(1) Our Heavenly Father Who Works Diligently
Most of my brethren in the world seem to think that our heavenly Father is a God who does nothing Himself, but is always in a state of idle inactivity on His throne, requiring of all angels and men glory, praise and reverence. He is also looked upon as a stern, harsh and mean tyrant, who searches for the faults and wrong doings of sinners in order to punish them. But this is a most grievous misunderstanding and perversion.
Let us now listen to the testimony of our Eldest Brother, Jesus Christ, the very Son of the God who has been with Him from eternity and from the beginning of the foundation of the world.
It is written, the Lord Started [His works of old... while as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, or the primeval dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there when He drew a circle on the face of the deep when He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the foundations of the deep, when He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside Him as a master craftsman and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him] (Pro. 8:22, 26-30).
[My Father has been working until now, and I have been working ... Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner] (John 5:17, 19). [I can of Myself do nothing] (John 5:30).
Truly our heavenly Father has been working diligently for all His children in the universe since the beginning of the world and will never cease His work and service. He never becomes tired or weary. [Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. There is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength] (Isa. 40:28, 29). [But I am the Lord your God, who divided the sea whose waves roared - the Lord of hosts is His name] (Isa. 51:15).
(2) Our Heavenly Father Who Supplies the Needs
Jesus specifically tells us of the works of His Father in detail. [Look at the birds of the air; for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them ... Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these] for He clothed them so beautifully ... [God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven] (Matt. 6:26, 28-30). Moreover, [who provides food for the raven when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?] (Job 38:41). Your Father, your heavenly Father feeds them.
[Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions when they crouch in their dens (in hunger)?] (Job 38:39, 40). Your Father also feeds them.
He [covers the heavens with clouds, (He) prepares rain for the earth, (He) makes grass to grow on the mountains] (Ps. 147:8). And He [causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man] (Ps. 104:14).
And [this great and wide sea in which are innumerable teeming things ... both small and great ... these all wait for You ... what Your give them they gather in, You open Your hand, they filled with good] (Ps. 104:25-28).
[In this manner therefore pray: Our Father in heaven ... Give us today our daily bread.] And He will give [to all liberally and without reproach] (Matt. 6:9-13, James 1:5). [The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open your hand, and satisfy the desires of every living thing] (Ps. 145:15, 16).
[O Lord, how manifold are Your works!] (Ps 104:24). No one can count or number them.
(3) Our Real Father Who Takes Unceasing Care of Us
[Then Jesus said to them again, `Peace be unto you'] (John 20:21).
[Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows] (Matt. 10:29-31).
[Now if God so clothes the grass of the field] with such tender love [which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you] (Matt. 6:30) whom He has Himself begotten and brought up with such great love? [O you of little faith ... do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things] (Luke 12:28-30) and provided them for you.
[But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing, a home, treasures) shall be added to you] (Matt. 6:33).
[Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever] (1 John 2:15-17). Therefore [having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
[As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.] [As one whom his mother comforts, so [He] will comfort you.] He will [satisfy your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's] (Ps. 103:13, Isa. 66:13, Ps. 103:3, 5).
[He is not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being ... for we are also His offspring] (Acts 17:27, 28).
Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom and of joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature, think of their marvelous adaptation to the needs and happiness, not only of man, but of all living creatures. The sunshine and the rain that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the love of the Creator, our heavenly Father. It is God who supplies the daily needs of all His creatures.
[God is love] is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green - all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God and to His desire in making His children happy.
Moreover, His power is revealed on the pulsation of the heart, on the movement of the lungs, and on the thousands of blood vessels of every organ in the whole body. Every passing moment of our existence and well-being we owe to Him. He takes care of us with greater pity than that of a mother hugging her baby groaning in sickness. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them.
There is not a sigh breathed, not a pain felt, nor a grief piercing our souls that does not vibrate to His heart.
There is no family head as faithful, devoted, loving and kind as our heavenly Father in this whole world. He is also the most tender Caretaker of our universal family. Unlimited is His love for us.
[But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me my Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me'] (Isa. 49:14-16).
You [who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear: even I will carry, and will deliver you] (Isa. 46:3, 4).
Praise the Lord! Glory to our Father who takes unceasing care of us! Praise the Lord!
Friday, January 30, 2009
10. Our Real Father who Gives His Holy Spirit to Us Sinners
As I travel to new areas during missionary work, I frequently ask fellow believers this question, "Dear friends! God has promised to pour His Holy Spirit upon us; then will He give it to the pure, holy and blameless ones or to the wicked, filthy, abominable sinners?' And most of them reply in unison, "of course to the pure, holy and blameless ones."
As I hear such replies from my fellow believers, I feel so sorry. And the discussion leads us to open the Bible. Let us look to the Bible now and see whether He has truly said that He would give it to the good and blameless ones. Let's open Luke chapter 11 and we will have a period of interesting Bible study.
In Luke chapter 11 Jesus said, [If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ... How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!] (Luke 11:11-13). [And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened] (Luke 11:9, 10).
To whom did He say, " Ask and it will be given you?" Let's look this up in detail.
[If you then being evil ... your heavenly Father (will) give the Holy spirit to those who ask Him] (Luke 11:13). We are assured that He has promised to give His Spirit to the evil. Yes, it is true. When the Holy Spirit, the third God, comes to the sinner by grace, he realizes that he is a sinner and is led to repent of his past sinful life. Then his life becomes pure and regenerated, and he is sanctified into a spotless person.
On the contrary, if a sinner attempts to make himself pure and good enough to receive the Holy Spirit on his own before he comes to God first, he will never become good enough to receive it nor have an opportunity to receive it, ever. Trying to become holy without God is an absurd and presumptuous sin.
[For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters (Holy Spirit), and hewn themselves cisterns- broken cisterns that can hold no water (Holy Spirit)] (Jer. 2:13). Toward these people God says, [You fool!] [Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots] by themselves? [Neither can you do good,] without the help of the Holy Spirit, [who are accustomed to doing evil] (Luke 12:20, Jer. 13:23).
[O foolish man,] neither say in your heart, [Let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, it its season ... Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have withheld good things (the Spirit of the former and latter rain) from you.] [Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have a harlot's forehead, you refuse to be ashamed] (James 2:20, Jer. 5:24, 25, Jer. 3:3).
They at last become like those who have forever lost the opportunity to be saved and dry out, [The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!] (Jer. 8:20). While they are spending foolish time in striving to make themselves pure and holy enough to receive the Holy Spirit, the merciful God is earnestly waiting for them to come to Him to receive the Spirit, allowing them so much time and opportunities with perseverance, but they persist and do not go to Him.
Therefore He says, [I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness ...This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me, says the Lord, because you have forgotten Me and trusted in (your own) falsehood] (Jer. 13:24, 25).
[And if you say in your heart, `Why have these things come upon me?' (It is) for the greatness of your iniquity] (Jer 13:22). [Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?] (Jer. 13:27).
The greatest sin of those who profess to be Christians is that they neither seek the Holy Spirit nor open their heart to receive it. Desires for goodness and holiness are good as far as they go; but if you stop there and do not seek the Holy Spirit, they will avail nothing. Many will perish while only hoping and desiring to be true Christians.
[There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews] (John 3:1). He was truly a man who endeavored to keep the laws, to live a pure, holy, and pious life, trying to become a sanctified man all by himself. But contrary to his diligent efforts and aspirations, his life was only a succession of bitter disappointment, distress and disillusion resulting from continual atrophy and failure. At last He determined to meet Jesus of whom he had heard so much of through rumors.
As he came to Jesus one night, he did not expose his miserable state before Him but concealing his true heart said, [Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him] (John 3:2). But He who clearly knew the miserable state and sympathized with the agony of this desperate soul, did not respond to his meaningless speech but rather gave him the very answer to the cry from the deep of his heart - "Lord! What should I do to be sanctified and join the holy people of God's kingdom?" And so He answered, [Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God] (John 3:3).
To say again, "Truly I teach you aright: unless one first receives from God His Spirit to be born again by it, and becomes a regenerated person by receiving a new life from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." But Nicodemus failed to comprehend Jesus' words and retorted with an absurd question unworthy of a well-informed Jewish ruler, [Nicodemus said to Him, `How can a man be born when he is old?'] (John 3:4). And more specifically [Jesus answered, `Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of ... the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God'] (John 3:5). That is to say, 'Truly I teach you again, unless a sinner receives from God His Holy Spirit to be transformed into holiness by His power, and becomes born again, all his efforts to become sanctified by himself and to enter heaven will avail nothing and prove impossible."
From that hour on, this struggling soul settled all is hidden problems after only one precious interview with Jesus, to become one of His most faithful disciples who from then on, began to live a regenerated life by submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And after His crucifixion, although all the other disciples had forsaken Him and run away, Nicodemus alone brought [a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pounds] (John 19:39) and bravely received Him with sorrow upon His death.
Many today lust for the Spirit, [and do not have; You murder and covet and cannot obtain ... you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spent it on your pleasures] (James 4:2, 3).
Truly the Spirit does not come by force or compulsion like the evil spirits do into the heart of those who neither feel need nor seek for it. It is a pure as a dove and only comes to those who invite it with kindness. The Holy Spirit is not given in answer to the prayers of those who seek to use it for display, show and other selfish motives, but only to those who are willing to obey it with the humility of a child.
Today, Jesus proclaims to the humble, [If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive] (John 7:37-39).
Isaiah exclaims, [Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters (Holy Spirit); and you who have no money, come, buy and eat... without money and without price] (Isa. 55:1).
Peter exclaims,[ ... everyone of you .. in the name of Jesus Christ ... shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call] (Acts 2:38, 39).
Apostle Paul exclaims too, [When the kindness and the love of God or Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life] (Titus 3:4-7).
The Holy Spirit itself exclaims, [The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!' And let him who hears say, ‘Come!' And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.] [Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick... For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners] (Rev. 22:17, Matt. 9:12, 13) who are not yet sanctified.
Our heavenly Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who serve Him than are parents to give good gifts to their children. When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. If all were willing, all would be filled with Spirit and have the experience of regeneration and attain to the state of sanctification.
[As the body without the spirit is dead,] [if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His] (James 2:26, Rom. 8:9).
The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race. Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end of the world. From the day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service. The lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ's parting promise to send the Holy Spirit as His representative. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If the fulfillment is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.
The children of God are not those whose hearts are sometimes touched by the Spirit, who yield to its, power now and then. It is only those who are led by the Spirit always that He acknowledges as His children. It is time to receive the Spirit today when whoever seeks for it can receive. Seek and pray earnestly for the blessing of the Spirit, and believe it. We must have it, and heaven is waiting to bestow it.
[And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!] (Luke 11:9-13).
[He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not be with Him also freely give us all things?] (Rom. 8:32).
[Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full] (John 16:24).
Praise the Lord! Glory to our real Father in heaven who bestows His Holy Spirit upon us sinners!
As I hear such replies from my fellow believers, I feel so sorry. And the discussion leads us to open the Bible. Let us look to the Bible now and see whether He has truly said that He would give it to the good and blameless ones. Let's open Luke chapter 11 and we will have a period of interesting Bible study.
In Luke chapter 11 Jesus said, [If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ... How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!] (Luke 11:11-13). [And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened] (Luke 11:9, 10).
To whom did He say, " Ask and it will be given you?" Let's look this up in detail.
[If you then being evil ... your heavenly Father (will) give the Holy spirit to those who ask Him] (Luke 11:13). We are assured that He has promised to give His Spirit to the evil. Yes, it is true. When the Holy Spirit, the third God, comes to the sinner by grace, he realizes that he is a sinner and is led to repent of his past sinful life. Then his life becomes pure and regenerated, and he is sanctified into a spotless person.
On the contrary, if a sinner attempts to make himself pure and good enough to receive the Holy Spirit on his own before he comes to God first, he will never become good enough to receive it nor have an opportunity to receive it, ever. Trying to become holy without God is an absurd and presumptuous sin.
[For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters (Holy Spirit), and hewn themselves cisterns- broken cisterns that can hold no water (Holy Spirit)] (Jer. 2:13). Toward these people God says, [You fool!] [Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots] by themselves? [Neither can you do good,] without the help of the Holy Spirit, [who are accustomed to doing evil] (Luke 12:20, Jer. 13:23).
[O foolish man,] neither say in your heart, [Let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, it its season ... Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have withheld good things (the Spirit of the former and latter rain) from you.] [Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have a harlot's forehead, you refuse to be ashamed] (James 2:20, Jer. 5:24, 25, Jer. 3:3).
They at last become like those who have forever lost the opportunity to be saved and dry out, [The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!] (Jer. 8:20). While they are spending foolish time in striving to make themselves pure and holy enough to receive the Holy Spirit, the merciful God is earnestly waiting for them to come to Him to receive the Spirit, allowing them so much time and opportunities with perseverance, but they persist and do not go to Him.
Therefore He says, [I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness ...This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me, says the Lord, because you have forgotten Me and trusted in (your own) falsehood] (Jer. 13:24, 25).
[And if you say in your heart, `Why have these things come upon me?' (It is) for the greatness of your iniquity] (Jer 13:22). [Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?] (Jer. 13:27).
The greatest sin of those who profess to be Christians is that they neither seek the Holy Spirit nor open their heart to receive it. Desires for goodness and holiness are good as far as they go; but if you stop there and do not seek the Holy Spirit, they will avail nothing. Many will perish while only hoping and desiring to be true Christians.
[There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews] (John 3:1). He was truly a man who endeavored to keep the laws, to live a pure, holy, and pious life, trying to become a sanctified man all by himself. But contrary to his diligent efforts and aspirations, his life was only a succession of bitter disappointment, distress and disillusion resulting from continual atrophy and failure. At last He determined to meet Jesus of whom he had heard so much of through rumors.
As he came to Jesus one night, he did not expose his miserable state before Him but concealing his true heart said, [Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him] (John 3:2). But He who clearly knew the miserable state and sympathized with the agony of this desperate soul, did not respond to his meaningless speech but rather gave him the very answer to the cry from the deep of his heart - "Lord! What should I do to be sanctified and join the holy people of God's kingdom?" And so He answered, [Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God] (John 3:3).
To say again, "Truly I teach you aright: unless one first receives from God His Spirit to be born again by it, and becomes a regenerated person by receiving a new life from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." But Nicodemus failed to comprehend Jesus' words and retorted with an absurd question unworthy of a well-informed Jewish ruler, [Nicodemus said to Him, `How can a man be born when he is old?'] (John 3:4). And more specifically [Jesus answered, `Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of ... the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God'] (John 3:5). That is to say, 'Truly I teach you again, unless a sinner receives from God His Holy Spirit to be transformed into holiness by His power, and becomes born again, all his efforts to become sanctified by himself and to enter heaven will avail nothing and prove impossible."
From that hour on, this struggling soul settled all is hidden problems after only one precious interview with Jesus, to become one of His most faithful disciples who from then on, began to live a regenerated life by submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And after His crucifixion, although all the other disciples had forsaken Him and run away, Nicodemus alone brought [a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pounds] (John 19:39) and bravely received Him with sorrow upon His death.
Many today lust for the Spirit, [and do not have; You murder and covet and cannot obtain ... you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spent it on your pleasures] (James 4:2, 3).
Truly the Spirit does not come by force or compulsion like the evil spirits do into the heart of those who neither feel need nor seek for it. It is a pure as a dove and only comes to those who invite it with kindness. The Holy Spirit is not given in answer to the prayers of those who seek to use it for display, show and other selfish motives, but only to those who are willing to obey it with the humility of a child.
Today, Jesus proclaims to the humble, [If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive] (John 7:37-39).
Isaiah exclaims, [Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters (Holy Spirit); and you who have no money, come, buy and eat... without money and without price] (Isa. 55:1).
Peter exclaims,[ ... everyone of you .. in the name of Jesus Christ ... shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call] (Acts 2:38, 39).
Apostle Paul exclaims too, [When the kindness and the love of God or Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life] (Titus 3:4-7).
The Holy Spirit itself exclaims, [The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!' And let him who hears say, ‘Come!' And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.] [Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick... For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners] (Rev. 22:17, Matt. 9:12, 13) who are not yet sanctified.
Our heavenly Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who serve Him than are parents to give good gifts to their children. When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. If all were willing, all would be filled with Spirit and have the experience of regeneration and attain to the state of sanctification.
[As the body without the spirit is dead,] [if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His] (James 2:26, Rom. 8:9).
The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race. Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end of the world. From the day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service. The lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ's parting promise to send the Holy Spirit as His representative. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If the fulfillment is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.
The children of God are not those whose hearts are sometimes touched by the Spirit, who yield to its, power now and then. It is only those who are led by the Spirit always that He acknowledges as His children. It is time to receive the Spirit today when whoever seeks for it can receive. Seek and pray earnestly for the blessing of the Spirit, and believe it. We must have it, and heaven is waiting to bestow it.
[And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!] (Luke 11:9-13).
[He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not be with Him also freely give us all things?] (Rom. 8:32).
[Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full] (John 16:24).
Praise the Lord! Glory to our real Father in heaven who bestows His Holy Spirit upon us sinners!
11. Our real Father Who Gave Another Fruit of Life to Us, His Fallen Children
(1) People Who Enjoy Foolish Adventures
In order for Adam and Eve who were the first children of God on earth to live a life of eternal happiness without death, our Father showed them the ways and conditions for everlasting life. He warned them of the terrible pit of destruction that they would fall into if they were to disregard His conditions and gave them precautions and instructions to be on guard, repeatedly.
The condition for an eternal life of happiness was,[The Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden] (Gen. 2:9). [Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it ... and commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat'] (Gen. 2:15, 16), and live forever.
As for the way that leads to the pit of death He clearly warned saying, [but of the fruit of the tree (of the knowledge of good and evil) which is in the midst of the garden you shall not eat it ... for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die] (Gen 3:3, 2:17).
And so they were well instructed regarding the ways and conditions for eternal life as well as for eternal death. But these first children of God fearlessly attempted to take a terrible and foolish adventure. They trifled with the words of their truthful Father and inclined their ears to the whisperings of the enemy, who had climbed over the wall of Eden to entice them into partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which was full of the deadly poison of death. By trifling with the words of the Father, there immediately resulted in the rapid spreading of the deadly poison throughout their whole bodies and souls, and their immortality which was promised on the condition of obedience was forever forfeited. Who could have known the terrible consequences that would result from one wrong step taken against God's word, in following the enemy's suggestion in that deadly moment of temptation? How could they love adventure so recklessly as to dare doubt their Father's words?
But my brothers and sisters! Do not be astonished. For many more children than the first two, millions and tens of millions of God's children today are at this very hour enjoying the same dreadful adventure as did the first holy pair in the beginning, and all are falling into the great snare of death, into a vast field of corpses. Some may be perplexed and ask, "What do you mean by this?" But it is true that the whole human race, excluding a few, are continuously eating that very fruit of the forbidden tree that the first holy pair ate of and died, and they are all going down toward destruction.
Before we study the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, let me tell you about one more thing.
There is only one way to life or death, either in the garden of Eden, on this earth today, or in the future heavenly paradise: All who partake of the tree of knowledge become doomed to degradation and death by its poison. And all who forsake the forbidden fruit and only take the fruit of the tree of life become the heirs of an eternal life of happiness both on earth and in heaven. This is the only immutable law of life and death that the Creator our Father has established, who is the [Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End] (Rev. 1:8).
We well know that there were both the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden, and that they will also be present in today's fruit of life or forbidden fruit which is extremely important to our survival today.
(2) The Fruit of Life That Even Fallen Sinners Can Eat and Live
Let us now learn about today's fruit of life. When Adam and Eve tried to hide their shame with fig leaves after having forfeited their robes of light which had enshrouded them before their transgression, our Father of infinite love and mercy provided them with a garment of sheepskin representing the garments of the Savior's righteousness, to replace their lost robe of glorious light.
Moreover, for His earthly children who are wandering even today, after forfeiting the fruit of life which sinners can no longer partake of, He provides another fruit of life that even the greatest sinners can partake of and live forever. This is the word fruit of life, the Bible, that proceeds out of the mouth of God who is the source of eternal life. As He said, [Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God] (Matt. 4:4). This is why Peter said, [Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life] (John 6:68).
Now by only taking the word of fruit of life, we sinners are able to restore the eternal life we forfeited in Eden. This is yet another form of the fruit of life that our Father mercifully bestowed upon us who are wandering about after having lost access to the fruit of life in Eden. Jesus also adds, [It is the Spirit who gives life ... the words (Bible) that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.] [You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life.] [Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God] (John 6:63, John 5:39, Matt. 4:4).
Oh, what a wonderful and precious gift our heavenly Father gave to His sinful children! We no longer need to be sorrowful over the fruit of life that we forfeited in Eden. The Bible, the new form of the fruit of life, is not in the slightest degree inferior to that of the one in Eden in giving us eternal life. On the contrary, it is more convenient to take and has the same effects. The only differences are in the way they look, in the way we eat of it, and in the location of the trees.
The former one was the fruit on the tree; we were able to see it with our eyes, pluck it with our hands, and eat it with our mouth, and it was in the midst of the Garden. But the latter one is made of letters which altogether constitute His Word that if filled with His Spirit and life; that we see through the eyes of the soul, and pluck with the hand of the heart, and eat through the mouth of the soul. It is located in the midst of the Bible. Anywhere in the world that the Bible is found, we can easily obtain it, eat of it and live. We need not attempt to go to Eden. Moreover, in the garden of Eden only the sinless ones were able to partake of it, but that which we have now sinners and anyone who chooses to can freely pluck it, eat it and live forever. Should we not praise and thank our Father for this?
In addition, He has given us the walking word fruit of life, that is, Jesus Christ His Son who says, [I am the bread of life.] [I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever] (John 6:48, 51).
Truly Jesus Christ is the fruit of life who brings us perfect eternal life which has been given from God; He is the Word that has been with God from the beginning (John 1:1). And this [Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory ... full of grace and truth] (John 1:14), and He was the word fruit of life.
(3) The Beautiful Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Now, let's turn to the story of the forbidden fruit. In the center of the Garden of Eden, the tree of knowledge of good and evil was standing in parallel with the fruit of life, as if in jealous competition with each other. [The fruit of life was also in the midst of the knowledge of good and evil] (Gen. 2:9). [But God has said, ‘You shall not eat it ... nor shall you touch it'] (Gen. 3:3).
As the tree of knowledge of good and evil was standing in parallel competitively with the fruit of life in the midst of the garden so is today's forbidden tree standing jealously in parallel with the word fruit of life in the midst of the Bible. Today's tree of knowledge is also a word tree like the word fruit of life. In other words, the word tree of knowledge is also found in the midst of the Bible.
Today, the fate of every member of the entire human race depends upon which tree he chooses to partake of ; either the word fruit of life, or the word tree of knowledge, both standing in parallel in the midst of the Bible.
As for the forbidden fruit in Eden, rather than being ugly in appearance as we think of a deadly fruit to be, it was not in the slightest degree inferior to the fruit of life in appearance, beauty, or in fragrance. It seemed peerless in all aspects. As Eve, a paragon of beauty beheld it, she was so fascinated by it that she could not remember the fruit of the tree of life standing right beside it; and standing aghast, she found it [good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, ad a tree desirable to make one wise] (Gen. 3:6). Then she was led to doubt her Father's words, murmuring to herself, "How fair it looks! I wonder why my Father has forbidden me to eat such a tender and beautiful fruit as this! I wonder why?" We can imagine it to be so mysteriously beautiful and fascinating as to surpass even the fruit of life.
Oh, the forbidden fruit so exceedingly beautiful in the sight of Eve! Who could have dreamt it to be poisonous enough to kill all of mankind!
Only those children who believe the words of the Father to the letter and obey Him without question can know and understand. As the forbidden fruit so bewitched man, so is the forbidden fruit today in the midst of the Bible bewitching and destroying all Adams and Eves of the world, for it is poisonous enough to destroy the human race. Who will expose this grievous fact before the world and warn everyone of its danger? Yesterday and today, everyday, millions and tens of millions of my brothers and sisters who partake of this dreadful fruit are setting their feet onto the path leading to destruction and death.
(4) Analysis of the Fruit of Life and the Forbidden Fruit
Now we will learn of what these fruits are made of.
a. The Fruit of Life
As the fruit of life in Eden was made up of God's pure love and His life without any poisonous foreign matter, so is today's word fruit of life made of nothing but His love, mercy and tenderness - the true doctrine of the Bible that God's whole self is love (1 John 4:8).
Love is the light and life of God. With Him is no evil and no poisonous character; His life and whole entity is love. If He could be deprived of His love, He would pass away immediately like the sun deprived of its rays. His whole heart and life is love; He Himself is made of love. He does not have even a shadow of evil but only goodness, mercy and steadfast love. The doctrines and truths that teach only the love of God as written in the Bible are today's word fruit of life. They give light and joy and everlasting life to the perishing children of earth. And from those who eat of this word fruit of life. They give light and joy and everlasting life to the perishing children of earth. And from those who eat of this word fruit of life, in their lives and characters they bear the various fruits of [love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control] (Gal. 5:22, 23). These are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, the peculiar fruits of regeneration that can only be produced by those who eat of today's heaven-sent fruit of life.
b. The Forbidden Fruit
As the fruit of knowledge was a mixture of good and evil in the garden of Eden, so is today's forbidden fruit a mixture of mostly good and a little bit of evil added to it. For instance, in our home when we try to catch rats, we make raticides with our grains, sweet potatoes or something and add a small amount of rat poison, disguising it to look beautiful. In the same way, the forbidden fruit in Eden was so beautiful, looked "good for food, delightful to the eyes," and fragrant, but it was mixed with a deadly poison.
Satan, the great enemy of today, has made in the midst of the Bible his fascinating forbidden fruit; the mixture of the truth of God's mercy, love, and tenderness, added to plausible, horrible doctrines and cunning suggestions. To be more specific, this forbidden fruit in the Bible apparently emphasizes that God is a God of love, mercy and goodness, but it also suggests that He is a strict and stubborn God who is reluctant to forgive sinners and takes pleasure in destroying them. He is so relentless that He finds satisfaction in giving fiery judgment, and is terribly fearful and dreadful in contrast to Jesus. These suggestions are the colorful doctrines devised by Satan to destroy all the children of God on earth. These are the forbidden fruits that Satan, the great adversary, has set up dauntlessly in the midst of the Bible so that he might destroy all the human race.
To be even clearer as to what the word forbidden fruit is, all the teachings and doctrines apparently seem to begin with God's character of love and mercy. However, upon analyzing the story a bit deeper, a plain, straightforward explanation or proof of why or how God is love cannot be made. Instead, it concludes with a fearful impression that He is a stern Judge who is cruel to sinners. All of these are fruits of the forbidden tree. And these are the fruits that are killing God's children today. All the children of God who partake of this forbidden fruit offer prayers and praises only to Jesus, and depart further and further away from the Father who is the source of life and love, who loved them [so much that He gave His only begotten Son,] who is the fountain of living waters] (eternal life), and they fall exhausted and parched, left to die in the vast desert of this world.
Our loving God and Jesus urgently exclaim to us, [You shall not eat of the fruit ... neither shall you touch it,] [for in the day that you eat of it you shall die] (Gen. 3:3, 2:17).
(5) Symptoms of the Souls Who Partake of Either Fruit
When I was a little boy, I had a clever puppy. He was so cute and clever that everyone loved him and he was my best friend. One day, as he became quite big, something strange happened. He had always taken kindly to me but suddenly he stopped recognizing me, and without any response to my calls, he started jumping all over the place with such wild eyes. I was too young to understand what was going on at that time, but my parents told me later on that he had eaten the raticide the neighbors had hidden to kill rats. His violent spasms were the symptoms of having eaten the poison. After a few minutes he died. If I had attempted to hug him out of pity as I normally would have, he would have bitten me, his master and friend, in a fury. Although several decades have passed, I still cannot forget the tragic death of my friend and the appalling fitful symptoms of my dog stricken by rat poisoning.
Similarly, if God's children are, through whatever agencies, led to take the forbidden fruit just once, its poison will contaminate throughout the body, mind, and soul; its symptom is more terrifying than that of a dog stricken by any poison.
The normal eyes of the soul and mind become completely deranged, and the loving and merciful heavenly Father is looked upon as a devil of appalling features. From then on, he only seeks to escape from His presence. We know because this was the case with Adam and Eve in Eden. No sooner had they eaten the poisonous fruit (the fruit of the forbidden tree) when the Father whom they had so loved and become so attached to, who had been their best Friend, suddenly began to look loathsome and dreadful. They should have run out to meet their Father upon His visiting call as before, but once they had eaten the forbidden fruit, His approaching sound led them to flee in horror and they sought to hide themselves. [And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden] (Gen. 3:8). But He called to them who were still His loving friends and children as always, in His usual tender voice, [Where are you?] (Gen. 3:9). And there came back an absurd answer, [I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid ... and hid myself] (Gen. 3:10). Alas! The Father grasped the situation and said, [Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?] (Gen. 3:11). This was the first symptom of insanity after the holy pair ate the fruit of the forbidden tree.
From then on until today, innumerable children of God have been deceived by the great murderer Satan, eating the forbidden fruit again and again, becoming madder and still madder, dying and perishing unceasingly to this day. Alas! Who will warn God's children of this appalling fact?
On the other hand, those who have partaken of the fruit of life of truth, which is filled with God's pure love, light, and vitality, their original mental power and eyes of the soul are restored, and they are able to behold their Father in the light of the true knowledge of His character and image of infinite love, mercy, and tenderness. Also, they are led to love and follow their Father more closely than Jesus. Like Adam and Eve before the transgression, they rejoice at cuddling up to their Father's bosom of love and cling to His arms of love as the little ones love to cling to their daddy's arms. They are again able to live a happy life on earth today and walk with Him as His close friends as Enoch walked with Him for three hundred years as His friend.
Our greatest need today is the life-giving fruit of the word tree of life. We need true shepherds who can impart this fruit of life to the people. On the pulpit, these true shepherds must not only teach the love of the Holy Son Jesus, but of the unspeakable love of the Father with great power, exclaiming as Apostle John did, "Behold the love of the Father!" And through their teaching, people must be drawn to the Father who is the fountain of living water, and be united with Him, abiding in His bosom. And the Father will impart to them eternal life and [every good gift and every perfect gift] (James 1:17), and at last the barrier that has separated earthly children from their Father for six thousand years will be broken down. This will be the day that [the hearts of the fathers are turned to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers] (Mal. 4:6) - an inspiring and glorious day of reunion.
From then on, whether awake or asleep they become immersed in the wonderful Father's love, their lives a succession of the greatest happiness and joy. they are led to love their Eldest brother Jesus more and more whom God has sent; they become as innocent lambs who follow Jesus the Lamb wherever He goes, and become real children of God who live only for the glory of God [whether [they] eat, or drink, or whatever [they] do] (1 Cor. 10:31), and become heirs to the life of God - which is eternal life. This is the path that He has designed for His children who partake of the fruit of the word tree of life, in order to cross onto the thresholds of eternal life.
But the churches and believers who partake of the forbidden fruit that Satan presents to them are different: the preachers on the pulpit can neither preach and testify the Father's love nor can they know about His love themselves, for they themselves are in deep darkness. They are always in a habit of speaking of Jesus but are not able to plainly explain of the greatness of the Father's love. And so their followers suffer from spiritual thirst and hunger for lack of the love of God who is the living water for their souls. They are on the verge of death, deprived of the knowledge of His love, and misunderstanding His character. The enemy Satan grasps this opportunity and represents God as a fearful, cruel tyrant; hence, separating forever earthly children from their heavenly Father who is the [fountain of living water] (Jer. 2:13).
Therefore, filled with false conceptions of God who is the source of love and life, they are unable to go to Him whose love is unlimited like the pouring rays of the burning sun that brightens the way of truth. They only become surrounded by the cloud of misapprehension and engulfed in the darkness of terror, to eventually vanish from this world forever. Therefore, the first purpose for Jesus in coming to this earth was to remove the darkness of the clouds of misunderstanding that kept the sunrays of God's love from shining upon us, to give us eternal life and light. [He, Himself, likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham] (Heb. 2:14-16). He also exclaims that eternal life is first to know and receive the infinite love of the Father [the only true God], and second, to know the love of Jesus Christ, following and obeying [Him whom He had sent] (John 17:3). If we only know the love of just one of have no knowledge of either, then the road to eternal life is as imperfect as a plane with only one wing or no wings at all! With such a handicap, the way to heaven is virtually impossible. As both wings are necessary to fly, so the knowledge of both the Father and the Son is needed in order to ascend to heaven.
Brothers and sisters! Let us search within ourselves and reflect upon our past belief. Have I been imparting to others the fruit of life or the forbidden fruit? The symptoms manifested in me can plainly tell me. Is mine a life of fear and escape from God or a life of overflowing joy, with as much love for the Father as for the Son whom He has sent?
If we have been taking something other than the fruit of life, we should escape from it immediately and wisely be warned, [Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler] (Pro 6:5). In order to be saved and cured from the poison of the forbidden fruit which spreads throughout the whole body, we must immediately come to the fruit of life and eat of it which is also standing in the midst of the Bible. As we partake of it, it will counteract the poison spread throughout our bodies like sunrays melting snow, and our heavenly Father will cure our souls completely. At the same time, our mind and eyes will be restored to see Him as He really is, who loves us so much. And we will exclaim, "Oh, He has been such a loving Father to me!" We will surrender ourselves wholly to His love, and never leave His bosom again. We will live as His sons and daughters, conforming to His perfect image and character, and we will become miniature Jesuses possessing His fine character, who was sent as an example for us by God, the heavenly Father Himself. And we will ascend to heaven to live with Him forever.
This fruit of the word tree of life that our real Father has once again made in boundless love for His fallen children on earth is yet another gift He bestows upon us.
We will now end this chapter with a summarized diagram.
The First Fruit of Life and the Forbidden Fruit in Eden
The Tree Of Life
Purpose of the Tree:
Eternal life for God's Children
Location:
In the Midst of the Garden of Eden.
Task:
To represent God, the King of life.
Shape of the Fruit:
Beautiful
Constituents:
Full of God's invigorating vitality.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake It:
(1) Have correct eyes and see Him as He truly is and follow Him as He truly is and follow Him with joy.
(2) Body mind and soul become filled with God's vitality, and live a life full of love, joy, and peace.
(3) Live a life a life transforming continually into His character and image.
(4) Live a life filled with joy and become good heralds of the fruit of life.
Result of Taking It:
Whoever takes it obtain eternal life.
The Forbidden Fruit
Purpose of the Tree:
Prevention of Satan"s power.
Location:
In the midst of the Garden of Eden.
Task:
To represent Satan, the king of death.
Shape of the Fruit:
Fascinating
Constituents:
Full of poison of the king of death.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake It:
(1) Go mad and lose one's head, looking upon God as a wicked God and a stern tyrant, and live a life of escape from Him out of fear.
(2) Body mind, and soul feel burdensome, tired, flagging, full of discomfort fretfulness without peace.
(3) Live a life transforming continually into the malicious character and image of Satan.
(4) Live a life filled with anxiety and fear and become evil agents of Satan by distributing the forbidden fruit.
Result of Taking It:
Whoever takes it eternally dies.
Today's Fruit of Life and
Forbidden Fruit
The Fruit of Life
The Purpose of the Fruit:
Eternal life for God's children.
Location:
In the midst of the Bible
Task:
Leads to God, the source of life, who gives eternal life.
Shape of the Fruit:
Undisguised simple truths of the Bible as it is revealed plainly.
Constituents:
The truth that the heavenly Father is love, His whole Being is love. Good tidings(message) from heaven that bring light, joy, forgiveness of sin, happiness, and eternal life for sinners.
Heralds of the Fruit:
God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the angels, true messengers led by God's Spirit.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake It:
(1) They have the clear mind and spiritual eyes to see the Father of love as He really is, loving and following Him with joy.
(2) Soul, mind and body become filled with vigor and the vitality of God, and live a life of peace, joy, and happiness, and love all mankind as they love their family and themselves.
(3) They live a life transforming continually into the loving character of the heavenly Father and the image of Jesus.
(4) They become faithful heralds who go forth with joy to impart to their brethren and kinsmen the word fruit of life.
Result of Taking It: They lead themselves and others to the everlasting kingdom where the heavenly Father is waiting for them.
The Forbidden Fruit
Purpose of the Fruit:
Destruction of God's children.
Location:
In the midst of the Bible.
Task:
Leads to Satan, the king of death who destroys.
Shape of the Fruit:
Complicated, plausible truth of various Scriptural words mixed with other adulterated cunning suggestions.
Constituents:
Fearful unpleasant theories from Satan giving heavy burdens to sinners, giving suggestions and impressions that God is love but He is a stern Judge who is reluctant to forgive sinners, who is pleased to punish with fire, and fills the souls with fearful conceptions of Him.
Heralds of the Fruit:
Satan the devil, evil angels, false ministers led by the evil spirit.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake of It:
(1) The spiritual eyes become blinded: heart and mind cannot accept the plainly stated Scriptural testimonies that God is love: they cannot believe it but rather doubt and distrust in their heart. God is looked as a dreadful God.
(2) After taking this fruit (false truth), their heart and soul at times feel momentary ecstasy and fanatical joy and happiness at first, but the aftermath is a greater sense of emptiness, discomfort skepticism, and disbelief in redemption. they reiterate the name of Jesus habitually and of the Father as a matter of formalism but have no love for Him in heart. They rather unconsciously seek to evade from His presence, and live a life with a restless, irritated heart and soul.
(3) As days go by, the true meaning of regeneration or sanctification become more difficult to comprehend; their characters become more and more self-righteous, proud, bigoted, and unconsciously live a life conforming to the mind and character of Satan.
(4) Become faithful agents of Satan who go forth in a hurry, blindly and fanatically
to impart the forbidden fruit to others.
Result of Taking It:
They lead themselves and others to the pit of desolation where abound countless evil spirits.
In order for Adam and Eve who were the first children of God on earth to live a life of eternal happiness without death, our Father showed them the ways and conditions for everlasting life. He warned them of the terrible pit of destruction that they would fall into if they were to disregard His conditions and gave them precautions and instructions to be on guard, repeatedly.
The condition for an eternal life of happiness was,[The Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden] (Gen. 2:9). [Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it ... and commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat'] (Gen. 2:15, 16), and live forever.
As for the way that leads to the pit of death He clearly warned saying, [but of the fruit of the tree (of the knowledge of good and evil) which is in the midst of the garden you shall not eat it ... for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die] (Gen 3:3, 2:17).
And so they were well instructed regarding the ways and conditions for eternal life as well as for eternal death. But these first children of God fearlessly attempted to take a terrible and foolish adventure. They trifled with the words of their truthful Father and inclined their ears to the whisperings of the enemy, who had climbed over the wall of Eden to entice them into partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which was full of the deadly poison of death. By trifling with the words of the Father, there immediately resulted in the rapid spreading of the deadly poison throughout their whole bodies and souls, and their immortality which was promised on the condition of obedience was forever forfeited. Who could have known the terrible consequences that would result from one wrong step taken against God's word, in following the enemy's suggestion in that deadly moment of temptation? How could they love adventure so recklessly as to dare doubt their Father's words?
But my brothers and sisters! Do not be astonished. For many more children than the first two, millions and tens of millions of God's children today are at this very hour enjoying the same dreadful adventure as did the first holy pair in the beginning, and all are falling into the great snare of death, into a vast field of corpses. Some may be perplexed and ask, "What do you mean by this?" But it is true that the whole human race, excluding a few, are continuously eating that very fruit of the forbidden tree that the first holy pair ate of and died, and they are all going down toward destruction.
Before we study the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, let me tell you about one more thing.
There is only one way to life or death, either in the garden of Eden, on this earth today, or in the future heavenly paradise: All who partake of the tree of knowledge become doomed to degradation and death by its poison. And all who forsake the forbidden fruit and only take the fruit of the tree of life become the heirs of an eternal life of happiness both on earth and in heaven. This is the only immutable law of life and death that the Creator our Father has established, who is the [Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End] (Rev. 1:8).
We well know that there were both the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden, and that they will also be present in today's fruit of life or forbidden fruit which is extremely important to our survival today.
(2) The Fruit of Life That Even Fallen Sinners Can Eat and Live
Let us now learn about today's fruit of life. When Adam and Eve tried to hide their shame with fig leaves after having forfeited their robes of light which had enshrouded them before their transgression, our Father of infinite love and mercy provided them with a garment of sheepskin representing the garments of the Savior's righteousness, to replace their lost robe of glorious light.
Moreover, for His earthly children who are wandering even today, after forfeiting the fruit of life which sinners can no longer partake of, He provides another fruit of life that even the greatest sinners can partake of and live forever. This is the word fruit of life, the Bible, that proceeds out of the mouth of God who is the source of eternal life. As He said, [Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God] (Matt. 4:4). This is why Peter said, [Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life] (John 6:68).
Now by only taking the word of fruit of life, we sinners are able to restore the eternal life we forfeited in Eden. This is yet another form of the fruit of life that our Father mercifully bestowed upon us who are wandering about after having lost access to the fruit of life in Eden. Jesus also adds, [It is the Spirit who gives life ... the words (Bible) that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.] [You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life.] [Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God] (John 6:63, John 5:39, Matt. 4:4).
Oh, what a wonderful and precious gift our heavenly Father gave to His sinful children! We no longer need to be sorrowful over the fruit of life that we forfeited in Eden. The Bible, the new form of the fruit of life, is not in the slightest degree inferior to that of the one in Eden in giving us eternal life. On the contrary, it is more convenient to take and has the same effects. The only differences are in the way they look, in the way we eat of it, and in the location of the trees.
The former one was the fruit on the tree; we were able to see it with our eyes, pluck it with our hands, and eat it with our mouth, and it was in the midst of the Garden. But the latter one is made of letters which altogether constitute His Word that if filled with His Spirit and life; that we see through the eyes of the soul, and pluck with the hand of the heart, and eat through the mouth of the soul. It is located in the midst of the Bible. Anywhere in the world that the Bible is found, we can easily obtain it, eat of it and live. We need not attempt to go to Eden. Moreover, in the garden of Eden only the sinless ones were able to partake of it, but that which we have now sinners and anyone who chooses to can freely pluck it, eat it and live forever. Should we not praise and thank our Father for this?
In addition, He has given us the walking word fruit of life, that is, Jesus Christ His Son who says, [I am the bread of life.] [I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever] (John 6:48, 51).
Truly Jesus Christ is the fruit of life who brings us perfect eternal life which has been given from God; He is the Word that has been with God from the beginning (John 1:1). And this [Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory ... full of grace and truth] (John 1:14), and He was the word fruit of life.
(3) The Beautiful Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Now, let's turn to the story of the forbidden fruit. In the center of the Garden of Eden, the tree of knowledge of good and evil was standing in parallel with the fruit of life, as if in jealous competition with each other. [The fruit of life was also in the midst of the knowledge of good and evil] (Gen. 2:9). [But God has said, ‘You shall not eat it ... nor shall you touch it'] (Gen. 3:3).
As the tree of knowledge of good and evil was standing in parallel competitively with the fruit of life in the midst of the garden so is today's forbidden tree standing jealously in parallel with the word fruit of life in the midst of the Bible. Today's tree of knowledge is also a word tree like the word fruit of life. In other words, the word tree of knowledge is also found in the midst of the Bible.
Today, the fate of every member of the entire human race depends upon which tree he chooses to partake of ; either the word fruit of life, or the word tree of knowledge, both standing in parallel in the midst of the Bible.
As for the forbidden fruit in Eden, rather than being ugly in appearance as we think of a deadly fruit to be, it was not in the slightest degree inferior to the fruit of life in appearance, beauty, or in fragrance. It seemed peerless in all aspects. As Eve, a paragon of beauty beheld it, she was so fascinated by it that she could not remember the fruit of the tree of life standing right beside it; and standing aghast, she found it [good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, ad a tree desirable to make one wise] (Gen. 3:6). Then she was led to doubt her Father's words, murmuring to herself, "How fair it looks! I wonder why my Father has forbidden me to eat such a tender and beautiful fruit as this! I wonder why?" We can imagine it to be so mysteriously beautiful and fascinating as to surpass even the fruit of life.
Oh, the forbidden fruit so exceedingly beautiful in the sight of Eve! Who could have dreamt it to be poisonous enough to kill all of mankind!
Only those children who believe the words of the Father to the letter and obey Him without question can know and understand. As the forbidden fruit so bewitched man, so is the forbidden fruit today in the midst of the Bible bewitching and destroying all Adams and Eves of the world, for it is poisonous enough to destroy the human race. Who will expose this grievous fact before the world and warn everyone of its danger? Yesterday and today, everyday, millions and tens of millions of my brothers and sisters who partake of this dreadful fruit are setting their feet onto the path leading to destruction and death.
(4) Analysis of the Fruit of Life and the Forbidden Fruit
Now we will learn of what these fruits are made of.
a. The Fruit of Life
As the fruit of life in Eden was made up of God's pure love and His life without any poisonous foreign matter, so is today's word fruit of life made of nothing but His love, mercy and tenderness - the true doctrine of the Bible that God's whole self is love (1 John 4:8).
Love is the light and life of God. With Him is no evil and no poisonous character; His life and whole entity is love. If He could be deprived of His love, He would pass away immediately like the sun deprived of its rays. His whole heart and life is love; He Himself is made of love. He does not have even a shadow of evil but only goodness, mercy and steadfast love. The doctrines and truths that teach only the love of God as written in the Bible are today's word fruit of life. They give light and joy and everlasting life to the perishing children of earth. And from those who eat of this word fruit of life. They give light and joy and everlasting life to the perishing children of earth. And from those who eat of this word fruit of life, in their lives and characters they bear the various fruits of [love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control] (Gal. 5:22, 23). These are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, the peculiar fruits of regeneration that can only be produced by those who eat of today's heaven-sent fruit of life.
b. The Forbidden Fruit
As the fruit of knowledge was a mixture of good and evil in the garden of Eden, so is today's forbidden fruit a mixture of mostly good and a little bit of evil added to it. For instance, in our home when we try to catch rats, we make raticides with our grains, sweet potatoes or something and add a small amount of rat poison, disguising it to look beautiful. In the same way, the forbidden fruit in Eden was so beautiful, looked "good for food, delightful to the eyes," and fragrant, but it was mixed with a deadly poison.
Satan, the great enemy of today, has made in the midst of the Bible his fascinating forbidden fruit; the mixture of the truth of God's mercy, love, and tenderness, added to plausible, horrible doctrines and cunning suggestions. To be more specific, this forbidden fruit in the Bible apparently emphasizes that God is a God of love, mercy and goodness, but it also suggests that He is a strict and stubborn God who is reluctant to forgive sinners and takes pleasure in destroying them. He is so relentless that He finds satisfaction in giving fiery judgment, and is terribly fearful and dreadful in contrast to Jesus. These suggestions are the colorful doctrines devised by Satan to destroy all the children of God on earth. These are the forbidden fruits that Satan, the great adversary, has set up dauntlessly in the midst of the Bible so that he might destroy all the human race.
To be even clearer as to what the word forbidden fruit is, all the teachings and doctrines apparently seem to begin with God's character of love and mercy. However, upon analyzing the story a bit deeper, a plain, straightforward explanation or proof of why or how God is love cannot be made. Instead, it concludes with a fearful impression that He is a stern Judge who is cruel to sinners. All of these are fruits of the forbidden tree. And these are the fruits that are killing God's children today. All the children of God who partake of this forbidden fruit offer prayers and praises only to Jesus, and depart further and further away from the Father who is the source of life and love, who loved them [so much that He gave His only begotten Son,] who is the fountain of living waters] (eternal life), and they fall exhausted and parched, left to die in the vast desert of this world.
Our loving God and Jesus urgently exclaim to us, [You shall not eat of the fruit ... neither shall you touch it,] [for in the day that you eat of it you shall die] (Gen. 3:3, 2:17).
(5) Symptoms of the Souls Who Partake of Either Fruit
When I was a little boy, I had a clever puppy. He was so cute and clever that everyone loved him and he was my best friend. One day, as he became quite big, something strange happened. He had always taken kindly to me but suddenly he stopped recognizing me, and without any response to my calls, he started jumping all over the place with such wild eyes. I was too young to understand what was going on at that time, but my parents told me later on that he had eaten the raticide the neighbors had hidden to kill rats. His violent spasms were the symptoms of having eaten the poison. After a few minutes he died. If I had attempted to hug him out of pity as I normally would have, he would have bitten me, his master and friend, in a fury. Although several decades have passed, I still cannot forget the tragic death of my friend and the appalling fitful symptoms of my dog stricken by rat poisoning.
Similarly, if God's children are, through whatever agencies, led to take the forbidden fruit just once, its poison will contaminate throughout the body, mind, and soul; its symptom is more terrifying than that of a dog stricken by any poison.
The normal eyes of the soul and mind become completely deranged, and the loving and merciful heavenly Father is looked upon as a devil of appalling features. From then on, he only seeks to escape from His presence. We know because this was the case with Adam and Eve in Eden. No sooner had they eaten the poisonous fruit (the fruit of the forbidden tree) when the Father whom they had so loved and become so attached to, who had been their best Friend, suddenly began to look loathsome and dreadful. They should have run out to meet their Father upon His visiting call as before, but once they had eaten the forbidden fruit, His approaching sound led them to flee in horror and they sought to hide themselves. [And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden] (Gen. 3:8). But He called to them who were still His loving friends and children as always, in His usual tender voice, [Where are you?] (Gen. 3:9). And there came back an absurd answer, [I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid ... and hid myself] (Gen. 3:10). Alas! The Father grasped the situation and said, [Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?] (Gen. 3:11). This was the first symptom of insanity after the holy pair ate the fruit of the forbidden tree.
From then on until today, innumerable children of God have been deceived by the great murderer Satan, eating the forbidden fruit again and again, becoming madder and still madder, dying and perishing unceasingly to this day. Alas! Who will warn God's children of this appalling fact?
On the other hand, those who have partaken of the fruit of life of truth, which is filled with God's pure love, light, and vitality, their original mental power and eyes of the soul are restored, and they are able to behold their Father in the light of the true knowledge of His character and image of infinite love, mercy, and tenderness. Also, they are led to love and follow their Father more closely than Jesus. Like Adam and Eve before the transgression, they rejoice at cuddling up to their Father's bosom of love and cling to His arms of love as the little ones love to cling to their daddy's arms. They are again able to live a happy life on earth today and walk with Him as His close friends as Enoch walked with Him for three hundred years as His friend.
Our greatest need today is the life-giving fruit of the word tree of life. We need true shepherds who can impart this fruit of life to the people. On the pulpit, these true shepherds must not only teach the love of the Holy Son Jesus, but of the unspeakable love of the Father with great power, exclaiming as Apostle John did, "Behold the love of the Father!" And through their teaching, people must be drawn to the Father who is the fountain of living water, and be united with Him, abiding in His bosom. And the Father will impart to them eternal life and [every good gift and every perfect gift] (James 1:17), and at last the barrier that has separated earthly children from their Father for six thousand years will be broken down. This will be the day that [the hearts of the fathers are turned to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers] (Mal. 4:6) - an inspiring and glorious day of reunion.
From then on, whether awake or asleep they become immersed in the wonderful Father's love, their lives a succession of the greatest happiness and joy. they are led to love their Eldest brother Jesus more and more whom God has sent; they become as innocent lambs who follow Jesus the Lamb wherever He goes, and become real children of God who live only for the glory of God [whether [they] eat, or drink, or whatever [they] do] (1 Cor. 10:31), and become heirs to the life of God - which is eternal life. This is the path that He has designed for His children who partake of the fruit of the word tree of life, in order to cross onto the thresholds of eternal life.
But the churches and believers who partake of the forbidden fruit that Satan presents to them are different: the preachers on the pulpit can neither preach and testify the Father's love nor can they know about His love themselves, for they themselves are in deep darkness. They are always in a habit of speaking of Jesus but are not able to plainly explain of the greatness of the Father's love. And so their followers suffer from spiritual thirst and hunger for lack of the love of God who is the living water for their souls. They are on the verge of death, deprived of the knowledge of His love, and misunderstanding His character. The enemy Satan grasps this opportunity and represents God as a fearful, cruel tyrant; hence, separating forever earthly children from their heavenly Father who is the [fountain of living water] (Jer. 2:13).
Therefore, filled with false conceptions of God who is the source of love and life, they are unable to go to Him whose love is unlimited like the pouring rays of the burning sun that brightens the way of truth. They only become surrounded by the cloud of misapprehension and engulfed in the darkness of terror, to eventually vanish from this world forever. Therefore, the first purpose for Jesus in coming to this earth was to remove the darkness of the clouds of misunderstanding that kept the sunrays of God's love from shining upon us, to give us eternal life and light. [He, Himself, likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham] (Heb. 2:14-16). He also exclaims that eternal life is first to know and receive the infinite love of the Father [the only true God], and second, to know the love of Jesus Christ, following and obeying [Him whom He had sent] (John 17:3). If we only know the love of just one of have no knowledge of either, then the road to eternal life is as imperfect as a plane with only one wing or no wings at all! With such a handicap, the way to heaven is virtually impossible. As both wings are necessary to fly, so the knowledge of both the Father and the Son is needed in order to ascend to heaven.
Brothers and sisters! Let us search within ourselves and reflect upon our past belief. Have I been imparting to others the fruit of life or the forbidden fruit? The symptoms manifested in me can plainly tell me. Is mine a life of fear and escape from God or a life of overflowing joy, with as much love for the Father as for the Son whom He has sent?
If we have been taking something other than the fruit of life, we should escape from it immediately and wisely be warned, [Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler] (Pro 6:5). In order to be saved and cured from the poison of the forbidden fruit which spreads throughout the whole body, we must immediately come to the fruit of life and eat of it which is also standing in the midst of the Bible. As we partake of it, it will counteract the poison spread throughout our bodies like sunrays melting snow, and our heavenly Father will cure our souls completely. At the same time, our mind and eyes will be restored to see Him as He really is, who loves us so much. And we will exclaim, "Oh, He has been such a loving Father to me!" We will surrender ourselves wholly to His love, and never leave His bosom again. We will live as His sons and daughters, conforming to His perfect image and character, and we will become miniature Jesuses possessing His fine character, who was sent as an example for us by God, the heavenly Father Himself. And we will ascend to heaven to live with Him forever.
This fruit of the word tree of life that our real Father has once again made in boundless love for His fallen children on earth is yet another gift He bestows upon us.
We will now end this chapter with a summarized diagram.
The First Fruit of Life and the Forbidden Fruit in Eden
The Tree Of Life
Purpose of the Tree:
Eternal life for God's Children
Location:
In the Midst of the Garden of Eden.
Task:
To represent God, the King of life.
Shape of the Fruit:
Beautiful
Constituents:
Full of God's invigorating vitality.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake It:
(1) Have correct eyes and see Him as He truly is and follow Him as He truly is and follow Him with joy.
(2) Body mind and soul become filled with God's vitality, and live a life full of love, joy, and peace.
(3) Live a life a life transforming continually into His character and image.
(4) Live a life filled with joy and become good heralds of the fruit of life.
Result of Taking It:
Whoever takes it obtain eternal life.
The Forbidden Fruit
Purpose of the Tree:
Prevention of Satan"s power.
Location:
In the midst of the Garden of Eden.
Task:
To represent Satan, the king of death.
Shape of the Fruit:
Fascinating
Constituents:
Full of poison of the king of death.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake It:
(1) Go mad and lose one's head, looking upon God as a wicked God and a stern tyrant, and live a life of escape from Him out of fear.
(2) Body mind, and soul feel burdensome, tired, flagging, full of discomfort fretfulness without peace.
(3) Live a life transforming continually into the malicious character and image of Satan.
(4) Live a life filled with anxiety and fear and become evil agents of Satan by distributing the forbidden fruit.
Result of Taking It:
Whoever takes it eternally dies.
Today's Fruit of Life and
Forbidden Fruit
The Fruit of Life
The Purpose of the Fruit:
Eternal life for God's children.
Location:
In the midst of the Bible
Task:
Leads to God, the source of life, who gives eternal life.
Shape of the Fruit:
Undisguised simple truths of the Bible as it is revealed plainly.
Constituents:
The truth that the heavenly Father is love, His whole Being is love. Good tidings(message) from heaven that bring light, joy, forgiveness of sin, happiness, and eternal life for sinners.
Heralds of the Fruit:
God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the angels, true messengers led by God's Spirit.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake It:
(1) They have the clear mind and spiritual eyes to see the Father of love as He really is, loving and following Him with joy.
(2) Soul, mind and body become filled with vigor and the vitality of God, and live a life of peace, joy, and happiness, and love all mankind as they love their family and themselves.
(3) They live a life transforming continually into the loving character of the heavenly Father and the image of Jesus.
(4) They become faithful heralds who go forth with joy to impart to their brethren and kinsmen the word fruit of life.
Result of Taking It: They lead themselves and others to the everlasting kingdom where the heavenly Father is waiting for them.
The Forbidden Fruit
Purpose of the Fruit:
Destruction of God's children.
Location:
In the midst of the Bible.
Task:
Leads to Satan, the king of death who destroys.
Shape of the Fruit:
Complicated, plausible truth of various Scriptural words mixed with other adulterated cunning suggestions.
Constituents:
Fearful unpleasant theories from Satan giving heavy burdens to sinners, giving suggestions and impressions that God is love but He is a stern Judge who is reluctant to forgive sinners, who is pleased to punish with fire, and fills the souls with fearful conceptions of Him.
Heralds of the Fruit:
Satan the devil, evil angels, false ministers led by the evil spirit.
Symptoms of Those Who Partake of It:
(1) The spiritual eyes become blinded: heart and mind cannot accept the plainly stated Scriptural testimonies that God is love: they cannot believe it but rather doubt and distrust in their heart. God is looked as a dreadful God.
(2) After taking this fruit (false truth), their heart and soul at times feel momentary ecstasy and fanatical joy and happiness at first, but the aftermath is a greater sense of emptiness, discomfort skepticism, and disbelief in redemption. they reiterate the name of Jesus habitually and of the Father as a matter of formalism but have no love for Him in heart. They rather unconsciously seek to evade from His presence, and live a life with a restless, irritated heart and soul.
(3) As days go by, the true meaning of regeneration or sanctification become more difficult to comprehend; their characters become more and more self-righteous, proud, bigoted, and unconsciously live a life conforming to the mind and character of Satan.
(4) Become faithful agents of Satan who go forth in a hurry, blindly and fanatically
to impart the forbidden fruit to others.
Result of Taking It:
They lead themselves and others to the pit of desolation where abound countless evil spirits.
12. Our Real Father Who Sanctifies Us and Makes Us Bear Fruit
[Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'] (John 3:3). [Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'] (John 3:7). [That which is born of the flesh is flesh] at any rate; [and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit] at any rate. [Unless one is born of ... the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God] (John 3:6, 5).
[And I say to you] (Luke 11:9), [I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit] (John 15:1, 2).
Whether the harvest of the field is rich or scanty, or whether the fruit trees are fruitful or fruitless all depend upon the hands of the farmer. Likewise, it depends on the hands of the great Farmer, the Lord of heaven and earth, as to whether the fruits of character in human-trees on earth are fruitful or fruitless.
Our Father, the most industrious Farmer in the universe takes away harsh and rough branches from our characters with His pruning shears (John 15:2), and with the good branches of our characters, He trims and cultivates them, choosing only the trees bearing good fruits in order to transplant them to His beautiful Garden. [For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant] (Isa. 5:7). [You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain] (John 15:16). [For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such (fruit bearing) there is no law] (Gal. 5:22, 23).
Jesus said, [Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit] (John 15:2). [Therefore I say to you,] [Not every one who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven] but it will be [given to a nation bearing the] [good fruit] [who does the will of My Father in heaven] (Matt. 21:43, 7:21, 3:10).
When I stand before the congregation, I occasionally ask,
"Are you indeed disciples of Jesus?"
"Yes, we are His disciples."
"Are you sure you are saved then?"
"Yes, I am sure that I am saved."
I frequently hear such brisk answers and so I continue; "Then let us confirm through the Bible whether we are indeed His disciples who are saved." And we open the Bible. Jesus said, [You bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples] (John 15:8). But [the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control] (Gal. 5:22, 23).
[You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit] - the fruit of the Spirit, [but a bad tree bears bad fruit] (Matt. 7:16, 17), [which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contention, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like ... those who practice such things] are not My disciples and [will not inherit the kingdom of God] (Gal 5:19-21). [Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it] (Matt. 21:43).
[Examine yourselves ... do not be deceived, God is not mocked] (2 Cor. 13:5, Gal. 6:7). [Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,] and without bearing fruit [do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax (of judgment) is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire] (Matt. 3:8-10). Thus we end our discussion and start examining ourselves solemnly, offering prayers of contrition.
Truly it is not worldly rank, birth, nationality, or religious privilege which proves that we are heirs of heaven or members of the family of God. Only those who have the character of God, who possess His love which embraces all of humanity, are the true heirs of heaven and children of God.
Now let us get back to the story of the Great [vinedresser] (John 15:1). He speaks to us, [Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood? ... Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel] (Ezek. 15:2-4). It is not because the vine looks more beautiful or lovely that it is esteemed above other trees. On the contrary, it is no more beautiful or useful than any other tree. It cannot be made into any vessel, or peg, or any lumber for building a house; it is useful for nothing but to be thrown into the fire. But there is one reason which makes it an object of admiration of all beholders among all other trees; it is because of its fruits. The fruits cover all the imperfections and defects of the vine and make the whole vine look beautiful. Without the fruits, it becomes the most useless and ugly tree among all other trees. and this grapevine is ourselves, [For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant] (Isa. 5:7).
[You have brought a vine out of Egypt (the world) ...and planted it.] It is [the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself] (Ps. 80:8, 15). [He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine] (Isa. 5:2). He pruned and dug and commanded the clouds to give [the former rain and the latter rain] (Joel 2:23), and made [His sun rise on it] (Matt. 5:45), and [dug] around it and [fertilized] it (Luke 13:8).
Now the Great Vinedresser says, [What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?] I loved My vineyard so much that I gave My only begotten Son. [Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?] (Isa. 5:4). [Yet I planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?] (Jer. 2:21). [He looked for justice, but behold, oppression, for righteousness, but behold, weeping] (Isa. 5:7).
I once heard the following story. Somewhere in my country (Korea), there is a pear farm where some trees in one part of the field bear much bigger and better pears without aid of either fertilizer or manure. After probing the cause, it was found that during the Korean War (the June 25th Incident of Korea in 1950), numerous dead bodies of innocent people were thrown into a huge hole dug in the ground and eventually buried in it. Many years later, people planted pear trees on the very site unknowingly. And so, because the dead bodies of the innocent people became fertilizer, there is a great harvest each year even until today.
Our heavenly Father, the Great Vinedresser in heaven, so loved the house of Israel that He buried His only Son Jesus under the vine of Judah (on Calvary) in the midst of the vineyard (the earth) and since then He has been eagerly waiting to see them bear good fruits in proportion to the good fertilizer (Jesus His Son). And now He says, [What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?] "I have given My only Son to be the fertilizer for them" (Isa. 5:4).
But there only comes from His lips a grievous sigh of disappointment and despair, [Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?] (Isa. 5:4). [I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?] (Jer. 2:21).
The expectations of the Great Vinedresser has been broken into pieces. Oh, what a great number of people without the good fruits (Gal. 5:22, 23), the genuine, sacred fruits of character, are rather vainly saying, "I am a child of God. I will enter heaven. I am saved!" Regardless that they have made His grace so futile and disappointed Him so bitterly, they still jubilantly call out, "Lord, Lord." Let us listen to the voice of the Holy Vinedresser again. [And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it] (Isa. 5:5, 6). And [ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah] (Isa. 5:10).
The Bible exclaims to Israel today, [Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?] (Ezek. 33:11). Come [...before the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!] (Zeph. 2:2). [Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground (of your heart) for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you] (Hosea 10:12).
Our real Father who is merciful, gracious and slow to anger, and weak in punishing His children is exclaiming, ['If you will return, O Israel,' says the Lord, 'return to Me; and if you will put away your abominations out of My sight.'] Come and [circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhibitions of Jerusalem lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings] (Jer. 4:1, 4).
['Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.'] ['For I am merciful,' says the Lord, 'and I will not remain angry forever'] (Jer. 3:22, 12). [Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.] [His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope] with the holy and blameless character and [to an inheritance ... reserved in heaven for you] (Eph. 1:3, 1 Peter. 1:3, 4).
To the Holy Vinedresser, our real Father who has not only given His only Son Jesus to be fertilizer for us thereby producing good fruits of our sacred character, but who also gives us the fresh rain of the Holy Spirit from heaven boundlessly, pruning our character-branches to make us beautiful, to Him be the glory and praise forever and ever!
Praise the Lord!
[And I say to you] (Luke 11:9), [I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit] (John 15:1, 2).
Whether the harvest of the field is rich or scanty, or whether the fruit trees are fruitful or fruitless all depend upon the hands of the farmer. Likewise, it depends on the hands of the great Farmer, the Lord of heaven and earth, as to whether the fruits of character in human-trees on earth are fruitful or fruitless.
Our Father, the most industrious Farmer in the universe takes away harsh and rough branches from our characters with His pruning shears (John 15:2), and with the good branches of our characters, He trims and cultivates them, choosing only the trees bearing good fruits in order to transplant them to His beautiful Garden. [For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant] (Isa. 5:7). [You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain] (John 15:16). [For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such (fruit bearing) there is no law] (Gal. 5:22, 23).
Jesus said, [Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit] (John 15:2). [Therefore I say to you,] [Not every one who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven] but it will be [given to a nation bearing the] [good fruit] [who does the will of My Father in heaven] (Matt. 21:43, 7:21, 3:10).
When I stand before the congregation, I occasionally ask,
"Are you indeed disciples of Jesus?"
"Yes, we are His disciples."
"Are you sure you are saved then?"
"Yes, I am sure that I am saved."
I frequently hear such brisk answers and so I continue; "Then let us confirm through the Bible whether we are indeed His disciples who are saved." And we open the Bible. Jesus said, [You bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples] (John 15:8). But [the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control] (Gal. 5:22, 23).
[You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit] - the fruit of the Spirit, [but a bad tree bears bad fruit] (Matt. 7:16, 17), [which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contention, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like ... those who practice such things] are not My disciples and [will not inherit the kingdom of God] (Gal 5:19-21). [Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it] (Matt. 21:43).
[Examine yourselves ... do not be deceived, God is not mocked] (2 Cor. 13:5, Gal. 6:7). [Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,] and without bearing fruit [do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax (of judgment) is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire] (Matt. 3:8-10). Thus we end our discussion and start examining ourselves solemnly, offering prayers of contrition.
Truly it is not worldly rank, birth, nationality, or religious privilege which proves that we are heirs of heaven or members of the family of God. Only those who have the character of God, who possess His love which embraces all of humanity, are the true heirs of heaven and children of God.
Now let us get back to the story of the Great [vinedresser] (John 15:1). He speaks to us, [Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood? ... Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel] (Ezek. 15:2-4). It is not because the vine looks more beautiful or lovely that it is esteemed above other trees. On the contrary, it is no more beautiful or useful than any other tree. It cannot be made into any vessel, or peg, or any lumber for building a house; it is useful for nothing but to be thrown into the fire. But there is one reason which makes it an object of admiration of all beholders among all other trees; it is because of its fruits. The fruits cover all the imperfections and defects of the vine and make the whole vine look beautiful. Without the fruits, it becomes the most useless and ugly tree among all other trees. and this grapevine is ourselves, [For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant] (Isa. 5:7).
[You have brought a vine out of Egypt (the world) ...and planted it.] It is [the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself] (Ps. 80:8, 15). [He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine] (Isa. 5:2). He pruned and dug and commanded the clouds to give [the former rain and the latter rain] (Joel 2:23), and made [His sun rise on it] (Matt. 5:45), and [dug] around it and [fertilized] it (Luke 13:8).
Now the Great Vinedresser says, [What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?] I loved My vineyard so much that I gave My only begotten Son. [Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?] (Isa. 5:4). [Yet I planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?] (Jer. 2:21). [He looked for justice, but behold, oppression, for righteousness, but behold, weeping] (Isa. 5:7).
I once heard the following story. Somewhere in my country (Korea), there is a pear farm where some trees in one part of the field bear much bigger and better pears without aid of either fertilizer or manure. After probing the cause, it was found that during the Korean War (the June 25th Incident of Korea in 1950), numerous dead bodies of innocent people were thrown into a huge hole dug in the ground and eventually buried in it. Many years later, people planted pear trees on the very site unknowingly. And so, because the dead bodies of the innocent people became fertilizer, there is a great harvest each year even until today.
Our heavenly Father, the Great Vinedresser in heaven, so loved the house of Israel that He buried His only Son Jesus under the vine of Judah (on Calvary) in the midst of the vineyard (the earth) and since then He has been eagerly waiting to see them bear good fruits in proportion to the good fertilizer (Jesus His Son). And now He says, [What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?] "I have given My only Son to be the fertilizer for them" (Isa. 5:4).
But there only comes from His lips a grievous sigh of disappointment and despair, [Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?] (Isa. 5:4). [I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?] (Jer. 2:21).
The expectations of the Great Vinedresser has been broken into pieces. Oh, what a great number of people without the good fruits (Gal. 5:22, 23), the genuine, sacred fruits of character, are rather vainly saying, "I am a child of God. I will enter heaven. I am saved!" Regardless that they have made His grace so futile and disappointed Him so bitterly, they still jubilantly call out, "Lord, Lord." Let us listen to the voice of the Holy Vinedresser again. [And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it] (Isa. 5:5, 6). And [ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah] (Isa. 5:10).
The Bible exclaims to Israel today, [Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?] (Ezek. 33:11). Come [...before the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!] (Zeph. 2:2). [Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground (of your heart) for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you] (Hosea 10:12).
Our real Father who is merciful, gracious and slow to anger, and weak in punishing His children is exclaiming, ['If you will return, O Israel,' says the Lord, 'return to Me; and if you will put away your abominations out of My sight.'] Come and [circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhibitions of Jerusalem lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings] (Jer. 4:1, 4).
['Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.'] ['For I am merciful,' says the Lord, 'and I will not remain angry forever'] (Jer. 3:22, 12). [Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.] [His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope] with the holy and blameless character and [to an inheritance ... reserved in heaven for you] (Eph. 1:3, 1 Peter. 1:3, 4).
To the Holy Vinedresser, our real Father who has not only given His only Son Jesus to be fertilizer for us thereby producing good fruits of our sacred character, but who also gives us the fresh rain of the Holy Spirit from heaven boundlessly, pruning our character-branches to make us beautiful, to Him be the glory and praise forever and ever!
Praise the Lord!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
13. Our Real Father Who Gave Up His Only Begotten Son to Save Us
[Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know Him] (1 John 3:1).
[In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him] (1 John 4:9). [He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him] (Ps. 103:10, 11).
[But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,] [as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him] (Ps. 103: 17, 13).
[For He made Him (His Son Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us (sinners), that we might become the righteousness of God in Him] (2 Cor. 5:21). [He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins,] [for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved] (1 John 4:10, John 3:17). Oh, what a great and unconditional love is that of our heavenly Father! [In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us] (1 John 4:10). [All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him (His Son Jesus) the iniquity of us all] (Isa. 53:6). It was to [release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage] under the power of death, [for indeed He does not give aid to angels (of heaven) but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham,] the sinners of earth (Heb. 2:15, 16). What a reassuring and cheerful message worthy of all praise!
[He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit (of death); I have found a ransom'] (Job 33: 24).
O what an amazing love of our heavenly Father! If it had not been for His gracious provision, who could have escaped from the horrible pit of death? [In this is love, not that we loved God] but that [He first loved us] (1 John 4:10, 19). [My son (you sinner), God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering] (Gen. 22:8). [Return to Me, for I have redeemed you] (Isa. 44:22).
Praise the Lord! [You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption] (Isa. 38:17).
Though all this evidence is given, the enemy of good still managed to blind the minds of men so that they look upon God with fear. They can only think of Him as severe and unforgiving. Also, Satan deceives men into thinking that God is a being whose chief attribute is stern justice, one who is a severe judge, a harsh and exacting creditor. He draws our heavenly Father as a being who is watching us with jealous eyes, to discern our errors and mistakes so that He may pour judgment upon us.
It was to remove this dark shadow, by revealing to the world the infinite love of God that Jesus came to live among men. It was to make manifest the Father that the Son of God came from heaven. [No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him] (John 1:18).
It is from the Father's heart that the streams of divine compassion, manifested in Christ, flowed out to the children of men. Jesus, the tender, pitying Savior was God [manifested in the flesh] (1 Tim. 3:16). None but the Son of God could accomplish our redemption; for only He who was in the bosom of the Father could declare Him. Only He who knows the height and depth of the love of God could make it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ on behalf of fallen man could express the Father's love to lost humanity.
"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son," not only to live among men, to bear their sins, and to die as their sacrifice, but He gave His Son to the fallen race forever. He who was one with God liked Himself with the children of men by a bond that will never be broken. Jesus is [not ashamed to call them brethren] (Heb. 2:11); He is our Sacrifice, our Advocate, and our Eldest Brother. Bearing our human form before the Father's throne and throughout eternal ages, He is the Son of Man, one with the race He has redeemed. And all this that man might be uplifted from the ruin and degradation of sin, that he might reflect the love of God and share the joy of holiness.
The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us, should give us exalted concepts of what we may become through Christ. As the inspired Apostle John beheld the height, the depth, and breadth of the Father's love toward the perishing race, he was filled with adoration and reverence; and failing to find the suitable language in which to express the greatness and tenderness of this love, he called upon the world to behold it. [Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God] (1 John 3:1). What a value this places upon man! Through transgression the sons of men were subject to Satan, and through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, the sons of Adam can now become sons of God. By assuming human nature, Christ has elevated humanity. Fallen men are placed where, through connection with Christ, they may indeed become worthy of the name "sons of God."
Such love is without parallel. Children of the heavenly King! Precious promise! Theme for the most profound meditation! The matchless love of God for a world that did not love Him. The thought has a subduing power upon the soul and brings the mind into captivity to the will of God. The more we study the divine character in the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern immeasurable evidence of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing a mother's yearning sympathy for her wayward child.
[He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom'] (Job 33:24).
Hymn
1. For God so loved the world
That He gave His only begotten Son,
That whosoever believes in Him
Should not perish but have everlasting life,
That whosoever believes in Him
Should not perish but have everlasting life,
Should not perish but have everlasting life.
2. Heavenly Father loved me a sinner
And gave up His only Son,
That I might be brought to His arms.
What a wondrous love it is to me!
That I might be brought to His arms.
What a wondrous love it is to me!
What a wondrous love it is to me!
3. My Father so loved me
And He will again send His Son,
That I might have life there above
With Him to live for eternity.
That I might have life there above
With Him to live for eternity,
With Him to live for eternity.
[In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him] (1 John 4:9). [He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him] (Ps. 103:10, 11).
[But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,] [as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him] (Ps. 103: 17, 13).
[For He made Him (His Son Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us (sinners), that we might become the righteousness of God in Him] (2 Cor. 5:21). [He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins,] [for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved] (1 John 4:10, John 3:17). Oh, what a great and unconditional love is that of our heavenly Father! [In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us] (1 John 4:10). [All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him (His Son Jesus) the iniquity of us all] (Isa. 53:6). It was to [release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage] under the power of death, [for indeed He does not give aid to angels (of heaven) but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham,] the sinners of earth (Heb. 2:15, 16). What a reassuring and cheerful message worthy of all praise!
[He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit (of death); I have found a ransom'] (Job 33: 24).
O what an amazing love of our heavenly Father! If it had not been for His gracious provision, who could have escaped from the horrible pit of death? [In this is love, not that we loved God] but that [He first loved us] (1 John 4:10, 19). [My son (you sinner), God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering] (Gen. 22:8). [Return to Me, for I have redeemed you] (Isa. 44:22).
Praise the Lord! [You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption] (Isa. 38:17).
Though all this evidence is given, the enemy of good still managed to blind the minds of men so that they look upon God with fear. They can only think of Him as severe and unforgiving. Also, Satan deceives men into thinking that God is a being whose chief attribute is stern justice, one who is a severe judge, a harsh and exacting creditor. He draws our heavenly Father as a being who is watching us with jealous eyes, to discern our errors and mistakes so that He may pour judgment upon us.
It was to remove this dark shadow, by revealing to the world the infinite love of God that Jesus came to live among men. It was to make manifest the Father that the Son of God came from heaven. [No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him] (John 1:18).
It is from the Father's heart that the streams of divine compassion, manifested in Christ, flowed out to the children of men. Jesus, the tender, pitying Savior was God [manifested in the flesh] (1 Tim. 3:16). None but the Son of God could accomplish our redemption; for only He who was in the bosom of the Father could declare Him. Only He who knows the height and depth of the love of God could make it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ on behalf of fallen man could express the Father's love to lost humanity.
"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son," not only to live among men, to bear their sins, and to die as their sacrifice, but He gave His Son to the fallen race forever. He who was one with God liked Himself with the children of men by a bond that will never be broken. Jesus is [not ashamed to call them brethren] (Heb. 2:11); He is our Sacrifice, our Advocate, and our Eldest Brother. Bearing our human form before the Father's throne and throughout eternal ages, He is the Son of Man, one with the race He has redeemed. And all this that man might be uplifted from the ruin and degradation of sin, that he might reflect the love of God and share the joy of holiness.
The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us, should give us exalted concepts of what we may become through Christ. As the inspired Apostle John beheld the height, the depth, and breadth of the Father's love toward the perishing race, he was filled with adoration and reverence; and failing to find the suitable language in which to express the greatness and tenderness of this love, he called upon the world to behold it. [Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God] (1 John 3:1). What a value this places upon man! Through transgression the sons of men were subject to Satan, and through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, the sons of Adam can now become sons of God. By assuming human nature, Christ has elevated humanity. Fallen men are placed where, through connection with Christ, they may indeed become worthy of the name "sons of God."
Such love is without parallel. Children of the heavenly King! Precious promise! Theme for the most profound meditation! The matchless love of God for a world that did not love Him. The thought has a subduing power upon the soul and brings the mind into captivity to the will of God. The more we study the divine character in the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern immeasurable evidence of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing a mother's yearning sympathy for her wayward child.
[He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom'] (Job 33:24).
Hymn
1. For God so loved the world
That He gave His only begotten Son,
That whosoever believes in Him
Should not perish but have everlasting life,
That whosoever believes in Him
Should not perish but have everlasting life,
Should not perish but have everlasting life.
2. Heavenly Father loved me a sinner
And gave up His only Son,
That I might be brought to His arms.
What a wondrous love it is to me!
That I might be brought to His arms.
What a wondrous love it is to me!
What a wondrous love it is to me!
3. My Father so loved me
And He will again send His Son,
That I might have life there above
With Him to live for eternity.
That I might have life there above
With Him to live for eternity,
With Him to live for eternity.
14. Our Real Father Who Was Tormented With His Son on the Cross to Save Us
[Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me] (John 16:32). This is what Jesus our Eldest Brother said to His disciples who would abandon Him just before He was to be crucified alone on the cross as a sacrificial Lamb for sinners on earth. He knew that though His disciples should flee away and leave Him, His Father who had not sent Him, His innocent Son, alone into this fearful world filled with demons, would never leave Him alone but stay with Him to the end as He had from His birth in the manger of Bethlehem.
[Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that ... He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him'] (John 8:28, 29). [Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me] (John 16:32). Therefore [whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me] [and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me] (Luke 9:48, 10:16).
In other words, "whosoever accepts Me accepts Him who sent Me, whosoever treats Me unkindly treats Him who sent Me unkindly, and whosoever persecutes Me persecutes Him who sent Me." [The Father is in Me, and I in Him] (John 10:38).
Therefore, whoever crucifies Jesus the Son of God, crucifies His Father who walks with Him, for Jesus is one with His Father.
Truly the agony of Jesus the Son of God in Isaiah 53 is also the agony of the Father.
[Who has believed our report?] (Isa. 53:1). When [He [Jesus] was despised and rejected by men,] the Father in Him was despised and rejected by them. When He was despised "as one from whom men hide their faces," the Father likewise was despised in Him. [And we did not esteem Him] (Isa. 53:3). When He (Jesus) bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, the Father in Him also bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. When He was wounded and bruised for our transgressions and iniquities, the Father embracing Him was also wounded and bruised (Isa. 53:5).
Many years ago, I heard the following story from a minister whom I respect very much about an experience that he had had during the Korean war when he was a little boy. At that time, he had a widowed mother and an older sister. One day, the enemy planes suddenly attacked, dropping bombs into the area where he was living. And the bursting sound of exploding bombs filled the air. His mother called his sister and himself into the room hastily saying, "Let's share our fate regardless of whether we live or die." Then she made him lie flat on the floor, and next her daughter on top of him. Then she threw herself upon them as to cover them for protection. Oh, what a sacrificing love of a mother for her children! She probably thought she could be a bulletproof iron plate and protect her children safely under her, thinking to herself, "If the bombs should fall upon me, I would die first, then my daughter, but hopefully my only son will be spared!" What a mother's great love for her only son!
Now Jesus says, [If you then, being evil] (Luke 11:13), love your children so much, how can your heavenly Father send His only Son alone into the world of darkness where furious enemies abound? Truly [the Father is in Me, and I in Him,] in the bosom of the Father (John 10:38). [I and my Father are one] (John 10:30). Yes, when Jesus, the Son of God was wounded and bruised, the Father who was embracing Him was first wounded and bruised. With His chastisement and stripes we have peace and are healed; but it was really the chastisement and stripes of our heavenly Father who was holding Him in His arms (Isa. 53:5).
When the violent Roman soldiers and the more insidious Jewish leaders were mercilessly nailing down the hands and feet of the only Son of God, they were actually nailing down the hands and feet of the Father who was embracing His Son to His bosom. When Jesus was crucified on Calvary in the midst of the world between heaven and earth, the Father who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and became one with the Son, was also crucified. [Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God! ... The world... did not know Him] (1 John 3:1). Behold the Father who, in order to save the world, came down with His Son to the land of Judea!
Behold the Father and the Son surrounded by a throng of mocking and insulting people, who are like starving wolves and furious dogs! (Ps. 22:16).
Behold the Father and the Son who, to save sinners, are hung on the cross of Calvary between heaven and earth! O what an incomprehensible sacrifice of the Father and the Son [which passes knowledge!] (Eph. 3:19). It cannot be measured by our finite mind and understanding.
If I were an artist, I would draw not one but two crosses on Calvary - one big and the other little - for the Father and the Son.
I was much inspired upon reading my favorite books, [Steps to Christ] and [The Desire of Ages].
"God sacrificed Himself, in Christ, for man's redemption." [God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself] (2 Cor. 5:19).
"From the time when He appeared as a babe in Bethlehem ... to Calvary, the storm of Satan's wrath beat upon Him, but the more mercilessly it fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of His Father, and press on in the blood-stained path."
[God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself] (2 Cor. 5:19). He suffered with His Son. Through the agony of Gethsemane and the death of Calvary, the heart of Infinite Love paid the price of our redemption.
"In the thick darkness (of Calvary), God's presence was hidden ... The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed ... and in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father's presence ... In the thick darkness, God veiled the last human agony of His Son."
"No eyes could pierce the gloom of God's presence that surrounded the cross, and none could penetrate the deeper gloom that enshrouded the suffering soul of Christ ... But God suffered with His Son."
"The hosts of heaven (angels) veiled their faces from the fearful sight. Inanimate nature expressed sympathy with its insulted and dying Author. The sun refused to look upon the awful scene. Its full, bright rays were illuminating the earth at midday when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out ... In that thick darkness God's presence was hidden ... All heaven was filled with amazement ... What a startling scene it was to the universe of heaven!"
"God loved sinners so much that He gave Himself in the body of Christ, that He might save all humanity."
[God so loved the world that He gave (not only) His only begotten Son (but Himself) that whoever (beholds the Father and the Son on Calvary and) believes in Him (and His Father) should not perish but have everlasting life] (John 3:16).
Praise the Lord! Glory to our Father!
Poem
- The Two Crosses -
On the lonely hill of Calvary
Are standing two crosses in parallel.
One, big
The other, little.
The big one is of the Father,
And the little one of the Son. My Father and Eldest Brother,
Just for me, one sinner, They were crucified there.
Hymn
1. On a hill far away stood two old crosses,
The emblem of suffering and shame,
There the Father and the Son, to save fallen sinners
Suffered untold torment and pain.
Refrain: So I'll cherish the two old crosses
Till I come to see the great nail-pierced hands.
Just for me a sinner on that lonely hill
Were slain the Holy Father and the Son.
2. On the hill of Calvary stood two old crosses
Just for me the Father and the Son were slain
Through His precious blood and death, infinite sacrifice was made.
It was all for my life everlasting
3. On the hill of Golgotha stood two old crosses
To save me His prodigal son;
Holy Father and Son gave up the throne of heaven.
What a wondrous love for me alone!
[Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that ... He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him'] (John 8:28, 29). [Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me] (John 16:32). Therefore [whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me] [and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me] (Luke 9:48, 10:16).
In other words, "whosoever accepts Me accepts Him who sent Me, whosoever treats Me unkindly treats Him who sent Me unkindly, and whosoever persecutes Me persecutes Him who sent Me." [The Father is in Me, and I in Him] (John 10:38).
Therefore, whoever crucifies Jesus the Son of God, crucifies His Father who walks with Him, for Jesus is one with His Father.
Truly the agony of Jesus the Son of God in Isaiah 53 is also the agony of the Father.
[Who has believed our report?] (Isa. 53:1). When [He [Jesus] was despised and rejected by men,] the Father in Him was despised and rejected by them. When He was despised "as one from whom men hide their faces," the Father likewise was despised in Him. [And we did not esteem Him] (Isa. 53:3). When He (Jesus) bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, the Father in Him also bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. When He was wounded and bruised for our transgressions and iniquities, the Father embracing Him was also wounded and bruised (Isa. 53:5).
Many years ago, I heard the following story from a minister whom I respect very much about an experience that he had had during the Korean war when he was a little boy. At that time, he had a widowed mother and an older sister. One day, the enemy planes suddenly attacked, dropping bombs into the area where he was living. And the bursting sound of exploding bombs filled the air. His mother called his sister and himself into the room hastily saying, "Let's share our fate regardless of whether we live or die." Then she made him lie flat on the floor, and next her daughter on top of him. Then she threw herself upon them as to cover them for protection. Oh, what a sacrificing love of a mother for her children! She probably thought she could be a bulletproof iron plate and protect her children safely under her, thinking to herself, "If the bombs should fall upon me, I would die first, then my daughter, but hopefully my only son will be spared!" What a mother's great love for her only son!
Now Jesus says, [If you then, being evil] (Luke 11:13), love your children so much, how can your heavenly Father send His only Son alone into the world of darkness where furious enemies abound? Truly [the Father is in Me, and I in Him,] in the bosom of the Father (John 10:38). [I and my Father are one] (John 10:30). Yes, when Jesus, the Son of God was wounded and bruised, the Father who was embracing Him was first wounded and bruised. With His chastisement and stripes we have peace and are healed; but it was really the chastisement and stripes of our heavenly Father who was holding Him in His arms (Isa. 53:5).
When the violent Roman soldiers and the more insidious Jewish leaders were mercilessly nailing down the hands and feet of the only Son of God, they were actually nailing down the hands and feet of the Father who was embracing His Son to His bosom. When Jesus was crucified on Calvary in the midst of the world between heaven and earth, the Father who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and became one with the Son, was also crucified. [Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God! ... The world... did not know Him] (1 John 3:1). Behold the Father who, in order to save the world, came down with His Son to the land of Judea!
Behold the Father and the Son surrounded by a throng of mocking and insulting people, who are like starving wolves and furious dogs! (Ps. 22:16).
Behold the Father and the Son who, to save sinners, are hung on the cross of Calvary between heaven and earth! O what an incomprehensible sacrifice of the Father and the Son [which passes knowledge!] (Eph. 3:19). It cannot be measured by our finite mind and understanding.
If I were an artist, I would draw not one but two crosses on Calvary - one big and the other little - for the Father and the Son.
I was much inspired upon reading my favorite books, [Steps to Christ] and [The Desire of Ages].
"God sacrificed Himself, in Christ, for man's redemption." [God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself] (2 Cor. 5:19).
"From the time when He appeared as a babe in Bethlehem ... to Calvary, the storm of Satan's wrath beat upon Him, but the more mercilessly it fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of His Father, and press on in the blood-stained path."
[God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself] (2 Cor. 5:19). He suffered with His Son. Through the agony of Gethsemane and the death of Calvary, the heart of Infinite Love paid the price of our redemption.
"In the thick darkness (of Calvary), God's presence was hidden ... The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed ... and in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father's presence ... In the thick darkness, God veiled the last human agony of His Son."
"No eyes could pierce the gloom of God's presence that surrounded the cross, and none could penetrate the deeper gloom that enshrouded the suffering soul of Christ ... But God suffered with His Son."
"The hosts of heaven (angels) veiled their faces from the fearful sight. Inanimate nature expressed sympathy with its insulted and dying Author. The sun refused to look upon the awful scene. Its full, bright rays were illuminating the earth at midday when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out ... In that thick darkness God's presence was hidden ... All heaven was filled with amazement ... What a startling scene it was to the universe of heaven!"
"God loved sinners so much that He gave Himself in the body of Christ, that He might save all humanity."
[God so loved the world that He gave (not only) His only begotten Son (but Himself) that whoever (beholds the Father and the Son on Calvary and) believes in Him (and His Father) should not perish but have everlasting life] (John 3:16).
Praise the Lord! Glory to our Father!
Poem
- The Two Crosses -
On the lonely hill of Calvary
Are standing two crosses in parallel.
One, big
The other, little.
The big one is of the Father,
And the little one of the Son. My Father and Eldest Brother,
Just for me, one sinner, They were crucified there.
Hymn
1. On a hill far away stood two old crosses,
The emblem of suffering and shame,
There the Father and the Son, to save fallen sinners
Suffered untold torment and pain.
Refrain: So I'll cherish the two old crosses
Till I come to see the great nail-pierced hands.
Just for me a sinner on that lonely hill
Were slain the Holy Father and the Son.
2. On the hill of Calvary stood two old crosses
Just for me the Father and the Son were slain
Through His precious blood and death, infinite sacrifice was made.
It was all for my life everlasting
3. On the hill of Golgotha stood two old crosses
To save me His prodigal son;
Holy Father and Son gave up the throne of heaven.
What a wondrous love for me alone!
15. Our Real Father Who Personally Abides In Us
[For this says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones'] (Isa. 57:15).
The high and lofty One, the King of the universe, our Father says that as He abided in His Eldest Son Jesus, He will also abide with His little sons and daughters of today. What an amazing fact it is! How then does He abide in us? For [God is (not flesh but) Spirit] (John 4:24), so He abides in us through His Spirit. And He becomes a personal Friend and Father to each individual child of His. The Spirit of the Father, His Holy Spirit, can either revive or destroy all the children of earth.
[It is the Spirit who gives life] (John 6:63). Wherever the Spirit of our Father abides, the world and sinners can live, and wherever the Spirit is absent, neither the world nor sinners can survive. This is because the Spirit of our Father is life for all sinners and the world. In the Bible, we can see that it was not the flood but the withdrawal of the Father's Spirit from the world that caused this wicked world in the days of Noah to be destroyed completely.
The Lord said, [My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years] (Gen. 6:3).
Therefore He granted to the world His Spirit for a hundred and twenty years, and after that, He withdrew His Spirit and buried their lifeless flesh in the water. Oh how fearful and indispensable is the Spirit of our Father! Only this Spirit is our everlasting life.
Wherever the Spirit of our Father abides, there are found eternal life, everlasting liberty, everlasting love, joy, peace, and happiness. Moreover, when this Spirit of our Father comes to us, He becomes our personal Friend and a personal Father to us as He was with Enoch. And with Him we can eat, drink, work, talk, and walk in our daily lives. This is the kind of life that Enoch and Jesus lived, and this is how we must live as well. Only such children who abide with Him in every aspect of their daily lives will our Father take to His kingdom as His real children.
Jesus said, [And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the (Holy) Spirit of your Father who speaks in you] (Matt. 10:18-20). The high and lofty One, the King of the whole universe, our heavenly Father, who is not less humbler than Jesus declares that He will abide with His lowly, sinful children, to share their trials, and as they are dragged before wicked governors and kings, He will follow them and reply on their behalf as a sinner though He Himself is sinless.
Oh, behold our heavenly Father, the King of the universe, giving answers yieldingly and being pronounced "guilty" before the mean, wicked kings and governors of the earth! Among all men and angels in the universe, who can find one humbler and tenderer than He? Now we see that the humble Jesus was exactly like His Father in character.
[The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love; He will exult over you with loud singing] (Zeph. 3:17).
[God, who made the world, and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth ... gives to all men life, breath and all things ... He is not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being ... We are also His offspring] (Acts 17:24-28).
And Jesus said, [Most assuredly, I say to you, He who believes in Me, the works that I do (and the life that I live with God as one) he will do (and live) also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father,] [for the Father Himself loves you] (John 14:12, 16:27).
Therefore, as Jesus our Eldest Brother was "one" with the heavenly Father while abiding in Him, we on earth are also to abide with Him and become one with our heavenly Father, who is the high and lofty One. This is what Jesus mentioned in His last prayer to His Father, [that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also my be one in Us,] [that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them] (John 17:21, 26).
Therefore, the call of the Visitor in Revelation: [Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me] (Rev. 3:20). This is not only the voice of Jesus our Lord but also of our heavenly Father who comes to us. This is the same merciful call our Father made to Adam, His first fallen son, after his transgression. [Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, 'where are you?'] (Gen. 3:9). He is seeking for us today with the same call.
I remember a story of President Eisenhower in America. He was reading the newspaper one morning when a certain article moved his heart. It appeared that there was a little boy named Henry who was about to die of lung cancer, and as people around him asked what his last wish was, he answered, "My last wish is to see my dear President Eisenhower just once." No sooner had the President read this article that he abandoned his busy official duties and ran out of the White House, driving through city streets and back streets, rushing toward Henry's home in order to fulfill this little boy's last desire. Finally upon arriving, he rang the doorbell. Henry's father, who was greatly distressed with his dying son, shouted impatiently, "Who is ringing my doorbell at such an early hour?" The President just rang the doorbell again. And Henry's father began to shout abusive words toward the door. But the President in a gentle voice simply said, "Would you please let me in?" Henry's dad who was dressed in his pajamas, angrily came downstairs and furiously opened the door, shouting,
"Don't you have any manners?"
"I am sorry. I came to see your son after reading the morning paper."
If a king of this cold, wicked world humbled himself to satisfy a little boy's desire, disregarding all his important business matters and receiving such insults, how much more will our heavenly Father, who has begotten and brought us up, come and knock earnestly at the heart's door of His perishing children?
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us not treat our loving heavenly Father, the merciful President of the universe as Henry's dad did, but run out with a joyful shout and welcome Him who has abandoned all of heaven to come down to this earth just to see us. Let us receive Him forever as our personal Father.
He alone is our everlasting life, joy, love, happiness, and our Friend.
Praise the Lord, and glory to our real Father who has come to abide and live with us!
The high and lofty One, the King of the universe, our Father says that as He abided in His Eldest Son Jesus, He will also abide with His little sons and daughters of today. What an amazing fact it is! How then does He abide in us? For [God is (not flesh but) Spirit] (John 4:24), so He abides in us through His Spirit. And He becomes a personal Friend and Father to each individual child of His. The Spirit of the Father, His Holy Spirit, can either revive or destroy all the children of earth.
[It is the Spirit who gives life] (John 6:63). Wherever the Spirit of our Father abides, the world and sinners can live, and wherever the Spirit is absent, neither the world nor sinners can survive. This is because the Spirit of our Father is life for all sinners and the world. In the Bible, we can see that it was not the flood but the withdrawal of the Father's Spirit from the world that caused this wicked world in the days of Noah to be destroyed completely.
The Lord said, [My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years] (Gen. 6:3).
Therefore He granted to the world His Spirit for a hundred and twenty years, and after that, He withdrew His Spirit and buried their lifeless flesh in the water. Oh how fearful and indispensable is the Spirit of our Father! Only this Spirit is our everlasting life.
Wherever the Spirit of our Father abides, there are found eternal life, everlasting liberty, everlasting love, joy, peace, and happiness. Moreover, when this Spirit of our Father comes to us, He becomes our personal Friend and a personal Father to us as He was with Enoch. And with Him we can eat, drink, work, talk, and walk in our daily lives. This is the kind of life that Enoch and Jesus lived, and this is how we must live as well. Only such children who abide with Him in every aspect of their daily lives will our Father take to His kingdom as His real children.
Jesus said, [And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the (Holy) Spirit of your Father who speaks in you] (Matt. 10:18-20). The high and lofty One, the King of the whole universe, our heavenly Father, who is not less humbler than Jesus declares that He will abide with His lowly, sinful children, to share their trials, and as they are dragged before wicked governors and kings, He will follow them and reply on their behalf as a sinner though He Himself is sinless.
Oh, behold our heavenly Father, the King of the universe, giving answers yieldingly and being pronounced "guilty" before the mean, wicked kings and governors of the earth! Among all men and angels in the universe, who can find one humbler and tenderer than He? Now we see that the humble Jesus was exactly like His Father in character.
[The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love; He will exult over you with loud singing] (Zeph. 3:17).
[God, who made the world, and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth ... gives to all men life, breath and all things ... He is not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being ... We are also His offspring] (Acts 17:24-28).
And Jesus said, [Most assuredly, I say to you, He who believes in Me, the works that I do (and the life that I live with God as one) he will do (and live) also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father,] [for the Father Himself loves you] (John 14:12, 16:27).
Therefore, as Jesus our Eldest Brother was "one" with the heavenly Father while abiding in Him, we on earth are also to abide with Him and become one with our heavenly Father, who is the high and lofty One. This is what Jesus mentioned in His last prayer to His Father, [that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also my be one in Us,] [that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them] (John 17:21, 26).
Therefore, the call of the Visitor in Revelation: [Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me] (Rev. 3:20). This is not only the voice of Jesus our Lord but also of our heavenly Father who comes to us. This is the same merciful call our Father made to Adam, His first fallen son, after his transgression. [Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, 'where are you?'] (Gen. 3:9). He is seeking for us today with the same call.
I remember a story of President Eisenhower in America. He was reading the newspaper one morning when a certain article moved his heart. It appeared that there was a little boy named Henry who was about to die of lung cancer, and as people around him asked what his last wish was, he answered, "My last wish is to see my dear President Eisenhower just once." No sooner had the President read this article that he abandoned his busy official duties and ran out of the White House, driving through city streets and back streets, rushing toward Henry's home in order to fulfill this little boy's last desire. Finally upon arriving, he rang the doorbell. Henry's father, who was greatly distressed with his dying son, shouted impatiently, "Who is ringing my doorbell at such an early hour?" The President just rang the doorbell again. And Henry's father began to shout abusive words toward the door. But the President in a gentle voice simply said, "Would you please let me in?" Henry's dad who was dressed in his pajamas, angrily came downstairs and furiously opened the door, shouting,
"Don't you have any manners?"
"I am sorry. I came to see your son after reading the morning paper."
If a king of this cold, wicked world humbled himself to satisfy a little boy's desire, disregarding all his important business matters and receiving such insults, how much more will our heavenly Father, who has begotten and brought us up, come and knock earnestly at the heart's door of His perishing children?
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us not treat our loving heavenly Father, the merciful President of the universe as Henry's dad did, but run out with a joyful shout and welcome Him who has abandoned all of heaven to come down to this earth just to see us. Let us receive Him forever as our personal Father.
He alone is our everlasting life, joy, love, happiness, and our Friend.
Praise the Lord, and glory to our real Father who has come to abide and live with us!
16. Our Real Father Who Resurrects Us and Gives Us Eternal Life
[For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,] and His purpose was [whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life] (John 3:16).
Eternal life is that which [God, who cannot lie, promised before time began] (Titus 1:2). For He will [render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality] (Rom. 2:6, 7), [that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have eternal life] (John 3:15).
Therefore to those who follow the devil and live a sinful life, He will repay them with [the wages of sin (which) is death,] and to those who obey God and believe and follow Jesus whom He has sent, He will recompense with eternal life, the free gift of God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23).
Therefore eternal life is our Father's precious gift for His fallen children on earth. [For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life (everlasting) in Himself] (John 5:26). [You have given Him (the Son) authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him (the Son)] (John 17:2).
Therefore whoever wants may have eternal life freely from God, from the Son, and from the Holy Spirit - from all three directions. This eternal life is that which [God, who cannot lie, promised before time began] because He loved the earthly sinners so much [that He gave His only begotten Son,] [for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God] (Titus 1:2, John 3:16, Eph. 2:8).
Now, let us learn about our Father through the Bible. He is the One who raises up His children on earth who died in Christ and brings the light of resurrection to them. [Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead] ... it is [because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ] (1 Cor. 15:12, 15). He [gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist] (Rom. 4:17, RSV). [If the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies (as well)] (Rom. 8:11). He did not "raise" Christ [if in fact the dead do not rise] (1 Cor. 15:15). [If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; and you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished] (1 Cor. 15:17, 18). But as it is evidently testified, [God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power] (1 Cor. 6:14).
He [delivered us from so great a death, and (He will deliver us] (2 Cor. 1:10). [And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins] (Eph. 2:1).
And as the Father gives His Son the power to give eternal life, He also gives Him the power of resurrection that He might raise up His mortal children in the world who have fallen into deadly sleep. Jesus said, [Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live ... and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation] (John 5:25, 29).
[Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation,] [who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ... and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus ... and (this is) not of yourselves; it is the gift of God] (2 Cor. 1:3, 4, Eph. 2:4~8).
"Blessed be the God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," our Father in heaven! He loved this sinner so much "that He gave His only begotten Son." He remembered this corruptible, mortal body and raised me up, and gave me eternal life, and made me sit with Jesus in the heavenly places. How can I praise Him for all these blessings! All I can say to Him with my little lips is "My dear Father! My dear Father! My dear Father! ....."
Eternal life is that which [God, who cannot lie, promised before time began] (Titus 1:2). For He will [render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality] (Rom. 2:6, 7), [that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have eternal life] (John 3:15).
Therefore to those who follow the devil and live a sinful life, He will repay them with [the wages of sin (which) is death,] and to those who obey God and believe and follow Jesus whom He has sent, He will recompense with eternal life, the free gift of God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23).
Therefore eternal life is our Father's precious gift for His fallen children on earth. [For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life (everlasting) in Himself] (John 5:26). [You have given Him (the Son) authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him (the Son)] (John 17:2).
Therefore whoever wants may have eternal life freely from God, from the Son, and from the Holy Spirit - from all three directions. This eternal life is that which [God, who cannot lie, promised before time began] because He loved the earthly sinners so much [that He gave His only begotten Son,] [for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God] (Titus 1:2, John 3:16, Eph. 2:8).
Now, let us learn about our Father through the Bible. He is the One who raises up His children on earth who died in Christ and brings the light of resurrection to them. [Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead] ... it is [because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ] (1 Cor. 15:12, 15). He [gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist] (Rom. 4:17, RSV). [If the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies (as well)] (Rom. 8:11). He did not "raise" Christ [if in fact the dead do not rise] (1 Cor. 15:15). [If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; and you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished] (1 Cor. 15:17, 18). But as it is evidently testified, [God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power] (1 Cor. 6:14).
He [delivered us from so great a death, and (He will deliver us] (2 Cor. 1:10). [And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins] (Eph. 2:1).
And as the Father gives His Son the power to give eternal life, He also gives Him the power of resurrection that He might raise up His mortal children in the world who have fallen into deadly sleep. Jesus said, [Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live ... and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation] (John 5:25, 29).
[Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation,] [who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ... and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus ... and (this is) not of yourselves; it is the gift of God] (2 Cor. 1:3, 4, Eph. 2:4~8).
"Blessed be the God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," our Father in heaven! He loved this sinner so much "that He gave His only begotten Son." He remembered this corruptible, mortal body and raised me up, and gave me eternal life, and made me sit with Jesus in the heavenly places. How can I praise Him for all these blessings! All I can say to Him with my little lips is "My dear Father! My dear Father! My dear Father! ....."
Saturday, January 17, 2009
17. Our Real Father Who Weeps in the Judgment Seat
[I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened] (Dan. 7:9, 10).
[And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.] [And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man] were all summoned before the throne (Rev. 20:12, 6:15).
What an appalling and dreadful scene of the great Judgment Day of the universe! Even in the courts of the world, when the judge asks the convict for his address with a loud voice, the convict is so shaken up with terror that he is unable to even utter one word. Then, who can dare stand without horror and fear in the great judgment hall of the universe in which the King of the universe, the Lord of lords, the God of heaven takes His seat?
The seat of the Supreme Judge is not like those lifeless thrones of kings and judges in the world; it is a living seat, moving with animation, praising God and also speaking on its own, which will appear before all the righteous and sinners of the whole world.
And the fiery flames coming forth from it is so exceedingly hot and dreadful that it can consume and melt the whole world, and no power of man or science can extinguish it. [A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.] The attendants of the Supreme Judge are a thousand thousands and ten thousands times ten thousand standing before Him. Their power and might is so great that once, just one angel came down and slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand mighty men of the Assyrian army overnight - an army that wielded the greatest power all over the world at the time. These beings of such tremendous power and might are the heavenly hosts of the Lord, His civil and military officials. They are now standing as eyewitnesses to every act of Satan and his agents, and of all sinners in the world.
And in this great judgment hall, there stands a Lawyer (Advocate) who once as the Son of God, abandoned heaven and came down to be slain on the cross for sinners - Jesus Christ. [If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous] (1 John 2:1). [He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them] (Heb. 7:25).
Jesus Christ is the unique Lawyer in this heavenly court of the universe who can plead for the sinners' behalf, saying, "This man is innocent. He is a righteous man. He has cleansed himself through My blood. He is fit for heaven." This Lawyer's pleading is so trustworthy and truthful that it is perfectly accepted by the Supreme Judge. Blessed are those for whom He pleads.
Now in this appalling and dreadful court of the universe which can not be described in words, the sight being so fearful, the Supreme Judge of the Universe sitting on the throne of fiery flame begins to speak toward the kings of the earth, the rich men, and Satan the instigator and his agents, all trembling with dark faces.
[Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep in silence, but will repay - even repay into their bosom - your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together, says the Lord, who have burned incense on the mountains and blasphemed Me on the hills; therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom] (Isa. 65:6, 7).
In the courtrooms of this world, the charges are judged according to the severity of the crime, but in the heavenly court, trial begins by strict investigation of the motives that had been held in mind before the crime was originated, and all the secret purposes and motives that had been held throughout the lifetime. Every thought, every wrong word, every deed done, all hidden selfishness, every unjust account and every unfair dealing and thought, every big and small word and act of everyday, unfulfilled duties to their fellow men, wasted moments, every negligence, heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected, unimproved opportunities, forgetfulness of the Savior's claims, how often they gave to Satan thought and strength that belonged to God, and every thought, however small, that flashed upon the mind which may be forgotten by us, all of these are faithfully recorded in the book. Moreover, all sins that may have been committed if opportunity had permitted, absorption in the acquirement of worldly possessions or the enjoyment of earthly pleasure, the influence exerted for evil with its far-reaching results, are all passed in review before God and strictly investigated and judged. The Supreme Judge of the universe is never deceived by the appearance of piety in hypocrites. Beginning with those who lived first upon the earth, the case of every single person of each successive generation is presented, closing with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected.
The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe. Though they may be forgotten by us, they will bear their testimony to justify or condemn. That is why Jesus said, [If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.] (Matt. 5:29, 30).
On the other hand, the Supreme Judge of the universe has another book in which are accurately recorded the good deeds of His people, [Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name] (Mal. 3:16, NIV).
In this Book of Life are written all good deeds of those who honor Him and think upon His name, and every act of charity that may not have been known to others nor rewarded during their lifetime. To list them, they are as follows: every good purpose, motive and thought of faith, every good word, every evil overcome and every temptation resisted, all the acts of love and good deeds, every word of tender pity expressed, every act of sacrifice that is not made known to others, every suffering and sorrow endured for the sake of God and Christ, the influence exerted for good with its far-reaching results, faithful and sincere acts, all the persecutions, insults, contempt and scornful treatments received until the final moments and martyrdom. These are all faithfully recorded. [And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water ... assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward] (Matt. 10:42).
[For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil] (Eccles. 12:14). In the Supreme Judgment Hall of Justice, everything is judged according to the great principle of heaven, "reap as sown." [So then each of us shall give account of himself to God] (Rom. 14:12). [For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap] (Gal 6:7). [Those who have done good] are judged favorably, receiving great reward and eternal life while [those who have done evil] reap punishment and death. And everyone who has existed on earth will settle all accounts of what he has sown throughout his life.
We should be grateful to the Supreme Judge of the universe that there is no misjudgment, partiality, taking bribes, or injustice with Him, contrary to unjust human judges of this earth. [Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes] (2 Chro. 19:7).
Now the Supreme Judge of the universe, the living God sitting above all the chief judges, is speaking toward all judges of the world today, [Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man.] [Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.] [Behold, it is written before Me I will not keep silence, but will repay - even repay into their bosom] (Isa. 5:22, 23, Deut. 27:25, Isa. 65:6). But [he who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil, he will dwell on high, his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be sure your eyes will see (God) the King in His beauty ... they will see the land (heaven that is very far off] (Isa. 33:15-17).
* The Joyful Day of Judgment
[Now as he (Paul) reasoned about righteousness ... and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, `Go away for now'] (Acts 24:25). [When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, `Who then can be saved?] (Matt. 19:25).
Today, when all people in the world hear about the future judgment, whether they serve God or not, they all say in fear with one voice, [What shall we do"] (Acts 2:37), as the governor Felix, who did not serve God, and the disciples who served Him, all equally feared. But we of this age are to know the true meaning of what Jesus said, [For God did not send His Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved] (John 3:17).
At first, in this peaceful universe, no one had ever known or heard the word "judgment." It was only when Satan, the outrageous one of the universe rebelled against God and broke the peace and order of the universe by killing and injuring precious lives of numerous angels and men, that this new word "judgment" began to be introduced.
God has two purposes for judgment. One is to protect and promote the lives and happiness of His children who willingly obey the laws and rules that He has set up for order and happiness of the universe. The other is to eradicate the evil ones who break the order and laws of the universe, who constantly commit murder and robbery, so that He may wipe away the evil ones and restore the everlasting peace and order of the universe.
Since the rebellion of Satan, a division of forces has taken place in the universe. Those who obey and observe the law of God and His order have been the object of hatred and abhorrence to Satan and his agents, and a great number of them have been persecuted and murdered at the hands of those who are evil.
But our Father who is [merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth] (Ex. 34:6), and who has kept His patience thus far, will cease His long-suffering and stand up to execute judgment between good and evil, between the righteous and the wicked. There has never been judgment in this universe since the beginning nor will there ever be one in the future. After this unique judgment is over, there will never again be another mention of its word and it will be forever forgotten in our peaceful kingdom of the universe. Then, all heavenly beings will enjoy order, peace, and happiness forever that the Father restores for them.
Now, His primary purpose for judgment is to expose the truth for His children who, without sin have been dragged by the wicked, disgraced and condemned without a definite charge, persecuted, imprisoned, beaten, stabbed and thrust with a spear to death, and burned at the stake under false accusations - the only reason being that they loved God and obeyed His commandments. He will display their tearful appeal before the whole universe and give them great reward and blessing before all.
Therefore, Jesus, when He was on earth, said, [Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.] [In the world you will have tribulation] but [let not your heart be troubled.] [Shall God not avenge His own elect, who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily] (Matt. 10:28, John 16:33, 14:1, Luke 18:7, 8).
In Revelation is also well described the scenes of the saints slain by enemies under false charges, entreating the Father of heaven, [When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, `How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those (The wicked) who dwell on the earth?'] (Rev. 6:9, 10). And the merciful Father, the Sovereign Lord in compassion gave each one of them [a white robe] [and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed] (Rev. 6:11).
Now, as the number of His saints is filled and His call for His rebellious children which has lasted thousands of years ceases, our heavenly Father stands up to begin His final judgment in answer to the prayers of His victimized children. However dreadful the scene of the courtroom may be and however numerous the charges may be, God's children who obey the word and commandments which is the foundation of heaven's order and prosperity, should rejoice with happiness for they have been forgiven their [iniquity, transgression and sin] (Ex. 34:7) by the wonderful grace and the precious blood of His Son. It will be a day of a great reward and glory for those who obey Him, to be exhibited before the whole universe.
On the other hand, those who persecuted the saints who loved His words and commandments more than their own lives, will stand before the throne, both great and small, and the books will be opened which contain every record of their evil deeds that they have ever committed while they were alive, and they will be judged by what is written in the books (Rev. 20:12).
[The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one (who had persecuted the saints) according to his work. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire] (Rev. 20:13-15).
At last, the outrageous Satan and his agents who had devoted themselves to tempting others, fraud, robbery, and murder for such a long period of time in our universe, have all been wiped out forever. The great controversy between good and evil has ceased and peace of the universe restored. All heavenly beings, angels and all His creatures who have been watching our Father's impartial judgment from the beginning to the end, are filled with admiration, and with one accord give gratitude, praise, reverence, and glory to Him for His long-suffering, mercy, love, and fair judgment of the good and the wicked.
Oh, Sovereign Lord, our holy and true Father, [righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face] (Ps. 89:14).
[And I heard the angel of the waters saying: `You are righteous, O lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets ... for it is their just due'] (Rev. 16:5, 6).
[And I heard another from the altar saying, `Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments'] (Rev. 16:7).
[And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: `Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever!' Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!' And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever] (Rev. 5:13, 14).
[And I saw ... those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name ... saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O king of the saints! ... For you alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before you, for Your judgments have been manifested] (Rev. 15:2, 4).
Rejoice my brethren who now weep on earth.
Sing with joy my brothers and sisters who worry over the word of the Lord.
Sing with joy my brothers and sisters who are persecuted for keeping His commandment.
Sing the song of triumph you who have forsaken the glories of the world.
You who are falsely accused of now, praise God for His righteousness and justice.
You who are now dragged to be baptized in blood, behold Him sitting on His judgment seat in heaven, for He will highly exalt your sorrow and unfair suffering and loyalty before the whole universe and recompense you with great reward.
But,
You who commit evil today, be in dread.
You who defy against God, be startled.
You who persecute His saints, be mournful.
You who kill the saints, throw yourself down on your knees and wail, for He will come and judge you by His law of justice and throw you into the fire.
Thus the great controversy between good and evil has finally ended. Satan and sinners and all sins have vanished forever. The whole universe has become clean. The vibration of joy and harmony of all creatures echoes throughout the whole universe. Light, life and joy issuing from God extends to endless space. From a particle of an atom to the great wide world, all creatures animate or inanimate in their untainted beauty and perfect joy exclaim that God is love.
* Our Father Wailing in His Judgment Seat
Let me draw a conclusion by raising a question to you, my grateful readers. Our father, longsuffering and slow to anger, in His judgment, has thrown into the fire Satan and his angels, and innumerable wicked ones who had rebelled against Him. Now, after killing His only Son and destroying His numerous children, how do you think He now feels in His heart? Should He feel refreshed and gratified? Or should He feel otherwise?
Most answers I have heard until now was, "He must feel refreshed and relieved."
When I was a junior high school student, we had a teacher who won the respect of all students. He was as friendly to us as a father. In contrast to his muscular and dreadful appearance, he was very gentle and compassionate to all the students. He used to advise and counsel and instruct us with love as if we were his own children. Though he was the teacher in charge of student discipline, no one punished by him assumed an attitude of defiance or vengeance against him in contrast to the other teachers. He was an energetic person and a man of integrity who cultivated a big rice field before and after school every morning and evening even as he taught. He used to say, "I will never look old even if I reach sixty." We all believed him for he had such a healthy and strong body.
After many years, as we became dignified youths in the community, we heard unbelievable news that he had passed away. We were overwhelmed with sorrow, as if we had lost our own parents or close relative, because it was totally beyond our expectations for someone so nice and strong, whom we thought would never grow old even at the age of sixty, to die so suddenly. Shocked, we inquired as to the reason of his sudden death. We found out that he had a son whom he had brought up with all him mental and physical sacrifice. With the highest hopes and expectations for his son, he sent him to Seoul to study in order to make him a great man. But this son, neglecting his studies became involved with a girl, and when his love was rejected by her, he returned to his boarding room and committed suicide by taking poison. As soon as his father heard this news, he came up to Seoul, to his son's boarding room and opened the door. His son whom he had brought up with all his sacrifice and love, working unceasingly to pay his son's tuition, was now a cold, dead body. What a deplorable scene it was! So the father dragged the dead body of his son and loaded him into a car, going not to his hometown but to the crematorium to burn the body to ashes. He handed the dead body to the crematory and after receiving the ashes, he went to the river and scattered them on the water saying, "I was fooled by this boy. I was fooled by this boy."
Who could have imagined that these would be his last words? As soon as he got home, he began to do nothing but drink. No matter how strong a man he might have been, how long could his body have sustained the hard liquor? As we heard this story, we did not know what to say. Only a sorrowful regret remained in my heart, that if he had believed in God and brought him up in His way, he could have avoided this tragedy.
Now, let's return to the story of our heavenly Father. All the evil angels and innumerable wicked ones who were thrown into the lake of fire were also His own children whom He Himself had begotten and raised. They were His real children just as we are whom our Father had had the greatest expectations and desires for. He had poured out His greatest love and sacrifice in order to make these children come back to Him.
How persistently He had kept pleading to them! How many tears He must have shed! And how much He had cared for them! It was for them that He gave His only Son; that is why He could not allow Himself to open final judgment upon them, but delayed it for six thousand years. A parent's love for a child, whether it is of God or of man, makes them faint-hearted and grievous upon the loss of their own. If the dry-hearted human father felt such tormenting sorrow as to give up his own life after disposing with his own hands the dead body of his own son who had betrayed him, how then can our heavenly Father full of mercy and love pronounce with His own lips a death sentence on His own children, whom He had begotten and raised before all the universe, no matter how righteous the law of heaven might be? The agony and torment are beyond our imagination. Moreover, how much more painful and loathsome for Him to carry out the execution of His children whom He Himself has sentenced with His own lips! This is something even human parents cannot easily do. If a mortal human parent, who had lost just one of his children followed his child to his death, who is able to describe the heart of our heavenly Father, or comfort Him who has lost almost all His children to the fire except for a few?
Now I would like to ask a question to every parent in this world, "Can you dare sentence your own child to death with your own mouth and execute the sentence with your own hands?"
If evil, mortal human parents of this earth cannot sentence their own child to death nor carry out the execution themselves, how then can our heavenly Father, who is full of love, give up His innumerable children so mercilessly? And so, in His heart of infinite love, a great hole is made after the judgment that neither man nor angels can fill. Behold, the great hole in the heart of our heavenly Father! All mankind on earth, all angels of heaven, and all evil angels who were driven out from heaven into this earth, listen to His heart-wrenching voice, "I've been fooled! I've been fooled!" Do you not hear the sigh from His mouth?
Wail you, O heaven, all the earth, and all the inhabitants of the universe! Wail for our Father's sorrow! Wail for His wounded, broken, ruptured heart! Wail for Him who has lost all His children except for a few! This is why He has delayed the day of judgment for six thousand years, taking staggering and heavy steps toward the seat of judgment. Neither heaven nor angels, nor anyone can penetrate the depth of His blood-shedding agony and sorrow that pierces His heart as He weeps on His judgment seat.
Dear brothers and sisters of the human race! From now on, what sort of life would you like to live? Will you enlarge the great hole in the heart of the One who has loved you so much? Or will you become His good, honorable sons and daughters who practice filial piety toward Him by living a true and virtuous life, filling His vacant heart? This is a decision that no one but you have the unique right to make.
Our heavenly Father's tearful call for us is still echoing vividly today, [Return, O backsliding children] (Jer. 3:14). [Return, you backsliding children] (Jer. 3:22). [Gather yourselves together ... before the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you] (Zeph. 2:1, 2).
[How can I give you up, O Ephraim! How can I hand you over, O Israel! ...My heart churns within Me, My sympathy is stirred] (Hosea 11:8).
[Come now, and let us reason together ... though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool] (Isa. 1:18). [I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins] (Isa. 43:25).
[I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you] (Isa. 44:22).
['As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'] (Ezek. 33:11).
['For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,' says the Lord Your Redeemer] (Isa. 54:7, 8).
Hymn
1. Come home! Come home! You who are weary at heart,
For the way has been dark, and so lonely and wild;
Refrain: O prodigal child! Come home! Home!
Oh Come home! Come home!
Come, O come home!
2. Come home! Come home! For we watch and we wait,
And we stand at the gate, while the shadows are piled;
3. Come home! Come home! From the sorrow and blame,
From the sin and the shame, and the tempter that smiled.
4. Come home! Come home! There is bread and to spare,
And a warm welcome there. Then, to friend reconciled.
[And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.] [And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man] were all summoned before the throne (Rev. 20:12, 6:15).
What an appalling and dreadful scene of the great Judgment Day of the universe! Even in the courts of the world, when the judge asks the convict for his address with a loud voice, the convict is so shaken up with terror that he is unable to even utter one word. Then, who can dare stand without horror and fear in the great judgment hall of the universe in which the King of the universe, the Lord of lords, the God of heaven takes His seat?
The seat of the Supreme Judge is not like those lifeless thrones of kings and judges in the world; it is a living seat, moving with animation, praising God and also speaking on its own, which will appear before all the righteous and sinners of the whole world.
And the fiery flames coming forth from it is so exceedingly hot and dreadful that it can consume and melt the whole world, and no power of man or science can extinguish it. [A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.] The attendants of the Supreme Judge are a thousand thousands and ten thousands times ten thousand standing before Him. Their power and might is so great that once, just one angel came down and slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand mighty men of the Assyrian army overnight - an army that wielded the greatest power all over the world at the time. These beings of such tremendous power and might are the heavenly hosts of the Lord, His civil and military officials. They are now standing as eyewitnesses to every act of Satan and his agents, and of all sinners in the world.
And in this great judgment hall, there stands a Lawyer (Advocate) who once as the Son of God, abandoned heaven and came down to be slain on the cross for sinners - Jesus Christ. [If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous] (1 John 2:1). [He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them] (Heb. 7:25).
Jesus Christ is the unique Lawyer in this heavenly court of the universe who can plead for the sinners' behalf, saying, "This man is innocent. He is a righteous man. He has cleansed himself through My blood. He is fit for heaven." This Lawyer's pleading is so trustworthy and truthful that it is perfectly accepted by the Supreme Judge. Blessed are those for whom He pleads.
Now in this appalling and dreadful court of the universe which can not be described in words, the sight being so fearful, the Supreme Judge of the Universe sitting on the throne of fiery flame begins to speak toward the kings of the earth, the rich men, and Satan the instigator and his agents, all trembling with dark faces.
[Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep in silence, but will repay - even repay into their bosom - your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together, says the Lord, who have burned incense on the mountains and blasphemed Me on the hills; therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom] (Isa. 65:6, 7).
In the courtrooms of this world, the charges are judged according to the severity of the crime, but in the heavenly court, trial begins by strict investigation of the motives that had been held in mind before the crime was originated, and all the secret purposes and motives that had been held throughout the lifetime. Every thought, every wrong word, every deed done, all hidden selfishness, every unjust account and every unfair dealing and thought, every big and small word and act of everyday, unfulfilled duties to their fellow men, wasted moments, every negligence, heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected, unimproved opportunities, forgetfulness of the Savior's claims, how often they gave to Satan thought and strength that belonged to God, and every thought, however small, that flashed upon the mind which may be forgotten by us, all of these are faithfully recorded in the book. Moreover, all sins that may have been committed if opportunity had permitted, absorption in the acquirement of worldly possessions or the enjoyment of earthly pleasure, the influence exerted for evil with its far-reaching results, are all passed in review before God and strictly investigated and judged. The Supreme Judge of the universe is never deceived by the appearance of piety in hypocrites. Beginning with those who lived first upon the earth, the case of every single person of each successive generation is presented, closing with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected.
The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe. Though they may be forgotten by us, they will bear their testimony to justify or condemn. That is why Jesus said, [If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.] (Matt. 5:29, 30).
On the other hand, the Supreme Judge of the universe has another book in which are accurately recorded the good deeds of His people, [Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name] (Mal. 3:16, NIV).
In this Book of Life are written all good deeds of those who honor Him and think upon His name, and every act of charity that may not have been known to others nor rewarded during their lifetime. To list them, they are as follows: every good purpose, motive and thought of faith, every good word, every evil overcome and every temptation resisted, all the acts of love and good deeds, every word of tender pity expressed, every act of sacrifice that is not made known to others, every suffering and sorrow endured for the sake of God and Christ, the influence exerted for good with its far-reaching results, faithful and sincere acts, all the persecutions, insults, contempt and scornful treatments received until the final moments and martyrdom. These are all faithfully recorded. [And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water ... assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward] (Matt. 10:42).
[For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil] (Eccles. 12:14). In the Supreme Judgment Hall of Justice, everything is judged according to the great principle of heaven, "reap as sown." [So then each of us shall give account of himself to God] (Rom. 14:12). [For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap] (Gal 6:7). [Those who have done good] are judged favorably, receiving great reward and eternal life while [those who have done evil] reap punishment and death. And everyone who has existed on earth will settle all accounts of what he has sown throughout his life.
We should be grateful to the Supreme Judge of the universe that there is no misjudgment, partiality, taking bribes, or injustice with Him, contrary to unjust human judges of this earth. [Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes] (2 Chro. 19:7).
Now the Supreme Judge of the universe, the living God sitting above all the chief judges, is speaking toward all judges of the world today, [Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man.] [Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.] [Behold, it is written before Me I will not keep silence, but will repay - even repay into their bosom] (Isa. 5:22, 23, Deut. 27:25, Isa. 65:6). But [he who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil, he will dwell on high, his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be sure your eyes will see (God) the King in His beauty ... they will see the land (heaven that is very far off] (Isa. 33:15-17).
* The Joyful Day of Judgment
[Now as he (Paul) reasoned about righteousness ... and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, `Go away for now'] (Acts 24:25). [When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, `Who then can be saved?] (Matt. 19:25).
Today, when all people in the world hear about the future judgment, whether they serve God or not, they all say in fear with one voice, [What shall we do"] (Acts 2:37), as the governor Felix, who did not serve God, and the disciples who served Him, all equally feared. But we of this age are to know the true meaning of what Jesus said, [For God did not send His Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved] (John 3:17).
At first, in this peaceful universe, no one had ever known or heard the word "judgment." It was only when Satan, the outrageous one of the universe rebelled against God and broke the peace and order of the universe by killing and injuring precious lives of numerous angels and men, that this new word "judgment" began to be introduced.
God has two purposes for judgment. One is to protect and promote the lives and happiness of His children who willingly obey the laws and rules that He has set up for order and happiness of the universe. The other is to eradicate the evil ones who break the order and laws of the universe, who constantly commit murder and robbery, so that He may wipe away the evil ones and restore the everlasting peace and order of the universe.
Since the rebellion of Satan, a division of forces has taken place in the universe. Those who obey and observe the law of God and His order have been the object of hatred and abhorrence to Satan and his agents, and a great number of them have been persecuted and murdered at the hands of those who are evil.
But our Father who is [merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth] (Ex. 34:6), and who has kept His patience thus far, will cease His long-suffering and stand up to execute judgment between good and evil, between the righteous and the wicked. There has never been judgment in this universe since the beginning nor will there ever be one in the future. After this unique judgment is over, there will never again be another mention of its word and it will be forever forgotten in our peaceful kingdom of the universe. Then, all heavenly beings will enjoy order, peace, and happiness forever that the Father restores for them.
Now, His primary purpose for judgment is to expose the truth for His children who, without sin have been dragged by the wicked, disgraced and condemned without a definite charge, persecuted, imprisoned, beaten, stabbed and thrust with a spear to death, and burned at the stake under false accusations - the only reason being that they loved God and obeyed His commandments. He will display their tearful appeal before the whole universe and give them great reward and blessing before all.
Therefore, Jesus, when He was on earth, said, [Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.] [In the world you will have tribulation] but [let not your heart be troubled.] [Shall God not avenge His own elect, who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily] (Matt. 10:28, John 16:33, 14:1, Luke 18:7, 8).
In Revelation is also well described the scenes of the saints slain by enemies under false charges, entreating the Father of heaven, [When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, `How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those (The wicked) who dwell on the earth?'] (Rev. 6:9, 10). And the merciful Father, the Sovereign Lord in compassion gave each one of them [a white robe] [and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed] (Rev. 6:11).
Now, as the number of His saints is filled and His call for His rebellious children which has lasted thousands of years ceases, our heavenly Father stands up to begin His final judgment in answer to the prayers of His victimized children. However dreadful the scene of the courtroom may be and however numerous the charges may be, God's children who obey the word and commandments which is the foundation of heaven's order and prosperity, should rejoice with happiness for they have been forgiven their [iniquity, transgression and sin] (Ex. 34:7) by the wonderful grace and the precious blood of His Son. It will be a day of a great reward and glory for those who obey Him, to be exhibited before the whole universe.
On the other hand, those who persecuted the saints who loved His words and commandments more than their own lives, will stand before the throne, both great and small, and the books will be opened which contain every record of their evil deeds that they have ever committed while they were alive, and they will be judged by what is written in the books (Rev. 20:12).
[The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one (who had persecuted the saints) according to his work. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire] (Rev. 20:13-15).
At last, the outrageous Satan and his agents who had devoted themselves to tempting others, fraud, robbery, and murder for such a long period of time in our universe, have all been wiped out forever. The great controversy between good and evil has ceased and peace of the universe restored. All heavenly beings, angels and all His creatures who have been watching our Father's impartial judgment from the beginning to the end, are filled with admiration, and with one accord give gratitude, praise, reverence, and glory to Him for His long-suffering, mercy, love, and fair judgment of the good and the wicked.
Oh, Sovereign Lord, our holy and true Father, [righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face] (Ps. 89:14).
[And I heard the angel of the waters saying: `You are righteous, O lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets ... for it is their just due'] (Rev. 16:5, 6).
[And I heard another from the altar saying, `Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments'] (Rev. 16:7).
[And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: `Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever!' Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!' And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever] (Rev. 5:13, 14).
[And I saw ... those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name ... saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O king of the saints! ... For you alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before you, for Your judgments have been manifested] (Rev. 15:2, 4).
Rejoice my brethren who now weep on earth.
Sing with joy my brothers and sisters who worry over the word of the Lord.
Sing with joy my brothers and sisters who are persecuted for keeping His commandment.
Sing the song of triumph you who have forsaken the glories of the world.
You who are falsely accused of now, praise God for His righteousness and justice.
You who are now dragged to be baptized in blood, behold Him sitting on His judgment seat in heaven, for He will highly exalt your sorrow and unfair suffering and loyalty before the whole universe and recompense you with great reward.
But,
You who commit evil today, be in dread.
You who defy against God, be startled.
You who persecute His saints, be mournful.
You who kill the saints, throw yourself down on your knees and wail, for He will come and judge you by His law of justice and throw you into the fire.
Thus the great controversy between good and evil has finally ended. Satan and sinners and all sins have vanished forever. The whole universe has become clean. The vibration of joy and harmony of all creatures echoes throughout the whole universe. Light, life and joy issuing from God extends to endless space. From a particle of an atom to the great wide world, all creatures animate or inanimate in their untainted beauty and perfect joy exclaim that God is love.
* Our Father Wailing in His Judgment Seat
Let me draw a conclusion by raising a question to you, my grateful readers. Our father, longsuffering and slow to anger, in His judgment, has thrown into the fire Satan and his angels, and innumerable wicked ones who had rebelled against Him. Now, after killing His only Son and destroying His numerous children, how do you think He now feels in His heart? Should He feel refreshed and gratified? Or should He feel otherwise?
Most answers I have heard until now was, "He must feel refreshed and relieved."
When I was a junior high school student, we had a teacher who won the respect of all students. He was as friendly to us as a father. In contrast to his muscular and dreadful appearance, he was very gentle and compassionate to all the students. He used to advise and counsel and instruct us with love as if we were his own children. Though he was the teacher in charge of student discipline, no one punished by him assumed an attitude of defiance or vengeance against him in contrast to the other teachers. He was an energetic person and a man of integrity who cultivated a big rice field before and after school every morning and evening even as he taught. He used to say, "I will never look old even if I reach sixty." We all believed him for he had such a healthy and strong body.
After many years, as we became dignified youths in the community, we heard unbelievable news that he had passed away. We were overwhelmed with sorrow, as if we had lost our own parents or close relative, because it was totally beyond our expectations for someone so nice and strong, whom we thought would never grow old even at the age of sixty, to die so suddenly. Shocked, we inquired as to the reason of his sudden death. We found out that he had a son whom he had brought up with all him mental and physical sacrifice. With the highest hopes and expectations for his son, he sent him to Seoul to study in order to make him a great man. But this son, neglecting his studies became involved with a girl, and when his love was rejected by her, he returned to his boarding room and committed suicide by taking poison. As soon as his father heard this news, he came up to Seoul, to his son's boarding room and opened the door. His son whom he had brought up with all his sacrifice and love, working unceasingly to pay his son's tuition, was now a cold, dead body. What a deplorable scene it was! So the father dragged the dead body of his son and loaded him into a car, going not to his hometown but to the crematorium to burn the body to ashes. He handed the dead body to the crematory and after receiving the ashes, he went to the river and scattered them on the water saying, "I was fooled by this boy. I was fooled by this boy."
Who could have imagined that these would be his last words? As soon as he got home, he began to do nothing but drink. No matter how strong a man he might have been, how long could his body have sustained the hard liquor? As we heard this story, we did not know what to say. Only a sorrowful regret remained in my heart, that if he had believed in God and brought him up in His way, he could have avoided this tragedy.
Now, let's return to the story of our heavenly Father. All the evil angels and innumerable wicked ones who were thrown into the lake of fire were also His own children whom He Himself had begotten and raised. They were His real children just as we are whom our Father had had the greatest expectations and desires for. He had poured out His greatest love and sacrifice in order to make these children come back to Him.
How persistently He had kept pleading to them! How many tears He must have shed! And how much He had cared for them! It was for them that He gave His only Son; that is why He could not allow Himself to open final judgment upon them, but delayed it for six thousand years. A parent's love for a child, whether it is of God or of man, makes them faint-hearted and grievous upon the loss of their own. If the dry-hearted human father felt such tormenting sorrow as to give up his own life after disposing with his own hands the dead body of his own son who had betrayed him, how then can our heavenly Father full of mercy and love pronounce with His own lips a death sentence on His own children, whom He had begotten and raised before all the universe, no matter how righteous the law of heaven might be? The agony and torment are beyond our imagination. Moreover, how much more painful and loathsome for Him to carry out the execution of His children whom He Himself has sentenced with His own lips! This is something even human parents cannot easily do. If a mortal human parent, who had lost just one of his children followed his child to his death, who is able to describe the heart of our heavenly Father, or comfort Him who has lost almost all His children to the fire except for a few?
Now I would like to ask a question to every parent in this world, "Can you dare sentence your own child to death with your own mouth and execute the sentence with your own hands?"
If evil, mortal human parents of this earth cannot sentence their own child to death nor carry out the execution themselves, how then can our heavenly Father, who is full of love, give up His innumerable children so mercilessly? And so, in His heart of infinite love, a great hole is made after the judgment that neither man nor angels can fill. Behold, the great hole in the heart of our heavenly Father! All mankind on earth, all angels of heaven, and all evil angels who were driven out from heaven into this earth, listen to His heart-wrenching voice, "I've been fooled! I've been fooled!" Do you not hear the sigh from His mouth?
Wail you, O heaven, all the earth, and all the inhabitants of the universe! Wail for our Father's sorrow! Wail for His wounded, broken, ruptured heart! Wail for Him who has lost all His children except for a few! This is why He has delayed the day of judgment for six thousand years, taking staggering and heavy steps toward the seat of judgment. Neither heaven nor angels, nor anyone can penetrate the depth of His blood-shedding agony and sorrow that pierces His heart as He weeps on His judgment seat.
Dear brothers and sisters of the human race! From now on, what sort of life would you like to live? Will you enlarge the great hole in the heart of the One who has loved you so much? Or will you become His good, honorable sons and daughters who practice filial piety toward Him by living a true and virtuous life, filling His vacant heart? This is a decision that no one but you have the unique right to make.
Our heavenly Father's tearful call for us is still echoing vividly today, [Return, O backsliding children] (Jer. 3:14). [Return, you backsliding children] (Jer. 3:22). [Gather yourselves together ... before the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you] (Zeph. 2:1, 2).
[How can I give you up, O Ephraim! How can I hand you over, O Israel! ...My heart churns within Me, My sympathy is stirred] (Hosea 11:8).
[Come now, and let us reason together ... though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool] (Isa. 1:18). [I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins] (Isa. 43:25).
[I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you] (Isa. 44:22).
['As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'] (Ezek. 33:11).
['For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,' says the Lord Your Redeemer] (Isa. 54:7, 8).
Hymn
1. Come home! Come home! You who are weary at heart,
For the way has been dark, and so lonely and wild;
Refrain: O prodigal child! Come home! Home!
Oh Come home! Come home!
Come, O come home!
2. Come home! Come home! For we watch and we wait,
And we stand at the gate, while the shadows are piled;
3. Come home! Come home! From the sorrow and blame,
From the sin and the shame, and the tempter that smiled.
4. Come home! Come home! There is bread and to spare,
And a warm welcome there. Then, to friend reconciled.
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