He knew what the Jews were thinking and deliberately said that He worked.

Some Christians make a list of things that they must do to keep a commandment of God. That was what the Jews did in Jesus’ time. But they did not know why the law was given. They merely thought that was what God wanted and that they would get punished if they did not keep the law. Most people kept the law as a way to get prosperous. Thus, they did not see the difference between God and idols. They could not understand Christ. They were angry at Christ because He cured sick people on a Sabbath. Jesus cured people throughout the week. But it was important that He cured people on a Sabbath because He needed to show them why He came. Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath.

All the four writers of the Gospel put Christ’s death and resurrection at the end because it was the very reason why the Son of God became a man. The true Sabbath is linked to the cross of Christ. The Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ claim that the cross of Christ is not enough for us to have the eternal life. The Son became a man so that His people would become like Him. The Son died and resurrected. He lives eternally. So we, who are united with Him through the Holy Spirit, live eternally in the coming kingdom of God.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18)

So His brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret when he himself is striving to be known publicly. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers believed in Him. So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, because My time has not yet fully arrived.” (vv. 3-8)

He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

In 2020, a YouTube clip was recommended to me. The thumbnail showed a minister (I never heard of him until then) preaching before a large crowd. When I saw the thumbnail of the clip, I did not open it. I know what these Evangelical ministers are like. After a few months, I came to know that this man had done horrible crimes. To be honest, I was not surprised. But I was surprised to find out that many people in the Reformed denominations followed him. And they were shocked by the news but believed that he was a true Christian despite his crimes. In his lifetime, he attracted many Christians and made an empire. He was praised by many and had a great wealth.

When we sin, God disciplines us. When He disciplines us, we feel like we are crushed as we read in King David’s case. He disciplines us out of love because we are His children. But God lets the reprobate sin and does not forgive their sins. The reprobate have pride in their popularity, wisdom, wealth, look, and/or achievements and stay blind till the end. Concerning the reprobate’s prosperity, Psalm 73 explains in detail.

For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death; But their strength is firm. They are not in trouble like other people, nor are they tormented together with the rest of mankind. Therefore arrogance is their necklace; the garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; the imaginations of their heart overflow. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue parades through the earth. Therefore his people return here, and abundant waters are drunk by them. They say, “How does God know? and is there knowledge with the Most High?” Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth. (Psalm 73:3-12)

We do not know who belongs to God by looking at appearance or deeds. Following a man who claims to be a Christian poses a great risk. The devil disguises himself as an angel of light. We can only judge people by the words of God and the Spirit in us. However, those who do not have the Spirit are always attracted to false shepherds and prophets.

Since we do not know who belongs to Christ, we proclaim the good news in public. We do not sugar-coat the words of God to attract people. Only those who are God’s will listen to His words and accept truth. Christ knew who belonged to Him. And yet, He still cried out in public because that is what the church must do.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” (vv. 37-38)

Wisdom shouts in the street, she raises her voice in the public square; (Proverbs 1:20)

I am not saying that all rich ministers are false. But it is unnatural for anyone with much wealth walking humbly with God. I also like having money. But when I want money to achieve or possess something to feel secure in this world, I ask myself, ‘Am I relying on God or money?’ God provides everything that I need. I’ve learnt this over many years. But I often feel anxious and feel that I have control over my life when I have money. So I seek more money. Then I have faith in money, not God. God has warned us not to love money many times throughout the Bible. Most of the Pharisees were against Christ. It appeared that they and their followers were concerned about the law of God. But they were not. Christ knew this.

“Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you seeking to kill Me?” (v.19)

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were ridiculing Him. (Luke 16:13-14)

Beside those ministers who openly boast of their wealth and fame, there is a different group of ministers. They boast of their much knowledge and reading in theology and philosophy. But they all together seek fame and money. They love theories that can attract many people. While they say that they teach “Reformed Theology”, they teach the ideas of Aquinas. I believe that this treachery started in the 17^th century or even before. As I mentioned before, Aquinas himself confessed that all his writings were like straws and stopped writing his book before his death. Why do people read his unfinished book when Aquinas treated it as rubbish? Aquinas may have repented and became a true Christian at the end. But he did not go through suffering that comes along with speaking truth in his lifetime. He did not openly confess that he had been wrong. He received much praise from people. It is very dangerous to study Aquinas’ theories. However, the Protestant ministers and theologians love his words. There are “Reformed” channels and podcasts that introduce Aquinas. But I advise you not to listen to them because I fear that you may lose your first love. They pretend to have knowledge, but their knowledge is not the knowledge of God. They convince people to read the Summa Theologica and say that we would agree with Aquinas on many things. They do not know that they are in a dung pit. If you are given the task of refuting their theories, then you will go through education given by the Spirit. If not, it is better to stay away.

It is obvious that the Protestant theologians and ministers have been trying to shake hands with the Roman Catholic Church. We must examine what is beyond of a theory. If a theory leads to deny 100% grace, it is false. The Roman Catholic Church loves Aquinas. What came out of the Council of Trent were based on Aquinas’ theories. Corrupt teachings always lead to money because they attract many people. Most ministers teach what people want to hear. Although they boast of much reading and studying, they cannot understand simple words spoken in the Bible. God has blinded their eyes. On the other hand, the saints, regardless of their former education, understand God’s words. God’s words are pure and simple. Only few understood Christ’s teachings. He came only for His chosen people.

You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come. (v. 34)

If you think that you can find good things from the writings of Aquinas, I have no desire of stopping you. But I will say that you have a different spirit from mine. Do not seek food from a dung pile.

“For from the least of them to the greatest of them,

Everyone is greedy for gain,

And from the prophet to the priest

Everyone deals falsely.

They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,

Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’

But there is no peace.

Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done?

They were not ashamed at all,

Nor did they know even how to be ashamed.

Therefore they will fall among those who fall;

At the time that I punish them,

They will collapse,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 6:13-15)

You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God. You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother. (Exodus 23:19) (See also Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21)

They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind. (Jeremiah 7:31)

I will make them an object of terror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 15:4)

We read the sins of king Manasseh in 2 Kings 21. There were many kings in Judah and the Northern Israel. Compared to the kings in the Northern Israel, those in Judah seem to have done better. But most of them did not know God and followed the evil ways. Manasseh, in particular, did all the things that the pagans do in that region. He wholeheartedly followed the ways of the devil. All the idols invented by men demand works. People invent new ways to worship their idols. They kill others and pursue immoralities because those idols are the exact representations of themselves. Most people do not realize the evilness of the human nature in a civilized world where governments and laws exist. But people are still capable of killing their own children and justify their evilness.

Theologians and ministers find the reason of our corrupt nature in the original sin. But I do not think Adam truly loved Eve. Although the relationship between Adam and Eve represent that between Christ and the church, Adam did not love Eve as himself. If he did, he would have asked God to forgive her sin. Instead, he ate the fruit. His love for God and Eve was weak.

In John 6, we read that Christ walked on the water. Christ is the living water. And we read that the water cannot engulf Him or those with Him. True Christianity does not kill the saints by the words of God. However, pagan religions kill people. Sadly, Christianity has gone corrupt. It no longer serves God but evil people. It kills the saints. I saw in my dream that many birds were lying dead in the front yard of a house, which I interpret as a church.

The corruption is particularly obvious in the Reformed denominations. Theologians and ministers emphasize the law and God’s wrath written in the OT. The Reformation focused on the sin, punishment, and the law. They are only a half of the whole story. Many still believe that one must be beaten by the law constantly in order to seek God. Did Paul use the same method to preach the good news to the Gentiles? I don’t think so. Every Sunday, the Ten Commandments are read, and people are reminded of how sinful they are. The irony is that most of them do not keep the law. They think they keep the law because they are obedient to the church authorities and go to a church on Sundays. This is what I found (and was shown) in the Reformed church. When I spoke of justification by faith, they talked about works. When I rebuked them for not keeping the law and tolerating adultery, they spoke of justification by faith. The Bible is used by them to defend their evil ways. The law is used to oppress the saints and burden them with works while those who are in the office enjoy their power over people. They love their church order but despise the Bible. The reason they hate singing the Psalms is because the book talks about God’s enemies being many. These enemies are not just people following idols. They are the people within churches who hate God and His words. They believe that they are saved because of their works. They think most of their church members are saved. But I was shown God’s people being few in my dream. They talk about justification by faith. But they do not believe it.

The essence of the law, love, enlivens and strengthens us. Christ showed this love on the cross. After fulfilling the law, God has enabled us to love Him and His people. This love is about preaching the good news – how God sent His only Son to save us and make us His children. However, the written code under the conditional covenant kills us because we cannot meet the condition. Even if we can, our obedience does not make us the children of God. Solomon is praised for his 1000 burnt offerings to God. But God gave him the conditional covenant, not unconditional. The law was given for us to seek Christ.

Christianity is completely different from other religions. Those religions do not give us comfort. They kill us and our children. God does not kill us with His own words. The water He gave us keeps us alive. We are the fish. And fish cannot live outside the water. God does not require us of any works but faith in Him. Those who speak much of the law or works do not keep the law. They are evildoers.

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (v. 29)

If you have the joy of salvation through the words of God, you are truly blessed. Thank God and praise Him day and night.

Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.”These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?” (vv. 53-59)

If I go to any church and tell people that we are saved by Christ, I will find many agreeing with me. However, there are only few who truly understand who Christ is. I’ve been emphasizing the importance of Trinity. Without knowing Christ, we cannot understand why He became a man. Chapter 6 teaches us about the union of Christ. This union is closely related to the cross. As we all know, the Lord’s Supper happened just before Christ’s arrest.

It may seem that I repeat myself again and again. Some of you may be tired of reading the same thing. But there are too many false teachers in churches. They boast of their education and much reading. They persuade people day and night. So I must write the same thing again and again. God will not forgive those who weaken the power of the cross of Christ.

The cross of Christ is a simple message to His saints. But it is a stumbling block to those who reject God. I’ve been trying to explain why God now rejects the Protestant church as well as the Roman Catholic church. In the 17^th century England, the Protestant theologians and ministers started to reject our righteousness that came through Christ’s work on the cross. They concluded that the cross was not enough for us to gain the eternal life. Their treachery is clearly shown in the theories called the Covenant Theology (CT) and the Active Obedience of Christ (AOC). Their root is found in the Roman Catholic theologians like Anselm and Aquinas. Some believe that they are separate theories but in fact, they are tightly connected because both teach that righteousness comes only from works/the law. Those who follow CT and AOC think Adam could have become the head of the church by his obedience. We simply reject their idea.

It is true that we are saved because of Christ’s work on the cross. However, He did not gain righteousness for us by that work. Rather, He, who is righteous like the Father, made us equal with Him and righteous through that work. The righteous God made us righteous like Him through death and resurrection of Christ. Therefore, our righteousness is not like the righteousness of Adam in the garden of Eden. We are clothed with God’s righteousness. Adam did not have true righteousness of God but only mere uprightness as I’ve explained many times. Even though Adam was sinless before he ate the fruit, he could not reach God’s righteousness by his obedience. Only God is righteous and good, and no one can become like God by works. Adam tried but could not. He tried to gain it by disobedience because obedience did not work. He wanted to become like God by his own wisdom and works. Although he sought eternal life, it was not granted to him. On the other hand, we are imputed with God’s righteousness by believing in Him. Grace is freely given. Because we know grace is free, we understand that God has chosen His people before they are born. No one can choose to believe in God.

…for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”  Just as it is written: “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” (Romans 9:11-13)

From England, the Protestant churches started to focus on the law. On the outside, the Protestant theologians and ministers preach the cross of Christ. But they trample the cross of Christ under their feet and mock God openly by preaching the CT and the AOC. What they teach and believe is rootless as God has shown me in my dream. Many are going back to Egypt, the land of the dead.

We face many natural disasters around the world. From year 2020, the disasters are more frequent and drastic in scale. Climate change is a result of the Industrial Revolution that started in England. This shows the reason of the demise of the world. What went wrong in England has brought calamities in the world. This is the result of forsaking the cross of Christ. This is the last hour.

Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (vv. 28-29)

Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)

I once read a writing of a Reformed minister. He wrote that God saved His people to be glorified. In other words, God let Adam sin and die so that He would save his descendants later. With this view, God actively made Adam sin and made us suffer so that we would thank Him for saving us later. God could keep Adam in the garden of Eden and forgive him. God could prevent Adam from sinning because He knew what was in his mind. But He did not. Why?

Even though many say that Adam’s fall was in God’s plan, they actually believe that Adam’s sin happened accidentally, and God inevitably had to put Adam and his descendants to death because He is just. You might have already noticed there is something not quite right. With this view, we see two contrasting characteristics of God. Is God merciful but just? Or is God merciful and just?

To His people, God is always merciful and just. Adam’s fall happened because there is something important for us to learn. Everything is written for the church’s growth and learning. The reformation in the 16^th century was ordained by God, but it had its own limits. It heavily focused on sin and punishment. I support TULIP but there is much more to understand. But I am not talking about a new theory. Irenaeus already wrote that Adam was immature. When we read the Bible, we must understand why God has made the world in the first place. Why?

I repeatedly mentioned that the purpose of all creation is the kingdom (church). And the church was planned before creation for the Son. The church is the eternal bride of Christ. We rule the world with Christ as our head.

When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:28)

Christianity is not about sin, the law, and/or punishment. It is about the change of our status. We, who are now the adopted children of God, listen to God. But we do more than what servants do because we have the mind of Christ. Obedience does not bring righteousness. Rather, God’s righteousness brings our obedience. Righteousness is not about moral perfection. It is God’s will and mercy. We are completely free from death because we are no longer like Adam in the garden of Eden, who was only a slave. We are constantly taught by God through the Word and the Spirit. When we sin, God disciplines us.

Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” (v.14)

Focusing on the law does not make anyone truly pious. We know that God disciplines us when we go astray. Therefore, we fear God as children fear their fathers. We do not turn to either legalism or antinomianism.

In John 5, the Jews accused Christ of violating the fourth commandment. Jesus simply explained that He is not like other men before the law. Considering righteousness, He is equal with the Father. The Son became a man so that we would become the children of God. Therefore, He simply did not need to gain righteousness through the works of the law. He came to free us from the righteousness that comes from the law, which is the old and conditional covenant. Regarding this, the reformers in the 17^th century took a wrong step despite warnings. They wanted to make the Protestant church a replacement of the Roman Catholic church. Christianity cannot become a religion of the majority. The Bible testifies that there are few who are saved. Most people do not understand the Bible and interpret the words of God as mere moral instructions. Those who are truly saved understand the works of God shown through the Son. We understand what the cross means to us.

The distinct feature of false believers in the church is that they do not accept the free gift of God. They reject 100% grace. They put hope in the law, but they do not keep the law. They are proud of their works, which are useless before God. True believers keep the eternal law of love. This love is not what the world defines. It is not about things in the world or mankind. It is strictly about God and His people. It is about the words of God and the gospel of Christ. False teachers do not preach 100% grace. They do not believe that the Son became a man to make us like Him. Had the Son put emphasis on the law and the righteousness that comes from the law, He would have been praised by the Jews. But He did not. He came to free them, but they rejected Him.

I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. (v. 43)

The Son is truly the Lord of the Sabbath. He gave us the true rest from our works. We are now under the new law, the law of liberty as the children of God. This law is not burdensome because God is with us.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and follow His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. (1 John 5:1-4)

Calvin and Luther were true Christians. But their knowledge had limits because of various reasons. They could not get rid of human philosophies and philosophy-based theology. It was God’s will that they remained that way so that they are not made perfect without us. All false believers follow the wrong way and will not have any excuse at the end. All true believers understand why the Son became a man and how He saved us.

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (vv. 45-47)

Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. And those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation; and they placed him in custody, because it had not been decided what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:32-36)

“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” (Exodus 35:2-3)

Theologians and ministers teach that Christ never broke the law. They say that it was the disciples and the man at Bethesda who broke the law. But, Jesus admitted that he did not keep the law. Here, the Jews persecuted Jesus for telling the man to pick up his pallet and walk. Christ admitted that he made him work and he also worked on the Sabbath.

For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on a Sabbath. But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” (vv. 16-17)

Earlier I wrote about the Lord of the Sabbath in my post on Matthew 12 (9 Nov 2022). Before the law, Christ is not like other people. Christ identified Himself with the Father. The Father is not subject to punishment by His own law. The Son is also not judged by the law because He is one with the Father. Christ became a man to fulfil the law by showing God’s perfect love on the cross. He did not become a man to keep it to gain righteousness.

Working on the Sabbath was strictly forbidden as we read the OT. Christ said that He works because the Father always works. Should God be punished for His works on the Sabbath? The true believers say no to this question. But false theologians and ministers say yes. They believe that Christ was subject to punishment by the Father if He disobeyed the law. They say that Christ had to meet the condition given to Adam. They say that Christ had to keep the law to gain the eternal life which Adam could not. Here, Christ tells us He is not like the descendants of Adam.

For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. (v. 18)

The perfect sacrifice required not just sinlessness but the person who knows and loves the Father. In other words, only the Son of God can satisfy God. The OT teaches us that the countless animal sacrifices did not please God.

You have not desired sacrifice and meal offering; You have opened my ears; You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; It is written of me in the scroll of the book. I delight to do Your will, my God; Your Law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:6-8)

The Gospel of John is directly against the idea of the active obedience of Christ (AOC). I wonder if John was concerned about a particular cult group at that time. The fact that Iranaeus wrote about the immaturity of Adam indicates that there might have been some people who believed that Adam was holy and righteous, and that Christ had to keep the law perfectly to gain righteousness.

I do not think that Anselm was a reborn Christian because he did not believe in 100% grace of God. It is not that everything he wrote is wrong. Even Balaam the son of Beor said truth of God, but he was a son of the devil. Those who are saved understand the meaning of the cross of Christ. Christ’s work on the cross gave us the eternal life. We do not believe in the righteousness that comes from the law.

Christ has freed all His people. We no longer serve at an earthly temple where there is no true grace. Christ is the incarnation of the Father who is full of grace and truth. Those who do not know God always reject Christ’s work on the cross. They preach the AOC so that they can enslave others. They say that the cross is not enough.

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)