Last night, (01/29/2009), she heard a very shocking news: A brother who worked with her ten years ago had sex with a married woman, violating the seventh commandment.
She remembered one day in 1997 when she reminded him, “Watch out! Do not chat too deeply with that sister. She has been married, and she still talks about these subjects. This is not very appropriate. You should be very careful.” He smiled and answered confidently, “Impossible! She is much older than I am. We only chatted. Nothing will happen.” Well, after a few years, accident did occur.
No wonder, in 2006, when she was pursued and harassed by her boss and coworkers, God told her, “They were all very evil men.” Here, one of“them”refers to the brother who worked frequently with her. She was puzzled why was he among the evil men? Was he also a lustful person? Has he committed the mortal sin?
She double checked yesterday and confirmed the news indeed was true. The reason for him to fall was because the woman used the theories of the world to trick him to follow her. Surprisingly, he believed what she said and left the beloved Lord Jesus from his childhood...
During the first half of 1999, she called to encourage him, “You should apply for the theological school this year. Didn't you want to dedicate yourself to be a preacher?”He said, “I have not studied (a master's degree) enough. I want to dedicate myself after I have had a doctorate degree.”They argued for a while. He won. So, he insisted to dedicate himself after receiving his Ph D.
All these incidents were as if just happened yesterday. All the encouragements.... It was so shocking that a brother who determined to dedicate himself to be a preacher since his childhood and studied for this determination finally felt in a sexual related sin . How painful it must have been to her heart! Her' tears drop one by one....
Brothers and sisters of the True Jesus Church: Please be very careful about relation between sexes. Besides ones own spouse, one should be very careful not to chat too deeply with any member of opposite sex. Regardless he/she is married or unmarried, believer or unbeliever, a distance should always be kept! Many failures started with chatting. Even if another party is a church member and the reason for talking is to perform sacred work. We should always use caution! Didn't many of those who committed sexual sins started by chatting and then went all the way later to indulge lust of fresh and forsook God?
One member was revealed by God during prayer, “Men often think it is okay to walk close to sin. Only when they actually commit sins, do they realize everything has been too late!”These people walked closer to temptation one step at a time until they were all devoured by Satan. Then, they wept very bitterly, but it was too late! Repentance and becoming a new man again will be impossible (Hebrew 6: 4~8). Those who think he/she can stand firmly should be all the more careful so that he/she will not fall (1 Corinthians 10: 12).
For those who have married -- Do not be greedy. One husband (wife) is enough. We should use the truth of God and rely on the power of Holy Spirit to pray with our spouse, so that we will be able to help each other to run on the road toward the Heavenly Kingdom. Our eyes should not stare at other members of opposite sex and our hearts should not think that we will gain lusty love from him/her. “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”(Ecclesiastes 4: 6) If we are not content with love within marriage and to hope for excitements from our lusty pleasures, we will finally be chasing after the wind. Not only we won't be able to receive blessings from God, but we will be waiting for eternal punishments of having to suffer in fiery lake of the Hell as well.
For those who are still single – When church members are trying to introduce us brothers or sisters to us, do not use worldly standards and be very picky. You will be missing the period for marriage. This way we will need to risk ourselves in the world of emotional storms. When you are single, you are weaker and will fall very easily under Satan's attack. We are all Lord Jesus' children and we need to see to it that we marry those who have been baptized into the True Jesus Church and that we are to be kept in the bosom of God. We only need to look for our spouse among those who are sinless, faithful, filled with the Holy Spirit, those who seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, and those who are belonging to God. Only matching with a person with these qualifications can we have a marriage pleasing to God. If you place your marriage in the hands of God, God will bless you greatly. He will take care of those who love him and obey His words. Your marriage will glorify God's name and He will abide with you and become the Lord of your household until the end of the world, when He will receive you into His Heavenly Kingdom.
”Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”(Hebrew 13: 4). Therefore, we need to wait for God's arrangement in our prayers. We should not chose our spouse carelessly and lose the chance to be married in the house of God and be blessed by God. We all need to“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”(1 Corinthians 16: 13)
(Continued on next issue.)
Spiritual Food to Share
Salvation is the most important thing of our lives. Please read Mathew chapter 16 verse 26. Here the Lord Jesus said, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
The life mentioned here refers to the everlasting life. In other words, this passage is to say that what will we gain nothing without everlasting life – to be saved and enter the Heavenly Kingdom. How important it is to be saved!
Therefore, members in times of Apostolic church rather died for the truth. Life is the most precious thing one can ever own, but they were willing to give up their life to gain salvation.
The fleshly life can last many decades and can also last only several hours. We have no idea how many more hours will we still live. Are we able to live 5 more hours? No one knows.
Even it is so, we are regarding our live more precious than all the properties of the world....
Going to Heavenly Kingdom is like climbing stairs: One step at a time. We can never jump all the way to the top.
We ought to believe that Jesus is the Savior. We need to repent and believe in Him, baptized and wash away our sins, and receive the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, one needs to become anew by the Holy Spirit – a basic foundation for salvation. The requirements are very clear.
Therefore, We can not pause at any point but move forward always. Move forward!
Sisters and brothers who have been baptized according to the Bible and received promised Holy Spirit should all rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to act out good deeds of a new person.
May the Lord bless us.
Please click and listen to this audio sermon file: Elder J Yang -- Apostle Paul (3) - Paul's Discussion on Salvation.