The Commandment that Leads to Life (2)

[Romans 7:8-13]

Look at Romans 7:10: “The commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.” Here, "the commandment" refers to the commandment given by God that leads to life. If we keep this commandment, we can live (for example, if we keep it for 10 years, we can live for 10 years; if we keep it for 100 years, we can live for 100 years; if we keep it for 1,000 years, we can live for 1,000 years). If we live according to this commandment, we will be blessed. The first commandment that God gave to Adam, the representative of humanity, is recorded in Genesis 2:16-17: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” If Adam had not eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would have lived. However, if he did not keep that commandment, he would surely die. If we live according to the commandment, we will be blessed, we will not die, and our life will continue (we can live).

The apostle Paul says, “The commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death” (Romans 7:10). How did “the commandment... bring death”? Look at Romans 7:11: “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” Satan (“sin”) took an opportunity (found a loophole) to deceive through the commandment. Because of the deception, Adam sinned, and as a result, he died. Satan attacked Adam, causing him to fall into sin and trying to kill him. That's why he looked for an opportunity.

Adam, loving the woman God gave him, surely taught her well about God's commandment. And together, they decided to live according to God's commandment, without sinning. However, Satan entered the serpent and approached Eve. He tempted her. In Genesis 3:1-3, we see the conversation between the serpent and the woman. Eve gave the serpent an opportunity (Genesis 3:1-3). As a result, Eve fell for the serpent's temptation and did not keep God's commandment (Genesis 3:4-5). As a result, she faced the punishment for her sin (Genesis 3:7). Satan uses temptation to lead people into sin and then makes them his servants.

Satan uses false Christs and false prophets as instruments to deceive, if possible, even the children of God, those whom God has chosen (Matthew 24:24). We must not fall into this deception but instead, we must hold on to God's word and overcome the temptation by His word.

In Revelation chapters 2-3, the seven churches of Asia (modern-day Turkey) are mentioned. In the Bible, in addition to these seven churches, there are churches mentioned in Paul's letters, such as the churches in Galatia, Colossae, Philippi, and others. Many more churches existed later, but the reason the apostle John, the author of Revelation, mentions these seven churches is that they were representative of all the churches of that time. Our church should become like the church in Philadelphia. The church of Philadelphia was a church that was greatly blessed and had an “open door” (Revelation 3:8). Scholars often interpret this "open door" as a door for evangelism and missions. Moreover, the church in Philadelphia was the only church that received only praise from the Lord. Even though they had little strength, that church kept the Lord's word and did not deny His name (Revelation 3:8). The Lord said to the church in Philadelphia: “Behold, I will make them know that I have loved you” [(Contemporary Bible) “I will make them know that I love you”] (Revelation 3:9). Because the church in Philadelphia kept the word of the Lord’s patience, the Lord promised that He would protect them and deliver them from the time of trial (Revelation 3:10). That church had already received its reward on earth [(Revelation 3:11) “your crown”].

May we all become like the saints of the church in Philadelphia. I pray that we all become a church that receives much praise from the Lord.