November 22 - True Christians 참된 그리스도인

November 22 - True Christians

 

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27

 

James lived in a very religious time in history. He was born into the religion of Judaism, a political-religious system instituted by God Himself. It had been corrupted over time by its human leadership, leading to a great misunderstanding about who God was and what He wanted from His people. In addition, the culture of that era was packed with religions that included the worship of all kinds of idols and false gods. All of them had specific rules and practices. They all gave people a false sense of security in exchange for money, loyalty, or ritualistic obedience. None of them was pure or undefiled religion. Now, though, James writes that there is a form of religious expression that is still pure and undefiled before God. It is simple, though not easy: show up with the widows and orphans in their suffering. Could you help them? And don't let yourself be polluted or stained by the world.

As with other verses, we must carefully understand the point. James is not restricting "right religion" to only literal care for literal widows and orphans. At the time James wrote, these represented society's most helpless members. In that culture, widows were women who had lost their husbands before bearing children. This left them destitute. Children without parents and women without husbands were among that culture's most needy. According to this verse, "pure" religion means caring for those in need and avoiding the world's sins.

When the New Testament speaks of "the world," it usually means the "world system." This humanity's fallen, sin-soaked attitude rejects God and opposes His wisdom. Later in this letter, James will describe worldly wisdom as bitter envy and selfish ambition. To be unstained by the world means that we refuse to be driven by our appetites, desires, and selfish goals. It means not compromising with a system that hates God. As James pointed out in James 1:5–8, the world's wisdom is not like God's.

 

What is the most important instruction we can share with a new Christian? People say the most important things to teach are the assurance of faith, the love of Jesus Christ, how to study the Bible, and how to evangelize. Although they are important, the most important instruction is to teach how to live in this world (James 1:27). True Christians live like Jesus Christ. But, many misunderstand Christian life as a religious life or church life in which we have to live like a robot. Namely, many Christians live by the truth but merely pretend and act. Jesus said mere religious acts couldn’t save a human.  

“Many will say to me that day, ‘LORD, did we not prophesy in your name, and your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23).

 

Jews in Jesus’ time were prideful of their status, position, and religion. They had pride in their Jewish identity, the privilege of being chosen by God and given God’s law and Ten Commandments. But Jesus called them spiritually blind. We, too, are called spiritually blind if we speak the truth but do not live by the truth, just like the Jews. We can be prideful of our traditions and knowledge and deceive ourselves by being self righteous. Jesus warned the Pharisees’ pride by pointing out their prideful prayer (Luke 18:9-13). When Christians think of themself as higher than others, it signifies their pride because receiving God’s grace is expressed in humbleness.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Your family can be a missionary in your neighborhood! Ask for opportunities for your family to be a witness among your neighbors and friends. 

Prayer Pointer: “The more we pray, the more our horizons expand and the more we come to expect from a supernatural, miracle-working God.” -Anonymous 

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 27-28; James 4

 

 

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11월 22일 - 참된 그리스도인

 

“하나님 아버지 앞에서 정결하고 더러움이 없는 경건은 곧 고아와 과부를 그 환난 중에 돌아보고 또 자기를 지켜 세속에 물들지 아니하는 이것이니라” - 약 1:27.

 

 

야고보는 하나님 제정하신 종교와 정치 체계의 유대교에서 태어니 매우 종교적인 시대를 살아간 인물입니다. 그러나 시간이 지나면서 타락한 인간중심의 지도력으로 하나님이 누구이며 하나님께서 그의 백성에게 무엇을 원하는지를 오해하였습니다. 뿐만 아니라 야고보가 살던 시대의 문화는 온갖 우상과 거짓 신들을 숭배하는 종교들로 가득 차 있었습니다. 이러한 사람들은 그들이 지켜야 할 어떤 특정한 규칙과 관행이 있었습니다. 사람들은 돈과 충성 또는 어떤 순종과 위선적인 보장을 바꾸며 살아가고 있었습니다. 그들의 종교는 순수하지 않았고 더렵혀져 있었습니다. 야고보는 하나님 앞에서 여전히 순결하고 더럽혀지지 않은 경건의 형태가 있다고 기록합니다. 이 경건은 쉽지는 않지만 간단히 말해서 과부와 고아들과 함께 고통을 나누며 도우며, 세상에 오염되거나 더럽히지 않도록 조심하라고 말합니다.  

 

다른 구절들과 마찬가지로, 우리는 말씀의 요점을 주의 깊이 이해해야 합니다. 야고보는 올바른 경건를 과부와 고아들을 문자 그대로 돌보는 것으로만 제한하지 않습니다. 야고보가 이 서신을 기록할 때, 고아와 과부는 사회에서 가장 무력한 사회 구성원을 대표했습니다. 이당시 사회에서  과부는 자녀를 낳기 전에 남편을 잃은 여성으로 궁핍했습니다. 부모가 없는 아이들과 남편이 없는 여성들은 이 사회에서 가장 가난한 사람들이었습니다. 여기 말씀에서 정결하고 더러움이 없는 경건은 궁핍한 사람들을 돌보고 세상의 죄를 피하는 것으로 정의합니다. 

 

신약 성경에서 세상을 말할 때, 보통 세상 제도를 의미합니다. 이것이 곧 하나님을 부정하고 그의 지혜를 거부하는 타락하고 죄에 물든 인간의 태도입니다. 야고보는 후반부에 가서 세상의 지혜를  시기와 이기적인 야망으로 묘사하고 있습니다. 세상에 물들지 않는다는 것은 우리 자신의 욕망과 이기적인 목표를 따라가지 않는 것이고, 하나님을 미워하는 세상 제도와 타협하지 않는 것을 의미합니다. 야고보서 1:5-8에서 말하는대로 세상의 지혜는 하나님의 지혜와 같지 않습니다.

 

새 신자에게 무엇을 먼저 가르쳐야 합니까? 많은 사람들이 믿음의 확신, 그리스도의 사랑, 성경 공부, 기도, 전도 등이라고 생각합니다. 그러나 새 신자에게 가장 중요한 가르침은 세상에서 살아가는 방법입니다(약 1:27). 참된 그리스도인은 예수 그리스도와 같이 살아가야 합니다. 그러나 사람들은 그리스도인의 삶을 종교적인 삶 또는 로보트 처럼 교회 생활을 하는 것으로 오해합니다. 그리스도인들이 진리를 쫒아 산다고 하지만 위선적인 행동을 합니다. 예수님은 종교적인 행위로 구원받지 못한다고 말씀합니다. “그 날에는 많은 사람이 이르되 주여 주여 우리가 주의 이름으로 선지자 노릇하며 주의 이름으로 귀신을 쫒아내며 주의 이름으로 많은 권능을 행치 아니하였나이까 하리니 그 때에 내가 저희에게 밝히 말하되 내가 너희를 도무지 알지 못하니 불법을 행하는 자들아 내게서 떠나가라 하리라”(마 7:22-23).

 

예수님 당시 유대인들은 신분과 지위를 자랑하고 유대인으로 칭함 받고 하나님께 선택 받은 특권, 하나님의 율법과 십계명 등을 자랑하며 교만했습니다. 그러나 예수님은 그들을 영적 소경이라고 했습니다. 우리도 진리를 안다고 하면서 진리대로 살지 않으면 예수님 당시의 유대인들 같이 영적 소경이 될 수 있고 전통과 지식을 자랑하고 자신의 의에 빠져 기만하는 자가 될 수 있습니다. 예수님은 바리새인의 교만한 기도를 책망하셨습니다(눅 18:9-13). 그리스도인이 다른 사람보다 더 낫다고 생각하는 순간 그의 교만은 위험 수준에 이른 것 입니다. 그 이유는 하나님의 은혜를 받으면 바로 겸손으로 나타나기 때문입니다.

 

 

오늘의 기도: 당신의 가족이 이웃들에게 바로 선교사 가족이 될 수 있습니다. 하나님께서 이웃과 친구들에게 전도할 수 있는 기회를 주시도록 기도하십시오.

기도 지침: 우리가 더 많이 기도하면, 우리의 범위가 더 넓어지고 하나님으로부터 오는  초자연적인 기적의 역사를 더 많이 기대하게 된다.” - 작자미상  

성경 읽기: 에스겔 27-28장; 야고보서 4장