Will He Find Faith On The Earth?
2010-04-08 12:00
According to the testimony that is written in the Bible, when the Word became the Son of Man and came as the true light into the world, many people heard him, saw him with their eyes, looked at him and their hands touched him. And they entered paradise with him by faith in him.
It is written, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us." (1 John 1:1-2). And also, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference." (Romans 3:21-22).
But after Christ and the children God had given him--those who were signs and symbols--left the world and went into paradise the holy city, the testimony was bound up and sealed up; as in Israel's period of judges, the church that was the body of the Lord was divided according to what was right in their own eyes. And also until now, as if they are true successors of Jesus, wolves in sheep's clothing have been prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It is like this testimony: "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." (Judges 21:25).
Even if we know that those who have not seen and yet have believed are more blessed than those who in person heard his voice, saw him with their eyes, looked at him, touched with their hands his body, the Son of Man, and believed in him, Only God knows how many holy brothers chosen by grace, who have such faith and accomplish the righteousness of God, there are today.
However, the Bible already said about it through a man of symbols, "'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me'? And what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace." (Romans 11:3-5).
The Bible says about those who have not seen and yet have believed, "Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29). And also, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9).
However, after the people of signs and symbols left the world, this world has become the world of darkness from which God is hiding his face. It is written, "I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion." (Isaiah 8:17-18).
Therefore, the false righteousness of men is gaining power, and the righteousness of God cannot be found; the dead churches without the head are giving out rotten smell. The man of symbols said, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." (1 John 4:1-3). And again, "So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church." (3 John 1:10).
All the churches that have the false righteousness, not the righteousness of God, will be judged when the Lord Jesus comes into the world again. The righteousness of men is the righteousness of cunning Satan. For in the gospel a righteousness from God, not the righteousness of men, is revealed. It is written, "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17).
Therefore, though with their mouths the churches from the world say they believe in the righteousness of Christ, that is, the righteousness of God, they in fact are a synagogue of Satan in which they gather with the righteousness of men, without the righteousness of God. The man of symbols said about it, "I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." (Revelation 2:9).
Therefore, the Lord Jesus said, "...However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). It is because they don't know the righteousness of God, as it is written, "Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." (Romans 10:3). The faith by which the righteousness of God is not accomplished cannot lead to salvation.
However, there are those who are waiting for the Lord who will come into the world again in a spiritual body with the righteousness of God, apart from sin. And so the man of symbols said, "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28). And therefore, "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:9).
Therefore, the Bible said, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence." (Isaiah 43:25-26). And also, "Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven." (Psalms 85:11). And therefore, "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13). Amen. Thank you, Lord.
It is written, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us." (1 John 1:1-2). And also, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference." (Romans 3:21-22).
But after Christ and the children God had given him--those who were signs and symbols--left the world and went into paradise the holy city, the testimony was bound up and sealed up; as in Israel's period of judges, the church that was the body of the Lord was divided according to what was right in their own eyes. And also until now, as if they are true successors of Jesus, wolves in sheep's clothing have been prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It is like this testimony: "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." (Judges 21:25).
Even if we know that those who have not seen and yet have believed are more blessed than those who in person heard his voice, saw him with their eyes, looked at him, touched with their hands his body, the Son of Man, and believed in him, Only God knows how many holy brothers chosen by grace, who have such faith and accomplish the righteousness of God, there are today.
However, the Bible already said about it through a man of symbols, "'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me'? And what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace." (Romans 11:3-5).
The Bible says about those who have not seen and yet have believed, "Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29). And also, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9).
However, after the people of signs and symbols left the world, this world has become the world of darkness from which God is hiding his face. It is written, "I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion." (Isaiah 8:17-18).
Therefore, the false righteousness of men is gaining power, and the righteousness of God cannot be found; the dead churches without the head are giving out rotten smell. The man of symbols said, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." (1 John 4:1-3). And again, "So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church." (3 John 1:10).
All the churches that have the false righteousness, not the righteousness of God, will be judged when the Lord Jesus comes into the world again. The righteousness of men is the righteousness of cunning Satan. For in the gospel a righteousness from God, not the righteousness of men, is revealed. It is written, "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17).
Therefore, though with their mouths the churches from the world say they believe in the righteousness of Christ, that is, the righteousness of God, they in fact are a synagogue of Satan in which they gather with the righteousness of men, without the righteousness of God. The man of symbols said about it, "I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." (Revelation 2:9).
Therefore, the Lord Jesus said, "...However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). It is because they don't know the righteousness of God, as it is written, "Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." (Romans 10:3). The faith by which the righteousness of God is not accomplished cannot lead to salvation.
However, there are those who are waiting for the Lord who will come into the world again in a spiritual body with the righteousness of God, apart from sin. And so the man of symbols said, "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28). And therefore, "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:9).
Therefore, the Bible said, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence." (Isaiah 43:25-26). And also, "Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven." (Psalms 85:11). And therefore, "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13). Amen. Thank you, Lord.
