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Every now and then I question if heaven exists or not. When comparing it to my faith that Christ is the messiah and was resurrected, it doesn’t make sense as I have little doubt that this historical event occurred. But sometimes when I experience loss or feel lost, I try to make myself feel better that once you die, your life will continue in heaven. But every now and then I question if that is actually true or not and that the afterlife isnt some black limbo where you sleep for all eternity. I am faithful to our lord and want to be saved when the time comes. Please give me some advice whenever I question my faith in the existence of heaven. Like a bible quote that addresses this.
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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?…(Matthew 23 : 15~22)
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.(Jeremiah 7 : 4~11)
Some blind teachers, because they are blind, ask blind believers based on nothing more than their experience of having touched only the tail of an elephant: “Is the elephant a hideous animal shaped long like a snake? Or is it a long, soft cord covered with much hair? Which is the correct answer?” When they ask such a question, many blind believers give various kinds of replies. Yet all such answers are nothing more than the perspective of those who have touched only the elephant’s tail, and thus they can never yield the correct answer. “Is this right? Is that right? Is the way of salvation to the right? Or is it to the left?”
Furthermore, to one who endlessly repeats sin, a salvation proclaimed only with words pricks the conscience, for a good conscience does not permit it. The truth revealed in the love of Christ—who followed the love of the cross even unto the giving of His own life—is that, in accordance with the Word of Scripture, there appear abundant liberality, overflowing thanksgiving, and the fruit and evidence of love. Can salvation within evil habits that endlessly repeat sin be the truth? Or is the salvation within the love of Christ the truth? By what have you gained the true answer of truth?
For what purpose, and by what standard, do you believe in God? Is your question and your faith based in the Word of Scripture that follows the love of Christ? Or is it, like those who abuse the words of Scripture to absolutize their own interpretations and explanations, a question and a concern based on your own standard, your own self-centeredness, and your own judgment that reigns above the Word? Outside the Scriptures, which lead to salvation and light, within the ties of the world and the flesh that are the very root of sin, you who are already accustomed to sin through those ties—can the concerns and problems that arise from your own claims which you have learned and acquired truly be the kind of concerns that can find the truth of the light that leads to salvation?
Within the questions of blind pastors who have grasped only the elephant’s tail, and within the answers of blind believers, there can never be any opportunity to see the true form of the elephant. Your question likewise is no different from those of the blind. The starting point of your questioning itself is a contradiction, lacking depth, breadth, and height; it cannot perceive at all the direction of heaven, the true path of salvation, nor the genuine truth. Yet you do not even realize that your own self is blind ignorance and blindness. When you read the following words, you cannot help but be astonished at why these words come upon you.
Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.(Deuteronomy 29 : 4)
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.(Isaiah 64 : 4)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.(1 Corinthians 2 : 9)
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.(Romans 11 : 8)
The questions of blind believers, trained under the teachings of blind teachers, can only produce blind results. They lead only to false salvation and misguided lies that have nothing to do with true salvation, bearing no fruit or evidence of the love of God, who is the source of love. Instead, within the wisdom of the world and the evil habits of the flesh—the very root of sin—they spend their lives endlessly repeating sin. The outcome of their self-assertion is that sin, which leads to hell, is none other than the messenger of Satan.
…Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.(1 John 3 : 5~10)
Unaware that they themselves are blind—though they stand opposed, as enemies and contrary, to the content of the Word of Scripture—Christians, like oxen led by a ring through their nose, are dragged this way and that, swayed wherever they are pulled. Their form is always the same: deceived by outward appearances, they spend their whole lives enslaved before churches, altars, pastors, and sermons, only to repeat sin until the day they die. What use, then, are awakenings, resolutions, or determinations within the evil habits of man that endlessly repeat sin? What value is there in a repentance that claims to be rebirth?
Does your conscience truly believe in a salvation where sin only piles up, while your own voice and assertions are exalted above all? Because sin is repeated, your conscience—your spirit—gradually dies, yet do you call such a word-only salvation true? Consider whether your faith has become a faith of judgment! Sin is the messenger of Satan that leads to hell. Today, people think that simply attending church, calling upon the name of God, or praying before Christ automatically makes them children of God, Christians in truth. But this is absolutely not so. The Word of God declares it plainly: the standard of being a child of God is that, within the love of God, one does not commit sin. Likewise, a true Christian is set free from sin and does not continue in it.
Yet Christians today, because they serve God together with the world and with material things, follow only teachings and emotions corrupted by every kind of distortion, heresy, and falsehood. For this reason, their faith cannot escape the path of sinners who endlessly repeat sin throughout their lives, and such faith can only end in the judgment of hell.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.(Romans 6 : 16~18)
Instead of bearing the fruit and harvest of the love of God, who is the God of love, you are only repeating sin—are you not then a slave of sin, a child of the devil, and even the devil himself? Remember that the Scripture declares that He came to call sinners. The command to confess your sins and repent is the rebuke given to all who continue to repeat sin.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.(John 3 : 3)
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.(2 Thessalonians 2 : 9~10)
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.(1 John 3 : 14)
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.(James 4 : 16~17)
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.(3 John 1 : 11)
Mankind, having lived in evil habits that pursue only their own lusts, happiness, success, blessings, and comfort according to the world and the flesh, do not consider such a life itself—chasing after worldly lusts, happiness, success, blessings, and comfort—to be a great sin. Because of this, they readily accept without hesitation the teachings of men and the emotions of the world, which teach heresy, corruption, and falsehood by serving God together with the world and with material things. Thus, without even realizing it, the majority of believers are becoming corrupted, depraved, deceitful, and unrestrained monsters who commit all kinds of evil. Because they do not even realize that their spirit—their conscience—is dying on account of sin, their faith becomes shameless, turning them into monsters who cannot even feel the reproach of conscience.
…Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.(Ephesians 2 : 2~3)
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.(2 Peter 2 : 10)
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.(Ecclesiastes 11 : 9~10)
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.(Romans 8 : 13)
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.(Romans 8 : 5~7)
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world….(1 John 2 : 15~17)
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.(James 4 : 3~4)
Because the Word of Scripture is neither the standard nor the center, their faith is lived according to habits joined with the world and material things, seeking only their own blessing, success, ambitions, and comfort. Thus, it is a faith for their lusts, prayers for greed and wealth, and a religion for endless desires—therefore it is a faith that does nothing but continually pile up sin.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities….(2 Peter 2 : 10~22)
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.(1 Timothy 6 : 9~10)
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:(Colossians 3 : 5)
Because the purpose of serving God has become a faith that seeks only one’s own worldly and fleshly lusts, blessings, success, and comfort, the faith itself has turned into the very root of sin. A fleshly faith that pursues the desires of the body for one’s own happiness, blessings, success, and comfort belonging to the world and the flesh was from the beginning corrupted into worldly things. It has become humanism, founded upon human standards, human-centeredness, and human judgment, forgetting every standard of truth, while being built upon the teachings and inspirations of men that belong to the world.
2. The Common Limitations of All Gods, All Truths, and All Faiths of All Religions
All religions are made by man. Therefore, all religions today can never escape the limitations of man. Each religion puts forth its own god and its own truth, yet these are nothing more than love and mercy in name and title. In reality, far from love and mercy, they are filled with corruption, falsehood, wars, murders, and every kind of evil, decayed and rotten to the core. Instead of being light and salt to the world, they are religions and religionists who pile up only sins that reek with every foul stench. These are nothing but man’s assertions, distortions, and lies, deified into gods—claims that cannot surpass the evil limitations of man who, for a lifetime, can do nothing but repeat sin.
All alike, founded upon human methods that cannot surpass the limits of learning, perceiving, thinking, feeling, and realizing by human head and intellect, these religions are built upon human wisdom, human assertions, and human standards, yet they present themselves as though they were the religions of God established by God. Thus, in the evil habits of all unbelievers, all religionists, and all Christians, the commonality remains: they cannot transcend the limitations of man, endlessly repeating sin throughout their lives. Therefore, all religions on this earth are religions made by men, excluding the God in whom the power of God truly works.
The pretext of all religions is always the same: God and the truth of God. Truth is the eternal and imperishable wisdom of God, not the shifting wisdom or teaching of man that varies with circumstance. The essence of religion is to lead one to obtain the truth and vision of God in which His power works. Yet Christian doctrine today, no different from all other religions, has turned into a value that teaches the lessons and emotions of men, belonging to the world and the flesh, that can only repeat sin throughout life. Is this truly the truth of God? Or are the religions that put forth God and truth merely teaching falsehood?
Today, all religions made by men in the name of God are not theocentric, where God’s power works, God is the center, and God gives testimony. From the beginning, the truth, teachings, and emotions of all religions have been nothing more than the wisdom of man, the experience of man, the learning of man, the knowledge of man, the teaching of man, and the inspiration of man passed from man to man. For this reason, the very idea of receiving the truth of God through human methods of education and learning—through hearing, seeing, and feeling by human intellect and senses—is a contradiction. In other words, the truth of God is obtained and learned by God’s way, not by man’s way.
The lessons and emotions of human education and learning, acquired through human intellect by what one sees, hears, and feels, are not the theocentric truth founded upon God’s way and God’s standard as recorded in the Word of Scripture. Rather, what is taught is a man-centered education that abuses the Word of God, the divine Scripture. To this are added man’s assertions, man’s interpretations, man’s knowledge, man’s standards, and the corruption of serving God together with the world and material things. Layer upon layer of distortion upon distortion, heresy upon heresy, falsehood upon falsehood—such is Christian doctrine today. It is not the truth of God in which the power of God works. Therefore, just like every other religion called heresy, it cannot escape the limitations of man, who for a lifetime can do nothing but repeat sin.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.(Isaiah 28 : 9~13)
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.(2 Thessalonians 2 : 3~12)
Their interpretations, explanations, and assertions—driven only by hopes for success, ideals for happiness, and emotions for comfort that belong to the world and the flesh, which are the very root of sin and which must deny and oppose the Word of Scripture itself—have already been turned into “the Word,” made absolute, and even deified. The so-called “Bible-centered” or “Word-centered” teaching they proclaim is nothing more than a way to exalt and absolutize their own claims and sermons above the Word. Thus, all the content of Scripture that they teach becomes nothing more than the lessons of man and the emotions of the world—teachings that cannot free anyone from sin but only perpetuate a life of endlessly repeating sin, bound by the evil habits of man.
Truth is the teaching of God’s way and God’s power. It is not human reasoning or human methods of teaching, learning, and feeling through intellect and common sense, as in the world. Lessons and inspirations that arise from human methods—through human letters, scholarship, knowledge, and wisdom, used to interpret, explain, and stir emotions—can only lead to judgment and hell, endlessly repeating sin until death. Today, countless believers, trained since childhood in the habits of learning through human educational methods, have become accustomed to them; and so, without hesitation, they easily accept religious education, doctrines, and teachings that come through human methods of religion. The result is that they now stand before the punishment of judgment.
The truth of God is obtained only by God’s law and God’s way. It cannot be attained by human education, human learning, human lessons, or human emotions through the intellect and reasoning of man.
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.(Colossians 2 : 2~8)
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.(Galatians 4 : 9~11)
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.(Isaiah 29 : 9~14)
Unknowingly, man inevitably magnifies himself—driven by his own will, his own pride, and his own assertions—so that his confidence, pride, and zeal are increasingly believed in as absolute, and his claims gradually become absolutized. Thus, man deifies and exalts himself as god. This culmination of arrogance is the grave problem of human education, human lessons, and human inspirations. The very structure of human education is humanism, in which the self must be magnified and absolutized. In other words, man cannot escape the essential limitation of his nature, which is to place himself in the position of absolute value and absolute authority.
Because of the structural characteristic of education, learning, and lessons through human intellect and reason, man cannot help but rely on himself, trust himself, and center himself. As a result, the habit of demanding only one’s own self-centeredness, one’s own standards, and one’s own judgments inevitably grows stronger. Within human learning and human lessons lies this structural flaw: an overreliance on the self, which leads to absolutization and magnification of the self. This produces self-centered obstinacy, allowing only one’s own judgments, and inevitably cultivates evil habits upon the foundation of arrogance. Thus, most faiths stand upon pride, knowing nothing but the self.
Because one gradually deifies and absolutizes himself without even realizing it, he inevitably follows the path of becoming hardened and obstinate. This is the common limitation, the shared problem, and the sin of all religionists.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world…..Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.(1 John 4 : 1~8)
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.(Proverbs 30 : 12~14)
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.(2 Corinthians 11 : 13~15)
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.(Revelation 2 : 9)
Many believers, having departed from the Word of Scripture, fall into lukewarm faith—faith that is powerless, endlessly repeating sin until death—or into blind fanaticism without even the foundation of common sense, becoming, without realizing it, fanatics who exalt their own voices above the Word and lord themselves over it, enslaved to arrogance. These are blind ones who do not even know that they themselves, more than the unbelieving world, have become the greatest adversaries and greatest enemies before God.
Instead of being true Christians who follow the love that, with the Word of Scripture as their center and standard, reflects all their lives like a mirror, they misuse the Word of Scripture as a tool, interpreting and twisting it to suit their own desires. Thus their fleshly faith only excuses and justifies a life of endlessly repeating sin, leaving them unable to see, hear, or understand rightly. Because they lack eyes and ears to examine, guard, and discern on the basis of Scripture whether their religion, their church, or their shepherd is truly grounded in the Word, they are blind. They are blind because they all serve God together with the world and with material things, desiring only their own lusts, blessings, ambitions, happiness, and comfort.
Thus, their faith becomes that of Christians who, deceived by teachings and inspirations that are nothing more than flattery and sweet words like cotton candy—offering happiness dramas, success myths, happy endings, and the illusion that all matters of the saints will be solved at once and that every blessing is within reach—spend their entire lives as slaves of sin.
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.(Leviticus 19 : 19~20)
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;(1 Timothy 4 : 1~2)
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.(Isaiah 9 : 15~16)
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.(Psalms 82 : 3~7)
The beautiful and warm-sounding morals, the gentle and comforting lessons, the cotton-candy sweetness of hope, and the teachings and emotions of pastors that make it seem as though everything will be fulfilled are neither the truth of God, nor His grace, nor His inspiration. They are nothing but deceit and falsehood—mere flattery and adulation.
3. The Difference Between Truth and the Law
In the Bible, the form of learning, knowledge, and theory that is taught, studied, and felt through the human head and intellect is called the Law. In other words, all that human beings come to know through common sense—studies, lessons, teachings, emotions, and impressions gained by learning, feeling, and realizing the words of Scripture merely through human thoughts and intellect—are regarded as the Law. Put another way, the Law is like theory meant for practice. Only when all that is written in the Word of God is applied, experienced, and made one’s own in life, does it become what is truly called the Truth.
The Truth of God is the living power of God that restrains the evil habits from which sin unceasingly arises. The wisdom and Truth of God are that divine power which completely blocks, suppresses, and puts to death the root of sin that arises from evil habits which cannot be controlled by human limitation. The teachings and emotions of Christianity, mingled with the world and material things, which can do nothing but repeat sin throughout life, are not the true Law of God. The lessons of worldly life, rooted in the world and in the flesh, along with human wisdom and human inspiration, are a misuse of the Law. The Truth of God is the working of His power within His love, revealed only to those who follow God’s way, according to His justice and by His standard.
The reason why, among the billions of Christians, not a single one has, in over two thousand years, moved a mountain with faith even as small as a mustard seed, is because the faith spoken of by today’s Christians is nothing more than a human way—a reliance on themselves, producing only their own will, confidence, and pride within evil habits that can only repeat sin. It is merely learning human teachings and emotions that cannot surpass the limits of man, not learning the truth of God.
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.(Matthew 17 : 20)(Mark 9 : 23)(Philippians 4 : 13)
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.(1 John 3 : 21~24)
Those who follow after the love of God, who dwell in the love of God, and who stand before Him without sin and without reproach, are the ones who, whatever they ask, receive. This does not mean that Christians who belong to the world and the flesh, who can do nothing but repeat sin all their lives, are promised that whatever they ask will be granted. The very reason that in two thousand years, among billions of Christians, not even one with faith as small as a mustard seed has ever appeared in all humanity and throughout all generations, is testified in this very Word of Scripture (1 John 3:21–24).
Today’s Christian doctrines are nothing more than human learning, human scholarship, human reasoning, human wisdom, human knowledge, and human methods that lack the power of God—the power that removes sin, conquers sin, and brings about rebirth. Therefore, like adherents of other religions, Christians also, no matter how many hundreds or thousands of times they awaken, resolve, or determine, cannot escape the repetition of sin nor be changed or born again. This is something anyone with even the slightest pang of conscience in their faith already knows—this is their own limitation, and the limitation of all mankind. In other words, whether unbelievers or those who serve false gods, or Christians themselves, all alike remain within the same evil limitation of man: faith that cannot escape a life of endlessly repeating sin.
The Christian way that follows human teachings and emotions, which stir awakenings, resolutions, and determinations by relying on oneself, igniting zeal and willpower by human effort, is the very same method as that of all mankind. It is the way of all religions, the human method of depending on human realization, which leads to a life of endlessly repeating sin. Because it is the way of human education and human learning, bound to reliance on the self, it cannot escape human limitations, and thus God cannot work in it. In other words, it is not the way of relying on God, but the way of relying on man—on one’s own will, one’s own conviction, one’s own pride, one’s own determination. Therefore, God cannot work in it. What Christianity calls “Word-centered” today is in fact nothing but man-centered humanism, where man is absolutized and deified.
The end result of relying on oneself, awakening, resolving, and determining for a lifetime, is that one’s reliance on self grows stronger. Without realizing it, the habit of magnifying and absolutizing oneself takes hold, so that one unconsciously becomes exalted and deified. The reality of this pride is that man himself becomes the subject, believing according to his own desires, feelings, thoughts, judgments, and claims. His own self becomes the absolute subject, and his absolutized claims become the standard. Thus, man himself has become the Word, Christ, and God. Such is the dreadful reality of Christians today.
4. A Virtual God Made to Suit Their Own Desires, and a Faith in Which the Self Has Become an Idol
For today’s Christians, who serve a god of their own making—shaped by their own interpretations, molded according to their own desires, and confined within their own thoughts and judgments where the self is the subject and the center—God has become nothing more than a tool to fulfill what they want. The purpose of their faith is not a faith of love that follows the holy will of God, but rather to pursue their worldly and fleshly lusts and greed. Thus, Christianity’s faith, which cannot escape the evil habits and limitations of man who can only repeat sin, has become a snare that leads to hell. All the teachings and inspirations of Christians who interpret and explain the Word according to their own desires, teaching and learning by their own standards, are nothing but betrayal of the Word. They are voices that exalt themselves above the Word, messengers of arrogance. Such teachings and inspirations, which increasingly kill the conscience, do nothing but magnify human zeal within the limitation of endlessly repeating sin. Raising only their own voices and claims, they follow the path of the wicked, where arrogance itself becomes their god, falsehood becomes God’s Word, and obstinacy becomes their faith. They are fools who delight in the path that leads them to hell.
Yet when one follows the righteousness, justice, faithfulness, and equity of God—when one follows the law of God’s righteousness, relying on Him alone and entrusting oneself only to Him—then God’s power works. His power puts to death the evil habits, the evil nature, and all the evil members of man who can only repeat sin. By this, a mighty power of love works, bringing rebirth, change, transformation, and freedom from sin. Thus, true Christians who follow after the love of God are made into a people of goodness and righteousness, transformed within the love of Christ.
But Christians today live with the self as the subject and the self as the center, acting and living according to their own thoughts and desires. Only when something arises that they cannot resolve within their own limitations do they turn to God; but in most things, they live by their own standards, acting as they please. In other words, for them God is nothing more than a tool to obtain what they want.
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)(Ephesians 2 : 3~5)
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.(Eccelesiastes 11 : 9~10)
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.(Romans 8 : 13)
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.(Romans 8 : 5~7)
Today, all doctrines and sermons of Christianity are nothing but false teachers of the law who abuse the Law; they are deceit and vanity. They are a festival of sweet words, like cotton candy, through which Satan tempts—words that only pile up sin and will be cast into the fire of hell. These sermons, filled with worldly hopes that make it seem as though every problem will be solved at once, like dough swollen with leaven that merely puffs up the hearts of the believers, together with the gentle and seemingly warm comfort and consolation that promise security for the future, are snares, teachings, and inspirations that will all be thrown into the fire of hell.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.(Proverbs 26 : 24~28)
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.(1 John 4 : 1)
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.(2 Corinthians 11 : 13~15)
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.(Psalms 82 : 3~7)
Today, the way of Christians—teaching, learning, practicing, perceiving, and realizing by human intellect and reasoning in a man-centered, human-centered manner—is no different from the way of all religions of the world, all human studies, and all human teachings. It is not the way of God. The way of God is to obtain the truth of God as revealed in the Word of Scripture, to follow God’s way that is founded upon the content of the Word, and to pursue righteousness, justice, faithfulness, and equity according to the law of God. The truth of God is the wisdom of God revealed within the love of God.
Today, Christians are in a grave condition, not even realizing that they themselves have become idols.
The Only Way to Receive the Spirit of Truth—the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Gifts—which Brings Freedom from Sin
Love and truth never work in those who do not take up their own cross for the life of Christ, aiming at the hope of Christ and following after the love of Christ.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.(Matthew 10 : 38~39)
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.(1 John 3 : 3~4)
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:(Psalms 146 : 5)
The true Christian who lives with the hope of Christ as his goal, following after the love of God, is born again by receiving the power of God that keeps him from sin. The hope of Christ is the hope of salvation and eternal life.
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.(Romans 5 : 2~10)
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;….(Titus 1 : 1~3)
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;…To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:(Colossians 1 : 23~27)
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.(Romans 15 : 13)
…That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.(Titus 3 : 3~7)
It is only for those who follow the love of Christ, with the hope of Christ as their goal, that the power of God works—granting them the truth and wisdom of God that puts to death the evil habits which otherwise cause them to endlessly repeat sin. But Christians who spend their whole lives teaching only with words, learning only by hearing, and pursuing the things of the world and the flesh, all alike avoid the suffering and sacrifice of the cross’s love that requires even the giving of one’s life. Instead, they wish to receive salvation through words and theories that rationalize every corruption, heresy, and falsehood that comes from serving God together with the world and material gain.
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.(1 Timothy 4 : 10~16)
…Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever….(1 Peter 1 : 20~25)
The faith of Christians today is nothing more than their own zeal, learned and acquired through their own intellect and reasoning, relying on themselves. They call their own conviction, pride, and determination “faith.” Their claims, which rationalize and excuse their pursuit of worldly and fleshly blessings, happiness, success, and comfort, have been exalted above the Word, becoming their god. Their corruption, heresy, and falsehood—serving God together with the world and with material things—are filled with interpretations and explanations accompanied by every kind of distortion and lie, most of which are unimaginably evil, cruel, cunning, deceitful, false, and unreasonable, even contrary to common sense.
With the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, they promote only lessons and inspirations that keep them endlessly repeating sin throughout their lives. Having already turned themselves into the “Word,” absolutized, deified, and made into gods, they teach nothing but their own deceit, fraud, and vanity, which stand in opposition to the Word of Scripture.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.(2 Thessalonians 2 : 3~12)
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.(Jeremiah 23 : 30~32)
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.(Proverbs 26 : 24~25)
Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.(1 Timothy 2 : 15)
2. They are nurtured with good teaching, being led by the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of the Word, the Holy Spirit, the Anointing, and the Spirit of Love.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.(John 14 : 26~27)
…But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.(Galatians 1 : 6~12)
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.(2 Peter 1 : 19~21)
The Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit of God, is received not by the ways of man—through intellect, reasoning, understanding, or human learning, as the world gives—but by the spiritual way of God. To those who hold the hope of Christ, aiming at the love of Christ, God pours His love into that hope, and His shepherd leads them to obtain the power of God that puts to death the evil habits and members of sinful man who can do nothing but endlessly repeat sin.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.(Romans 5 : 3~5)
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.(Colossians 2 : 18~19)
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.(1 Timothy 4 : 6)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.(Ephesians 2 : 10)
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.(Ephesians 4 : 15~16)
…For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?(1 Corinthians 1 : 17~20)
I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.(Daniel 5 : 14)
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:(1 Peter 1 : 5~6)
3. The Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of the Word, the Holy Spirit, the Anointing, the Spirit of Love, is not the human way of education, learning, and teaching through intellect and reasoning, but the Spirit of God who comprehends all the deep mysteries of God, and who dwells in the true Christian who lives with the hope of Christ as his goal.
…But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.(1 Corinthians 2 : 4~14)
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.(1 John 2 : 27)
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counseller hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?(Isaiah 40 : 13~14)
The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned….(Isaiah 50 : 4~6)
Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.(Job 13 : 1)
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.(Proverbs 1 : 23)