107-What Happens When We Lose God's Salvation#
107-What Happens When We Lose God's Salvation
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
Hebrews 12:14-15:
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 15 Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank You for giving us this time to share Your word. You desire for us to be at peace with everyone and to live in Your grace every day. You do not want us to live by ourselves, for such a life would be terrible. When we seek You, You personally provide for us. We will be renewed in strength; the weak will receive Your power, and the sick will gain health, receiving provision from You. With this strength, we will go through the new week. We completely commit this time to You, and may the Holy Spirit personally guide each of us. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is the Gospel. Where does grace come from? The Gospel of John chapter 1 tells us: Grace and truth came through Jesus. Where does the Gospel come from?
The Gospel of Mark chapter 1 tells us: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
To this day, there has always been a debate about grace. This issue arose in the early church. Jesus preached the Gospel to the Jews of His time, but they did not accept it. They said Jesus was problematic. After Jesus died and rose again, when His disciples preached the Gospel, many also said they were not in accordance with the Scriptures and were problematic, even labeling the disciples as heretics. Especially the Apostle Paul, who faced much persecution when he preached the Gospel to the Jews. Several times he was nearly killed because Paul was preaching the pure Gospel.
Why emphasize this matter? Because the Jews at that time said that mere faith was not enough; one must keep the Law of Moses to be saved. Paul believed that one could be justified by faith alone. As long as you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins on the cross and rose from the dead three days later, you are already justified. There is a significant conflict between these two doctrines.
We believe in the doctrine of justification by faith, which guarantees salvation. The church holds to the contents of Leviticus, insisting that one must keep the law to be saved, applying the law to believers today. Many people speak such words because they do not understand the law. Brothers and sisters, under the law, there is often God's judgment and punishment. Why is there such punishment under the law? Because God is just, absolutely just; He will not overlook your sins. It is God's justice that clearly states that a righteous person calls you a sinner.
When did the Israelites fall under God's judgment and punishment? When they lost grace. The topic we are sharing is: What happens when we lose God's grace? Falling under the law leads to suffering God's judgment. Brothers and sisters, if God's law has been established, violating the law results in death. It is not like stealing someone else's things and being confined for a week under God's law. In God's eyes, as long as you violate the law, it is death.
At first, God was unwilling to give the law to people, unwilling to give the law to the Israelites. In Exodus 19, God said to the Israelites, "I want you to be My people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood; I will be your God." At that time, the Israelites said to God, "No, please do not let Your grace come upon us; let us do something." At that time, the Israelites proudly said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do." When the Israelites were proud in their hearts, God immediately changed His expression. God said to Moses, "Let the people consecrate themselves for three days. I will set boundaries; whether man or beast, whoever dares to cross the boundary will be pierced by stones that fly from the mountain."
Exodus 19:12-13
12 You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves, that you do not go up the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.'
Have you all read this passage? In fact, at first, God was willing to give grace to the Israelites, freely giving it to them, regardless of their behavior. The Israelites said, "We do not want that; let us do something." Thus, the law appeared. They fell from God's grace and lost it, and then behavior began. The Israelites lived under the law for fifteen hundred years, often in fear and trembling, frequently falling under God's punishment, because God must judge sin; otherwise, He would not be a just God, nor a holy God. Of course, when God punishes, it is also out of love.
When it comes to grace, what do people like to say? You always talk about grace, but people will fall. However, Jesus Christ came, bringing grace and truth to the world, changing many families. God also tells us, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness." Once a person loses God's grace, problems arise.
The first point to share is, When people forget their identity, they easily lose God's grace.
Do you know what your identity is? You are children of God. Do you know you are holy?
Look at a passage from Leviticus 11:45, where God says to the Israelites: "I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; therefore you shall be holy, for I am holy."
We just read this passage, "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord." God also said, "I have a standard. I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt; because I am holy, you must strive to be holy."
Many people in churches still teach that you must strive to be holy; otherwise, God will not hear your prayers, and you are not a Christian... Brothers and sisters, how do you strive to be holy? Changing the topic, do you know what holiness is? Is it not sinning, being clean, and having good behavior that makes one holy? Do you all think so? If you do, then you are really mistaken.
Holiness in the original Greek means: to be sanctified, set apart. Human thinking is always, "You must strive to be holy because God is holy; you must strive not to sin, strive to be holy, and have good behavior." At a glance, it seems close to holiness, but this is not God's intention. God's intention is for you to be holy.
How can one become holy? Under the law, one can keep all the laws without sinning. You cannot do it; no one can become holy. The original meaning of holiness is to be set apart, which has nothing to do with behavior. It means that God has set you apart, and you become holy, Amen!
Some time ago, when planting peanuts, you cannot just take a bag of peanuts and randomly plant them. You must carefully select very plump seeds suitable for planting and put them in another container. This is called being set apart. In the Bible, being called holy is different from the rest; this is holiness, Amen!
Holiness means being set apart. Do you know you are a group of people set apart from the world? Just like the Israelites, although they were in Egypt, they were different from the Egyptians. When they lived in Egypt, God sent down ten great plagues. Let me ask, did the Israelites suffer during the plagues? Why not? Because they were a group of people set apart by God. We look at the Bible; otherwise, some people will say you are taking things out of context.
Leviticus 20:26: "And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine."
Do you see? This is the meaning of holiness; you must belong to the Lord because He is holy. When you belong to Him, you become holy, and you are set apart from the peoples. If we have no difference from the world, if the world deceives, you deceive too; if the world curses, you curse too, then there is no difference. Only by knowing you are different from the world can you live out different behaviors.
Brothers and sisters, when some people treat you unfairly, for example, when you share the Gospel with others, kindly help them, and they slander and insult you, do not be angry with them, because they have lost God's grace, which causes such behavior. They do not understand you; this is related to human nature, living environment, upbringing, and education.
In our education, we are instilled with the idea that there is no free lunch in the world. We are also told that there is no love without reason, especially when someone treats us very well. Many people in the church are very enthusiastic, especially towards new believers, hoping they can know Jesus and receive God's grace. They are particularly willing to help them. When they see such a warm group of people, the first thought is, "Why are they so good to me?" Because there is a saying, "No good deed goes unpunished..." You all know the second half. When we kindly help someone, that person may retreat, thinking, "What is your motive for being so close to me and helping me?"
In the past, a sister from our church went to evangelize, and the person said, "Just say it. If I believe in your Lord and go to church, what benefits will they give you?" Do you see? It seems like when we evangelize, the church gives benefits. She thinks there is no such thing as unconditional love in the world because she does not believe in God's grace. But we know that when we see such people, they have already lost God's grace. They want to achieve something through their actions. If I work hard and get this result, I feel justified. But when a good thing suddenly happens to me, I feel there must be a problem.
Otherwise, let's test it on the spot. Suppose today on your way to church, you see a bag by the roadside. You look, and oh my, it is full of stacks of cash. Would you dare to go touch it? To be honest, don’t be hypocritical, would you dare? Many people would think about this question: "This bag is so obvious, why does no one else seem to see it?" They start to think, "There must be a pair of eyes watching me from some corner. As soon as I move, that person will come out and extort me, taking all my money..."
In our impression, we feel there must be a problem because there is a presence of sin within people. When they see God's grace, they feel it is impossible; they must pay something to feel justified. Otherwise, they will say, "No, no, there must be a conspiracy; there must be a problem." Brothers and sisters, it is because people have too little experience of God's grace.
Last week, four people from other places sent me feedback. All four of them have been believers for many years. While repeatedly listening to the sermon, their long-term illnesses were instantly healed by God. They said, "I didn't expect healing to be so simple." They had prayed many times before, using various methods without effect. In fact, God's grace is this simple. When you believe correctly, you can see God's miracles.
Because all of this is God's grace, we receive it freely. What can we do to make God treat us this way? Nothing can make God treat you this way, except through the blood of Jesus Christ, receiving all of God's provision freely. Thank God, when people forget their identity, forget that they are holy and just, they will be like the world, like those who do not believe.
I just mentioned that holiness means being set apart. In these days, many people do not go to work, staying at home to relax, play cards, or even sleep, unwilling to come to church. But you are different; you choose to come here on this hot day, traveling a long distance to gather because you know you are a group of people different from the world. You are holy because you have been set apart by God. The world relies on itself, but you have come to say, "I want to receive provision from God." Therefore, you are in God's grace. In this area, we will never compromise our faith. For example, when someone wants us to compromise our faith or deny Jesus, we will not do it because I am a holy person.
Many people are afraid when they hear the word holiness, thinking, "I am still sinning; how can I be holy?" You are already a group of people set apart by God. When the world says, "The economy is not doing well," you say, "My God will surely provide," because you are different from the world. You are in God's provision, Amen! Thank God! Jesus also told us that without holiness, no one can see the Lord. How can we become holy? When you accept Jesus as your Savior, you are already set apart by God, Amen! The passage we read says it is God who separates us from the peoples, just like the peanut seeds mentioned earlier, which are set apart.
It is not that you strive to become holy; it is God who has separated you from this world. You see, the world is busy and unwilling to accept the Gospel, unwilling to listen to you, saying, "Oh, these Christians are crazy, running to church for over an hour on such a hot day, singing off-key..." But we are willing to do this, knowing we are worshiping our God. We are a holy group of people, thank the Lord! It is because we are different from the world. Even if the world is richer than us and lives more comfortably, they are currently sliding toward death, just as Proverbs tells us: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."
We are different; we live every day in the presence of Jesus because I am different from the world, a group of people set apart, separated by God. God has set me apart; who can pull me back? Do not let anyone define your identity; you are holy. No one can say you are not holy. Because God has called you so, through our belief in Jesus Christ, we have already been justified. This is our identity. When you know you are holy, your behavior will change, Amen! For example, when people insult you, you know they have lost God's grace, which is why they speak that way. Before they insult, their hearts are filled with filthy words; it is truly pitiful.
Brothers and sisters, do you understand? You do not need to argue with them, "Why did you insult me? Why do you treat me this way? I did nothing wrong..." You do not need to care about such things because they have already lost God's grace, so they are currently caught in jealousy, strife, and bitterness. When you look at the world this way, you will understand why Jesus, on the cross, said to those mocking Him below, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." In Jesus' view, these people had already lost God's grace. What they need most is God's salvation, Amen!
Our church is a place that exalts Jesus Christ. Here, I want to tell you that no matter how people speak of you in front of the world, when you come to church, I want to tell you, you are holy. Because you possess the grace of Jesus Christ, the main message here is Jesus Christ, not ourselves. The servants in the church, although serving brothers and sisters, are serving our Lord Jesus Christ. This church will forever exalt Jesus Christ! When we understand our identity, we can love the world with this love because they need the grace of Jesus Christ.
It is easy to slip into a performance-oriented religion. What does performance-oriented mean? Let me tell you a story, and you will understand. In Luke 15, there is a story called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which many people have read. There is an older son and a younger son. In fact, both sons lived in grace, both lived under their father's provision. The younger son one day went too far, saying, "Father, give me all the inheritance that belongs to me; I want to leave you. You are too controlling; I want to live freely."
The father did not say anything and gave it to the younger son. The younger son went out and squandered all his property. After squandering it, he should not have come back, but he did. When he returned, who was the most unhappy? The older son. Why was the older son the most unhappy? This is the heart of the law. The older son thought, "This guy took your inheritance and squandered it; why is he coming back? Isn’t he going to eat my share?" He felt that the younger brother's return was not a good thing. But the father's provision was always there. The younger son squandered everything; isn’t that bad?
However, the father still supplied them with grace because the son had lost grace. The father knew that the younger son needed the father's love the most, so he accepted the younger son and celebrated his safe return with the fatted calf. The older son heard about this and became very angry. He felt that the younger brother did not deserve such treatment; this is the heart of the law.
Although he lived under his father's grace, he had already lost that grace. He said to his father, "I have served you for many years, never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends."
This is performance-oriented thinking. Is the older son a son? Yes, but he sees himself as a servant. "Look, I have served you for so many years, never disobeyed your command, yet you have not given me anything. Isn’t that unfair? He sees his father as a creditor, like an employer. I work hard for you; what have you given me? But look at your son; he has done what?"
When we forget we are sons, we will complain to God and to people. When we see our brothers doing well, we feel jealous, asking, "Why does he get it and not me?" In the past, I shared a story about a younger sister who just came to faith. The older sister had been a believer for many years. After the younger sister came to faith, she asked the Father, and the Father gave her everything. The older sister asked but received nothing. One day, the older sister said, "Why is this? We grew up in the same family; she just believed a few days ago; Father, why did You give her my share..." It was as if our God was deliberately tormenting her. In reality, she did not see herself as a daughter but as a servant, saying, "I have done so much for You; why haven’t You given me?" But she forgot she was a daughter. What is a daughter? A daughter is someone who, regardless of actions, is willing to be provided for. Many of you are parents. When your child does nothing, do you still give them food? Yes, you do. Even when they misbehave, you still feed them. This is grace!
This son, because he sees you as his parent, says, "Mom, I am hungry; hurry up and cook." He feels justified. One day, the son says, "I have served you for so many years, never disobeyed your command; why don’t you cook for me today?" You know your relationship with your son has become distant. He has lost the love and grace of his mother, Amen! This older son, although he is a son, has forgotten his identity and has fallen from grace, losing grace, Amen!
Brothers and sisters, remember you are holy, so you can live a holy life, which is a life set apart, Amen! When others encounter problems and complain about this and that, blaming heaven, you say, "I do not complain; I believe my Father will provide for me." This is the first point I mentioned: When people forget their identity, they have already lost God's grace.
The second point is, When people lose grace, bitterness arises.
I just mentioned that you should pursue peace with all people. The antonym of peace is discord, and discord includes bitterness. The Bible specifically tells us, "Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God." When a person loses God's grace, a root of bitterness springs up, troubling you. When people have bitterness, they will not keep it to themselves; they will pour out that bitterness. Who will they pour it on? Whoever they pour it on will suffer with them. When bitterness arises, we must be cautious of such people because this bitterness will stir us up, causing many to become defiled. When someone in the church becomes defiled, that person will become weak and fall. What do we need?
When we are slandered, wronged, or insulted, returning to the church may produce bitterness, and we will express all the painful things we encountered that week. Many people will feel, "Oh, how can this be? How can there be so many issues among believers?" Such questions arise. What we truly need is to return to Jesus Christ, allowing His word to cleanse all the filth in our hearts.
Some say that when we sin, we become sinners. I actually do not agree with this reasoning because it is just a theory, not God's truth! Do believers sin? Yes, they do. But when you sin, you cannot become a sinner; this is entirely different.
To illustrate, I hope you can understand this matter. Why does bitterness arise after losing God's grace? How does bitterness come about? A gold nugget, if thrown into the mud and then taken out, is covered in mud, but it is still gold. Its weight has not decreased; it has not turned into mud. It is just covered in dirt.
Just like us, brothers and sisters, God has already justified you. God says you are holy. When others slander you, defame you, or insult you, it is like gold being covered in filth. But you cannot say, "It is over; this is no longer gold." Its value has not changed one bit, Amen! It is still gold; it just needs water to wash it clean, right, brothers and sisters? So when you are stained by the world, you are still righteous; you just need to return to the church, recognize your identity again, and through the word of Jesus Christ, wash away all the filth and worldly things in your heart. Then you will be renewed in strength.
You know God loves you like this. I almost fell for some people's tricks; I almost went to argue and insult society and others. I finally understood that God wants us to be at peace with everyone, not to create strife. Once you understand this, it is as if the filth in your heart has been washed away, Amen! Through God's word.
Let me give you another example. Jesus said He is the Good Shepherd, and we are the sheep. That is right. Suppose a sheep accidentally falls into a muddy pit; is it still a sheep? Yes, it is still a sheep, but it is covered in mud. You cannot say, "I see this sheep is covered in mud; it is no longer a sheep; it is mud." That would be wrong. You may still sin outside, but when others say, "Wow, you are a sinner," it is like saying, "This is not a sheep." It is still a sheep, just covered in mud. It needs to be washed clean with fresh water, and it will still be that sheep. Amen!
Do not let anyone take away your identity. When you do not recognize your identity, you may become bitter. In the past, I shared the difference between holy and unholy behavior. A person just bought a brand new white outfit, very clean. When tired outside, would they sit down on the ground? No, they would not. They would say, "How beautiful and clean this outfit is!" This is like your holiness. Conversely, a beggar covered in filth would sit down anywhere because he thinks, "I am already like this; it does not matter where I sit."
Brothers and sisters, this is a renewal of our perspective. If you know you are holy, you will not casually stain yourself; you will not sit down carelessly and then brush off your pants because you know, "I am holy." Knowing you are holy will lead to a holy life. Amen!
When others insult you, you say, "Because you have lost God's grace, you speak such words. I will not argue with you because I am holy." But when others say, "You are a sinner because you have sinned; you are full of sin; God will not be pleased with you; God will not hear your prayers," you hear this and think, "Forget it; I will not go to church or pray anymore; God does not listen anyway." This is just like the beggar; it does not matter where I sit; I am already dirty.
You come here, and God wants to wash away all the bitterness in your heart. Even if you are stained with much filth, you must believe in God's word, which has the power to make you clean. Even if your mood is terrible, very depressed, very low, very disheartened, God also has the power to renew your strength. Jesus spoke to the disciples in the upper room, saying, "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." Therefore, those who are stained will have bitterness spring up.
What kind of root of bitterness? Complaints, jealousy, and the following verse mentions: "Lest there be any fornicator or profane person."
Many churches also say, "Do not fornicate, do not be greedy, do not do this, do not do that," but people still cannot be stopped unless you tell them about God's grace, which can prevent them from doing such things. The passage mentions that when a person has a root of bitterness, they will spread rumors and slander everywhere, causing many to become defiled like them. Such people have already fallen from God's grace.
The scripture mentions two aspects: one is the issue of fornication, which is related to marriage. Recently, many people have consulted me, asking, "Teacher, why haven’t you talked about marriage issues?" In fact, when we talk about Jesus Christ loving us, it is the best example of marriage. Some people tell me, "My husband has an affair; he has a mistress. I hate that mistress and wish I could strangle her..."
I said, "Sister, when you see such things, you should know you have lost God's grace, and your husband has also lost God's grace. A root of bitterness has arisen between you two; what you see is just the consequence. It started because you both lost God's grace."
She asked, "What do you mean?" I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, a family is not a place for reasoning; it is a place for love. Taking men as an example, not to criticize sisters, just to illustrate, a man works very hard outside, like our Elder An, enduring all kinds of hardships without telling his wife. He bears all the ridicule, criticism, and pressure, even wanting to ruin his family. He endures it all, and when he returns home, his only hope is, "I am home; my home is a warm place with my loved ones and my favorite children. No matter how much difficulty or pressure I face outside, when I return home, it is a place of rest."
But conversely, many men face tremendous pressure outside for business, for the company, for their own business, doing a lot. If they come home half an hour late, their wife says, "You are half an hour late; who were you with? Is there another woman outside?" This man feels very uncomfortable; his wife is relentless. What will happen? If this happens often, this man will really not want to return home.
The root of bitterness arises when there is a lack of love in the marriage. Remember! We are discussing marriage issues today to prevent us from losing God's grace and allowing roots of bitterness to arise. Many problems in families arise from this. Analyzing such matters, after a night of anger, there is no way to explain because the wife does not believe. The next day, when this man comes home, it is still the same. By the third day, this man starts to think, "Maybe she really wants to divorce me; I need to plan ahead," and thus a mistress appears... The scene repeats...
I said, "Sister, have you thought about what characteristics a mistress has?"
She said, "What characteristics does a mistress have? A vixen." I said, "And more, she knows how to please men."
I said, "If you, the legitimate wife, do not do as well as the mistress, you have lost grace, allowing the mistress to take your place. Think about how the mistress treats your husband. Do you know?"
She said, "Of course I know; that delicate look makes me sick."
I said, "Why don’t you do that?"
She said, "I cannot do that."
I said, "Yes, for a man, when it is getting dark, and there is a tigress waiting at home, he will not want to go back. But the mistress is different; she looks at him and simulates the situation. This man still loves his wife, but he thinks, 'I cannot face this.' The mistress repeatedly calls, 'Oh, husband, come over; everything is ready.' When he arrives, she says, 'Husband, look, your favorite dish is ready; please sit.' As soon as this man sits down, she washes his hands and feet, massages his legs and arms. This man thinks, 'This is great... If only I had such a wife...'"
Where did the problem arise? It started with the illusion. Brothers and sisters, I am speaking very seriously about this issue. The breakdown of marriage begins here, from our initial loss of God's grace, leading to bitterness. When bitterness pours out, it leads to many issues. Many people think, "Oh, my wife is so terrible; forget it; I will divorce her and find another one..." If we do not change, even if we change partners, after the honeymoon, the situation will still be the same. The wife will still be the same. This man often does not return home, and when he nags him, he will find another one, and the situation will still be the same. Unless we change, staying in God's grace, and responding with love, we will receive love! Thank God!
The passage mentions "lest there be any fornicator." This situation does not happen by chance; it must arise from a root of bitterness.
The second issue is greed.
Why do people become greedy? It is because they do not see God's provision. When they do not see God's provision, they will try to grab as much as they can because that gives them a sense of security. But I want to tell you, you are a group of people set apart by God. Every day, God provides for you abundantly, just like He provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness. God could have provided them with manna for forty years all at once, but He did not do that. He provided for their needs every day. We live in God's abundant grace. If you understand this, you will not be greedy. You will not want to hoard for two days.
The Bible tells us not to store for tomorrow because tomorrow it will rot and stink. Tomorrow will have its own provision. Think this way: every morning when you wake up, say, "Father, I thank You for preparing abundant manna for me today. Let me go out and receive Your provision." Imagine the Israelites waking up early, taking baskets, buckets, and bowls to go out. What kind of joyful mood would they have? "God has provided for me today; I do not need to do anything; I just need to receive God's grace."
Every day they lived with surprises, and at that time, they did not become greedy because they knew God's abundant provision was there every day. I wish you would live in God's grace every day. When you see that God provides for you every day, you say, "I go to work just to receive the blessings God has given me. I want to bring blessings to my company because I am the channel of blessings. Jesus Christ is the source of blessings!"
Thinking this way, greed will not take root in your heart unless you do not see God's provision. Bitterness arises when you think, "Why is my salary so little? Why don’t they raise my salary? Why do they make me work so hard like a donkey for so little pay?" Such people are always complaining, not seeing God's abundant provision. They hope to get more. But you do not need to worry; God will provide what you need. Amen! Thank the Lord! I just mentioned two points. The first is that when people lose God's grace, bitterness arises. In marriage, what attitude should we have? How should we care about marriage issues?
Ephesians 5 gives us the accurate answer: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her; wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord."
How should we live? Just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, Amen! How did Jesus love the church? This is the highest principle of the husband-wife relationship. When we do this, we are in God's grace. Ephesians 5 also tells us: "That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word."
No matter what kind of suffering or problems you encounter, God will use His word to cleanse all the bitterness in your hearts, letting you know you do not need to worry about your daily provision. Do not worry about your life tomorrow because God will surely provide. He is Jehovah Jireh! When we understand these things, we will live in joy every day.
The problem is that bitterness is always waiting nearby, ready to attack you when it sees an opportunity. This is bitterness. Once you cannot understand God's grace and lose it, you will fall into performance and behavior. This is what we call being under the law, turning into bitterness. For example, many people in the church serve God and do a lot for the church, but when no one knows, they feel overlooked and unappreciated. They particularly hope others will encourage them or that church leaders will give them recognition or that the pastor will offer comforting encouragement. When they do not see this, they think, "Oh, I have done so much; what is the point?" They feel their performance is good enough; why does no one see it? If this is the way of thinking, bitterness will arise. Many people say, "Serving the Lord is like this." Indeed, serving the Lord is like this. When you are recognized, your reward is already received. But if no one knows what you have done for the Lord, you have eternal rewards in God.
In 1 Samuel 2, there was a woman named Hannah. In fact, this man had two wives, and the household was already unhappy. This woman was the most unfortunate among the unfortunate, unable to conceive. The one who had children often mocked and ridiculed her, so this woman was very distressed. One year, when she prayed in God's temple, she made this prayer:
"No one should speak proud words, nor let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed." Hannah said, "Although you have sons, I do not, but the Lord can weigh my actions. You cannot weigh me; you do not know how my heart is." After praying to God, she expressed her distress, saying, "Lord, look upon my affliction; I hope to have a son." She told God her troubles.
Brothers and sisters, everyone will have bitterness. When we pour bitterness out to others, it may cause others to stumble. But when you pour bitterness out to God, He will comfort you and fulfill your requests. You see, this is God's comfort for her. After Hannah prayed, the high priest Eli, who was old and blind, saw her praying and said, "Woman, why are you drunk? You should not be drunk in the temple." This woman said, "My lord, I am not drunk; I am very sad and praying to God."
Brothers and sisters, if what we do is in prayer, truly serving God, and others do not understand or criticize you, you might say, "Forget it; I will never come to this church again..." Hannah received such a result. She said, "My lord, it is not like that; your servant is not drunk; I am praying to God." The old priest immediately said, "Well, may the Lord grant you what you have asked." Hannah said, "If you say so, I will receive it, Amen." She happily returned home, and the problem was easily resolved. When we have bitterness, we pour it out to God. When others slander us, we clarify it to them, and our hearts will be unburdened immediately. We remain in God's grace. The following year, Hannah had a child because she thought, "The high priest told me to return in peace, so why should I worry?" Later, we know her son became one of Israel's greatest judges. Do not worry about this, brothers and sisters; God will always provide for us.
When we have bitterness, we pour it out to God. God weighs the hearts of people. Brothers and sisters, serving in the church is the same. Look up and see God's provision for you, and do not look left or right. If you look left and right, you will stumble immediately. Because people have problems, they are imperfect; the only one we can rely on is our God. Thank Jesus!
When we stay in God's grace, bitterness will have no opportunity to attack us. Once we lose God's grace, bitterness will spring up immediately, just like the older son said, "I have served you all these years." He wants to please God with his actions. We are not like that. Because of the good behavior of Jesus Christ, we have already been pleased by God. Because of Jesus being offered on the cross, when He shed His precious blood, our sins were forgiven. It is through the blood of Jesus Christ that we are a group of people set apart from the world, so we possess the righteousness of Jesus Christ! It is not ours; it is Christ's righteousness. We are holy because God has set us apart.
The passage later mentions, "Pursue peace with all people." We need to pursue peace with everyone; this is what we need to pursue. Those who speak of grace remember that we should be the peace offerings for others, always bringing peace to others, Amen! Because when we are in grace, what we give to others is grace. The grace of Jesus Christ always brings comfort, encouragement, and peace. Because He will say that we are the peace offerings between God and us, and between us and people. Amen!
When some people fall into jealousy, strife, or become addicted to things like alcohol, drugs, or immerse themselves in pornography, unable to extricate themselves, because I have recently consulted on such matters, I want to say that these people have already lost God's grace and are relying on themselves. At this time, they need to abandon their thoughts and solely look to God's provision, seeing that through Jesus, we are already at peace with God, so we pursue peace with everyone. When we know we are holy, we do not need to rely on those messy things to satisfy our desires. Thank and praise the Lord!
Many times, we think God is angry with us. For example, I have been to many places where others say, "If you sin today, God will not listen to your prayers anymore; God will strike you..." If we always tell others this, once a person sins, they will say, "I cannot go to church anymore; this week is serious; it is better to stay away from God." The more this happens, the more we need God's word to cleanse us. No matter how filthy you are, like a person working on a construction site, no matter how dirty they are, they need water to cleanse them. Water does not reject their dirt; rather, water can cleanse them.
Without holiness, no one can see God. They mistakenly understand that they must confess their sins and make themselves clean, completely stop sinning before they can see God. This is like saying that a person who has worked all day on a construction site should not go in to wash until they are clean. If they are already clean, why wash?
No matter how much filth you are stained with, come to Jesus; He can cleanse you. When you correctly recognize that Jesus has the power to cleanse you and help you overcome shortcomings, problems, or your sins, you will be willing to rely on Him. Thank the Lord! We are a group of people set apart by God in His grace, and we can overcome the root of bitterness.
Romans 12:16-18:
16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
This is God's exhortation to us. Know that you are a group of people set apart by God. They are not set apart; you must strive to be at peace with everyone, Amen! Christians need to have good behavior. God hopes we have good behavior and that we can change. The way to change is to let you know your identity; you are holy. Only then can you live out your true identity and good behavior, Amen!
Recently, I heard a testimony that made me sad for a long time. In the last century, in our area, there was a very old preacher who has now passed away. He and his wife served God in the church and loved the brothers and sisters very much. However, the brothers and sisters did not understand them. They said, "Our pastor's wife has a bad temper and is very unreasonable." In fact, the pastor's wife was a very good person; she just did things according to the Bible.
When she was wrong, she would point it out with love, but many people were unwilling to hear the truth. The pastor's wife not only loved the people in the church but also loved the unbelievers. They lived in the church, which had a large yard. The pastor's wife grew vegetables. At that time, everyone was not very wealthy, so she gave vegetables to many poor or lonely elderly people, persisting for ten years.
Later, the brothers and sisters in the church had increasing opinions about the pastor, and finally said, "We do not want the pastor anymore," and drove the pastor and his wife out onto the street. At that time, the pastor's wife had great faith. After they were driven out, she sat by the roadside praying to God. An unbeliever came by and asked, "Sister, what happened?" The pastor's wife said, "We were driven out of the church." The unbeliever said, "From today on, you can live at my house."
This became a cautionary tale. Brothers and sisters, we need to have good behavior and be of one mind. Do not think you are great; do not think you are remarkable. You must associate with the humble and not be wise in your own opinion. This pastor's wife was indeed as they described, but why would an unbeliever take her in? Those people said, "You believers are just like this. Such a good person, and you do not want her." This pastor's wife had nine children, and almost all of them are now pastors.
What do we see? Many times, we think we are correct, but we need to see from God's perspective. God hopes we are of one mind, viewing our brothers and sisters and our church through Jesus. When we think we are great, bitterness arises because we have lost grace. The passage says, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Thank God!
Look at the last passage, Acts 13:43: "Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."
At that time, Paul and Barnabas were facing the Jews, who were well-versed in various laws. Paul preached grace to them, telling them that they had relied on their efforts to keep the law in the past, but now they did not need to do that. By believing in Jesus, they received the identity of the righteous. Many Jews believed and accepted this. So, they preached to them, urging them to continue in the grace of God.
If you are under the law, you will look at others through colored glasses, with a judgmental perspective. But when we are in grace, knowing that everything is received from God, we can give thanks to God. Thank the Lord! Therefore, Paul and Barnabas said to them, "You must continue in the grace of God." To continue means to stay in God's grace continuously. I hope that the brothers and sisters in our church can remain in God's grace.
What is God's grace? It is that every day He provides for us. No matter how big your current problem is, you know God will provide. He has the power to solve your problem. So every day, you say, "Father, I thank You for this gracious provision. I am not afraid because I know wherever I go, You will be with me." I am willing to remain in Your grace. I do not boast in my own actions. When I am weak, I will not say, "God, You are far from me." We will not think this way because we know that everything is God's free provision; we are merely recipients.
I wish the brothers and sisters in our church would remain in God's grace. What you give out is the grace of Jesus Christ. Recently, many people have witnessed immediate healing after hearing the message of grace. Such things are becoming more frequent because when you believe correctly, your life and body will change. Thank the Lord!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise Your grace. We need to remain in Your grace continuously. We cannot do anything by ourselves; You give us strength, and only then do we have the strength to do good. God has provided for us, so we can provide for others. Receiving grace from You allows us to give grace to others. Jesus is our peace offering, and we can become others' peace offerings.
Lord, keep each of our hearts, often through Your word, so that all the filth we have been stained with can be cleansed. I am holy, not because my behavior is good enough, but because God has set me apart. This week, I will live a life different from the world because I am a child of God. All the resources and blessings in the kingdom of heaven are mine. I am the most beloved daughter of God!
The Father will supply me freely, just as I love my children. I thank You for this! I will also be a supply for others, giving them God's grace, giving them the love of Jesus Christ. The people of the world need such love and the grace of Jesus Christ. Thank and praise the Lord! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!