12-6-2020 weekly message

Meditation of the week: Psalms 91:1-16

Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Title: Christian in Christ VS Agnostic

       Before hear the message, we’d better examine ourselves whether we know the heavenly Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Ghost and trust in him saved by grace through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, or only live with the knowledge of existence of God as well as of Jesus Christ without relationship with God just to be religious as Agnostic.

         Apostle Paul and his coworkers wrote to the saints in the Thessalonica church in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because they are already in Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: they are Christians who have received eternal life and are in one body with Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, and trusted in him. One thing that we have to know, all members of the church of God should be composed of only those who are born again by the Holy Spirit and become children of God and enter the spiritual kingdom of God. Therefore, grace and peace are with them who enter the kingdom of God.

           Apostle Paul testified of the blessing for them that enter the kingdom of God  through regeneration as “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17)

In other words, they testified that the blessings in the kingdom of God are righteousness through the remission of sins, and peace and joy that the world cannot take away.

          Jesus also spoke of the blessings of God in his last prayer unto  them who know the father God and Jesus Christ sent by him:

” And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3).

          Apostle Paul testified to the Christians in Corinth and Rome, who know God living in Heavenly Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ in  spiritual relationship:

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

” Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (Rom. 6:3-5).

          Apostle Paul thanked God always for the brethren in the church of Thessalonica, because their faith grow exceedingly, and the charity of every one all toward each other abounded  Apostle Peter testified of the unfaigned brotherly love of Christians:

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” (1 Peter 1:22).

         The members of Thessalonians church boldly preached the gospel in the midst of the persecution of the Jews to testify of the Christ within them. In response, Apostle Paul said that he boasted for them. Luke testified that the Jews in Thessalonica knew that Apostle Paul and his saints were preaching in Berea, and went there to agitate and persecute them(Acts 17-13).

         They believed that Heavenly Father in them and the Lord Jesus Christ will comfort them in the day of Christ revealed from heaven. They knew, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Knowing the will of God, they preached the gospel with Apostle Paul boldly in the mist of persecution and tribulation. Even nowadays, only the Christians in the Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ are able to preach the gospel even in persecution and afflictions.

        Apostle Paul testified of them whom God judges in the flames and subject to eternal punishment, as those who do not know God and disobey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

         Who are ones that do not know God? There are two kinds of people who do not know God.

 First, atheists who don’t even believe in the existence of God, and second, about the existence of God that they vaguely admit, but no matter how much they think about it, they still do not deny God but no relationship with God. They disguise themselves as special kind of humble Christian saying, they are humble special kind of philosophical Christians just as Agnostics.  

          However, God testified through Apostle Paul there is no way for anyone to excuse oneself of  the ignorance of God as well as no way to avoid God’s judgment:    

“ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ” (Romans 1 :18-24)

       What are the ones that disobey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? They not believe in the mysteries of God in the gospel of Christ. They never believe the incarnation of God the Creator  to be a man in the name of Jesus. They hate to concess themselves miserable sinners before God, not willing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ nor receive him as The Lord and Saviour to be saved. They ignore the judgment seat of Christ as well as the judgment seat of white throne of God. They never believe in the day of Christ, the day of Rapture. They never believe the Millennium Kingdom of Christ to be established by Christ coming as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

They only follow the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life pretending themselves as good Christians in the church just practicing abominable religious activities to reign over other Christians in the church.  

        Apostle Paul at last testified when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe because his testimony among them were believed in that day. Of the reason to be admired in all them in the day when Christ appears from heaven, finally they shall be knowing how they could have believed all the mysteries in the gospel testified by Apostle Paul.  In other words, they shall come to understand that the Holy Ghost has given them anointment unto them so that they were able to have the faith to understand the mysteries of God in the gospel. 

          Apostle Paul gave them the message saying wherefore he pray always for them, that their God would count them worthy of calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of this goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in them, and they in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

            That’s right.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is to be glorified from the saints as them in the church of Thessalonica, understanding the mysteries of God in the gospel; and only looking forward the glory to be received in the day of Christ keeping faith and finishing the course of life looking for the crown of righteousness rejoicing even in  all infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecution and distresses for the sake of Christ preaching the gospel in season or out of season.

Amen! Hallelujah!