Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you. (v. 22)

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

Jesus Christ saved us from the eternal wrath of God that will be poured onto those who hate Him on the last day. All humans are born dead and are destined to perish. By believing in Christ, we are reborn as children of God. No one can choose to believe in God because everyone is born dead. Therefore, faith is the gift of God.

We live forever as Christ lives forever. John the Apostle tells us that there are two things Christ did. Christ is represented as water and blood. But these are not separate. They are united in Christ. Water symbolizes the knowledge of God. Blood symbolizes the death of Christ for the salvation of His people.

As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, For He will bear their wrongdoings. (Isaiah 53:11)

God is not pleased with any human, even Adam. God’s plan has always been in the kingdom of heaven. Through the Son, the Creator and the creation become united in love. In this union, the Holy Spirit plays a vital role. Therefore, speaking against the Spirit is unforgivable.

And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:32)

Our adoption required the Son of God to become the Son of Man. Adam could not make us children of God because he was a slave. Therefore, it is wrong to say that obedience gives us eternal life. Only those united completely with God can live with Him. Starting from Adam’s fall, we learn that God’s plan of creation has always been in the kingdom. When Paul mentioned obedience in Romans 5, he did not mean that obedience to the law saved us. He emphasized the death and resurrection of Christ as our salvation. Anyone who is not a child of God will perish.

Theologians and ministers say that people need to be obedient to their church authorities because Christ gave them eternal life by keeping the law perfectly. They say that they can now keep the law because of the Holy Spirit. Many people are persuaded to believe that they have the Holy Spirit and are chosen. These people think that they can make their country a Christian nation and participate in political activities. They think they are better than others. I tell you again that the kingdom of God is not visible in this world. Our morally good life is nothing but rubbish to God. We are not different from unbelievers. However, we try to uphold the law because God is not pleased with immoralities. We have nothing to boast about but the cross of Christ because our life depends on it. No one is righteous by relying on the law.

But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

In the last post, I mentioned that the Reformed and the Presbyterian churches are the most treacherous. I want to add that the Baptist churches are worse than them because they pretend to be orthodox and yet preach false doctrines. Their wrong understanding of the covenants is evident in their understanding of baptism. In their Confession, both the Covenant of Works and the Active Obedience of Christ appear. No wonder the Baptists are involved heavily in politics because they want to make their kingdom.

We need to remember that God revealed His plan of the kingdom gradually and yet the plan was set before creation. We must understand that God is the builder who designed and planned the kingdom before He started creation in Genesis 1. Everything was carefully planned and is being fulfilled according to the plan. Hence, the temple has the exact measurements.

Then there was given to me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the courtyard which is outside the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations; and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Revelation 11:1-3)

But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (vv. 7-11)

Federalism was born when theologians and ministers tried to convince everyone that they were the elect. They wanted to make their country a Protestant Christian nation. We can see this clearly by reading about the history of England. And the Protestant church became just like the Roman Catholic church. There have been many Protestant ministers who actively participated in political activities. Abraham Kuyper, who was a great admirer of John Owen, could become the prime minister of the Netherlands because of wrong doctrines preached within Protestant churches. People interpret the Bible as they like. No Christian with a right mind would try to become a politician. The elect are always a minor group and suffer greatly in this world. If any church or denomination becomes a politically powerful group, we know that it is a false church. The orthodox doctrines of Christianity prevent us from becoming powerful in this world because they are rejected by the majority. The Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ are popular theories because they deny Sola Gratia. They focus on free will and obedience to church authorities. We believe that they lead people back to slavery. Theologians and ministers who support these theories typically have a wrong understanding of the Holy Spirit and free will. They tell others that they can now please God with their free will because of the Holy Spirit. They invent new ways of worshiping God and praise men-made worship songs. They tell people to prove that they have the Holy Spirit by doing certain things. Therefore, they make others slaves to churches. This has been prophesied a long time ago by the prophets in the OT.

And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has proved herself to be more righteous than treacherous Judah. (Jeremiah 3:11)

Also, bear your disgrace in that you have made judgment favorable for your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. Yes, be also ashamed and bear your disgrace, in that you made your sisters appear innocent. (Ezekiel 16:52)

For this is what the LORD says: ‘Your broken limb is irreparable, And your wound is incurable. (Jeremiah 30:12)

I wish I could speak and write in better English. English is not my first language. But there must be a reason that God chose me to write all these. I am not writing to convince people with elaborate and fluent English. I am not writing to persuade people by human logic and philosophy. Every Christian with the right mind knows that Christ did not give us righteousness by perfect keeping of the law. Christ is the law because only He truly understands and does God’s will.

Christians are taught that righteousness comes from obedience to the law. Christ has been the one with the Father from the beginning and did not need to gain righteousness by obeying the law either for Himself or the church. I do not think that Romans 5 supports Federalism. Many believe that the Book of James supports work before faith. When I read the Book, I understood why James wrote it that way. We must understand the Bible as a whole.

In this passage (John 16:5-15), we understand how the Holy Spirit convicts false churches in the world.

regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me (v.9). Christians often think that the Mosaic law in the OT is God’s will. But it is not always the case. Christ was accused of breaking the Sabbath law but He was innocent because He did exactly what the Father wanted. Sin is about not knowing God or His will. Believing in Jesus Christ is God’s will. But Christians think that they became righteous because of the perfect keeping of the law. They say that Christ did it for them. But they believe that the root of righteousness is the law.

and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me (v.10) Federalism teaches people that the cross of Christ is not enough for us to gain eternal life. However, verse 10 clearly tells us that our righteousness is from the death and resurrection of Christ.

and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (v.11) Federalism was used by people in authority to make others obedient to their authority. Most of the people in authority did not have the desire to look after the poor. England, America, and other Christian nations have many people who do not have food or a place to live. Churches are interested only in activities that look good to the world. They gather money to build a beautiful church building or a university/seminary. But poor people can’t enter their churches because they do not have money to contribute.

Two thousand years ago, our Lord convicted the world. And the Holy Spirit continues to convict. The elect witnesses all the wrongdoings done by the churches around the world. Churches are one with the world. Among all the Protestant churches, the Reformed and Presbyterian denominations are the most treacherous. They think they keep the law better than others. But, they openly preach Federalism which takes people back to slavery. There is no grace in the house of grace. If anyone speaks against what the Holy Spirit says through the Bible, he/she is a lawbreaker.

Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law, order me to be struck?” (Acts 23:3)

They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor Me. (vv. 2-3)

God gave the church system as a tool to nurture His people. However, the system fails because false believers take hold of it. The root of its corruption is false teaching. When the Reformation happened in the 16th century, the message was clear and simple – we are not to go back to slavery. However, the new church system adopted false teachings in the 17th century and led people back to slavery.

I know that 99% of people in the Protestant churches will hate me when I speak against Arminianism and Federalism. Not many people understand that Federalism supports Arminianism.

True liberty is found only in the words of God. The Word became flesh. But people rejected and still reject Jesus Christ. If we continue to sin, we remain as a slave to sin. Only the Holy Spirit frees us from slavery because He teaches us about the Father and the Son. He enables us to understand the Bible. He gives us faith. He gives us God’s wisdom to fight against temptations. Through Him, we are one with the Father and the Son.

I have always thought that the third Reformation is only for the saints. The world goes as destined without knowing God’s will or plan. That was my thought. But now I think that the third reformation may affect the whole world just as the second Reformation did. The pandemic was a start.

Since the pandemic, I heard the news about many people leaving their jobs and having mental issues. I think people feel that there is something wrong with the world. We live as slaves. Some psychologists say that the issues of our present world are from Puritanism. I am not interested in psychology. And I think that most (if not all) psychologists have little understanding of Christianity. But I found it interesting that some people realized that they have been living as slaves. America was known as a country of freedom for a long time and gave many people false hope. We need to understand that its foundation is Federalism. The country is founded on slavery based on the false doctrine. So are all people affected by false Christianity. Even when I had little understanding of the Bible, God showed me that many people were going back to Egypt. He also showed me that Covenant Theology (Federalism) did not have any root.

The elect will find true freedom in the words of God. There will be riots and social and/or political movements. I once said that there would be extreme immorality after the pandemic. All the things happening in this world may cause anxiety. We must hold onto the words of God. God, who is faithful, will fulfill all His plans. His kingdom will surely come. All who try to build a temple or kingdom on the earth will fail because God does not dwell in the house built by humans.

Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. (Hebrews 13:12-14)

The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands… (Acts 17:24)

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (v.19)

I am a stranger on the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. (Psalm 119:19)

There are many Christians in the world. But I think there are only a few who truly know and love God. I know that there have been many theologians and ministers who were and are loved and praised by people. It is difficult to consider them as strangers on the earth because the world loves them. Anyone who has much fame and money tries to get more. They speak what people want to hear.

When Christ came and spoke truth that frees people, He was hated by people. Many people followed Christ. But there were more people who tried to kill Jesus than those who loved Him. It is still the same today. When we speak truth, we are hated. We are strangers on the earth. This feeling of loneliness is stronger when we are surrounded by people who call themselves Christians.

King David wrote Psalm 119 for the Israelites to hear and sing. He called himself a stranger on the earth. We all are strangers on the earth. David’s greatness is not from his military achievements, wealth, or virtues. God loved him because of Jesus Christ. David followed God wholeheartedly because he came to know God by the power of the Holy Spirit and experienced God’s absolute grace.

As a stranger on the earth, David openly praised God. As a prophet, he spoke and wrote what God told him. We speak of God and His words so that others would come to know God and be saved. Preaching the gospel is God’s will because it saves the elect and also leaves the reprobate without any excuse. We do not go back the way we came in. Therefore, our life is like the wind.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. (v. 22)

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’ “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 6:8-10)

No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (v. 15)

Federalism focuses on what Adam did not do, which is keeping God’s command. However, the new reformation focuses on what Adam did not know and what he could not do consequently. It focuses on Adam’s limitations. The new reformation is about knowing what Jesus Christ has fulfilled – our adoption. Our adoption has always been God’s ultimate plan. We are the body of the church. Christ is our head. And the one and only invisible church is the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in uniting us all.

Many churches in the world have gone astray. I hate Federalism because it supports legalism. Legalism is as bad as antinomianism because it leads to antinomianism. The law of God is not the written code in the OT. The law is God’s will. Therefore, only the Son of God fulfills the law because only He knows the Father. God’s ultimate will is self-sacrificing love. It is the foundation of the kingdom of God. If we love one another, we speak the truth of God. And we put all our hope in God’s promise of the kingdom.

Concerning bearing fruit, I grew up hearing from people that I must do something to please God. Now I think that fruit is not something that we can see and touch. Only God sees our fruit. There are people in every church who put much time and effort into church activities. They are proud that they bear much fruit. But only God is the judge. God sees each one’s heart.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

I once suffered from a mental illness for about five years. I prayed to God and read the Bible. But it did not go away. Every morning I woke up feeling defeated because I knew I could not overcome the illness. But my illness was miraculously cured when I confessed that I could not overcome it. I thought that the only way to end this was to kill myself. I realized that my will could not overcome the temptation. That night Jesus appeared and touched me. When I woke up, I knew that I was freed. I know my story is not for everyone. If you have a mental illness, I’d advise you to seek professional help. I was too scared to seek help. But it was a lesson for me to realize that my will cannot fix my problems. Many Christians think that we only need to put effort to achieve something. Theologians and ministers say that we can now please God with our works because the Holy Spirit helps us. But I think God wants us to confess that our will is rubbish. Our will to sin is much stronger than our will to do good. When we feel weak and helpless, we ask God for mercy. And God shows us grace.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (vv. 2-5)

“Listen then to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

There have been many discussions over faith vs. works. Many people think that the Book of James is about works before faith. But James was simply talking about true vs. false faith. Many think that faith is some kind of condition for salvation. But it is not a condition. It is a result of receiving the Holy Spirit. Christ explains about the role of the Holy Spirit in John 14, 15, and 16. And we all know that chapter 17 is about the union with God. No one can generate faith. No one can please God with their own works. There is one condition for us to become the children of God. That is the Holy Spirit. No one can earn this grace. Grace is freely given. We are all born dead because of Adam’s rebellion. Obedience is not a means to become God’s children. Obedience to the Father is a result of being one with the Son. This obedience is not based on the relationship between a master and a slave. It is from love between the Father and the Son. It is from the union of the Father and the Son. In this union, the Holy Spirit plays a vital role.

For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

God is always with us because of the Holy Spirit in us. Those who have received the Holy Spirit produce God’s fruit continuously. Some people think that they have the Holy Spirit because they had some mysterious experiences in the past. But they go back to their old ways and continue to be rebellious. They typically deny Sola Gratia and support strange doctrines. They may appear to keep God’s laws, but all their works are evil to God.

Verses 9 and 10 may appear to support works before faith. But we must understand verse 8 first.

⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. ⁹ Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. (vv. 8-10)

Being one with God produces faith and other fruits of the Holy Spirit. Having much fruit is proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit. God commands that we bear fruit. We tend to think that we must do something to please God and earn His love. But it is God who does all the work.

… for apart from Me you can do nothing. (v. 5)

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you. The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him. (vv. 19-21)

Adam’s fall was a necessary step to know God. (I apologize for a typo in my previous post.) Adam could not become like God through his works. Everything happened so that we would eagerly wait for God’s total grace that comes through Jesus Christ. The reason why the Son was resurrected was not because He kept the law perfectly. The Father raised the Son because He loved and still loves Him. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. Our relationship with God is based on agape (unconditional and sacrificial love). As a father loves his child unconditionally, our Father loves us unconditionally.

There is one condition for us to become the children of God. That is the Holy Spirit. Not only the Spirit makes us know God and understand His words, He also enables us to do good works. So the children of God are inevitably the light of the world as the Son is. We cannot meet this condition. The Spirit is given only to those God chose before the foundation of the world. Therefore, God’s grace is total. However, the world hates us because they do not understand God. In this evil and adulterous generation, people receive praise from others if they preach a different name.

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. (John 5:43)

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Many ministers and priests boast that they can make people receive the Holy Spirit. They force people to speak gibberish while loud music is played. Some people get the false sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit and say that they now speak in tongues. But the work of the Holy Spirit is always connected to the understanding of God’s words.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you. (v. 26)

Total Depravity is right because we are all sinners as Adam and Eve sinned against God. But we must not say that Adam was holy and righteous. Holiness and righteousness belong only to God. And only God can love. Faith, righteousness, holiness, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and love belong only to God. All these are unchangeable. Adam may have had some knowledge, wisdom, or understanding. But his fall proves that he was not like the Son. Adam and Eve did not have the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, their son, Abel, knew God. The knowledge of God given to Abel by the Holy Spirit is evident in his understanding and sacrifice.

So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering. (Genesis 4:3-4)

The Holy Spirit makes us understand God through the Bible and enables us to obey Him. The Spirit does not let us dwell in sins. God saves us from temptations.

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” (vv. 23-24)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. (v.6)

The four chapters from 14 to 17 explain to us the reason why God made the world in the first place. It explains why the kingdom of God is the kingdom of priests.

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.” (Jeremiah 1:11-12)

Theologians and ministers preach that Adam could have obtained eternal life by observing God’s command during the probation period. They preach that Adam was already perfect except for eternal life. Anyone who believes that righteousness is from observing the law is happy with this nonsense theory. From the beginning, our righteousness is from faith in God. Perfect faith is not changeable. But Adam and Eve became unfaithful by their own choice. If anyone thinks life depends on obedience to the law, he/she inevitably agrees to the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ. But we know the theories have significant flaws.

The four chapters from 14 to 17 explain that God made all creation to build the kingdom of His priests, who are one with Him. Theologians and ministers preach that Adam knew God and was holy and righteous. But there are two many differences between Adam and Christ. And verses 6 and 15 clearly tell us that Adam neither knew God nor kept His command. He did not love God.

Any hypothesis needs to be tested to see if it is the same as the reality. Our reality is the Bible. The Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ are based on the bad hypothesis. These theories are different from the reality. Their idea is that perfect obedience to the law is the only way to bring righteousness and life. Their hypothesis is wrong. From the beginning, Adam was not given the promise of eternal life through his obedience to God. When God made the covenant with the Israelites, it was for them to know that they could not please God with their works. Even if they could please God with their works, their works did not change their relationship with God. They remained as slaves. And God cursed them when they disobeyed.

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

There are passages in the OT where God referred to the Israelites as sons and daughters. But we understand that He was referring to His elect among the Israelites. God saves only His remnant people chosen from eternity.

For though your people, Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. (Isaiah 10:22)

This has been God’s plan from the beginning. God trains His chosen through suffering and challenges. Once all the training is done, the kingdom is perfected. We will receive an imperishable body. With this in mind, we know that Adam was not given any promise of becoming the head of the church. Adam’s fall was a necessary step to know God. Therefore, PERFECT OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW IS NOT THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE. Christ is the way. It is Christ’s person and works that enable us to be the children of God. Because He is the Son of God, He made us the children of God. Because He became the Son of Man, He paid for our sins as our only representative. Christ’s two natures are inseparable.

God made a conditional covenant with the Israelites just as He did with Adam and Eve. However, the saints are not under a conditional covenant but the one and eternal unconditional covenant through the Son. God planned and completed all the works for the Son to be our head. Christ is our Lord. Because the Son is one with the Father, we are also one with them. This is the foundation of Christianity.

Heretics preach as if they uphold the law. They say that we need to do this and that to be saved. But we know that there is nothing good in us. If we do anything good, we know that it is from God. Because we know that God’s grace is all we have, we love the Son. Because we love the Son, we preach the kingdom of God. Christ’s commandment is to love God and His people. This love is self-sacrificing. It is about speaking truth. It is also about preaching the kingdom of God. But I hardly see anyone preaching the kingdom of God.

Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (vv. 12-15)

Therefore when he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. (vv. 31-32)

… and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

True believers are glorified together with the Son and the Father because we are one through the Spirit. This is explained further in chapter 17. The word “glory” exists only for God and those united with Him. This glory was given to us through Christ’s obedience written in Romans 5:12-21. Those who follow the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ say that Christ’s obedience to the law has brought us eternal life. But it is simply not true. Paul himself refutes the idea in Romans 8:11 and 2 Corinthians 4:14.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

… knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you. (2 Corinthians 4:14)

Our eternal life has already been achieved when Christ resurrected. And we will resurrect to the eternal life on the last day. Our eternal life has nothing to do with the perfect keeping of the law.

Adam and Christ were not given the same condition unlike what many theologians and ministers believe. Adam was a mere slave and Christ is the Son of God. If obedience to the law brings glorification, Adam should have been glorified in the Garden of Eden. But his failure to overcome the temptation proves that he was nowhere near God. He was not like the Son of God. In fact, Adam and Eve wanted to be like God by following the devil.

Christ’s obedience written in Romans 5:12-21 is related to His death on the cross. The cross of Christ brought us God’s glory. We are justified and glorified through the blood of Christ. We are no longer rebellious servants like Adam and Eve. We are now the children of God through faith. Faith is the work of the Spirit.

The Reformation focused on explaining how a man is saved. However, the Reformers failed to see the whole picture of God’s plan from the beginning to the end. Their mistakes still affect us. Many people do not know how to interpret the Old Testament. Many Christians think that the Israelites are still the chosen people of God. The elect are those who received the Holy Spirit by grace without any previous merits. We are chosen before the foundation of the world.

… just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:4-5)

Everything is focused on the kingdom of God. Christ came to preach the kingdom. His work was focused on making His chosen people the children of God. He made the Father known to us through His words and actions. Christ’s death and resurrection made us perfect, not His obedience to the law. Perfection is not about being sinless. Perfection is about being God. Adam and Eve were made upright. But they did not have God’s glory. They were neither righteous nor holy. Only those who are given the Spirit are holy and righteous and can overcome temptations. In many ways, we are still sinful and weak. But God sees us as His own children. God sees us holy and righteous. He disciplines us when we go astray. But He will never cast us out. The relationship between the Father and the Son is not based on obedience to the law. It is based on love. Christ showed us God’s love on the cross. Therefore, our relationship with God is based on love, not on the law. Anyone who receives the Holy Spirit obeys God’s words, not out of fear but out of love.

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another. (vv. 34-35)

Only the Son made us the children of God, not Adam. Adam’s obedience did not make him glorified. God did not allow anyone to help the Son because the adoption of the saints had to be done only through the death of the Son. Salvation (in other words, glorification) of the saints is God’s sole work.

Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.” (v. 38)

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. (Romans 6:8-9)

The Lord’s Supper represents our union with Christ. And it is done regularly in every visible church. I understand the Reformers debated hotly over what it means and how it should be done. I do not think that the ceremony has some spiritual power to change people. Unless it is supported by the knowledge of God, it is a mere ceremony. The Lord’s Supper is a daily reminder that our Lord died to make us live forever along with Him.

In this passage, there are two things that I want to talk about. One is that the Lord’s Supper happened before Christ’s death. And the other is that the washing of the disciples’ feet explains to us that our salvation is the work of Truth and Spirit (v.10).

Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.” (v. 10)

The Lord’s Supper could have happened after Christ’s resurrection. But it happened before because we had to die just as God warned Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:17:

… but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.  

Some people misinterpret this and say that God did not kill Adam and Eve because He loved them. Adam and Eve became separated from God because of their rebellion. Being separated from God is death. Indeed, all human is born dead and enslaved to sin. Although one may say that he/she did not commit a crime that brings punishment, the absence of the knowledge of God is sin. Those who rely on their good works remain dead to God.

Although it was not us who died, God considers that we died because Christ, our representative, died because of our sins. Therefore, anyone who is not united with the Son through the Holy Spirit is still a rebel. Those who reject the Son will receive eternal damnation. We claim that Jesus is our Lord because we are united with Him. We believe not only Him but also the One who sent Him. No one can have faith in God without the power of the Spirit. I mentioned that the feet represent the work of the Spirit in my previous post “Ezekiel 1”. Anyone who received the Spirit preaches the Gospel. We are all disciples of Jesus Christ. The disciples wash people with the Word and prepare them to receive the Holy Spirit. We read that verse 14 is fulfilled in the Book of Acts.

So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you. Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. (vv. 14-17)

One may attend the Lord’s Supper over 100 times and yet it means nothing if he/she does not have the Spirit. This person may talk about God and quote Bible verses as if he knows God, but his unfaithfulness will eventually be revealed through his own words. It is not a church ordinance that changes people. It is the Word and the Spirit who make us perfect. We are now the children of God.

We received punishment and have been pardoned forever because Christ died and resurrected with us. God did everything alone.

“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her guilt has been removed, that she has received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)