Message of this new life.
A. A Confucius philosophy.
To have peace on earth, we must first have order in the nation.
To have order in the nation, we must first have harmony in the home.
To have harmony in the home, we must first have righteousness in the heart.
When there is righteousness in the heart, there is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there is peace on earth.
Later the philosophy was modified and was written this way:
In order to have righteousness in the heart, one must first have a clean heart and a right spirit within!
This philosophy existed for the last 2600 some years.
We know there is no peace on earth!
The philosophy did not do the job it was designed to do!
B. About 2700 some years ago prophet Jeremiah said in Jer.17:9.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
From Palms 51:10 à Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.
Only God can help us to have a clean heart and a right spirit within!
Therefore, the philosophy is to be written this way!
We must first ask God to create in us a clean heart and give us a right spirit,
then we will have righteousness in our hearts.
After we have righteousness in the heart, we will have harmony in the home.
After we have harmony in the home, we will have order in the nation.
After we have order in the nation, we will have peace on earth!
C. How does God create a clean heart and give us a right spirit?
2 Cor.5:17à Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
It is by us get rid of our old self and get into Christ!
Ro.6:3-4 tell us how this is done!
Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
It is clear, God wants people to get into Christ by being buried with Christ
and raised from the dead with Christ in baptism.
The philosophy is again to be written this way:
Being baptized into Christ and raised with Christ, these people may have a clean heart and a right spirit within.
When we are baptized, we have a clean heart and a right spirit.
When we have a clean heart and a right spirit, we have harmony in the home.
When we have harmony in the home, we have order in the nation.
When we have order in the nation, we have peace on earth.
D. There are things people must do before being baptized! Acts 2:36-38
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers,
what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Before baptism one must listen to the message of the Lord, believe Jesus is Lord and Christ,
repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Again, the philosophy is to be written this way:
When people hear the message of the Lord, believe, repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ,
then they will have a clean heart and a right spirit…
E. A story for illustration. Acts 16:30-34
He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-- you and your household."
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds;
then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy
because he had come to believe in God— he and his family.
This family listen to the word of the Lord, they believe in the Lord Jesus, repent and were baptized.
After this they were all filled with joy!
It is families on this earth, hear, believe, repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord,
then there is righteousness in the heart…
F. Preaching the word of God! Acts 5:18-20
They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.
"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
This was why the angel of the Lord said, preaching of the word of God is telling people the message of this new life!
G. Please take notice of this! Acts 2:47
Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
1. The Lord put the saved people in the church of Christ! Romans 16:16
Therefore, it is when all the people are united in the church of Christ there is peace on earth!
2. John the Apostle called the people in the church as children of God!
He said, in this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:
whosoever does not do righteousness is not of God… 1 John 3:10
3. Finally, the philosophy is to be written this way:
When people believe Jesus is Lord and Christ, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of their sins and let the Lord put them in the church of Christ,
this way all will have a clean heart and a right spirit within.
This way all of them will have righteousness in the heart.
When all have righteousness in the heart, there is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there is peace on earth!
This article was written by John Chan May 30, 2009.