Like a chestnut tree

Adam and Eve corrupted themselves by having the thought of becoming like God by their work. And that work was eating of the forbidden fruit. And they started to judge themselves and others by appearance. God does not judge people by appearances or human standards but sees the heart of everyone. Therefore, the new and eternal covenant promises the change of the heart. It cannot be done by human will or effort.

In Matthew 20, there are two episodes that I’d like to focus on. The first one is in verse 1 to 16. And the second is verse 20 to 28. The first is about the hired laborers. Those who hired first later complained to the owner of the vineyard. They say he is unfair. By human standards, he may appear so. But he does not change his mind because of those who complain. Instead, he says, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?” (v.13-15)

People, especially those who call themselves Christians, are reluctant to accept the fact that God can do whatever He wants to do. They do not acknowledge God’s own rights as the Creator. Regarding this, Apostle Paul says in Romans 9:

You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” On the contrary, who are you, you foolish person, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object for honorable use, and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with great patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon objects of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, namely us, whom He also called, not only from among Jews, but also from among Gentiles (Romans 9:19-24)

The doctrine of predestination is rejected by many Christians because there are not many who have been given understanding. The focus is not on my salvation but on God’s grace. God’s grace is total, complete, and absolute grace. No one can earn that grace. One may spend hours and hours reading the Bible and even teach people. Yet, God may consider that person dumb.

You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? (John 3:10)

The first passage (Matt 20:1-16) may not be about the doctrine of predestination. The passage is likely about Jews and Gentiles. It may also be about the earlier generations and the last generation. But what I’d like to say is that Christians do not acknowledge God’s own rights and thus, reject Him.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Job also considers God is unfair and thinks he can do a better job. He later was rebuked by God and repented. God tells Job the knowledge that only the Creator has. What God knows, Job does not know. The word “know” appears many times both in the OT and the NT.

Verse 20 to 28 also talks about the same thing. God has set all His plans and fulfills all.

But Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” (v.22-23)

Sitting at Christ’s right and at His left requires serving others and suffering. It requires Agape, self-sacrificing love. Earlier I mentioned that we do not have love in ourselves. It can only be given by God through the Spirit. By the power of the Spirit, we can truly love, not by our own will but by God’s will.

Many churches encourage people to make a pledge to God publicly. They play loud and emotional music to promote this. And Christians make many false promises to God, which they cannot keep. I did, too. I did not know what I was saying to God. I did not acknowledge God’s own rights. Those who will receive much rewards must go through much suffering. None of us can say, “we are able” because such suffering cannot be endured by human will or efforts. The disciples did not know what they were saying. After Christ’s ascension, they were given the knowledge of God and power to endure suffering through the Spirit. I do not doubt their wish to become superior to others disappeared completely because of persecutions and suffering. Suffering brings complete submission to God. It is the opposite of pride. There is no doubt the disciples said at the end:

“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” (Matt 6:10)

The part that I’d like to focus on is the story of the young ruler.

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do so that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. (v. 16-26)

The young man’s view of the Law is a classic example of a wrong view of the Law. Most people separate the Law and love. Christ said the greatest commandment of the whole Law is love.

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34)

We need many rules and guidelines when we have to achieve certain things that are difficult to do. The Pharisees focused on keeping the Law externally without knowing the essence of the Law.

My question is: Can we love someone by works? Can we love someone if we put rules and guidelines? The answer is no. We have no love in ourselves. People often say that a mother loves her child unconditionally. But God showed that it is not true. Parents ate their own children in the OT.

Then you will eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, during the siege and the hardship by which your enemy will oppress you. (Deuteronomy 28:53)

Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.” (2 Kings 6:28-29)

I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’ (Jeremiah 19:9)

In Matthew 19:16-26, Christ tells us that no one can fulfill the requirements of the Law, that is self-sacrificing love, by merely keeping the Law externally. Although the young ruler kept the Law perfectly in his own eyes, he still lacked something. All his keeping of the Law was not perfect in God’s sight. What is wrong with this man who tries very hard to live a pious life according to the Law? Should we consider him as a hypocrite, or as someone loved by God?

If the man was indeed a chosen man by God, I do not doubt that he later sold all his wealth and gave it to the poor and followed Christ. But the Bible does no longer talk about him. Our focus should be on what Christ teaches us here.

And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (v. 23-26)

The issue Christ points out is still relevant today. Many churches preach prosperity gospel. Rich Christians boast that they are blessed by God because of their good deeds. Wealth is often considered as a proof of God’s blessing although the Bible repeatedly says that is not true. Wealth is almost always a stumbling block because it gives much comfort and a false sense of security. Wealth brings pride. Wealth becomes an idol. Christians say wealth can achieve many things including helping the poor. But the rich want to stay rich and do not want their wealth to decrease by helping the poor. Some rich people make a will and they donate money to charities upon their death. Yet, they want to keep their wealth while they are alive. In this matter, no one is innocent. We all want physical comfort and enjoy what the world has to offer. God allows us to enjoy what He provides to us while we are on earth. And we thank Him for providing food for our physical and spiritual needs. However, our sinful human nature loves material things rather than God who gives them.

When interpreting verse 26, we must be careful not to conclude that there are rich Christians who will receive eternal life. Everyone wants to be that rich Christian who enjoy life of prosperity on the earth and in the new Kingdom. When Christ says that it is extremely hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom, it is so. If we think our own works have brought prosperity, and prosperity is God’s blessing, then we consider God’s grace is from our works. As long as wealth is considered as a result of our good works, we have no place in the Kingdom. All rich people think their own hands have brought wealth or keep themselves wealthy. It is easy to think my own hands brought comfort, respect from people, and prosperity like Job. While saying God has given me everything, it is easy to boast that my good works have brought salvation and earned God’s grace and mercy. This is what the Roman Catholics and Arminians teach. Because their teachings are close to men’s natural sinful ideas, many follow them.  

There is much to talk about regarding this passage. Another thing I’d like to point out is that Christ does not say the conditional covenant comes before the unconditional covenant.

And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” (v.17)

This verse is not against what I’ve been telling. The Father is the source of righteousness and goodness. This goodness is not something that can be earned by works. This young ruler focused on works shown externally and judged others by works. He considered Christ as a good teacher because of miracles. But he did not understand the works of Christ were from the Father. It is because he keeps the Law by his own will and efforts. For those who think their life is depended on works, the Law is a lifeline. The man did not understand that the Spirit does all the good works and gives eternal life. Being united with the Son who became one of us and receiving the Spirit gives eternal life. And no one can earn this by works. Only God can give us obedience to the Law and true understanding of the Law. True obedience of the Law (Agape) comes after being united with Christ through the Spirit.

I sometimes reread what I wrote and find some critical typo errors. Once I wrote “now” when I was supposed to write “not”. I try to be careful, and it still happens. But I am sure you know what I’ve been trying to say because I repeated the same messages. I hope you do not dwell in a single sentence I wrote but look at the bigger picture by reading the Bible.

Each chapter of each book of the Bible has much knowledge and it would take many years to explain what each verse teaches us. So far, theologians have been focusing on microtheology, in other words, systematic theology. And it may have its own benefits, but it is much more important to understand the Bible in one theme – the Kingdom. Christ became a man to save His elect people for that very reason. Although I have much desire to spend time on a single story or passage within a chapter, I try not to. The Bible is like a billion-piece puzzle. You can spend time on looking at each piece. But you may not know what the puzzle as a whole shows. The Holy Spirit puts the puzzle pieces together. We see that Christ talks about the same things again and again to help our understanding. We are like children and not like learned men. And God wants us to stay that way. Children generally do not know much about how adults think and act. They learn to live the ways that adults live and think as they grow up. Parents teach their children certain things repeatedly.

For God’s children, Christ’s teachings are not difficult to understand. On the other hand, those who think they know God consider His teachings too difficult. Christ uses parables for His people so that the understanding can only be given to them by the Holy Spirit.

So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this offensive to you? What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” (John 6:6-65)

These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. (John 12:16)

But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39)

The Holy Spirit existed from eternity and was at work even in the OT and when Christ was on the earth. After Christ’s resurrection, the Spirit dwells in His people forever. The Spirit makes us understand the words of God. Although our level of knowledge varies, saints as a whole share the same knowledge of God and His will.

Matthew 18 does not talk about what to do or not. Christ does not teach us how to be saved. Christ simply talks about the difference between His people under grace and those who are not under grace.

Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes! (Matthew 18:7)

The Son of Man is going away just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born. (Matt 26:24)

From a worldly point of view, God of the Bible is not fair. Those who reject the doctrine of predestination think that people can achieve salvation and grace by works. Apostle Paul has refuted them by saying – But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ (Romans 9:20)

Many are delusional and think that they have the right to judge what is right or wrong as if they are like God. That was Adam’s sin. I do not think the forbidden fruit itself had a special effect on Adam and Eve. The rebellious action of Adam and Eve that came from their corrupted heart made them fall. The forbidden fruit was a stumbling block for them. It was a direct reflection of what was in their heart. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God by eating the fruit. “If I just stretch my hand and grab it, I can be what I want to be.” This is what the world thinks. This is what people without the Holy Spirit say. People think God must exist to please them. Earlier I said only God is righteous. Righteousness is not about people’s idea of morality. Everything God does is righteous because only He is righteous as the Creator. Saints accept this truth while those who do not have the Spirit reject it. By rejecting truth, they reject God and thus, are rejected by God. There is no one who can argue with God and win because He is the Law.

This chapter teaches us that how men’s ideas are contrast to God’s. It starts with the disciples seeing Moses and Elijah with Christ.

Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him! (Matthew 17:4-5)

Even though the disciples received much power while Christ was on the earth, their thinking remained earthly until the Holy Spirit came and taught them. They were rebuked by Christ a few times for their lack of understanding and faith. It was God’s will that they stayed that way until the Spirit came and made them understand the teachings of Christ after His resurrection. Peter and other disciples thought that the Kingdom was an earthly Kingdom. From his point of view, Moses and Elijah were equal to Christ. All three men are worthy to receive worship. Therefore, he came up with the idea of three tabernacles. Men’s idea of three men with a close relationship with God receiving worship from others is what the devil wants – 666. This is men’s idea of a god, the anti-christ. This history of idolatry appears in the OT from Genesis.

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

Men have been trying to become like God since the time Adam was in the garden of Eden. It is deeply embedded within our nature. Even saints can fall into such temptation. It is important to beware of our weakness in this matter all the time.

Our nature wants to set an idol and worship it. The bottom of this idolatry is worship of a man or men. Idolatry is about worshiping myself. A person does not care about others but only himself/herself. This contrasts to God, who is love. And this love is beyond human expectations and ideas. This love is self-sacrificing love, which no man can do. A man may appear to be selfless and seek good for others, and yet deny God and His words, does not have love for others. Albert Schweitzer did many great things by helping the sick from the eyes of the world. Yet, he had wrong ideas about God. Keeping of the Law(love) is always accompanied by true knowledge and understanding of God.

Christ came to fulfill all the Law and the prophecies written in the OT. And He still fulfills all the promises God has made. He is Truth. He is faithful.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. (Revelation 19:11)

Truth, love, faith, righteousness, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, the Law, the prophecies may have their own meanings, but they are, in fact, the same. They have the same root, God. Without knowing this, we can easily fall into men’s idea of a god.

The following passage after the first event of the chapter, Christ rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith.

And He said to them, “Because of your meager faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (v.17-20)

This is not about how one must put their will and efforts to do something and achieve their will by the power of God. Moving of a mountain means moving of a tabernacle/temple. In the OT, God’s dwelling place was often referred as Mount Zion and Jerusalem. The Jews (and many Christians) think it is about the earthly Kingdom in a certain geographical location. But from the beginning, God did not want an earthly kingdom as His eternal dwelling place. What seemed impossible and unthinkable to the Jews, Christ did by His death and resurrection.

The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking about the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. (John 2:18-22)

Although the earthly systems – governments and visible churches- may continue to exist till Christ comes, saints must put hope in the coming Kingdom, which will exist for eternity.

A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. (v.4)

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (v.17-19)

All humans are made for the glory of God. The elect people are saved by grace of God and glorify Him as His adopted children. The reprobate people rebel against God and will be punished for eternity, and thus, their eternal death becomes a proof of God’s faithfulness and righteousness. Whether a man is a saint or a reprobate, he cannot change his destiny. He cannot save himself. He cannot make himself go to hell. This is not because he becomes righteous by himself, but grace of God does not let His elect people fall. In regard to the visible church, all who have received the ceremonial baptism are included in the Kingdom. But because they do not receive the Holy Spirit, and thus, neither know God nor believe in Him, they become thrown out of the Kingdom. The irony is that these false Christians claim that they have the Holy Spirit in them and believe in God, but never repent of their sins. All saints believe that God has determined everything before the time began.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,before you were born I set you apart;I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people. (Revelation 13:10)

If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’ (Jeremiah 15:2)

Everyone chosen by God receives the Holy Spirit at God’s appointed time. One may receive the Holy Spirit at 5 years old. One may receive Him at 90. We just do not know, and it should not be our main focus.

In the Book of Jonah, I consider Jonah’s prayer the most important. It is because his prayer is the prayer of Christ after death.

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, and he said,

I called out of my distress to the LORD,

And He answered me.

I called for help from the depth of Sheol;

You heard my voice.

“For You threw me into the deep,

Into the heart of the seas,

And the current flowed around me.

All Your breakers and waves passed over me.

“So I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight.

Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

“Water encompassed me to the point of death.

The deep flowed around me,

Seaweed was wrapped around my head.

“I descended to the base of the mountains.

The earth with its bars was around me forever,

But You have brought up my life from the pit, LORD my God.

“While I was fainting away,

I remembered the LORD,

And my prayer came to You,

Into Your holy temple.

“Those who are followers of worthless idols

Abandon their faithfulness,

But I will sacrifice to You

With a voice of thanksgiving.

That which I have vowed I will pay.

Salvation is from the LORD.” (Jonah 2:1-9)

Christ became one of us so that we would be like Him by uniting with Him.

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

It was not that Christ had to meet some conditions to be saved. Christ knew the Father and His plans. And He was not afraid of becoming a man and dying at the cross for the Kingdom because He knew that the Father would save Him. He knew exactly why He had to become a man. It is meaningless to analyze this passage in terms of the two natures of Christ. Christ as a man and Christ as the Son of God are the same. The two natures do not contradict. The Son of God has faith in the Father and the Son of Man has faith in the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. If someone says the Spirit is evil and deceiving like the devil, he/she breaks all foundations of the Kingdom. The Spirit maintains the relationships among the Father, the Son, and saints. Therefore, those churches who speak falsely about the Spirit will be condemned severely at the end.

In regard to the keys of the Kingdom given to Peter, one must not think that the authority was given to a man. It is still Christ who holds the keys.

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 1:8)

…He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens… (Revelation 3:7)

The keys are given to saints on the earth. Not that saints have the power separate from God but saints minister on the earth by having the Spirit of God. Christ exercises the power within us. All saints are like Christ. Christ tells Peter that his confession is not from men but from God. Only the Spirit can give such knowledge of God and make us confess our faith in Him. Therefore, saints are blessed by God not because of our works but by His grace.

Therefore, we do not get swayed by someone saying, “Look here is the Christ”.

And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Look, there He is’; do not believe it; for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will provide signs and wonders, in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. But beware; I have told you everything in advance. (Mark 13:21-23)

All saints are like Christ. We do not magnify ourselves before the world. We share His sufferings.

but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed (1 Peter 4:13)

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:17)

When the Holy Spirit comes into and teaches a person, the basic knowledge of God is established. First thing I learnt was that God is God of His words. The Law and willingness to live according to God’s words come afterwards. One’s conversion may not be true if it comes from a feeling of guilt after hearing of the Law. Everyone feels a sense of guilt when struck by the Law. This is something a cult religion often uses to promote submission to their leaders. I am afraid that the reformers in the 17^th century England increased the number of the Protestants by using this method. Yet, it was God’s will that many people join the visible church by the ceremonial baptism although only the chosen remnants are saved as shown in the prophecies of the OT. These falsely converted people invaded other countries around the world and did many evil things. They thought that their country (and the kings/queens) had divine rights to conquer the world and exploit others, thinking they were chosen and privileged. While the reprobate people did evil things, the chosen saints preached the good news to others who had never heard of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

You see, there is no such thing as Christian nationalism in God’s dictionary. Those who live in so-called Christian nations were the first ones that adopted and promoted false doctrines and idolatry. In many ways, what we call the Christian culture, or the Western culture is close to pagan philosophies and culture. For example, the seven other planets are named after Greek gods. The Halloween is another example. Many non-Christian countries accepted their culture and Christianity, thinking those Christian nations were blessed by God. Those Christian nations now need missionaries who preach the good news to them. But they say they do not need missionaries because they know God.

Calvin mentioned the knowledge of God in the first chapter of his book, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. A truly pious life comes from the knowledge of God. This knowledge cannot be learnt. Although God gave the visible church the authority to feed His people, we know that the knowledge of God cannot be learnt by human efforts. It is given by God. Christians in the Reformed churches often think they are true believers because they accept TULIP. TULIP can be learnt by human efforts. Many who grow up in the Reformed denominations learn TULIP and pretend to be a guardian of TULIP, and yet later deny Sola Gratia. Even the most prominent theologians and ministers in the Reformed denominations deny Sola Gratia later in their lives. We cannot distinguish who is a true saint by what doctrine one holds onto. One may appear to be a guardian of truth for some time. But we realize that we have been deceived when the person denies God and His truth. That is another reason that we should not spend much time on reading theology books or Christian inspirational books. If I say, “Listen to me, not the Bible”, then I am a false Christian.  When the Spirit comes, the knowledge of God grows as we read the Bible. Our prayers become like those of the saints in the Bible because we have the same Spirit. We speak the same things as they did. Therefore, we do not write a new psalm or a new book of the Bible.

because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40)

We are all connected through the words of God and His Spirit beyond time and place. We will all meet and sing praises to God together in the Kingdom. The most important feature of Christianity is self-sacrificing love. This love is proclaiming truths of God. Even though we have never met, we love those saints that appear in the Bible. Love is the foundation of the Kingdom. And Christ showed His love on the cross.

Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

It is a great sin that the Protestant churches emphasize on a moral living and say that they are saved by Christ’s perfect keeping of the Law. They disregard Christ’s ultimate love shown on the cross. Love is the fulfillment of the Law (Romans 13:10). But they say the cross and the Law are different. They also misunderstand “keep” and “fulfill”.

I do not receive glory from people; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 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. How can you believe, when you accept glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? 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?” (John 5:41-47)

If love is what God requires us of, we know that we cannot and do not love God or His people on our own. Christ showed His love and sent His Spirit to us. Only the Holy Spirit initiates and grows this love. And God sees that we keep the Law because we are given the Holy Spirit, and thus love God and His people. On the other hand, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are called evildoers even though they try hard to keep the Law because they do not know God.

We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Matthew 15 tells us that the heart is what defiles a person. The new covenant promises that God changes the heart.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

It is God who does everything to change a person and bring him/her into His eternal Kingdom. We have no right to attack a nation because she is not a Christian nation or to convert someone by force. At an appointed time, God calls each saint. We speak truths of God according to the knowledge given to us freely by God.

After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand! It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.” Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone; they are blind guides of blind people. And if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:10-14)

Those whom the Father did not plant will be uprooted. But God allows them to be blind guides of blind people until the appointed time of God’s wrath. Our job is to proclaim, not to kill.

This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Isaiah 29:13)

I spent most of my youth going from one church to the other when they preached the same message – Do good and God will save you. Looking back, I was lost and confused. Churches do not emphasize on reading the Bible. And when I read the Bible in the past, I focused on how to live a morally good life. In 2017, God showed me clearly that the Roman Catholic church and the Protestant churches are the same. They do not feed God’s sheep.

They have all turned aside, together they are corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:3)

While churches put much emphasize on morality, church authorities and those who call themselves Christians are immoral in God’s sight because they have abandoned Sola Gratia. Since 2017, I’ve been looking for the two men shown in my dream who will be the center of the new reformation. When I read Matthew 14:14, I feel the sadness of Christ because many are without a shepherd. I was also one of them until the Holy Spirit came and started to teach me. God showed me four daughters of my mother. And this reformation is the third one, the most important.

In this chapter, Christ continues to show us that God’s plans and His wills are the opposite of men’s plans and their wills. John the Baptist was sent by God and yet, those who call themselves as God’s children killed him. Although it was Herod who put him to death, the Jewish authorities did not protect John or speak against Herod for his evil doings. People who eagerly sought God’s words went to the wilderness to see John the Baptist and heard his message. They believed in Christ and considered John as a prophet. The Jewish (church) authorities hated John because they hated God. And God hated them.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matt 3:7)

While the church authorities say that they keep the Law and teach people how to keep the Law, God sees them as evildoers because they do not know God. Many people were oppressed because of the strict rules conducted by the Jewish (church) authorities, and they were not fed and were hungry both physically and spiritually. Thus, Christ felt compassion for them and fed the five thousand. It was a unique miracle along with the similar event written in Matthew 15, where Christ fed the four thousand. It is easy to think that Christianity is about helping the poor and feeding the hungry. It is easy to focus on our physical needs than spiritual needs. Christ fed those who are hungry, but not all understood the message Christ brought. In John 6, Christ rebukes those who are after earthly prosperity.

Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate some of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” (John 6:26-27)

In John 6, Christ tells us that we must eat Him to have eternal life. We must become one with Him. I am not talking about how to become one with Him. It is a free gift of God. But most people, even Christians, do not accept this free gift. They hate Sola Gratia. They say, “I am capable of satisfying God by myself. Just give me a message so that I can apply it to my life. I can please God with my own hands. Do not give me a message that I cannot do anything about in my life.”  

Application. This is a wretched word before God. We cannot apply our heart to God’s instructions by our own will and efforts. God forbids our applications. Our work is to accept that God does everything. We are born in sin and live a life of Romans 7. God changes our heart to obey Him. Our own will and efforts are useless. Christ came and laid the foundation of the church. The church grows by God’s power.

Those who have no knowledge of God say that we can gain eternal life. They say we can get it if we try hard enough. They say God will show us mercy if we try hard. Then don’t they stay awake 24/7 and do works? Morality pleases only myself and others. This leads to hypocrisy. All those who are given the Holy Spirit live a life God wants by the power of God. True Christians do not boast about themselves or their works. All bad works were done by us, all good works done by the Spirit. As we become powerless in the eyes of the world, God’s power in us becomes strong.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

But those who have not received the Holy Spirit do not accept God’s good news. They say they must work. Even Adam could not stay righteous by works. How can we become righteous by works?

Although Christ fed the five thousand and the four thousand in separate occasions, only the remnants are saved.

And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you picked up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets you picked up? How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 6:6-12)

Many people are called to listen to God’s good news. But not all accept it because most of them are filled with the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who focus on earthly matters and praises from men.

Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 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?” But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this offensive to you? What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As a result of this many of His disciples left, and would no longer walk with Him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have already believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:52-69)

I grew up as a Christian with having a wrong understanding of God. Churches around the world teaches that God forgives all and saves all. It is a false teaching. God does not forgive all. Christ brought good news to His elect people regardless of their backgrounds. But He brought bad news to the rest. From the beginning, He exactly knew for whom He was going to die. True prophets of God are few. And they are persecuted for telling the truth. Churches made their own image of a god who saves everyone. They made the image of a god who begs for love from us, who cries day and night for our repentance, who is helpless in controlling the world and the creatures, who is weak against the satan, etc. Once I talked to an elder of a mega church. He was sad that people are moving away from justification by faith. He said, “God is crying because of our treachery!” But I was disturbed by his idea of God. God does not cry because of our wrongdoings as if He is helpless. God is angry. Even though He has been sending His prophets, people do not want to hear God’s messages. They hate God. And God hates them. Even though God knows how false believers treat His prophets, He keeps sending them so that those who refuse to listen will not escape from the coming wrath. At first, prophets speak to people thinking they may repent. But they soon realize people hate God and His prophets. Prophets announce judgements of God on them.

Then they said, “Come and let’s devise plans against Jeremiah. Certainly the Law is not going to be lost by the priest, nor advice by the wise, nor the divine word by the prophet! Come, and let’s strike at him with our tongue, and let’s pay no attention to any of his words.” Give Your attention to me, LORD, and listen to what my opponents are saying! Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good in their behalf, so as to turn Your wrath away from them. Therefore, give their children over to famine and turn them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their men also be slaughtered to death, their young men struck and killed by the sword in battle. May a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders upon them; for they have dug a pit to capture me and hidden snares for my feet. But You, LORD, know all their deadly schemes against me; Do not forgive their wrongdoing or wipe out their sin from Your sight. But may they be overthrown before You; Deal with them in the time of Your anger! (Jeremiah 18:18-23)

This chapter (Matthew 13) continues Christ’s teachings on the Kingdom. Among all the parables that Christ used, the parable of weeds among wheat was explained in detail. With the understanding of this parable, other parables regarding the Kingdom can be explained.

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. And when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (v.24-30)

Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear. (v. 36-43)

Christ sows the good seed, but the devil sows the weeds. Christ does not remove the weeds but waits till the harvest time. The weeds generally provide richness to the soil. Persecutions and sufferings are beneficial to saints because they make us rely on God alone. Among the weeds, prophets speak truths of God and are persecuted. But God gives strength. Our faith gets strengthened and knowledge grows as we go through persecutions and trials. God wants us to be refined as silver is refined.

And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’ (Zechariah 13:9)

Christians think they are being refined as silver when hardship comes. Every human goes through challenges and sufferings in the world but not all are refined as silver is refined. Evil people think they are being refined while they are punished for their sins. While silver is refined to become precious, other metals are wasted.

Now the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the LORD’S house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise wrongdoing and give evil advice in this city, who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the pot and we are the meat.’ Therefore, prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man!” Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘This is what the LORD says: “This is how you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts. You have multiplied your slain in this city, and filled its streets with them.” Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of the city are the meat and this city is the pot; but I will bring you out of it. You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you,” the Lord GOD declares. “And I will bring you out of the midst of the city, and hand you over to strangers, and execute judgments against you. You will fall by the sword. I will judge you to the border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the LORD. This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be meat in the midst of it; I will judge you to the border of Israel. So you will know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes, nor have you executed My ordinances, but you have acted in accordance with the ordinances of the nations around you.” (Ezekiel 11:1-12)

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become waste metal to Me; all of them are bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the smelting furnace; they are the waste metal of silver. Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because all of you have become waste metal, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the smelting furnace to blow fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger and in My wrath, and I will place you there and melt you. And I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted in the midst of it. As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out My wrath on you.’” (Ezekiel 22:17-22)

In the end, those who are united with Christ are saved because the words of God do not pass away.

The words of the LORD are pure words; Like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times (Psalm 12:6)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (Luke 21:33)

It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. (1 Corinthians 3:13)

The work of God is being united with Christ through His words and His Spirit. The work of God is believing in God. By the work, we will be rewarded.

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (John 6:29)

Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves (Revelation 22:12)

If you think you can invent ways to please God beyond His expectations, think again. God looks at the heart of each one. If we put our works before God, God will test them through the fire. If any of the works are to please men for praising myself before men, they will burn like dross. We praise God as we remain in humble and helpless circumstances.

… My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions—how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent? But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, RATHER THAN SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. Lord of the Sabbath for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (v.3-8)

Those who believe their righteousness comes from perfect keeping of the Law often do not understand the person of Christ. What I mean is that they concentrate too much on what Christ DID for them and fail to connect that what Christ did is from who Christ is. If anyone does not understand who Christ is and why He became a man, he/she is not united with Him. Their eyes and ears remain shut, and they bring pagan ideas to fill the gap in their knowledge of God, thus, create an idol, a beast. The greatest beast is within churches, and it is the anti-Christ.

Because of the treachery of the reformers in the 17^th century, the Protestant churches started to focus on the external keeping of the Law. As long as people appear to keep the Law, the church authorities were satisfied. The irony is that people who boast of their works are considered as “evildoers” by the Lord. Those who do not know God are all evildoers regardless of how much they are respected within churches. Among all the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath law is considered the most important by church authorities. I hear that Christians have been struggling to understand what is allowed to do and what not on Sundays. This is because they believe their righteousness comes from the Law. People live in fear because of the church authorities.

In this chapter, especially v3-8, Christ tells us the true meaning of the Sabbath. Christ mentions two episodes in the OT which shows the violation of the fourth commandment. Yes, Christ who knows the true meaning of the Sabbath, who is the Lord of the Sabbath, did not judge people by appearance. Christ has fulfilled and still fulfills all the Law and the prophecies. Christ makes everything new. He is the beginning and the end. Saints are free from judgements and our accuser, the devil, will be thrown into the fire.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10)

Christ was considered as a lawbreaker by the Jewish authorities. He was a sinner from their eyes. But from the Father’s point of view, His Son is righteousness itself because the Father and the Son are one.

I and my Father, We are One. (John 10:30)

Because of the Libertines, who promoted immoral living, the reformers adopted the ideas of the Roman Catholic church and made Christianity a religion of many. Indeed, with their ideas, all people on the earth can become a Christian. But only the remnant who truly know God by the power of God are saved.

People are persuaded to believe that Christ’s perfect keeping of the Law and death are their righteousness. Church authorities tell them they can now keep the Law by the Spirit when they only want people to obey them. Christians still live in a constant fear that God’s wrath would come any minute if they upset their church authorities. There is no Sabbath for them. While they say they keep the Law, they are considered as evildoers by God. Righteousness from the Law is breakable and conditional. Disobedience comes from believing in the wrong doctrines. Disobedience comes from not knowing the Lord of the Sabbath. Disobedience comes from making an idol, who is the anti-Christ.

Therefore I swore in My anger, They certainly shall not enter My rest. (Psalm 95:11)

Christ’s righteousness does not come from the keeping of the Law. God sees the heart of a man and judges according to the heart. A man may appear to have broken the Law, but God may see him righteous.

Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

Because of social and political reasons, the reformers in the 17^th century shifted the focus from grace to the Law. And Christ speaks the same words against the church authorities just as He did to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law.

As long as you hold on to the doctrine of the active obedience of Christ, there is no Sabbath. Even through you may be invited to the banquet, you will be thrown out by an act of disobedience. You may tell God that you are saved by Christ’s perfect keeping of the Law, and that you are saved by that faith. Christ will tell you His righteousness is not from keeping of the Law. He has always been righteous. Because He is righteous, He fulfills all righteousness. And by uniting with Him, His church (His Kingdom) is righteous.

But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:11-14)

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” (v.18-19)

The children of God know what happens and will happen in the world from God’s point of view because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. There have been many prophets in churches, but their voices have been ignored and mocked by people who call themselves Christians. It is true that God’s children go through tribulations especially within churches and Christian nations. I once was a false Christian and thought I knew God and the Bible. When truth comes, everything becomes clear, and we realize that we have been blind. We know only what we have been taught by the Spirit about God. Although we do not know everything that God knows, our knowledge becomes sufficient to recognize what is from God and what is not. Our knowledge stays pure, clear, and simple like that of children.

To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ (v.16-17)

The Pharisees did not understand the works of God done through John the Baptist or Christ. They saw and judged everything according to their traditions. They thought they kept the Law well. And they could not understand the messages of John the Baptist and Christ.

I consider God’s wisdom as the Holy Spirit because only God possesses wisdom. From earthly point of view, there are wise people even among non-Christians because we often focus on the welfare of the mass public and morality. This is the feature of all other religions. Doing good to people is often the focus of a religious man. Christianity may look the same, but it focuses on the coming Kingdom. God saves only His chosen people. That does not mean we should help only God’s chosen. We must be good to others generally (Galatians 6:10), but our focus must not be doing good deeds in the eyes of the world. Our focus must be the words of God. And our Christian life starts with knowing God. Indeed, knowing God and believing in the one whom He has sent is everything. But without the Holy Spirit, there is no knowledge, wisdom, or understanding of God. Without Him, no one can abide in Christ and therefore, no fruit (good deeds).   

Many people interpret Matthew 11 from a moral point of view.

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (v28-30)

Some ministers say our burden is lessened but we must do works, meaning living a moral life in the eyes of the world. I consider that the yoke of Christian is being a prophet.

Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

Being a prophet of God is against worshiping men and their works. The reprobate people serve men instead of the Triune God; therefore, their number is 666.

This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (Revelation 13:18)

Our job is NOT about building an earthly kingdom for God. I do not doubt that God is against Christian nationalism or any men’s attempts to build an earthly kingdom for God. Saints do not conquer the world by force or by earthly wisdom. We do not invade other nations, cause disruptions in society, or overthrow a government. We patiently wait for Christ. Our work is to preach the good news and be persecuted because the world and the false Christians do not understand or like our message. In this age, everyone has heard of the Bible and can read the Bible. Our mission is to tell people to read the Bible and know God. Preaching is not persuasion but proclamation. Those who are chosen will listen and understand eventually by the power of the Holy Spirit. The rest never accept our message. That is the work of a prophet. We do not worship men or their works. If anyone worships men or their works, he/she worships money because money is the root of so-called great men both in churches and the world.

They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. (Isaiah 44:18)

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)