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Weekly Messages 11-26-2017

Meditation of the week: Psalm 81: 1-16

Text: I Corinthians 4: 1-21

Message Title: Message of reproof for the corrupted churches in the last days

          Apostle Paul is witnessing the ministry received from God together with the  apostles such as Apollo and Peter . They are workers of Christ and are considered stewards of the mysteries of God. The stewards in the world manage the material of their owners.

          In particular, Apostle Paul testified that each time he wrote, he is the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and also an apostle. Also, by making himself known as a steward of God’s mysteries, he made it clear that he was not a steward of material. This stewardship is the office given to the servants of the Lord who vow to follow the apostles and serve the church.

            The mysteries of God are literally mysteries that cannot be known by the wisdom of man, the wisdom of the world, and the wisdom of rulers. In other words, if there is no Spirit of God, it is a mystery that cannot be realized even if men  study all their life. However, even an ignorant person who looking at human character and behavior, not the standards of God’s Word.

           However, the Apostle Paul clearly testifies through the Bible that it is possible does not have the knowledge of the world can receive it with the wisdom of  God given to him.

         Apostle Paul testifies that what is required of Christ’s ministers, including himself, of God’s mystery, is found to be faithful. In other words, it must be judged according to whether the criterion of whether the servants of Christ are faithful or not is faithful to the work of God’s mysteries. Today Christians see their own pastors judging whether they are faithful or not. We see subjective judgments by

to see whether the Bible understands the words of mystery received from God and teaches Christians about the standard of judging whether the servants of Christ are faithful or not. On the other hand, if they not  teach the mysteries of God, but are interested in material things, and teach that Christians are the stewards in charge of money, they are not faithful servants.

          Therefore, Apostle Paul testifies that he cannot judge himself by saying that it is very insignificant even if the saints of the Corinthian church or any other person make any judgments about him, but only one Lord God. In other words, those who fail to receive the wisdom of God through the Holy Spirit and do not know the works of the Spirit of God will have no concern whatsoever judgment they make of themselves:

”  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.“(1 Corinthians 2: 14-16)

             Apostle Paul testified about the judgment Seat of Christ, the last judgment of all Christians:

” We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. “(2 Corinthians 5: 9-10, Romans 14:10)

         Apostle Paul testified in detail the seven mysteries of God. At the time of Apostle Paul and even nowadays there is extremely rare to find out them that teach the mysteries of God. Even though some of them understand the mysteries of God, they cannot teach them  being  afraid of the judgment of the people that are not born again.    

      How can  natural man in the church that is not be born again understand that Jesus, the God, was conceived in the virgin by the Holy Spirit? The probability of realizing the knowledge learned in the world is 0%. But God says that the mystery of godliness is great without controversy (1Tim. 3:16). It means that humans cannot understand even if they argued themselves. The mystery of Christ that Christ lives in the person who received Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:27). The born-again Christians became members of the Body of Christ, and the mystery of the church of God, who became the wife of Christ as Eve was the wife  of Adam (Ephesians 5: 29-33), the mystery of the rapture that born again Christians are to rise again from the dead to be with immortal and incorruptible and immortal body (I Cor 15: 51-54; I Thess. 4: 16-18) The mystery of the Great Babylon (Revelation 17-18), which is the false mystery that governs the world (2 Thess. 2: 7-12), the Roman Church becomes the Great Babylon during the Great Tribulation, The mysteries of Israel (Romans 11: 25-26) that shall repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved and enter the millennial kingdom of Christ.

           Finally, Apostle Paul gives a message to the Corinthian church to reprove. This message is also the  message of rebuking to the Laodicea churches in the last days. At that time, Apostle Paul and his fellow servants suffered all kinds of sufferings as they traveled on the mission fields. They thought that they owned for themselves and , became wealthy, and lived like kings. When they were born, they brought nothing, but  they  not said of all their wealth from God thinking they earned with their own efforts. But  Apostle Paul encouraged Christians not to reign in this world, but to reign in Christ’s kingdom. Indeed, the life of this world is to deny themselves and take up their cross to follow Christ.  They did not know the meaning of NO CROSS, NO CROWN.

           Apostle Paul specifically testified to them spiritually ignorant what kinds of  cross he and his fellow servants were taking:
” For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we areweak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. “(1 Corinthians 4: 9-13)

            Apostle Paul rebuked the spiritual children who were reborn through the gospel he preached, as if  father rebukes unfaithful son. Our Lord Jesus Christ also rebuked when he sees the corruption of the church purchased with his own blood. And he urged to repent through Apostle John :  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: “(Rev. 3: 15-17).”  

          The Holy Spirit has given us a message of severe warning to those of us living in the last days in the world through Apostle Paul :
“ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and intomany foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1Tim 6:7-10)

Amen! Hallelujah!