2002.6.9. Rev. Young Bong Yoon

Faith and Vision

Rome 4:17-22

In Hebrews 11:1, "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Faith is "a conviction that what we hope for will be realized."

The deep meaning of "certain of what we do not see" is to believe "the future events that we cannot see with our eyes will surely become reality."

"Faith" to Christians is very important. As to the salvation of our spirit, we become people of salvation when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and believe in him. Today's scripture, Rome 4:18 says, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…." and praises his faith because both of them were situated in despair-99 years old, "almost dead like" Abraham and 90 year old Sarah. They accepted the words of promise with faith-Sarah will bear a son (Genesis 17).

First, faith is to believe that the impossible can be changed to possible.
In today's scripture, apostle Paul talks about Abraham's faith, in order to talk about "the theory of salvation", the core of the Christian faith.

Only "Righteous people", those who keep the "law" without breaking any can go to the kingdom of heaven. No one with weak flesh can be righteous. It is true that "There is no one righteous, not even one." as in Rome 3:10. Apostle Paul tried to learn the law well and practice them but he failed.

Paul confessed, " what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do." in Rome 7:20 and lamented about himself. Apostle Paul made himself subject to the Law but could not carry them out. In that struggle he made this miserable confession, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death!" in Rome 7:24.

Let us examine why the salvation of spirit is so important by looking at the words.
"the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7) Here the word "dust" is "apar hidama" in Hebrew. Its meaning is dust of ground or dust. Dirt refers to the organism of physical body. Dirt is a fragile ware that can easily collapse and break down.

But when "the breath of life" came into this body like a lump of dirt, it became a "living being". Here the word "breath of life" is "nehshama" and its meaning is "breath" "spirit" "chi". When the power of spirit came into the man, he became a 'living being'. Here the word 'living being' is "Nehpesh Haya". Its meaning is "living", "being", and "a part of God's spirit" at a deeper level. As in Ecclesiastes 12:7, "the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." our body which is the dust someday has to return to the dust. In other words, we are talking about "death".

"Sprit" that resides in us returns to God. And before the judgment table of God, it receives judgment "as recorded in the books." (Revelation 20:12) The spirits that believed Jesus Christ as savior during their lives go to the place of eternal life and the spirits that didn't believe are "thrown into the lake of fire". (Revelation 20:14) Being saved means that our spirits are saved from the eternal lake of fire.

To be saved, you had to be a righteous man but with our power, we can't become righteous, hence it is impossible and it's something we cannot hope for. As in Rome 8:3, "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did…..", God sent his only son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sin so that those who believe in him can receive salvation. The salvation of spirit, what was impossible for human to hope for was accomplished by the grace of Christ.

Secondly, faith is to believe in God's divine providence and sovereignty.
Today's scripture, Rome 4:20 says "he did not waver through unbelief….but was strengthened in his faith." Here out frailty is pointed out again. There is times when suspicion and doubt arise even living in faith. Faith is our belief in the realization of God's promises made in his words.

Faith is "peece tuen" in Greek. It means "to entrust one's existence to God. This is believing that our birth, life, and death are in God's hands. In Job 10:10-13, "Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews? You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit." We know that it is in God's providence a life is born.

The mother of late president Park Jung Hee didn't want the baby in pregnancy so tried jumping down from high stone wall and drinking the juice of poisonous plants but still couldn't abort her pregnancy. We can't block God's divine providence with human power.

The last day of a person's life is also in God's providence. In Job 14:5, "Man's days are determined, you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed." This says that the day when dirt house (our body) collapses is not in our power but in God's providence. Last year on September 11, a company employee in Boston needed to make a business trip to LA and reserved a seat on the American Airline flight that hit the northern tower of the World Trade Center. But he couldn't finish the business plans, had to change the flight to the next one, and ended up avoiding the tragedy. Nobody can change the limits of a man's life. To believe in God's creation, his sovereignty, and the providence is faith.

Thirdly, faith enables you to realize your dream.
God told Abram before Isaac was even born, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars-So shall your offspring be." (Genesis 15:5) "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

Faith is said to be "being sure of what we hope for. Faith is to live with a conviction that what we hope for will be surely realized." Abram lived hoping for the promised vision "Your offspring will be numerous like stars in the sky and received that very blessing.

Moses and Joshua believed in the God's promised words, "So that you may live long in the land that the lord swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.' (Deuteronomy 11:9) When they proceeded trusting the words of promise:

• with faith, they were able to cross the Red Sea that blocked the path of Israelites,
• with faith, when they cried out, they received Manna to fight the hunger that threatened the Israelites for forty years on the desert.
• with faith, they cried out to God when they were so thirsty in the desert and were able to see a miracle of water coming out of rock to continue moving forward to the land flowing with milk and honey and to finally realize the vision of the Israelites.

If your personal vision or the church vision fits in with God's will and they are to glorify the Lord, He will surely bring them into reality when you move forward with faith.

Whom do we trust while living? Are there people who can be trusted on this earth?
Modern society people wonder in distrust.
Let us live believing in living and eternal God.

• Only the Lord can turn the impossible into the possible.
• Only one and only Lord creates, governs, and takes care of the Universe.
• Only in faith, one can carry out the God's mission and realize dreams.

Amen