The Mystery of the Faith

2005-04-25 16:28

Faith which is seen is to save the flesh, but faith which is unseen is to save the soul. Those who seek after that consider this foolish.

It is because those who are in the flesh don't know the will of God. The will of God doesn't become effective for the flesh, but for the soul. But in the world there is carnal faith as well as spiritual faith. Then, is the carnal faith wrong? No, it is a visible sign--a direction board which shows the way to the spiritual faith.

The carnal faith is time-limited. It was needed until the son God promised and sent into the world in a natural body put off his body. It is written, "which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 3:5-6).

Even those who will later have the faith saving the soul cannot escape from the carnal faith which is seen, until the old man is crucified with Christ and the flesh is done away with. The carnal faith did exist even before Jesus came into the world in the flesh.

That faith was just a visible sign in the flesh, and it was not fully-assured faith saving the soul. If there were only one faith like that, God might not need to destroy this disgraceful world. If that's so, the horrible world that evil reigns over might last forever.

However, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and made his body killed by hanging on a tree. Thus, a new and living way from the carnal faith to the spiritual faith is opened, and this eternal faith will enter a new heaven and a new earth.

Those who are in the flesh cannot escape from the carnal faith because they request only a visible sign. Jesus, who gave them bread, healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on the water and opened the eyes of the blind, is not the author of faith, but only Jesus crucified is the author of faith.

Therefore, "Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:22-25).

Jesus crucified is the eternal gospel. Jesus crucified is the end of the flesh and the world. It is written, "...But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself." (Hebrews 9:26).

Therefore, it is written, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:5-6). And again, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18).

The faith saving the soul looks foolish to those who want to save their flesh. They don't know the faith in Jesus who puts off the old man, and they cannot escape from the carnal faith, as it is written, "'He saved others,' they said, 'but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him." (Matthew 27:42).

In the end, they will not reach the faith saving the soul. It is written, "Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected." (2 Timothy 3:8).

It is written, "For in just a very little while, 'He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." (Hebrews 10:37-39).

Therefore, it is written, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:5-6). Amen. Thank you, Lord.

The Last Brother, Kim Yun-gu.