| 제 목 : Weekly Word: The Gospel Message Reaching the World Every Day (104th Edition) | 조회수 : 9 |
| 작성자 : Barnabas | 작성일 : 2026-02-21 |
Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Through the writings of Isaiah and the entire Bible, Philip explained to the eunuch that Jesus is the only Savior. Philip made him realize that the Creator God, who existed as the Spirit and the Word, came into the world in the flesh and died on the cross for the sins of mankind.
The eunuch heard Philip's words and understood the Scriptures. He realized that Jesus is the only God and Savior. He said to Philip, "Now, what hindrance remains for me to be baptized?" Anyone who confesses Jesus as Savior and repents can receive baptism. So Philip gave him water baptism and left him.
Giving only water baptism to those who do not yet know or believe in Jesus is meaningless. Giving water baptism to someone who only attends church because of family or friends is meaningless. Giving water baptism to someone who does not yet realize that Jesus is the only Savior is not an urgent matter.
A person is not saved just because they receive water baptism and eat the bread and wine of the Holy Supper without any faith.
The one who believes that God came into the world as Jesus and died on the cross, and who repents of their sins, is the one who is forgiven and saved.
Therefore, what is more urgent and important than receiving water baptism is truly believing in Jesus as Savior, repenting of sins, and obeying the Lord's words. It is only fitting before the Lord when a person who has realized their sin and repented receives water baptism.
(Mark 16:16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
When one firmly believes in Jesus as Savior, repents, and is baptized, their salvation is achieved. For one who does not believe in Jesus in their heart to merely receive water baptism is formalistic faith and a faith that is not saved.
(Romans 10:10) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
True faith is believing in Jesus with the heart and confessing that faith with the mouth. If the heart does not yet believe in Jesus, it is meaningless to merely confess with the mouth that one believes in Jesus. All Christians must live a life of obedience and repentance until they leave this world. This is because such a life of faith is the faith that confesses Jesus as Savior until the end and enters the kingdom of heaven. Even if one has believed in Jesus well for decades, if they are seized by human greed at the last moment and lose the life of repentance, they cannot become people of the kingdom of heaven. Always remember the words of Jesus: "The one who stands firm to the end will be saved."
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Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
When Apostle Paul did not know Jesus, he extremely persecuted the church and the saints. He was a religious person who believed in God habitually according to the traditions of the Jews. He had not experienced the living God and had not understood God's Word. Therefore, he hated and extremely persecuted the Christians who believed in Jesus, repented, and received the Holy Spirit.
Captured by human doctrines, he treated Christians who believed in Jesus, repented, and received the Holy Spirit as heretics. Therefore, in order to be loyal to the Jewish religion without God, he persecuted and imprisoned Christians wherever he met them because he was living as a servant of Satan.
His hostility toward Christians remained unresolved. So, he went to the high priest to obtain arrest warrants to capture Christians who had fled abroad and hurried toward Damascus. When his group came near their destination, Jesus suddenly appeared to him and said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Saul had worked so hard to be loyal to God, but instead, it was persecuting Jesus Christ, who is God.
At that time, Saul realized that Jesus is God and changed his name from Saul to Paul. From then on, he lived only for Jesus. Today, among Christians, there are many who discard the words of the Bible and believe in human doctrines. These Christians live like Saul before he met Jesus.
Such church members are not actually children of God; they are those who oppose God. These pastors and members claim that salvation once received is eternal salvation, and that once chosen as a child of God, one unconditionally goes to heaven. Therefore, these Christians neither obey the Lord's words nor repent of their sins because they think that God's salvation can never be canceled.
Those who believe in human doctrines today claim that the work of the Holy Spirit ended during the time of the early church. Thus, they instead treat Christians filled with the Holy Spirit as heretics.
However, only those who belong to Jesus Christ go to heaven. The Spirit of Jesus is the Holy Spirit. Only those who receive the Holy Spirit and achieve complete repentance become people of heaven. Church members who disobey Jesus' words and do not repent remain as children of the devil. All Christians must receive the Spirit of Jesus through thorough repentance to be saved. For anyone who does not have the Spirit of Jesus does not belong to Jesus.
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
One must discard all human doctrines, believe in the words of Jesus, repent, and obey to go to heaven. Human doctrines are false truths and are tools of Satan that corrupt and destroy God's people.
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He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
In the Old Testament period, because only the Jews were God's chosen people, Jews did not associate with Gentiles. It was forbidden by law for a Jew to fellowship with a Gentile. However, God took on human flesh and came down to the world to die on the cross to save all of humanity. From then on, the way of salvation without discrimination was opened wide for all mankind. Jesus is the Creator God Himself in the flesh. Therefore, because Jesus' blood has infinite power of forgiveness, anyone who believes in Jesus will be saved.
Colossians 1:15-18 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
God, who created all mankind and all things, took on human flesh and died on the cross, shedding the blood of atonement. From this time on, not only Jews but also Gentiles, anyone who believes in Jesus and repents will be saved. Therefore, God commanded Peter not to say "unclean" to anyone. Even Gentiles are made clean by the blood of Jesus if only they repent. Therefore, a human being must not condemn another human being.
For those who do not repent until the end, God judges them immediately after they die and throws them into the fire of hell. Until then, no one should condemn another person. Because of the grace of Jesus, all those living in the world always have the opportunity to repent. Everyone must not miss the opportunity to believe in Jesus and repent while they are alive in the world; if they miss this, they will go to hell. Realizing and repenting after going to hell is too late; it becomes an irreversible situation.
Acts 11:18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
When Peter first preached the gospel of life to the Gentiles according to God's will, even his coworkers opposed it. At that time, Peter explained in detail the process by which God had led him. Then, upon hearing this, they realized God's infinite plan of salvation.
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Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
Saul, who had mercilessly persecuted the church, met Jesus and changed into one who testifies to the gospel of Jesus from then on. Because of this, all the churches were strengthened and became peaceful. The saints lived their lives of faith fearing the Lord and within the comfort of the Holy Spirit. There is a reason why God allowed such suffering to the church members before Apostle Paul met Jesus. Through that suffering, church members realize that God is alive and learn obedience.
Suffering is training to believe in Jesus and fear God. Fearing God means repenting of sin and obeying the Lord's words. Forgiving the faults of neighbors, yielding to one another, and achieving harmony is true faith. Anyone experiences a slight change in life when they first meet Jesus. However, it is not a complete change. The heart that prioritizes worldly things more and loves worldly pleasure and honor more remains. This is the bitter root of sin. However, when trials and suffering approach, the roots of pride and sin disappear.
The early church saints learned to fear God while passing through many trials and sufferings. In doing so, God's peace and the comfort of the Holy Spirit came upon them abundantly. At that time, Peter vigorously preached the gospel everywhere. When Peter prayed under the Lord's instruction, a paralytic was healed. That was not Peter's own power; it was the Lord's power. To add faith for going to heaven to the people who were learning to repent and obey, the Lord healed that paralytic as an example.
God sometimes gives diseases to Christians and also heals them with a clear purpose. Suffering and illness are tools of discipline that make us repent of our sins and obey. Peter did not heal the paralytic by human will, but acted according to the Lord's command. When the paralytic accepted the words of life given through Peter, the Lord released him from the disease. One must not put gifts, power, and prophecy before the Word of God. It might be possible once or twice at first, but it does not continue. All problems are solved when one returns to the faith of obeying the Lord's words.
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Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right."
Cornelius was a Gentile, but he was one who prayed to the Lord. One day an angel suddenly appeared to him and said, "Cornelius! God has heard your prayer and seen your charity. Quickly send people to Joppa and invite Peter, who is staying there, to come to your house. Listen to the words of life from him." At the same time, an angel appeared to Peter and said, "Peter, the one who is inviting you has come to the gate of this house. Do not doubt, but follow him. Go there and preach the words of life." This is the work of the Almighty God.
The New Testament era is the era in which all Gentiles are saved. Jesus died on the cross for all mankind. Because of this, anyone is saved through faith. Everyone must be saved through a living faith. Living faith means realizing that God came as Jesus and practicing Jesus' love. Living faith is forgiving the faults of neighbors, being virtuous, and living kindly to achieve harmony. However, every human being is lacking, so one must always repent for the parts that fall short of the Lord's words; this is living faith.
Because Cornelius lived according to the Lord's will, the Lord remembered him and made his faith more perfect. Jesus sent Peter to him to let him hear the words of life and made him filled with the Holy Spirit to live a life of even more obedience. This is living faith. A dead faith cannot go to heaven. At that time, the scribes and Pharisees were those who memorized the Scriptures in their entirety. However, they disobeyed Jesus' words and did not practice the Lord's love. The Holy Spirit does not come to Christians who have such a formalistic faith. One who has not received the Holy Spirit cannot be saved.
The purpose of remembering the Scriptures is to practice the Lord's love. However, many Christians do not practice the Lord's love, so most church members live with dead faith and go to hell. Through what Jesus did for Cornelius, we must clearly realize the Lord's will. The Lord wants us to practice His love. A faith that does not practice the Lord's love is dead, and no one can go to heaven through a dead faith. All human doctrines do not teach repentance and obedience; these are made by Satan and deceive countless saints, preventing them from achieving repentance and obedience.
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He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who were listening to the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.
What is the gospel that the Lord's disciples and all the prophets proclaimed? It is that Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Judge. Why is Jesus alone the Savior and Judge? It is because Jesus is God who came into the world in human flesh.
The Creator God created mankind and established the law that humans must keep. God decreed from the beginning that those who keep His law shall live, and those who do not keep it shall die. The Lord desired all people to keep His law of love and live. But humanity chose to break God's law and walk the path of death. God had compassion on humanity, who were perishing.
So God came down to earth in human flesh and died on the cross to forgive humanity's sins. Through the grace of Jesus' redemptive death on the cross, anyone who repents will be saved. This is God's provision so that not a single human being perishes because of sin. Yet there are far too many in the world who reject this path of salvation. Even among Christians, many do not believe this with certainty. The Lord will judge those who do not repent until the very end.
Jesus sacrificed His life to prepare the way of salvation for humanity. But those who reject and disregard the way of salvation will never be saved. Those who commit sin and do not repent will face the severe judgment of the law and perish. Jesus alone is the One who saves and judges mankind. Jesus' essence is God Himself.
Philippians 2:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage...
Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
All humans are sinners, and without believing in Jesus, all will perish because of sin. No human can save another human. The authority to save and judge all people belongs solely to Jesus. Jesus is God Himself, who took on human flesh. Every doctrine made by humans opposes the truth of the Bible; this belongs to Satan and hinders human salvation.
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