We believe Jesus Christ as the Lord of salvation. ‘Salvation’ means being rescued from destruction. Therefore, those who do not know they are going to perish cannot grasp the meaning of ‘salvation’. God is preparing the Last Day to destroy sinners. The foundation of faith is to fear the God of wrath.
People are so afraid that their bodies will perish - that is, death. Being afraid of disease or an accident comes from the fear that your body will perish. But there is something you should fear more than this. This is the destruction of the spirit. Even if you must sacrifice your body - what you must avoid at all costs is the destruction of your spirit.
The person who believes his spirit will not be destroyed and will enter eternal life has peace. His heart does not tremble, no matter what difficulty he encounters. This is because he is certain that God protects him. This person does not cling to his own life but loves God’s work and loves the church.
The church is the establishment provided so people’s spirits (which are saved) can overcome the authority of hades to the last and finally reach heaven. However, even if people go to church, this does not mean they will automatically continue in their salvation. Only those who remember God’s wrath and obey Christ to keep their salvation to the end will safely pass this world (where the devil does his work).
The idea that the Lord unconditionally helps someone in any crisis so long as he goes to church is a misunderstanding. Can the Lord help those who forget to fear the God of wrath and despise the church? The Lord will only help those who fear God, yearn for salvation, and follow His guidance to the end.
When the disciples welcomed the Lord and crossed the sea of Galilee, a windstorm suddenly blew, and a huge wave came up and almost swamped the boat. As they sunk with fear, they woke the Lord (who was asleep) and witnessed an amazing spectacle. The wind and sea immediately became calm at the Lord’s command. They were so afraid and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” They were afraid when they saw the great wave, but they now saw who they truly needed to fear.
Since we acknowledge God’s grace, we should have the fear of God as the foundation of our faith. Though the world threatens us in all kinds of ways to make us afraid, let’s understand that God is the One we should truly fear and obey the Lord of salvation, whom He sent. Let’s not despise the church but follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
(Lord’s Day Service on May 23, 2021)
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