Chapter 12: The Final Strategy of the Devil

So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

The Bible must be read from God’s perspective. It is important to follow the people and specific events in the Bible, but it is more important to understand the picture of God’s will in them.

So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Gen. 3:14-15)

We can confirm that God’s warning was against the Devil and his subordinate evil spirits. As it says in the phrase, “The Lord God said to the serpent,” the one that the Devil used was a wild animal, namely a serpent. Who is the Devil? First, he is a creation. He is not a self-existing being. He is a creation like the wild animals in the field. Second, he knows about God.

Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen. 3:1b)

This verse clearly shows that the Devil knows about God. Third, the Devil’s temptation of Eve revealed his lingering grudge against God. There are similar people in the church with grudges. People who do not know much about church matters seem to maintain innocent spiritual lives. However, among those who know the church’s situation, there is always a person with a complaint. Judas Iscariot was the same. He lived with Jesus for three years, so he knew about Jesus. But he gave into the Devil’s temptation because he was dissatisfied with the situations at hand. The Devil tempts people to sin through similar conditions.

What are the different facets of the Devil’s offense? First, he denied the uniqueness of God. Second, he deified creation. Third, he offended the name of God. Fourth, he disturbed God’s rest. These four characteristics were all displayed when the Devil tempted Eve. First, he caused Eve to deny the uniqueness of God. Second, he caused Eve to deify herself. Third, the Devil tried to entitle a creation with God’s name. Fourth, he brought chaos to the peaceful Garden of Eden.

The contents of the Ten Commandments clearly warn against these characteristics of the Devil’s sin. The first commandment is the prohibition of worshipping other gods (Ex 20:3). This is a warning against the sin of the Devil, the denial of God’s uniqueness. The second commandment is the prohibition of worshipping any idols (Ex 20:4-5). This commandment is a warning against deifying any creation. The third commandment is the prohibition of offending the name of the Lord (Ex 20:7). The fourth commandment is to observe the Sabbath (Ex 20:8). These warnings tell us not to be deceived by the Devil. Those deceived by the Devil will have other gods, worship idols, offend the name of the Lord, and completely forget about God.

You are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. (Gen. 3:14b)

Snakes crawling on their bellies verifies the execution of God’s curse. Some people say that the Devil transformed into a serpent and tempted Eve. However, a serpent is just one of the wild animals. The serpent was cursed because it was used as a tool by the Devil. People who are used by demons will also be under a curse.

As the words “all the days of your life” suggest, there is an end to the activities of the Devil and his cohorts. Originally, spiritual beings do not vanish but exist forever. But God has pronounced an end to the activities of the Devil and his cohorts. Until that day, they have the right to torment the people in the flesh. God told the serpent to eat dust all the days of its life and man was told an inevitable result.

For dust you are, and to dust you shall return. (Gen. 3:19b)

The flesh of man came from the dust of the ground and would return to the ground. Thus, the right to harm the flesh was given to the Devil. From that moment, all flesh feared the one who holds the power of death and became his slaves.

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Heb. 2:14-15)

For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Pet. 2:19b)

Man was brought into bondage by the Devil because he was deceived by him. Thus, the Devil has the right to torment those under his rule until the end of time. So whoever lives according to the flesh will definitely perish (Rom. 8:13).

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. (Gen. 3:15)

The prophecy of Christ being born through a virgin is embedded in the words her Seed. Being born through a virgin means the same as being born independently from the lineage of man. People referred to Jesus as the son of David, but in reality He is not from the lineage of David because Jesus is much greater than him. That is why even David refers to Him as Lord (Matt. 22:45).

A woman is like a field. Thus, women cannot continue their own lineage or pass on their surnames to their children. Even though the child might look exactly like the mother, his or her heritage is from the father. Planting yams in a pebble field would produce ugly yams, yet they are still yams. Then yams planted in wet soil would have higher water content whereas yams grown in a dry field would be dry. The character of the yam might change depending on the field, but the yam would still be a yam. It is the same for a child. He might take after some traits of his mother, but he is still of the lineage of his father. The mother is like a field; a Kim or a Lee sown would bring about a Kim or a Lee respectively. This is because the lineage is passed down the generations through the father.

Jesus who came from the womb of the virgin is completely independent of any lineage of this world. So the original sin of Adam was not passed down to Jesus. Everybody will eternally perish due to his or her sins, but as the Seed of the woman, Jesus is not bound by eternal death since He is without sin.

God said that the Seed of the woman and the serpent would be enemies. Satan is God’s enemy who wanted to rebel against Him. However, God is not someone that Satan can challenge or confront. God is not tempted by evil nor does He tempt anyone (James 1:13). Satan was able to confront God because the Son of God had come in the flesh as the Seed of the woman. In other words, the clash between Satan and God actually took place through the clash between the Devil and the seed of the woman. God gave the unlawful Satan a legitimate title Devil and concurrently gave him the legal authority to confront man. Then, the Son of God was born as the Seed of the woman and attacked by the Devil. The works of Satan against God were revealed when the Devil went against the Seed of the woman. As a result, the first clash between Satan and God was also the final moment when the Devil’s last days were pronounced.

Through this confrontation, Satan received the judgment as to whether or not his challenge against God was appropriate. Satan condemned Jesus even though he knew that He was the Son of God, and buried Him inside a tomb after crucifying Him. Satan had killed Jesus with his power, but God resurrected Him from the dead. Through this resurrection, Satan was condemned, and only the lake of fire awaits him now.

When God said, “He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel,” it was actually a prophecy and also a pronouncement of judgment. The Devil killed Jesus by piercing His hands and feet, but Jesus bruised him on the head by resurrecting from the dead. Bruising the head means to destroy the authority. The moment the Devil bruised Christ’s heel, the Devil’s authority came to an end. That is why we no longer have to fear the Devil and his authority.

What is the authority of the Devil? In order to understand this, we have to know the relationship between the Law, the Devil, and the righteous God. The duty of the Law is to condemn. When the Law condemns the people, the Devil accuses man before God.

“God, isn’t the Law Your conscience? Look, this man has violated Your Law. You must punish him!”

When this happens, the righteous God has no choice but to punish the people who are condemned by the Law. Because everybody is a sinner, no one can escape the condemnation of the Law or the accusations of the Devil.

However, the authority of the Devil was completely destroyed when Jesus died on the cross. The accusations of the Devil have no effect anymore because we have Jesus Christ as the best defense attorney sitting at the right hand of God. He has paid the price for our sins with His blood.

And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1b)

An advocate means a helper, a defense attorney. Even if the best prosecutor presents his case, it would still fall apart if the best defense attorney presents indisputable evidence. The Devil is like a persecutor who brings charges against us before God by using the Law. Then, Jesus defends us by saying, “I have already paid the price for this person’s sins and have bought him. I was punished for his sins so there are no more grounds for his imprisonment. Release him to me!” What is the proof that He has paid the price for our sins? The price is His blood. People who possess the blood of Jesus have the proof that He has paid for their sins, so there is no more reason to be condemned.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:1-2)

The Devil was cast down to this earth since he failed at prosecuting us in Heaven.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” (Rev. 12:10)

From this point on, the Devil does all that he can to deceive the believers so that they would fall in their spiritual lives. He continually lies by telling us, “Your sins have not been forgiven. You will never receive salvation.” However, the Lord has sent us the Holy Spirit, the Helper, so that we would not fall into despair by the deception of the Devil. The word Helper also means advocate. The Holy Spirit testifies of our faith by saying, Guard your faith since you have already received forgiveness! Secure your faith since you have already won against the Devil. Protect your faith since you have already been liberated! If a person being sued were told by a lawyer, “Don’t worry, you’re going to win,” wouldn’t he feel relieved? Even if the Devil accuses us with the Law, our hearts will never be discouraged since we have the Holy Spirit as our Advocate.

Our faith concerning the forgiveness of sins shakes when our reliance on the Holy Spirit fades away. We rely on the Helper to firmly believe in the atonement of our sins. If the Devil did not exist in this world, the Helper would not need to be here. However, the Devil is in this world trying to deceive the people, which is why God sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to the saints. Because we are so weak, without the help of the Holy Spirit, we would easily fall into despair. Yet, the Holy Spirit testifies that Christ has paid the price for us 2,000 years ago and we are now liberated from sin. Therefore, by the Holy Spirit abiding in us we can now confess, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. I have been liberated in Christ.”

The works of the Holy Spirit existed even before Jesus was glorified. However, they were not the works of the Helper. Because David knew about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, he begged God not to take away the Holy Spirit when he sinned (Psalm 51:11). John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary’s greeting (Luke 1:41). His father, Zachariah prophesied when he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:67). However, all these were not the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus came in the flesh, the fullness of the Holy Spirit was not the presence of the Helper, but operations of the Holy Spirit from the outside. The Holy Spirit came upon us after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39).

Of what exactly does the Holy Spirit testify? First, the Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus is the Son of God. As it was mentioned before, the woman does not pass down a lineage to the next generation. Jesus, who was born of a virgin, is the Son of God and He is independent of any human lineage. Jesus being independent of human lineage means that He is sinless. Jesus is the sinless Son of God.

Second, the Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus died on the cross. Some people say that He temporarily lost consciousness, but He died on the cross between two criminals. Not only that, the soldiers pierced His body to make sure He was dead. People who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus had no choice but to think that He was guilty, because it would have been unthinkable for the righteous Son of God to die such a horrible death on the cross.

Third, the Holy Spirit specifically testifies that Jesus resurrected after three days of His death. People firmly realized that Jesus is sinless because of His resurrection. The fact that death has no authority over Him meant that He was sinless, that He is the Son of God. However, if Jesus is the Son of God, how was it that He died on the cross?

Since Jesus was crucified, the definite conclusion was that sin was found in Jesus. However, because God raised Him from the dead, it is also undisputed that Jesus is the sinless Son of God. Then, how is it that Jesus died on the cross? Jesus was crucified on the cross not with His own sin, but with the sin of mankind. Though Jesus died with the sins of man, He was still resurrected. What consequently died is man’s sin, not Jesus.

Believing that Jesus is the Son of God is not the same as recommending a young Nazarene to be the Son of God. The basis of our faith rests on believing that Jesus is the Son of God. If anyone’s faith in this is flawed, then it could become a huge problem to his salvation. What the Devil strives to deny is the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. To do this, he distorts the message of the virgin birth of Jesus. In addition, he also tries to deny the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Devil seizes the thoughts of people so that they would argue that Jesus just fainted on the cross, or that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus.

The Helper came to defend and testify that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross, and that He resurrected and is now sitting at the right hand of God. The Holy Spirit did not come to benefit our worldly work such as bringing more customers to a store, or to get us into a good company. For example, many people desired to receive the Holy Spirit because a rumor once spread in a country that said anyone who received the Holy Spirit will be rich. However, we know that this is absolutely not the Christian principle nor is it the purpose of Jesus Christ.

Many churches today use different methods for evangelism. They put the church stickers on the member’s front doors to advertise their church, hand out church flyers, put giant crosses on top of the church to show that there is a church in the neighborhood, invite born-again celebrities to give testimonies, help out local community centers, and use other methods to promote the church. The important thing is that whatever the method may be, we cannot forget the purpose for which Jesus came into this world.

Modern Christian social advocates mistakenly think that Jesus came to this world for social justice. Jesus came into the world during dark times. The land of Judea was governed by external powers for too long and thus, Israel was culturally and politically oppressed. It was a fearful time when no one could withstand a tyrant king like Herod, who killed babies under two years old just because he feared the birth of a new king. However, Jesus never mentioned a word about the social system. Did He stay silent because He was afraid of death? Jesus did not come into the world to advocate social justice. Slavery existed during Paul’s ministry. However, Paul never spoke against slavery. Paul even made Onesimus return to his master, Philemon. Paul remained silent against slavery not because he was afraid of people’s opposition. Instead, he wanted to only clarify the Law and the Gospel.

Jesus never said that He would build a new world after He destroyed the Devil. The hope of the Jews during that time was for a Messiah who would restore the nation of Israel. They were waiting for the Messiah who would liberate them from the external powers that oppressed them. When these people saw and confirmed the powers and influence of Jesus on the people, they thought that time had come for the glory of Zion to be restored. The people thought that if Jesus called out, “Arise, O Jews!” and led the Jews that had gathered together in Jerusalem for the festivities from around the empire, their desire for a freed Israel and their patriotic zeal that had built up over a long time would burst into a successful revolt against the Romans. However, Jesus just stood still, wearing the crown of thorns. Then, the anger of people directed at the oppressors exploded against Jesus instead. The moment their expectations of Jesus crumbled, their anger turned from the oppressors to Jesus in an instant.

“Kill Him Pilate! Execute Him!” “Why should I execute Him?” “He claimed to be the Son of God!” “I cannot find a reason for His execution.” “Kill Him, kill Him!” “Why? He is not guilty!” “He said that He would resurrect in three days! Execute Him!” “Why should I execute Him?” “If you don’t execute Him, then you are a traitor! He claimed to be a king!”

People drove Jesus to death without even knowing why Jesus had to die. Jesus Christ did not come to cleanse the world. There is an end to this world. When Jesus returns and the Devil is thrown into the lake of fire, the world will pass away. Some people think that mankind will be destroyed by the depletion of natural resources or by wars. However, the Lord said that the end times would come when people say, “Peace, peace.” When civilization is magnificent, the nations are peaceful, and the people coexist in peace, the end would come. The Bible never tells us that the world will end due to the depletion of natural resources. The final days of mankind will come with the second coming of Jesus. The end could start today if Jesus returns now; it would start tomorrow if He returns tomorrow.

When Christ returns, the Devil and his cohorts will be thrown into the abyss. Since a peaceful world would begin with the Devil’s absence, why does it still have to be destroyed at the end? This world serves as a holding cell for the Devil and his agents until they are punished. God expelled the lawless Satan and his cohorts from heaven and bound them in darkness. And within this darkness, God created the universe so that Satan could become the Devil. As aforementioned, Satan is the name of the lawless one, but Devil is the name given to the legal being.

God created the universe and gave the Devil legal authority in it so that He can ultimately judge him. When God created the universe, He was pleased with everything except when He created the firmament on the second day. This is because the firmament was created to hold the Devil until his judgment. Ephesians 2:2 says that the Devil is “the prince of the power of the air”. There would be no reason for God to be pleased after creating a firmament that would imprison the Devil. No one would say, “I am so happy that we have built the largest prison in the world.” If crime disappeared from this world, then no prisons would be necessary. Likewise, when the Devil is thrown into the abyss, the universe would no longer be required. The Bible tells us that this world was prepared for the judgment of the Devil (Jude 6). When the Devil is thrown into the lake of fire, this Hades where we have once resided will also be cast into hell and the ones who are saved will enter the place that our Lord has prepared.

We are waiting for the Lord to return so that He can take us away from this place. However, the Jews are expecting the Messiah to restore the kingdom of Israel upon His coming. What is the Old Testament, and what is the New Testament? The old covenant in the Old Testament is the promise that the Messiah would come, and the new covenant in the New Testament is a promise that the Messiah will return. The Jews are still waiting for the old covenant to be fulfilled because they do not think of Jesus as the Messiah. They are still waiting for the Messiah to come and restore the nation of Israel. However, we know that Jesus has already come as the Messiah, and we are now waiting for His return.

Jesus promised that of all that the Father has given Him, none would be lost. To fulfill His promise, Jesus sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to those who possess the new covenant. The Holy Spirit did not come so that people with low self-esteem could gain confidence, and definitely not to work in our stores as a clerk either.

A child was walking with his father one day. “Dad, look at that cloud! Isn’t it so big?” “Wow, you’re right. That is a huge cloud.” “I wish that all that cloud was a cotton ball.” The father thought, Wow, his thoughts are unusually different from others. Maybe he wants to clothe the world. “If that cloud was a huge cotton ball, what would you do with it?” The dad asked expecting a great answer. “I would make a tight plug for a rat hole!”

What would you say if God asks you, “I am going to send you the Holy Spirit. What would you do when the Holy Spirit comes?” “Lord, I want to make this little market successful.” “Lord, I’m going to drive a taxi from now on. Help me pass the driver’s tests.” “Lord, let me hit the lottery. Give me the winning numbers.” How are these people any different to the child who wanted to plug up the rat hole with the cloud in the sky?

The Helper, the Holy Spirit, came to testify of Jesus saying, Jesus is the Son of God. He was born from the virgin Mary. He died on the cross. He did not just faint for a while, He actually died on the cross. However, He resurrected three days after being buried. He disappeared from the grave not because someone had stolen His body but because He resurrected.

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27)

To testify or bear witness means to defend. The Holy Spirit indwells us to defend the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross, and that He surely resurrected. He also testifies that our faith in this is not in vain.

Jesus is the Helper who defends us in God’s presence, and the Holy Spirit is the Helper who defends our faith while we are in this world. This is why Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is “another Helper” (John 14:16). Jesus defends us in Heaven and testifies that His blood has forgiven our sins, and thus liberates us from the condemnation of the Law. The Law can no longer condemn us, and the Devil can accuse us no more. God does not have to punish us anymore.

The Holy Spirit comes upon the saints and bears witness of Jesus through them. The Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus is the Son of God, and how He died and resurrected. He guarantees us that our faith is not in vain. Therefore, the saints who have the Holy Spirit’s witness are definitely able to overcome the condemnations and deceptions of the Devil.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Rev. 12:11)

Those who acknowledge the blood of Jesus and testify of the grace received from God to the end can overcome the Devil’s attacks. Since Jesus defends us in Heaven and the Holy Spirit defends us on earth, our faith can definitely be strong. However, the Devil does not retreat away.

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Rev. 12:17)

So what can the Devil do to make us fail in our spiritual lives? He can make us believe a lie by introducing a different Jesus to believers, a different spirit to those who seek the Holy Spirit, and a different gospel to those who already expect the Gospel.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! (2 Cor. 11:3-4)

If another Jesus comes to us and we are unable to distinguish him, then we will definitely perish. The same goes for a different spirit or gospel; if we cannot distinguish the real from the fake, then we will definitely perish. Here lies the important reason we must be well-educated about our faith. Apostle Paul tells us to reject a divisive man after a first and second warning (Titus 3:10). The reality is that a person who was misled to a different Jesus, spirit, or gospel cannot easily return to a sound faith. So we must clearly know what is a different Jesus, a different spirit, or a different gospel so that we may not be led astray.

Throughout history, though man had forgotten God, there still remains in him an innate religiousness that sought an absolute being. Thus people hold onto any spirit and offer service as unto God. Furthermore, because of their desire to see an image of a god, people carve images on stones and trees. And because of their desire to hear a voice, they seek mediums. This is so tragic! We must be on guard against these religious and mystical beliefs more than anything else.

Korea has been influenced by a long and deep history of Buddhism, Confucianism and various Shamanistic religions. There are also Chondogyo that focuses on social reforms and Roman Catholicism. So it is easier for fervent Christians to fall into faith influenced by religiousness or mysticism. Demons always love such corruption. There are times when demons say that they possessed the person when he was praying. How can a demon enter during prayer when the Bible instructs us to resist temptations through prayer? If we pray properly to God, then there would be no reason for any demons to enter our bodies. But religious or mystical prayers can undoubtedly be the channels through which demons can enter.

Some people in the church do not really care if they believe in Allah or Jesus; they just want something or someone to believe in. This is a mystical belief. They go to church for relief from anxiety and stress. They hope that faith in Jesus would change their circumstances. This is a mystical faith. Then, what is true faith? The foundation of true faith is the precious blood of Jesus that has liberated us, who were judged by the Law, accused by the Devil, and hopelessly waiting for God’s punishment. The faith that is based upon the blood of Jesus is the true faith. Many modern day Christians depart from the foundation of the blood of Jesus and adhere to social reforms of Chondogyo, idol worship practices of Catholicism, ethics and morality of Confucianism, and self-discipline and penance of Buddhism. Without knowing the truth, people will eventually be corrupted in their spiritual lives. Why do so many demons enter a believer? It is because they have no truth in them.

Many Buddhists consult shamans and spiritual mediums in Korea. However, Buddhism and Shamanism are very different in nature. Buddhism denies the existence of any spirits. In Buddhism, the followers work hard to be more like Buddha instead of having some kind of faith in a god. However, Shamanism acknowledges the existence of a spirit. But the strange thing is that Buddhist and Shamanist network together in cooperation. Confucianism is the same. Originally, Confucianism is not a religion but a school. However, it has a harmonious relationship with both Buddhism and Shamanism. In the same way, too many different ideologies are within the church, corrupting people’s faith.

Some people think that when they pray, they must face the cross. However, we do not believe in the cross. No verse in the Bible instructs people to believe in the cross. The cross is a symbol of the punishment that Jesus received; it is not the object of our faith. Some churches hang a huge cross behind the podium and put lights behind it to give a mystical effect. No mystical powers emanate from the cross. It is just a part of church decoration. We do not believe in the cross, but in Jesus’ name.

We have been baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38), forgiven of our sins in the name of Jesus (Luke 24:47), become children of God in the name of Jesus (John 1:12), received life in the name of Jesus (John 20:30-31), and received the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus (John 14:26). We also pray in the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14), cast out demons in the name of Jesus (Mark 16:17), gather in the name of Jesus (Matt. 18:20), and are persecuted for His name (Acts 4:17-18). God has given no other name to mankind by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). So whoever calls on the name of Jesus receives salvation (Rom. 10:13). The Lord’s desire is for us to have the name of Jesus (John 17:26). He desires to sustain and preserve us with the name that the Father has given Him (John 17:11-12).

The name Jesus is the name of Immanuel, meaning God is with us. God being with us means that we are united as one with Him. So the word Immanuel means more than just going together with God; it indicates a closer relationship. One plus one is two, but one multiplied by one is one. In the same way, two people being together is still two, but in the Immanuel relationship it is no longer two but one. The name of Jesus is Immanuel. Through that name, we have become coheirs with the Son of God, who share all things with Him. Just as Jesus calls God, “Father,” we also have become children of God. Just as Jesus lives eternally, we have also received eternal life with Him.

However, some people think of Jesus as a way of success in life. Even many pastors say, “Believe in Jesus and He will make your life a success. Your business, your job, your family, whatever it may be, success will be in your life!” They turn the attention of their congregation towards the world.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt. 16:26)

And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Matt. 19:24)

Why do people love money so much when it prevents them from entering the Kingdom of God? Many people succeed in the world though they do not know Jesus. Many people are promoted in life though they do not know Jesus. These types of blessings are part of God’s general grace. However, the blessings that we receive are God’s special grace.

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. (John 1:16)

We desire and long for spiritual blessings instead of worldly fortunes. People say, “Hallelujah,” when there is an abundance, but doubt God and say, “Has God abandoned me?” when they are in need. This is not a sound faith. Even when we are faced with death, still God has not abandoned us nor are we cursed. Remember Stephen who was stoned to death. Was he cursed? People who do not understand spiritual blessings would say: “Stephen was so obnoxious and loud about his faith in Jesus. Finally, he met his fate. He should have controlled himself. He was too raucous. Maybe it’s good that he’s dead now.” These same people would warn their children not to be so zealous for God. “Kids, don’t be so extreme like Stephen. Just keep silent about your faith.” However, we must remember that Jesus stood up from His throne when Stephen died and honored his martyrdom.

Jesus came to save the sinners. While He was able to feed thousands with just five loaves of bread and two fish, He Himself sought a fig tree when He was hungry. He filled two boats with fish with His power. If He had wished to use His power to solve hunger and poverty, He could have done it. However, all the bakers and fishermen would have eventually gone out of business.

We are not trying to change our conditions in this world by believing in Jesus. We are New Testament saints who have been forgiven of our sins and are now waiting for the promise of His return to be fulfilled. When the Lord returns, we must stop and abandon everything and go with Him.

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. (Matt. 24:40-41)

On that day, one could be taken up during a wedding ceremony and the other be left behind. It will definitely be an unprecedented mass disappearance.

Even Christians may sometimes fail to get a job. However, being unemployed might be beneficial at times. Believing in Jesus is not a method to succeed in life. When Jesus was on the cross, there were two criminals, one on each side. Both of them confessed that Jesus was the Christ, but one of them said, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39, NASB) and tried to solve the problem at hand. He asked Jesus to save him so that he can live longer on the earth, which would have only been a few more decades at the most. However, the other man asked, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42). The ticket to Heaven was instantly issued for this man!

Of course, I do not deny the blessings that come from being a Christian. When we believe in Jesus and cast out demons, success on earth could come our way. However, we have to always remember that the concerns of Jesus Christ are not for this earth, but for the Kingdom of God. He is preparing a place for us in Heaven and will return in due time (John 14:3). We are New Testament church saints who believe in the Lord’s promise that He would return for us.

The Lord told us, “Drink my blood! Only then will you have eternal life.” The Bible never said, “You must be rich! Only then will you be called blessed.” Two important concepts called culture and faith can be studied from the Bible.

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:28)

This is when God initiated culture in mankind.

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Gen. 2:17)

But God also gave faith to constrain culture. Then, out of culture and faith, which one should we choose?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matt. 6:31-33)

Many people are enticed by words like, “If you believe in Jesus, then you will make so much money. If you believe in Jesus, then your business will succeed!”

They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:5-6)

People who are of this world speak the words of this world and desire to hear the words of this world. For us, even if we lose our jobs, even if we are poor, we should be filled with the joy of salvation in our lives. We must remember the nobility of our faith. People tend to make up their own standard of faith though they say that they believe in Jesus. The Jesus that they believe is not the Jesus in the Bible, but a Jesus fabricated from personal ideas and thoughts. A personal conviction and faith are totally different. A conviction is nothing but a personal assurance. On the other hand, faith is to possess God’s confidence. The word “believe” in the Bible means to have God’s faith. Our faith is not in believing what comes from our own thoughts, but believing the revelations of God.

Some people focus on their own convictions and say, “If you think positively and believe that things will be successful, then it will happen.” People who hear this encourage themselves and say, “Yes! I can do it if I put my mind to it. I can succeed!” To reassure themselves they say, “I believe, I believe!” However, throughout the entire Bible in both New and Old Testaments, there is no mention of someone saying that they believe. Abraham, Moses, and even the disciples of Jesus never said, “I believe!” There was just one faithless person who said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

People who already believe do not really have to say, “I believe!” The reason people constantly say, “I believe, I believe!” is they want to trust the thoughts rising from their hearts. We do not believe our own thoughts and convictions. We acknowledge Jesus Christ whom God has revealed.

People are confused about the word revelation. Seeing a vision is not the same as receiving a revelation. Revelation refers to the words that reveal God. Who is the revelation that can reveal one hundred percent of God? When Philip asked Him to show him the Father, Jesus said, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves” (John 14:9-11).

The first revelation of God is Jesus. Those who have seen Jesus have seen God, and those who have heard the voice of Jesus have heard the voice of God.

Then, what is the second revelation? It is the Bible. Where does the authority of the Bible come from? Roughly thirty-one people wrote the Old Testament over 1050 years from about 1450 BC to about 400 BC, but it has a common theme. The entire Bible explains about Jesus Christ. He is the focal point of the Bible.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. (John 5:39)

The entire Bible focuses on Jesus Christ. We do not believe our own convictions but only Jesus Christ whom the Bible has revealed.

The third revelation is the gospel-oriented sermons that reveal what the Bible is saying. By listening to gospel-oriented sermons, we can receive faith (Rom 10:17). What is a gospel-oriented sermon? In order to understand this question, we must know the difference between the Law and the Gospel. Some people say that the Law is justice and the Gospel is love. But, they have misread the Bible. When a teacher of the Law asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40).

We can see that love is not the Gospel but the main principle of the Law.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matt. 5:17)

The original word for fulfill carries two meanings: to reinforce, and to make the content more elaborate. In other words, Jesus reinforced and elaborated the Law.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matt. 5:27-28)

According to the Law that Jesus reinforced, every man has committed adultery.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.” But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matt. 5:21-22)

According to the Law that Jesus elaborated, every person has committed murder.

The Law was not given to make people righteous. The function of the Law is to judge mankind. The Law has already declared, “There is none righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). People try to keep the Law to the letter so they could avoid judgment. However, people who avoid the judgment of the Law cannot receive salvation. Christ did not come to save the people who are unrelated to the Law. He came to save and free those who have been judged and condemned by the Law.

The Law is complete, holy, righteous, and spiritual. However, there is a weakness in the Law. And that is, there is no forgiveness under the Law. Christ hung on the cross so that the Law could be supplemented with the law called forgiveness. Experiencing grace does not mean being in a state of euphoria. It does not mean receiving a gift of shaking either. It does not mean that a business is so successful that the owner exclaims, “Hallelujah!” It does not mean that he has received many laying on of hands in prayers. A forgiven person is one who has experienced much grace. People label a sermon that gives them peace and joy as a gospel-oriented sermon, but a truly gospel-oriented sermon is one that contains forgiveness.

When the pastor gives the benediction, he says, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!” Why is the grace of Jesus spoken before the love of God? This is because without the grace of Jesus, we cannot possess the right to be raised up as God’s children.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

Only those who believe in the name of Jesus and are forgiven possess the right to become children of God. We have been born again through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. So anything that does not have the blood of Christ is not the Gospel. The blood that was smeared on the doorposts was the proof that the Israelites were separated from the Egyptians. While the Israelites remembered their bitter past by eating bitter herbs, God was fulfilling His promise, “When I see the blood, I will pass over that household!” Likewise, the Gospel contains the grace that came through the blood.

The Lord has given us the task to spread the Gospel. Without a preacher, the Gospel cannot be heard. Without hearing, no one can believe. The angels do not have the right to share the Gospel. The angels are supernatural beings, but God never gave them the task of spreading the Gospel. If angels appeared in people’s dreams and threatened them for not believing in Jesus, then no one would reject the Gospel. However, God has allowed only those who are saved and have received the Holy Spirit to testify of the Gospel.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

If indeed the disciples try to take the Gospel to the end of the earth, then they would be too exhausted before they even reach there, and the transmission of the Gospel would stop. Not only that, if some disciples stopped testifying because of external threats and intimidations, then the preaching of the Gospel would stop also. Thus, the Lord commanded the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). Only then are they able to possess the power to preach and spread the Gospel. The word “wait” here means to wait like a soldier waiting for the call to move out. Only when we receive the Holy Spirit can we change Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. God pours out the Holy Spirit to the people who have received Jesus Christ to make them His witnesses.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matt. 16:18-19)

This means that Heaven would not move to help if the churches do not move. Jesus preached the Gospel continuously. When the disciples came to Jesus who was in His dawn prayer and told Him that people from the village were waiting for Him, He said, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth” (Mark 1:38).

Jesus came in the flesh to preach the Gospel. The Holy Spirit was never given to the angels. God gave man the Holy Spirit so that he can testify of the Gospel (Acts 2:17).

Now, many believers are bearing witness of the Gospel. However, some are used by the Devil to preach a different gospel. Since Jesus defends us in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit defends our faith on earth, the only way that the Devil can deceive the believer is to spread a different Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel. The Lord whom we believe in is Jesus Christ who was born of the virgin Mary, crucified, and resurrected three days later. The Spirit that we have received is not a spirit of this world, but the Holy Spirit who was sent by the Lord Jesus after He ascended into Heaven. The Gospel that we have received is the Gospel of grace founded upon the blood of Jesus Christ. Though we are already saved, we must continually stay awake and fight to maintain our faith to the end.