October 18 - A Deeper Faith 더 깊은 신앙

October 18 - A Deeper Faith

 

“I tell you the truth, anyone with faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.” – John 14:12

 

Jesus' promise here is not that all who claim to be believers will be endowed with the power to raise the dead or transmute matter. Nor does Jesus imply that future Christians would have widespread supernatural powers. The following verses include two crucial qualifiers: "asking" and "in My name," indicating that God does not sign a blank check for miraculous power to anyone. In part, this prediction of "works" refers to the early days of the apostles, who were granted miraculous signs (Acts 3:1–6).The idea that anyone could do "greater" works than Jesus helps explain the context. Scripture not only associates Jesus with miracles in the Gospels but also credits Him with creation (John 1:1–3). Regarding power, it's logically impossible to suggest anyone could do something beyond what Jesus accomplished. The meaning, therefore, ought to be taken in some other way.The area where Christians can exceed what Jesus did is not "quality" but "quantity." His earthly ministry lasted only about three years—as He says here, He will soon end this phase of God's plan. Jesus preached without modern communications or modern travel technology. In contrast, modern evangelists can spend decades preaching to hundreds of thousands of people. Missionaries can serve the furthest reaches of the globe. As of this writing, this website is accessed by more people every week than lived in Jerusalem during Jesus' era. In a year, some Bible-related websites speak to more people than populated the Roman Empire in the first century.

 

Faith is solely based on God’s righteousness, not human deeds, efforts, or righteousness. The Apostle Paul said, “For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” (Romans 1:17). Through this Scripture, he teaches us another step of faith. Many Biblical scholars have interpreted ‘faith from first to last’ differently. John Calvin mentioned it meant ‘from one step of faith to another step of faith.’ Most Christians follow Calvin’s interpretation. 

 

Christians should step out from a saving faith to a higher and deeper level of faith. Paul teaches us about this higher step of faith in 1 Corinthians 12 (1 Corinthians 12:3). This Scripture teaches us about saving faith, the first step of faith. In the Bible, faith is also described as a spiritual gift. “To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gift of healing by that one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:9). Christians need to receive this gift of faith since it leads us to a higher step of faith. When we have this faith, we produce many fruits in our Christian lives. 

 

That is why God grants us the saving faith first and then grants us gifts through faith, which produces much fruit. The higher step of faith also leads us to a more abundant Christian life. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Jesus not only gives us eternal life but abundant blessings in this world. Therefore, as God’s children, we should ask for a gift of faith and abundant blessings in this world.

 

“There are two primary forces in this world: fear and faith. Fear can move you to destructiveness, sickness, or failure. Only in rare instances will it motivate you to accomplish. But faith is a greater force. Faith can drive itself into your consciousness and set you free from fear forever.” - Norman Vincent Peale.

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that God will place his desire to reach the lost into the hearts of those who work in your church’s outreach ministries. Plead for renewal and a new sense of God’s power in evangelism.

Prayer Pointer: When asked how much time he spent in prayer, George Muller replied, "Hours every day. But I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, lie down, and arise. And the answers are always coming. – Author Unknown

Bible Reading: Isaiah 65-66; 2 Thessalonians 1

 

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10월 18일 - 더 깊은 신앙

 

“내가 진실로 진실로 너희에게 이르노니 나를 믿는 자는 나의 하는 일을 저도 할 것이요 또한 이 보다 큰 것도 하리니 이는 내가 아버지께로 감이니라” - 요 14:12

 

여기의 예수님의 약속은 미래에 죽은 자를 살리거나 어떤 놀라운 변화를 일으키는 능력을 받는다는 것도 아니고, 초자연적인 능력을 행사한다는 암시의 말씀이 아닙니다. "무엇을 구하든지"와 "내 이름으로"라는 두 수식어가 13절에 나오고 있는데 이것은 기적의 능력을 구하는 자들에게 하나님께서 허락하시는 것이 아님을 말합니다. “저도 할 것이요” 리는 예언적인 말씀은  사도들이 기적의 은사를 받아 표적을 행하는 사도들의 초기 시대를 의미합니다(행 3:1-6).

 

누구나 예수보다 "더 큰 것"도 할 수 있다는 생각은 맥락을 설명하는 데 도움이 됩니다. 복음서에서 예수님은 하나님으로 기적과 연관시킬 뿐만 아니라 창조주 자체로 인정하고 있습니다(요 1:1-3). 권세의 관점에서, 누군가가 예수님의 성취 한 것 이상의 것을 할 수 있다고 말하는 것은 논리적으로 불가능합니다. 그러므로 그 의미는 다른 방식으로 받아 들여져야합니다.

 

그리스도인들이 예수님의 일을 능가할 수 있는 영역은 질이 아니라 양입니다. 예수님은 3년간의 공생애 사역을 하셨지만 하나님이 맡기신 사역을 완성하셨습니다. 예수님은 현대적인 통신이나 기술없이 설교했습니다. 그러나 오늘날의 복음 전도자들은 수십만 명의 사람들에게 복음을 전하는데 수십 년이 걸릴 수 있습니다. 지금 선교사들은 지구에서 가장 먼 곳까지 사역을 할 수 있습니다. 이 복음서가 기록될 당시 예수님 시대에 예루살렘에 살았던 사람들의 수보다 지금은 매주 더 많은 사람들이 웹사이트에 접속합니다. 오늘 성경과 관련된 웹사이트는 1세기에 로마 제국에 사람이 거주했던 수보다 더 많은 사람들에게 메시지를 전달하고 있습니다.  

 

믿음은 오직 하나님의 의에 근거하며 인간의 행위나 노력이나 의에 근거하지 않습니다. 아닙니다. 바울은 "복음에는 하나님의 의가 나타나서 믿음으로 믿음에 이르게 하나니" (로마서 1:17) 라고 말합니다. 그는 성경을 통해 우리에게 또 다른 단계의 믿음을 가르칩니다. 많은 성경학자들은 '믿음으로 믿음에”를 각기 다르게 해석합니다. 칼빈은 '믿음의 한 단계에서 다른 믿음의 단계로'를 의미한다고 하였습니다. 대부분의 신자들이 칼빈의 견해를 따릅니다.  

 

그리스도인들은 구원의 믿음에서 더 깊은 신앙으로 나아가야 합니다. 바울은 고린도전서 12장에서 더 깊은 신앙의 단계에 대해 교훈합니다(고전 12:3). 성경은 믿음의 첫 단계인 구원받는 믿음에 대해 가르치고 있고 믿음은 영적인 선물이라고 설명합니다. 바울은 "같은 성령으로 믿음을, 어떤 사람에게는 한 성령으로 병고치는 은사를" (고전 12:9) 라고 말하는데,  그리스도인들은 이 믿음의 선물이 더 깊은 신앙의 단계로 인도하기 때문에 이 믿음의 선물을 받아야 합니다. 우리가 이 믿음을 가질 때, 그리스도인의 삶에서 많은 열매를 맺습니다

 

그러므로 하나님은 먼저 구원의 믿음을 주시고 다음에 많은 열매를 맺는 선물을 주십니다. 더 깊은 신앙은 우리를 더 풍성한 삶으로 인도합니다. 예수님은 "도둑이 오는 것은 도둑질하고 죽이고 멸망시키려는 것뿐이요 내가 온 것은 양으로 생명을 얻게 하고 더 풍성히 얻게 하려는 것이라"(요 10:10) 라고 말씀합니다. 예수님은 영생의 복과 세상의 풍성한 복을 주십니다. 우리는 하나님의 자녀로서 세상에서 믿음의 선물과 함께 풍성한 축복을 구해야 합니다. 

 

"이 세상에는 두려움과 신앙이라는 두 가지 주요 힘이 있습니다. 두려움은 당신을 파괴적인 것이나 질병 또는 실패로 이끌 수 있습니다. 드문 경우에만 성취하도록 동기를 부여합니다. 그러나 믿음은 더 큰 힘입니다. 믿음은 당신의 의식 속으로 자신을 몰아넣고 당신을 영원히 두려움에서 자유롭게 할 수 있습니다." - 노먼 빈센트 필

 

오늘의 기도: 하나님께서 당신 교회의 전도사역에서 일하는 사람들의 마음 속에 잃어 버린 자들에게 전도하기 원하는 주님의 심정을 주시도록 기도하십시오. 전도 사역에 하나님에 대한 새로운 인식과 각성을 위해 간구하십시오.

기도 지침: “기도 시간이 얼마나 되는가라고 물었을 때, 죠지뮬러는 다음과 같이 대답하였다. “매일 몇 시간 기도한다. 그러나 나은 기도의 영안에서 살아간다. 나는 걸을 때, 잠잘 때, 일어날 때 기도한다. 그래서 기도의 응담은 항상 오고 오고 있다.” – 작자미상

성경 읽기: 이사야 65-66장; 데설로니가후서 1장