Bible Study at Surabaya - Monday, January 08, 2007

There are three kinds of struggle to encounter the world, they are:

1. (verse 13) represented by the Church of Laodiceans/the Gentile, that is, struggling to resist the world and its influences.
   Revelation 3:16-17
   3:16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
   3:17 "Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ ––and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked––
   The Church of Laodiceans was bound to worldly riches; “I am rich, have become wealthy” and the riches influenced, so they were spiritually lukewarm.
   James 4:4
   4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
   The term ‘bound to money’ is written in James ‘be a friend of the world’, meaning: being busy or prioritizing money/worldly things to God. It does not mean that we may not earn money, study, and do other worldly activities; instead, we may not give priority to those things, but God. Otherwise, we are influenced and become a friend of the world, so we spiritually become lukewarm, being unfaithful to the service and ministry.
   Unfaithful = unprofitable (Matthew 25, the parable of talent). The servant who had received one t alent kept and made no other talent. Because of that, God called him a lazy and unfaithful servant (= unprofitable = dead) like the cut hair or nail is unprofitable. As long as the hair is attached on scalp, it is profitable and grows up, and so do we; as long as we minister God, we are profitable and grow up. Therefore, we must be careful with influences of the world because they want to become its friend and spiritually lukewarm / unfaithful / unprofitable / dead as unprofitable vomit.
2. (verse 14) represented by Demas
   2 Timothy 4:10
   4:10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica––Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
   If we belittle the service by being unfaithful (unprofitable and dead), we must gradually love the world like Demas.
   1 John 2:15-17
   2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
   2:16 For all that is in the world––the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life––is not of the Father but is of the world.
   2:17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
   Those who love the world must have these lusts:
   1. the lust of eyes = sins relative to eating drinking, like Eve in the Garden of Eden saw the fruit which God commanded not to eat.
   2. the lust of flesh = sexual sins by sight and mind
   3. the pride of life = itching ears = listening no longer to doctrine/rejecting the true teaching word and accepting fables (fables = false teaching word, which is not based on verses in Bible / revelation of God).
   2 Timothy 4:3-4
   4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
   4:4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
   In short, one who loves the world has these signs:
   • the lust of eyes = sins relative to eating-drinking
   • the lust of flesh toward sexual sins
   • the pride of life = itching ears = listening no longer to doctrine/rejecting the true teaching word and accepting fables (fables = false teaching word, which is not based on verses in Bible / revelation of God).
   Demas loved the world that the love of the Father is not in him (= having no love = being disobedient), and the Father has no pleasure in this.
   Here are some examples of disobedience:
   • Eve who desired fruit which God commanded not to eat. It shows the lust of the eyes/sins relative to eating drinking.
   • the king Saul who presented to God the burnt offering which Samuel should have done. Then Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”
   • Demas who ministered God but then becoming disobedient by leaving Paul because he loved the world more.
   • the Church of Laodiceans who preferred riches and finally became lukewarm / unfaithful / unprofitable and dead.
     Loving the world brings forth disobedience/no delight to God and futility. Those whom God has no delight, are passing away with the world; they are in failure. In short, disobedience = failure = being null = passing away.
   Thus, this is the struggle against the world:
   • The first is signified by the Church of Laodiceans, that is, resisting worldly riches which make us unfaithful to God.
   • The second is signified by Demas, that is, fighting against worldly lusts which make us unacceptable to God and fail/null/pass away.
3. Represented by Luke the physician
   Luke is rarely mentioned the physician; in other epistles, Paul only mentioned him Luke, but in Colossians 4, Luke the physician. It is strange. The physician or doctor refers to understanding/wisdom of the world.
   Talking about wisdom, we deal with spirit/character. Both wisdom and spirit are inseparable.
   Romans 12:2
   12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
   Conducting with wisdom of the world = being conformed to the world.

Here is the summary of the three points above:

• being bound to money = becoming a friend of the world
• having lusts = loving the world
• conducting with wisdom of the world = being conformed to the world
  As we can see, it gets worse: being a friend, loving, and being conformed to the world.

James 3:14-16
3:14 But if you have bitter envy and self–seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
3:15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
3:16 For where envy and self–seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Wisdom of the world rouses self-seeking, envy, and lies. We may be smart, but not conduct with wisdom of this world. If the Christian/the minister conduct with wisdom of the world, such as self-seeking, envy, and lies, he will become a breaker, not unifier of the body of Christ, and walk in uncleanness; he simply does the evil. Thus, we should not do the ministry with wisdom of the world; otherwise, there will be no unity, but confusion only.
Confusion firstly rouses in marriage; an egoistic husband/wife is enough to bring confusion. Furthermore, if there is a lie, the marriage never becomes one, even every evil thing is there.
Doing evil thing = being unholy/insincere before God = being conformed to the world = being destroyed.

2 Peter 3:10
3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

The sons of God and priests will pass away together with the world if they become the friends of the world, love it and are conformed to it.
Students of Lempin-El, you have given God your full lives, do not use worldly ways nor be influenced by the world anymore!

How to encounter the world and its influences?

1. Romans 12:1-3
   12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
   12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
   12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
   Presenting reasonable service
   We cannot resist the world and its influences by unreasonable service.
   The service and the ministry are inseparable.
   What does reasonable service mean?
   Hebrews 8:1-2
   8:1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
   8:2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
   the true tabernacle = the kingdom of heaven
   Reasonable service is the service done by Jesus as the High Priest in the true tabernacle/heaven.
   Many people say that we conduct reasonable service later in heaven. Actually, service in the world is the reflection of reasonable service in heaven; worship in the world is also the reflection of worship in heaven. Lest we use our own way! Moses was shown the kingdom of heaven and commanded by God to make its miniature on earth, which is called Tabernacle. The reasonable service on earth is service performed in Holy Place of Tabernacle made by Moses according to the example he saw.
   Struggle against worldly influences can be done in no other place, except Holy Place of Tabernacle with the three objects therein, which now point to the three kinds of main service:
   • Golden Candlestick = General
   • Table of Shewbread = Bible Study Service and Holy Communion
   • Golden Altar of Incense = Pray and Worship Service
     The three main services are the shepherding service system, since Holy Place symbolizes shepherding. We, firstly pastors, must be shepherded.
     Eli the priest was sitting by the road; meaning that very often a pastor loves to wander and sit. Sitting means not doing duties; one of them is feeding sheep. I am corrected in this thing. A pastor loving to wander and sit is not willing to be shepherded, so that the sheep will not be shepherded as well – even though they are in the shepherding. Being in the shepherding/continuing steadfastly in the three main services is good, but lest it be a mere theory!
   These are the practices of reasonable service:
   1. Romans 12:1
      12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
      Bringing presents to God, not even begging.
      If we serve just to beg something to the others, we have a form of unreasonable service.
      Here are the things worth presenting to God:
      • Tithe and special offering, which are the smallest thing belonging to God. In line with heavenly kingdom, nothing becomes existent and small thing can become big.
        The Israelites formerly brought sacrificed animals every time they served God; the rich brought oxen, the middle sheep, and the poor turtledoves.
        After the smallest is presented, then:
      • Body, which is the biggest thing we have
        The body is presented as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God.
        If we cannot present to God the smallest, the biggest is impossibly presented.
        Students of Lempin-El, keep this thing carefully! If some day you become priest/pastor to be trusted the tithe, let you present your body, beginning with tithe and special offering too. After that, you may present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
      Animals offered by the Israelites might not be defective or dead; meaning that we may not serve and minister God according to our pleasure. Otherwise, we are at a disadvantage because such service and ministry does not achieve the goal, even we are conformed to the world.
      Our goal is to be conformed to God through reasonable service, in which:
   2. we present tithe and special offering for the sake of the forming of the Body of Christ
   3. we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God

   Living sacrifice
   A living sacrifice is in which the flesh profits nothing, but it is the Spirit who gives life. Thus, living body is not under control of lusts, but Holy Spirit. By Holy Spirit, this body will remain alive, become active and faithful.
   John 6:63
   6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
   If we become a friend of the world, we cannot present the body because this body is unfaithful/dead/unprofitable. On the other hand, God wills this body to be active and faithful in the service and ministry.
   We will be in Holy Spirit if we continue steadfastly in General (Golden Candlestick), in which relationship with Holy Spirit is built. By being in the Spirit, we become active/faithful and fervent in the service and ministry as a shining light. Yet, if we do not continue steadfastly, we are like a light that shines and goes out in turns until it finally goes out forever.
   Acceptable sacrifice
   The acceptable body is in the love of God; “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" In such condition, we will become obedient. We will be in the love of God if we continue steadfastly in Pray and Worship Service (Golden Altar of Incense), in which relationship with Father God in His love is built. Then, by continuing steadfastly, we will become obedient.
   Those who love the world cannot become obedient and present their bodies because their service is unreasonable. On contrary, the obedient is not under the world; he neither loves nor becomes a friend of the world. Such a man is totally delivered from the world through shepherding/General and Worship Service.
   Holy sacrifice
   The holy body is in the word of God, especially the teaching word. There is no sanctification out of the word of God/the teaching word.
   John 15:3
   15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
   “the word which I have spoken to you” = the word disclosed its mystery = the teaching word presenting us holy before God.
   Holiness is acquired through patience in Bible Study Service and Holy Communion. The teaching word and Holy Communion is sanctifying us that we may present holy bodies, not evil and unclean bodies, which are conformed to the world.
   Thus, it is all about shepherding service system, continuing steadfastly in the three kinds of main services. In shepherding, we are totally free from worldly influences so that we may present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God – presenting reasonable service.
   Holy Place is covered/protected with boards of the court out of which there is desert as the image of the world that wants to influence Church/servants and sons of God/priests. Holy Place has also the boards and bars so tight that no wind can enter. No influence of the world can enter into it, so it is truly safe, seeing that it is also covered by four coverings on it. In such manners, we have been protected from the influence of the world through shepherding (reasonable service/presenting a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God). We do not become the friends of the world nor conform to it. We do not perish but then where will we go?

2. Romans 12:2-3
   12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
   12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
   By reading these verses, we know that they head toward perfection.
   We should not simply go in and out church by attending the three main services – it is good, but not enough; we must be renewed, from fleshly men to spiritual ones like Jesus. Physical blessings should not make us satisfied, for it is not reasonable service that even leads us to serve God in the same way as the Church of Laodiceans, that is, becoming a friend, loving, and being conformed to the world. We must serve God and experience renewal of life, from fleshly men to spiritual ones like Jesus. In such a manner, we go toward vivid goal.
   Renewal of life begins with the following things:
   • Mind
     Fancy mind is changed into simple mind.
     Romans 12:16
     12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
     Simple mind is consistent with true faith, not pride. “Do not be wise in your own opinion.” Luke the physician was a clever man, but he did not regard himself clever. Luke was faithful in the work of ministry of Paul; even when Paul was in chains, Luke ministered him - whereas he was a clever man. If Luke had depended on wisdom of the world, he would have not ministered Paul. In fact, Luke had simple mind and did not regard himself clever. This is the renewed mind, which does not depend on wisdom of the world.
     Romans 12:17-18
     12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
     12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
     The verses above show simple mind, that is, the renewed mind to be in line with faith, not principle of the world. Very often our mind is based on principle of the world, which is contrary to faith and truth.
     For example:
     1. God says, “Repay no one evil for evil.” If we use worldly principle, we cannot accept this word when someone hurts us.
     2. God says, “Repay good.” If we think as an intellect, such as economic expert, we will say, “He owed me much money and paid not even a cent, how could I deal well with him?”
        Simple mind/faith does not talk much, but does practices, for instance, repaying good for evil. Such is unacceptable and silly to the intellect. The world cannot accept this because it is only found in faith and truth of the word. I as pastor will be the first to practice repaying good for evil. You should do the same; perhaps someone at office did evil things that you are not promoted to higher position. In such situation, you have to repay him good for evil.
     3. God says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
        We are demanded to live peaceably with all men by our initiative. It is unreasonable and foolish to the world. For instance, we are hurt but we must apologize. It is indeed unreasonable and foolish, but that is the simple mind. Furthermore, a man and his wife, also pastor and the Church, will surely not mind to give preference in making an apology to one another.
     We must be transformed, firstly to have simple mind, which is in line with faith and real through the two practices: repaying good for evil and living peaceably with all men by our initiative.
   • Heart/spirit
     Romans 12:2
     12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
   Thus, the renewing is complete:
   • the body is live and acceptable to God
   • the soul/mind is simple/consistent with faith and truth
   • the spirit/heart which determines perfection enables us to prove what is that acceptable to God and perfect. Such is sensitive heart.
   In the days of Noah, every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually, even no child was saved. But Noah and seven other souls were saved through his ark. The ark of Noah now points to baptism of water to renew the heart to be good, that is, the heart condemns when doing something unacceptable to God. David, for instance, was also influenced by the world when he numbered his people. After numbering, he felt guilty and it proved that David’s heart was still good. Does this heart also condemn? If we deceive someone and even laugh, the answer is certainly “no”. It is dangerous because we are not changed yet. However, if the heart condemns/trembles after doing something wrong, the heart is still good/alive.
   2 Samuel 24:10,14
   24:10 And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly."
   24:14 And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."
   The good conscience trembles when there is a sin or something unacceptable to God. It thus encourages us to regret and confess like David did. After being forgiven and not repeating the sin, we fall into the merciful hands of God. However, if the heart never trembles or condemns (this is the evil conscience) when we commit a sin, we will become arrogant. Moreover, the sin is continually committed as a habit, even on purpose. Consequently, we will fall into the fearful hands of God.
   Hebrews 10:25-31
   10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
   10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
   10:27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
   10:28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
   10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
   10:30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."
   10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

We must be careful because it is about service. Never we put it down! If every intent of the thoughts of heart is only evil continually – the heart neither trembles nor condemns when committing sin -, the sin will be continuously committed as a habit and there will be no more regret. Therefore, such a man will fall into the fearful hands of God to be judged. Let us choose. That David trembled showed that his heart was still good. The heart must tremble when we retain a sin or keep something unacceptable to God. After confessing and being forgiven, we may not do it anymore. By this, we fall into the merciful hands of God. In this world, the merciful hands belong to a mother and given to her baby. There is no love greater than this in the world.

Let us have reasonable service through the following things:

• presenting body
• transformed by the renewing of mind
• having the renewal of life by the trembling heart/confessing sins and weaknesses – so that we are put like a baby in the merciful hands of God which do anything we need.

When we are weak and need helps, the merciful hands are there. When we need living/care, the merciful hands are there. The merciful hands continually hold and embrace as long as we confess and forsake sins. When Jesus comes, this body is transformed. Today the soul and spirit is transformed, while the body is sanctified to become obedient and faithful. When Jesus comes, the body will be transformed to be conformed to Jesus.

Philippians 3:20-21
3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
3:21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

The world is the last influence and it cannot affect us anymore, so that we will not be conformed to the world. We are transformed to be conformed to Jesus, entering the marriage supper of the Lamb/the kingdom of peace for a thousand years, even the eternal kingdom of heaven.

We must struggle to stay away from the world, since any kind of worldly business makes us unfaithful and lusts entangle us in the love of the world and disobedience.

The wisdom of the world makes us conformed to the world. To keep it away, we must perform the shepherding service system – so that we could present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, and transformed by the renewing of heart and mind. This is reasonable service.

Better we become more sensitive to ourselves than judging the others. Maybe we were formerly willing to confess after telling a big lie, but now a small lie must be enough to beat the heart so we are encouraged to confess and not repeat it. In such a manner, we are put in the merciful hands of God like a baby who cannot feed himself and earn money. We do have no strength, but God is able to do anything we need until we are transformed to be conformed to Jesus when HE comes the second time. At that time, we will have really gone out of the world and not influenced at all.
God bless you! Hallelujah!