God is one (8)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

We are now having the 8th meditation based on the title “God is one”. By this meditation I would like to fold up this topic. The last meditation is an explanation about the fact that ‘God is one’ is the very God who declared ‘I am that I am’ which is found in the account Moses. (Exo. 3:14)

Everything in this world cannot exist by itself. We all are born depending on our parents and even now we are living mainly depending on certain food material. If we are not provided oxygen for ten minutes, our life will be ended. It is not only the human beings but the entire nature also has the same destiny. The existence of the earth depends on the son the bigger nebula.

Basically, in quality, God is totally different from all other things. He exists by himself. The word exists by itself means that the ground of existence is not from without but from within. The ground of existence of all living creatures is from outside force. The creatures cannot directly share the experience of life with the creator whose ground of existence is from within. By any means, we cannot recognize him completely. He alone can say about himself. We have to shut up our mouth before him who says “I am that I am”. He is the very God.

Such being can be only ‘one’. ‘One’ means the whole. He will reveal his complete self on the last day. This is the meaning of the concept of ‘one’. The one God loved the world and gave his son. The son is the very Jesus Christ. The only way for us to experience direct relationship with God is to meet Jesus Christ personally. The fact that Jesus is the real image of the humbled God (Kenosis) is still the shrouded mystery of God’s existence.

God is one (7)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

I have an additional account to be added to the topic of judgment that I discussed yesterday. In fact, this additional account is fundamental and factual rather than a mere supplement. The conventional belief is that God’s judgment starts with the beginning of the end of time. But in reality, judgment has already begun long time ago. The judgment of God has been manifested in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is rather the judgment of God. This is the central point of distinction which clearly distinguishes Christianity from Judaism. Thus the doctrine of resurrection plays an important role in the lives of Christians.

Why does Jesus’ resurrection have the precedence over the judgment? I need to explain the fundamental concept of resurrection. Resurrection is the completion of life. Life is the ultimate outcome of God’s creation and his creative power is beyond our understanding and imagination and therefore we can neither produce nor improve his creation. The impact and the value of Jesus Christ’s resurrection are so great that now all human efforts to achieve personal heights become meaningless. This is the grace of God.

Deeply think about these paragraphs. The ultimate goal of human’s effort to achieve personal greatness is resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus. The Jewish religious power and political power of Roman could not accept Jesus for they thought that Jesus was an obstacle to their way of religious and political achievement. In this way, they judged to get life. However, we cannot get life in this manner. God raised Jesus from the dead. It was an incident that human trial to achieve self completely turned out to be an attempt ended in a state of futility and helplessness.

God’s judgment is in the completion of life. It had already happened in the time of Jesus two thousand years ago. Presently, we are tentatively living in the gap between Jesus’ resurrection and the life that follows the end of time. The one who leads the entire history is the one God the Creator. The reason why Jesus’ resurrection is the completion of life can be proved by the historical facts. Amen.

God is one (6)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

Some insist that Jesus has clearly pointed out the imminence of the judgment by fire in hell. In Luke 16:19-31 speak about the parable of Lazarus, a beggar and a rich man. The beggar Lazarus was received by the angels and embraced by Abraham after his death, while the rich man was thrown into the lake of fire.

A pastor named Yoon frequently quotes this particular verse. In his preaching, the pastor even adds what the Bible does not mention by adding that the beggar Lazarus was sincere to God while he was on earth and as a result of his sincerity and faithfulness to God he was warmly embraced by Abraham. The Bible mentions about the beggar Lazarus’ suffering in this world and there is no mention of his sincerity to God. The Bible never mentions about the rich man’s belief.

The parable of the beggar Lazarus was not a teaching about the existence and nonexistence of hell. It only declares the fact that God’s judgment is totally different from our expectations. The parable about the last judgment recorded in Matthew’s gospel also talks about the same thing. Those who thought that they have not done anything good for the Lord are unexpectedly placed on the right hand side for salvation while those who thought that they have done many good things for the Lord are surprisingly placed on the left hand side for judgment. This ultimate result shows us that we can deceive man but not God. This also signifies the feebleness of human cognition before the God’s absolute character.

Now, I cannot deny the certainty of God’s imminent judgment. If there is no judgment, there is no life either. Judgment is meant for the removal of the power that destroys life. By removing and separating the chaff which is pseudo-life and anti-life from the grain at harvest, the activity of God’s creation will be fully accomplished. However, insisting on God’s judgment as the punishment for the people outside the church would rather transmute its true meaning.

God is one(5)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

Some of you may feel uncomfortable to hear the word ‘Universalism’. I can understand such feeling. It is a serious matter not merely because of the pervading feeling but because it is closely related to the matter of our souls. Evidently, the salvation through Jesus Christ has its exclusive character. We cannot deny this fact.

The important point related to this fact is God’s judgment. The topic of judgment is found mentioned in Jesus’ parable about the kingdom of God. Chaff is burnt on the day of harvest. The virgins who did not prepare their oil in advance could not enter into the banquet and they were left outside the banquet weeping. Jesus’ second coming indicates the final judgment. Then do the terms universalism and judgment contradict each other?

The two doctrines appear to be contradictory to each other when we look at it in a single layer. But they do not seem to oppose with each other when we look into its central part and see it through the multi-layers of it. The combined study of these two doctrines clearly shows us a certain truth just like the right way is directed with the pointing of the forefinger. It appears to be a doctrine of contradiction because we do not have the cognitive ability to clearly see the pointed direction. If we open our sight a little wider and see the reality, we can come to know the fact that the direction of the finger of universalism and judgment is finally identical to each other. In other word, the doctrine of universalism and judgment are no longer contradictory but complementary to each other.

First, imagine, why the Bible talks about judgment though judgment damages God’s creation and his grace. This appears to be a negative view point in relation to God’s absolute character. God’s creation and his subsequent sovereign rule are beautiful and perfect. However, this world is ruled by evil and sin. This world is now in the transitional age. At the end of time when the activity of creation is completed, the countries with absolute truth and righteousness will come to surface. The only way to deal with the gap of the two extreme worlds is judgment. We have to regard the image of judgment as something that brings about the completeness of the kingdom of God rather than that throws certain objects into the eternal lake of fire in hell.

God is one (4)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

After reading the previous meditations, some of you may think and question “do you mean I don’t need to believe Jesus now?” If they can be saved whether they believe Jesus or not, or whether, they do good things or evil things, they may think that they do not need to believe Jesus right now with much hardship. Such question and concept of a man are quite far from the real Christian belief.

It is a wrong concept to hold the view that believing Jesus is a hardship. To believe Jesus is not a hardship but a joyful thing. It is not a matter of heavy burden but it is something that is light and easy to carry. Jesus once told his disciples, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The law is really a heavy burden. But the gospel gives freedom and emancipation to listeners just as a poet or an artist derives joy from their creative and imaginative activities. If someone feels burden with his religious life, there goes something wrong with him.

Do you find it hard not to tell a lie, not to drink, attend early morning prayers, to give offering and attend the church despite family’s objection for believing in Jesus? Belief in Jesus does not have any relationship with those things that we cannot do. Sorry to say that those Korean Christians who still find it difficult to do most of the things that Christians aught to do with ease are far from the essence of Christian faith.

The essence of faith is to know and accept the salvation of God that has been completed through Jesus Christ. This is really wonderful and joyful news. From here only we can get real peace and complete rest. It is so, because, it cannot be obtained by our own effort but it is a gift from God. Those who have received this gift enjoy the joy of it and pray for all the people in the world that the salvation of God may be with them too. May God grant them the same mercy that God has given us!

God is one (3)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

The earlier two meditations might have been delivered to you with the nuance that, possibility of salvation is opened even to the people outside of the church. It is right. There are two reasons for this. First, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the universal power of salvation. Second, the power of God’s creation is able to overcome the evils of men. Having these reasons in hand, now it is time to give the third reason.

The Holy Spirit, a person of the Trinity, is the spirit of life. The Spirit is the spirit of creation, the spirit of resurrection and the spirit of everlasting. The spirit creates life not only in the church community but also in the entire world. Christianity alone cannot completely monopolize the life. In other word, Christianity cannot monopolize the Holy Spirit.

According to the teachings of John’s gospel, the Holy Spirit is just like the wind which we do not know where it comes from and where it goes. To be free like the wind has some personal implications. He creates life in the world in his own way and at his own discretion. Christians believe the spirit of life as the one God. Therefore, we should not put a limitation on the activity of the spirit by confining his activity within the walls of Christianity.

I hope you do not misunderstand what I mean. I do not mean that all the religious activities in the world are the acts of the Holy Spirit. Many of them are controlled and occupied by the evil spirit. Idol worship is an act of being manipulated by the evil spirit. An act of incantation and spell of charms is also the work of evil spirit at the cost of damaging man’s spirit.

Furthermore, we must understand the fact that complete submission of ourselves as an empty vessel for the work of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we fall into a religious autism. There is a big difference between a state of belief that firmly holds on one’s wholehearted resolute belief and that easily falls into a religious autism.

The Holy Spirit who works beyond our thoughts and imagination is the Spirit of life. The Spirit fills the entire universe. O Come, Holy Spirit!

God is one (2)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

I told you from yesterday’s meditation that the power of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ can be divided into two levels, namely, positive level and passive level. This is a dialectic relationship of tension rather than a division. Christians experience the joy of salvation in the positive level and at the same time we should also open it in the passive level. Those who truly experience the positive level of salvation naturally accept the passive level of salvation. The reason lies on the fact that God is one and the only creator.

According to Physicist’s explanation, the entire universe including the solar system to which the earth belongs began from a certain point. It is believed that at one point of time there occurred a “Big Bang” (great explosion) in the past. This is the bone of contention between the scientific explanation about the beginning of the universe and the Biblical explanation about the creation. The Bible says God created the universe out of nothing. This nothingness could be referred to the particular point which physicists contend.

God of the Bible we believe is the one who created the heavens and the earth. The creator has the responsibility for his creation activity. Undeniably, the beauty of God’s creation is greatly damaged as a result of human’s sin but even this is also God’s ultimate responsibility. This is God’s mercy. For example, it was the younger son’s responsibility when he left his father’s house as depicted in the parable of the prodigal son. However, the father felt the deep sense of responsibility even for this grievous separation. The father risked his entire destiny for his son’s return. By the mercy of the father, the younger son was saved.

We should not lose the fact that the one God we believe is the creator. With the creation of the heavens and the earth in the beginning, God’s creative activity has not yet come to an end, but is still continuing and will be continued till the end of time. Does not God plan to save the entire human beings who had lived, who are living and who will be living?

God is one (1)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)

The scribe was repeating the same statement, “God is one” which Jesus earlier mentioned. Who is the one God? The God is the very God that the Bible talks about. Then who is the object whom other religions follow as the absolute one? In fact, there is no such object. Worshipping something that does not exist is idol worship.

Christians know the answer of the above question. However, we have to think a little more seriously about this world, history and the destiny of human beings. As believers of God, the creator of the universe, it is not a proper attitude if we insist to monopolize God by considering that people outside of the Bible community are hopeless. The God whom the people outside of the Bible community follow may also be a part of God the one. If we premise that having experience with their God is life-oriented, it is also hard to say that there is no life in them.

I do not mean that Christian belief can be compromised with pluralism or relativism. I would rather mean that we should not keep a limitation on the unlimited power of God we trust and follow. Keeping the same analogy in mind, the power of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ works as a great source of power for salvation not only for those who believe in him but for the entire universe as well.

We should not lose Jesus’ cross and his resurrection, the center of Christian belief, both in positive and passive level. In positive level, the incident of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the power of God to save especially those who believe in him. In the passive level, it is the power of God to work even with the unbelievers beyond our imagination.