Philippians 3:12

(Philippians 3:12)

『 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 』

The Apostle Paul read the Old Testament and mastered the Bible from a young age, and waited for the Messiah, but could not know whether Jesus was the Messiah. His inner life became a desire to kill those who believed in Jesus. It was because of the Bible he read. What he discovered was the law. He waited for the Messiah in the law. Observing the law and waiting for the Messiah, he killed the Messiah. The law did that. It was the crucifixion that led to death through the law. Many church people today say that I am free from the law and are following the law of the Holy Spirit, but all who have not repented are bound by the law before faith, as in Galatians 3:23.

Jesus had pity on Paul and revealed himself in Damascus.“Why are you persecuting me, Saul?” “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.”Those who are surrounded by the law must realize that even those who have mastered the Bible, such as Saul, are those who persecute Jesus. The Lord is with the suffering.

We can see that Jesus is with "people who may be caught in Saul and die because of Jesus." The Lord is still with those persecuted for Jesus today. Who are the persecutors? They are not people who have nothing to do with faith, but those who say that they self-confess that they believe in Jesus and are saved without repenting without dying.

Saul was surprised when he heard the voice of Jesus. It was shocking and blind. Saul was transformed into Paul and even saw the third heaven, as said in 2 Corinthians. However, he did not testify in detail. What he wants to know is that it is not such as the Damascus experience, the third trip to heaven.『 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 』 He wrote about the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. He recorded how he met the resurrection and the spiritual principles of the resurrection and the witnesses of the resurrection remaining on the earth. But he said everything on this earth would rot. What he pursued was "I die every day." It was not "I will live every day" with the Holy Spirit.

Many churches think of the cross as a necessary tool for baptism, and the cross as a tool for salvation. They depend on the cross to try to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. God gives the Holy Spirit to those who repent. The Lord 『And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 』

Be disciples, the truth sets us free. If you don't make a disciple, you only know it with your head, and it doesn't work. No matter how much you recite the truth, it doesn't work. When we experience the truth, it sets us free. It means "to know the truth and to experience it." On the cross, Jesus died for all mankind. It is not important to know it. Knowing the truth is experiencing it. You have to experience the cross. Then the cross becomes the truth and frees it. So you have to take your cross every day. It is a way to deny self. Paul said, "I imitate his death every day."

Baptism is associated with Jesus' death. Asking every day is to imitate his death. It is daily to carry one's cross. People seem to think that when they are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit, it ends everything. They think salvation is complete. So they are talking about the conviction of salvation. Paul said, ``If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 』 Did you mean that "I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" did not lead to resurrection? If salvation has begun, salvation must continue. In Philippians 2:12, 『Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 』

However, many churches today say that those who have just been out of the church have been saved if they confess their sins and say, "I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died on the cross to atone for his sins."And he says, "The Lord will be with you forever." They like to speak of confirmatory and immediate salvation.

They are forgiven of all sins, including past, present, and future sins, so they are not reluctant to sin in the world. So, they come to church and try to confess their sins and be forgiven every day. These people are those who have learned the truth and do not know the truth. To know is to know that Adam knows Eve. For them, the cross is nothing more than escape from sin. It means they are not the ones going into the cross. Salvation must die of sin, not forgiveness. Those who die for sin think about the root of sin. But those who seek forgiveness of sin look to the fruit of sin. Those who think of the root of sin realize that self is the cause of greed, but those who look to the fruit of sin think that it can be sanctified by removing it. So, those who look to the fruit of sin do not know the meaning of the cross and do not know the truth. He is not a disciple of Jesus because he does not know the truth, but a persecutor of Jesus.

Those who stand in the truth are those who are so scared that salvation is so scary and trembling. So, they are saved on that day. However, those who do not stand in the truth continue to repeat sinning, repenting, forgiving of sins, and having the assurance of salvation each time. Whenever I repent of my sins, I say "I am saved" in my heart. It's like hypnotizing yourself. They confess, "I believe that all my sins are forgiven, not my efforts, but only the blood of Jesus." They believe it is salvation to confess, "I believe in forgiveness of all sins of the past and present and future." However, that belief does not just arise. The old man must die with Jesus.

The faith I believe is that Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus came to die in the world to atone for human sin. However, this faith must meet with God-given faith. My one-sided faith does not work. We must meet the gift of faith that God acknowledges. There is a key in it that opens the door to which the self must die. This key is the rebirth of the water and the Holy Spirit. Water is the faith that my self dies from, and the Holy Spirit is the gift of faith from God.

 Two faiths must meet. This is the principle of baptism. Death on the cross with Jesus is the key to both faiths. However, many church people do not seem to have this key. What is the use of those who are sure they are saved by themselves? If you say, "Lord, Lord, on that day, the Lord does not know you." The assurance of salvation is not important, but it is important that the self dies every day and that "take the cross of your own." In this way, it is associated with the death of Jesus. When you cross, God gives you unity with Jesus' cross. This is a gift.