God is eternal. He also wants to be eternally with man.
In spite of His will however man sinned and left far apart from the holy God; and thus becoming a being unavoidable of the everlasting disposal.
But truly because of His unchangeable will God planned to have His created men live with Him a happy life forever and ever; He decided to deliver human beings, the perishable and the destined to the death of sins. Then He carried it out.
God is neither seeable nor touchable. Man is by himself neither to see nor to reach Him. Only except through His own work, there's no way for man to be with Him. The greatest luck ever to man, God Himself came to mankind: He revealed Himself in the law and in the prophets. In them He showed His being first, His own character secondly and most gracefully His will to save men ( Rome 5:12-14 ).
His will was carried conclusively out by Jesus Christ who was/is His One and Only Son; Jesus achieved the goal of the law that had identified man's status of being guilty. He shed His righteous blood on the cross for the must-be-put-to-deaths, thus took on His own body every sin of humankind: He became our Savoir.
His will also has been working in the Holy Spirit who performs without limitation the mighty grace of God witnessing the wonderful deliverance of people by Jesus Christ, the Savoir. Thus only for the only will to deliver the humankind the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit did and do work together.
Before His involvement however sin blocked man's way up to the God in spite of God's eager desire to have His humble creation be with Him: Man was confined by his sin (Isaiah 59:1-3).
Because He held in His mind the circumstances of men, destined to death, He not only gave us the law but also sent us Jesus Christ- the atoning sacrifice for men's sins- and gifted us with the Holy Spirit who in our spirit makes us be within the Savoir. This is all what God intended for us, His merciful will to be with us ( Matthew 1:21-23 ).
God really willed to have in Himself the life of those who believe in and are sanctified by Jesus Christ: He wanted to have their lives be in Jesus Christ.
Therefore Jesus Christ is the eternal 'address' for those who are living, in the land of His kingdom, a holy life.
Only those who have their 'address' in Jesus Christ believe in Him, obey His commandments: "If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love (John 15:10)."
Only those who have their 'address' in Jesus Christ have eaten His flesh and have taken His blood. (John 6:56)
That 'address' however is not taken up by our will; but made by God for us in accordance to His own will, the utmost will to have His people with Him. The worldly 'address' on the earth is taken up and is hold by us. The 'address' on earth is simply limited but the one God prepared on heavens is eternally for us.
He who abide in the 'address' God prepared for him shall be faithful of His commandments; he would be loved by Him; he would be stayed with by Jesus Christ, God promised.
God also kindly promised to give him whatever he asks: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you (John 15:7)"
For the glory of Jesus Christ who is the true vine God, the gardener, promised to preserve and grow it to have good fruits on the branches.(John 15:1-2)"
God would bless those who have 'address' in Jesus Christ; and He would never erase the registration of those who are firmly abides in Him.
Who is he that has no 'address' in Jesus Christ then? He is just like an orphan; he is just like the younger son that left far with his share of heritage from his father and squandered it out. He is out of Jesus Christ; and out of Him there comes or remains no belief, no faith, no life and no truth. Out of Jesus Christ we are out of the Holy Spirit. What remains would be the chaff of a kind of religious life at all.
Only Jesus Christ is the 'address' of our belief, of our faith, of our life and the eternal place to rest in.
Those who have 'address' in Jesus Christ would not grieve for any lack of good 'address' on the earth.
Even after heaven and earth have passed away, our 'address' in Him should never pass away. This is the very will of God the Father, the very life of His Only Son Jesus Christ and the very work of the Holy Spirit in us forever.
위 글은 교회신문 <63호> 기사입니다.