Do Not be Shaken by the Hope of the Gospel! (1)
[Colossians 1:15-23]
What is the "hope of the kingdom of heaven" that all of us who believe in Jesus have (Col.1:5, Modern Korean Bible)? In the case of the saints in the Thessalonian church, they were eagerly awaiting the day when Jesus, who had risen from the dead, would come again from heaven (1 Thess. 1:10). More specifically, their hope was that when the Lord descends from heaven with a cry, the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet sound of God, those who have died believing in Christ will be resurrected first. Afterward, those who are still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and be with Him forever (4:16-17). The Thessalonian saints patiently endured with this hope (1:3). We also need to patiently endure with the hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. To endure, we must stand firm with a steadfast heart (Jam. 5:8). To do this, we must accept the word of God with joy, even in the midst of much suffering by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:6). When we hear the word of God, we should not accept it as human words but as God's word (2:13). When we do so, that word will strengthen us (3:2). The word will work powerfully within us who believe (2:13; see also Jn. 14:14). Then, we will stand firm in the Lord (Jam. 5:8). In doing so, we will not be shaken even in various tribulations (1 Thess. 3:3). Our Father God and our Lord Jesus will make our hearts steadfast (v. 13). In doing so, we can endure for a long time. We can endure until the Lord comes (Jam. 5:7). We can wait patiently until the Lord comes again.
In today's passage, Colossians 1:23, the Apostle Paul said to the faithful saints of the Colossian church: "if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister." I would like to meditate on this message under the title "Do Not be Shaken by the Hope of the Gospel," divided into three parts, seeking to receive the guidance given.
First, we must abide in faith and stand firm on the foundation.
Look at Colossians 1:23 - "if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast...." What do you think is the difference between faith and disbelief? In my opinion, faith is based on the factual (Fact) Word of God, while disbelief is based on feelings (Feeling) that are not grounded in the Word of God. If we are living by faith, trusting in the factual Word of God, we will stand firm in faith and not be shaken by any adversity or difficulty. Regardless of the challenges we may face, we will continue to exert our strength in the Lord's work as usual (1 Cor. 15:58). However, if we do not live by faith, standing firmly on the Word of God, but instead live according to what our physical eyes see and what our feelings dictate, we will find ourselves struggling in difficult situations. We may waver, become anxious, fearful, and preoccupied with worries, failing to faithfully carry out the Lord's work. In such times, we are likely to use phrases like 'From what I see/think/feel...' However, the Bible teaches us that we should not live according to what we see (think, feel) but rather live by faith (2 Cor. 5:7).
Jason Allen, in the book "Five Principles of the Reformation," under the title "By Grace Alone!" talks about faith as follows: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). A great example is Abraham, the father of faith. Abraham received God's promise when he was 75 years old (Gen. 12:4). The promise was that God would make him into a great nation (v. 2). However, when Abraham was 85 years old [ten years after entering the land of Canaan and after Sarai, unable to bear children, suggested that Abraham have a child through her maidservant Hagar, an Egyptian (16:3)], he fathered Ishmael with Hagar (v. 16). This happened because Abraham did not fully believe in God and His promise, and he was swayed by Sarah's words. Then, at the age of 99 (17:1) (when Sarah was 89), God promised to bless Sarah and give her a son through whom the promise would be fulfilled (vv. 16, 19). God also said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah, your wife, shall have a son" (18:10, Modern Korean Bible). However, Sarah, hearing this at the tent entrance, laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?" (vv. 10-12, Modern Korean Bible). This happened because Sarah, lacking full belief in God and relying on her own understanding (knowledge) (Prov. 3:5), thought it was impossible for her to have a child, contrary to God's word. At that time, God said, "Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son" (Gen. 18:14, Modern Korean Bible). Romans 4:18 (Modern Bible) says, "In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, 'So shall your offspring be.'" Abraham's faith was hoping against hope, believing in something that seemed impossible. From a human perspective, considering their old age and Sarah's inability to bear children (Gen. 17:11), it was impossible for them to have a child. Yet, Abraham hoped against hope. This was because the Almighty God enabled Abraham to hope against hope. As a result, Abraham, even when he was a hundred years old, with a body as good as dead, and Sarah, well past the age of childbearing, did not weaken in faith. He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God (Rom. 4:19-21). We, too, should have such faith, assurance, and conviction.
Once, I received an invitation from a friend pastor to attend a pastor seminar at the church where he served. A speaker from Korea, who had conducted research in the Korean religious community, shared his diagnosis of three issues facing Korean churches. While his perspective may not be universally agreed upon, I found his points intriguing:
- Syncretism of Beliefs:
The speaker suggested that the faith of Korean churchgoers is not purely Christian but is mixed with elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, and other influences.
- Double Lives:
He pointed out that Korean churchgoers tend to lead dual lives, with a distinction between their church life and their life outside the church.
- Lack of Gospel Proclamation:
The speaker claimed that the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and God's truth are not being proclaimed effectively from the pulpit in Korean churches.
Considering this diagnosis, I couldn't help but reflect on Amos 8:11: "’Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.’" The famine we face as Christians today is not hunger or thirst for physical sustenance but a spiritual famine where we are deprived of hearing God's word. Sermons from the pulpit often cater to itching ears rather than faithfully proclaiming God's truth, leading to a lack of sound doctrine and exposure to false teachings (2 Tim. 4:3).
Last Sunday, we learned the reason why the faithful saints of the Colossian church, who believed in Jesus Christ well (Col. 1:4), desired to stand firm in their faith (v. 23). The reason was the threat of heretical doctrines that were infiltrating the Colossian church at that time (MacArthur). We identified three heretical teachings: (1) Denial of Jesus Christ's bodily incarnation and salvation through His redemptive work (2:8). (2) Legalistic Judaism, emphasizing circumcision, dietary regulations, and adherence to special festivals as necessary for salvation (v. 16). (3) Mystical worship of angels, considering the worship of angels as humility (v. 18). Reflecting on these issues, 1 John 4:1-3 comes to mind: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this, you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world." The Bible warns us that in the last days, many false prophets, deceivers, and antichrists will arise (vv. 18, 26). They deny the truth about Jesus Christ and God the Father (v. 22). Therefore, John urges believers not to believe every spirit but to discern whether the spirits are from God (4:1). In essence, John advises, "Do not automatically believe those who claim to have the Spirit. Instead, test and verify if the spirit they claim aligns with the truth of God" (v.1, Modern Bible). John gives this advice to address the serious crisis faced by the church, including the influence of various heresies and Gnostic ideas, and to establish the church on the foundation of truth.