Tony, a Servant of Christ Jesus

I wrote the following for a class introduction for a seminary course.

My name is 莊智超 (Tony Chuang). I was born in Taiwan, grew up in Malaysia, and did my Bachelor’s in Computer Science in the States only to finish it in Canada. I grew up in a Muslim country, was raised in a Buddhist, idol worshipping family and if not for God's grace, that’s what I'd still be doing today. But instead here I am, completely in love with and consumed by my savior king (cf. Heb 12:29). In fact, God has saved me from both physical death and spiritual death in my conversion. My heavenly Father has since done such an amazing work in my family that both my parents have saving faith in Christ too (my mom being the first in the family). Praise God! His promises are true (cf. Acts 16:31)! My dad himself got baptized less than two months ago!

I’m not married. I’m a geek by nature, a programmer by trade, currently living in the suburbs of Toronto, and pursuing full-time (M.Div.) God’s calling in my life to be a pastor because I now cannot imagine another way of life. I simply must preach! This fire is too intense for me to hold in (Jer 20:9)! Likewise, Hellfire is too damning for any of us to hold the gospel in…

My favorite question is “Are you passionately in love with God right now?” My goal is to hear resounding yes’s from everyone I ask this to. The man who’s influenced me the most is Charles Spurgeon. Evangelism plays a huge role in my life. I’d do anything, ANYTHING (Rom 9:3), to see lost souls come to truly know Christ, especially my older brother. It is to that end I pray nonstop (cf. 1 Thess 5:17) and for that end I try to work harder than anyone (cf. 1 Cor 15:10).

I look forward to learning more tools in Hermeneutics 2 that will help me properly exegete the Bible. It is only through this everlasting Word (Psa 119:89) that anyone can be saved (Acts 4:12) and I must be able to wield this double-edged sword (Heb 4:12) as properly as possible if I’m to be a mighty instrument of God. In other words, I have very high expectations for what I’m to learn in this class. I know I am still lacking in so many spiritual things and I have much to learn still. However, this knowledge is not for me, but for the lost. Yet not for them either, but for Christ.

Like Hudson Taylor said, “If I had a thousand pounds China should have it- if I had a thousand lives, China should have them. No! Not China, but Christ. Can we do too much for Him? Can we do enough for such a precious Saviour?”

No, we can never do enough! But alas, even if I fail and fall flat on my face (as I so often do), I fall on His grace. And oh what amazing grace! Class, let us push forth together always in the Spirit (Eph 6:18) and ever by His grace (Eph 2:8a)!

Soteriology - The Doctrine of Salvation

The following is a paper I wrote on soteriology for my Systematic Theology class at Moody Theological Seminary. I was limited to 8 pages so I couldn't elaborate on some points (ie. wrath of God). In fact, this is way too brief. It's also very academic in nature so might be a bit bland to some. It does make for very concise doctrine though.

In case anyone's wondering, I took out the citations; there weren't many anyway and nothing that wasn't really "common knowledge." I also didn't get to choose the headings... In any case, let me know what you think and if you find anything you disagree with. I would be happy to talk with you. Lastly, know that I'm praying for YOUR salvation.

Introduction

Soteriology is derived from the Greek word “sōtērion” (salvation), which is in turn derived from “sōtēr” (savior, preserver). Soteriology is then the study of salvation. Christianity in particular has a soteriology that is vastly different from any other religion in the world. This paper will give a brief overview of the major points of interest in Christian soteriology in order to demonstrate the uniqueness of God’s redemptive design and how one can be saved.

Substitutionary Atonement

Wayne Grudem defines atonement as “the work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation.” James says that “whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it” (James 2:10), proving that “none is righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10). And if perfection is the standard (Matt 5:48), Christ had to do something because left to our own, mankind has no hope of salvation (Eph 2:12). In other words, we are sinful and totally depraved.

Since “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23), someone or something has to die. This need for death was what drove the Old Testament’s sacrificial laws (Heb 9:22). And this is what drove Jesus Christ to die on the cross. If one were to enter Heaven, one had to first pay for their sin in its entirety. But “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16) so that we do not have the pay the eternal punishment for our sins. Though some people may find the idea of a God demanding blood and punishment repulsive, it lies at the heart of the gospel. God could not have just forgiven our sins unless Jesus had died because a just God (2 Thess 1:6) has to punish sin. That is why it was only through His dying on the cross (as a propitiation for sin) that we can avoid the punishment we deserve and be saved (Rom 3:25).

Also important is that Christ’s identity as God Himself led to His having lived a perfect, obedient, sinless life (Heb 4:15). Without this perfection, the atonement would not be sufficient; in fact, a lamb without any blemish has always been the Biblical standard (Lev 23:12). But Christ was perfect (1 Pet 1:19), and His death then served as the only possible penal substitution because only God could appease God. God didn’t and couldn’t just arbitrarily punish someone, substitutionary atonement could only have happened through Christ, the Son of God.

Justification by Faith

If atonement is that which Christ did to earn us salvation, faith is that which we do to effectuate this atonement in our individual lives. Even though Christ died for our sins, the work does not apply to us unless we receive it by faith, as with all promises of God (Rom 4:1). Faith is then the channel through which we experience personally the effects of the saving work of Christ, giving us peace with God (Rom 5:1) as well as becoming children of God (John 1:12).

Furthermore, it is through faith alone that we are saved, without the need for any extra work whatsoever (Eph 2:8-9), nor can it be (Gal 2:16). This is the main reason Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation. This issue is the primary difference between Roman Catholicism and evangelical Christianity. This doctrine of justification by faith alone (sola fide) is an essential of the Christian faith that is affirmed by almost all evangelical schools of thought, including John Calvin, the Westminister Confession of Faith, and also Moody Bible Institute, stating clearly that Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone.

True saving faith however, is always accompanied by deeds (James 2:17) that naturally overflow out of us. Jesus Himself said that we will recognize true followers “by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). Furthermore, having a saving faith indicates having confessed Jesus as Lord (Rom 10:9), meaning that He has authority over our lives. Though some propose a free grace view of conversion that speaks contrary to this, it is not the true gospel, which says that though grace is freely dispensed through faith, this grace is not cheap and in fact costs everything (Luke 14:33).

The cost may seem great, but the reward is more than worth it. What happens during justification is that we are justified (dikaioō), declared righteous in God’s sight and does not have to bear the penalty of sin. It is not just a legal declaration though, our sin is actually taken away and replaced by the imputed righteousness of Christ (Rom 5:17). Unlike the Roman Catholic view, which holds that justification keeps happening throughout one’s life, the Christian view holds that justification happens only once in the life of a true believer (Heb 9:28a).

Limited or Unlimited Atonement

A particular point of interest lies with the extent of the atonement. The question is often phrased thus: on the cross, did Christ die for the sins of the entire human race or only for those who would be saved? This is one of the finer points in soteriology that is rarely addressed in official doctrinal statements and should not be a point of separation among Christians. Nevertheless, it is still one of the five points of Calvinism and worthy of proper discussion.

The reformed view is limited atonement (particular redemption). The primary thrust of the argument is that if Christ paid the penalty for all people in His death, there’d be nothing left to pay for in Hell. Logically, all people would be saved. All people are not saved. Therefore, Christ did not die for all people but rather only for the elect (Rom 8:33). Furthermore, Christ is known for praying for only the elect (John 17:9) and caring for just those given to Him (John 6:39). Lastly, the Bible speaks of a particular group of sheep (John 10:11), the church (Acts 20:28), and His people (Matt 1:21), all pointing to particular redemption.

Unlimited atonement (general redemption) holds that Christ came to take away the sins of the whole world (John 1:29), and not just some people. It continues in saying that since the gospel offer is universal (especially in light of God’s goodness), so must be the extent of atonement. It’s true that Jesus was a ransom for all (1 Tim 2:6), but in verses like this that speaks of the whole world, a better understanding is that it is speaking of availability or that it is to all the elect. But whatever one may believe, both sides agree that the gospel offer must be made to all people since we do not know who the elect is.

Relationship between Regeneration and Faith

If faith is the channel through which we effectuates Christ’s salvific work, then regeneration is the reason that we can have this faith. If we are indeed total depraved, that means we do not seek God (Rom 3:11). If we do not even seek God, then trusting in God becomes impossible unless God effectuates a transformation in us first. Just as calling a physically dead person will produce no response, calling a spiritual dead person will yield the same result. Regeneration is what must be done so that we can respond. It is the act of taking we who were spiritually dead (Eph 2:1) and making us spiritually alive in Christ (Eph 2:5).

We are born again into God’s kingdom not even by our own wills (John 1:13). This act of regeneration is done solely by God and is an instantaneous event. In fact, though it technically precedes faith in the logical order of things, it is more accurate to say that it happens concurrent with saving faith (Titus 3:4-5). God gives us new birth through His word (James 1:18) through the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44) as He showers us with His irresistible grace. So while Christians do have to voluntarily place saving faith in Christ, it is always inevitably done with God’s help.

Eternal Security

After placing saving faith in Christ, the person becomes a Christian and can never lose their salvation. This perseverance of the saints is a great assurance that makes the Christian gospel unique. We can have complete confidence of what we have (2 Cor 3:4), knowing that there is nothing the world can throw at us that will ever separate us from God’s love (Rom 8:38-39) and the state of grace. Furthermore, if our salvation was based on unconditional election, based on His grace and mercy instead of our merit or desire (Rom 9:15-16), then our remaining in this election is also something that is outside of our control.

Once we are in the hands of our Great Shepherd, no one can snatch us away (John 10:28). God’s calling is irrevocable (Rom 11:29), and He will carry through our salvation to completion once He starts it (Phil 1:6), being the one who both begins and perfects even our faith (Heb 12:2). His plans will always come to pass (Isa 14:24) and we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity (Eph 1:13), the Spirit Himself assuring us that this is true (Rom 8:16). What’s at stake here is no longer our eternal security, but God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. So if anyone claims to have stopped being a Christian, it only proves that they were never really one in the first place (1 John 2:19), showing themselves to be goats and not His sheep (Matt 25:32).

Process of Salvation: God’s Side and Our Side

Finally, note that everything mentioned thus far puts salvation in the hands of God. He is the author of salvation (Heb 5:9) and had predestined our lives according to His will (Eph 1:11). Those whom He predestined, He molded and justified, continuing to conform them to Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29). All of redemptive history, from the birth of Adam to the death of Christ, happened exactly how God envisioned, willing all things to work for His good (Rom 8:28). This includes the actions of every human being (Psalm 139:16), including their coming to faith (Prov 16:33). The entire process of salvation, both the grace and the faith, is a gift of God (Eph 2:8).

Nevertheless, from a human perspective, we must still do something. God may have ordained all things, but we are still responsible (Rom 2:6). Our responsibility is simple though: in order to receive this salvation and be a Christian, a person must simply believe (Acts 16:31). This simple act of believing is not just mental acknowledgement of the truth of Christ’s salvific work, for even demons believe that (James 2:19). It involves genuine repentance, which is a true anguish over sin and a sincere decision to turn away from it and run to Christ. It does not mean that we will never sin again or attain perfection in this life, but rather that we have started our first step in our lifelong process of wholesale sanctification (1 Thess 5:23).

With this repentant faith, one can utter any prayer that admits their sin, confesses their need for Christ for salvation, and gives their life to God, trusting Him to save them. At this point, if their heart was true, they are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), a saint (Psalm 30:4), and a Christian who will one day experience the final phase of our redemption, the glorification of our bodies (Phil 3:21) and to be like our beautiful savior (1 John 3:2).

Conclusion

This paper has briefly overviewed the range of topics in Christian soteriology. As mentioned in the previous section, salvation is not merely an intellectual exercise nor is it just an emotional experience. It is a combination of both, leading to “knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 2:25) and to us walking in a manner worthy of our God-given calling (Eph 4:1). It is the true gospel (Gal 1:8) for which Jesus Christ died and of which we should spend our whole lives understanding more and proclaiming to the nations (Matt 28:19).

Working Hard for the Lord

For those of you who don't know, I'm a full-time student of Moody Theological Seminary. Yes, I'm en route to get a Master of Divinity (to be a pastor). Some people don't think I'm in school because I'm here in Toronto and Moody's in Chicago. Well, I'm taking online classes (until August when I'm going on campus), and the workload is pretty intense. Or maybe it's because I'm taking 9 courses this semester.

Let's see, my Spring semester (January 4 to May 6, about 17 weeks) is ending soon, here's what I would have done by May:

• Read through the Bible (all 66 books)
• Studied the historical, cultural, and political context of each book (with archaeology where applicable)
• Supposedly memorized the author, date, provenance, and destination of each book (for my exams)
• Read through 10+ books that talks about theology proper, pneumatology, Christology, soteriology, whatchamacology...
• Written about 79 essays of varying lengths, 30 of which are full-fledged papers (average paper has 2000 words). So... 66,000 words? That's roughly 200 pages double-spaced

Ya, so that's roughly what I did for the past 17 weeks. Yes, just one semester. Courses include New Testament Exposition, Old Testament Exposition, Systematic Theology, etc. So how much work do I have to do a week? You do the math.

Oh, I'm also working part-time as a programmer (1-2 days per week) and am very involved at church (depending on whether I'm teaching, 12-16 hours). People have told me to cut back, so I have, but I can't cut away everything. Paul warned against idleness/laziness (2 Thess 3:10). And Peter tells us the reason for spiritual gifts is to serve others in the church (1 Pet 4:10).

What's the point of all this? Firstly, it's to rebuke all those who complain about being too busy. As a litmus test, I ask myself this daily: "Have you watched TV or played games today? Then you are NOT too busy. Strive to let everything you do edify either yourself or the church (1 Cor 14:12)." Breaks are necessary to not burn out. But breaks are 5-10 mins, not 1-2 hours. We all have the same amount of time. Number your days (Psa 90:12). Make the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:16), especially with the non-Christian (Col 4:5). Is this easy to do? No! I want to waste time every day. But I deny myself every day (Matt 16:24). Christian, do the same.

Secondly, don't say "I'm bored". No, no, no, no, NO! I'm talking to Christians here, those whose lives have been bought by Christ (1 Cor 6:20). Your lives don't belong to you (1 Cor 6:19). Therefore, live for Him (Phil 1:21). You have nothing to do? Pray for God to give you work! I promise you He has prepared something (Eph 2:10). Non-Christians, I have nothing against you. At least you are not living hypocritically. But I do want to urge you to give yourselves to God. It's worth it. :)

Thirdly, I'm writing this to let my brothers and sisters know why it seems I'm so busy all the time. That's because I am. I'm not trying to avoid you... It can be quite stressful sometimes with so much work piling up. Like right now... So I'm writing this to ask for prayer from my Christian family. Especially since I'm taking courses throughout the summer too, with a similar workload. Please don't stop praying for me, I will fail without your prayers channeling His power. And the very thing I was rebuking, about wasting time and laziness, I was really rebuking myself... I hate these sinful tendencies in me... :(

Lastly, I should be burnt out. The only reason I'm not is because God is sustaining me (Psa 55:22). The dean at Moody told me my workload was untenable 5 months ago. I somehow convinced him otherwise. See, I'm not naturally a hard worker, neither am I that brilliant. I'm not trying to boast of my abilities right here. Woe is me if I am! I'm boasting in my God, who made me (1 Cor 1:31). I'm trying to let everyone see how impossible this is so that you can give glory not to me, but to God. He is the one doing it, not me! Praise Him, not me! And you can do the same too, through Christ (Phil 4:13)! Work hard for Him, whether in school, at work, for your family, or at church. Whatever you do, work hard for the Lord (Col 3:23).

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." - 1 Cor 15:10

What do You Post on Facebook?

If you are a thinker, read on. Especially if you are a Christian, this is for you. This came from a discussion that points out the conciseness of Twitter and the shorter attention span people in general now have. My thesis is this:

We have knowledge, but no application. People read in order to gain information, not to induce self transformation. There is something very wrong with that mentality.

Our whole society is encouraging filling of the mind and no softening of the heart. We see an encouraging verse and "like" it. But are our hearts convicted by it (1 Cor 14:24)? Are we actively trying to apply it (Prov 23:12)? Do we obey what it says (Luke 11:27-28)? Do we even remember it 5 mins later (James 1:24)? Does it pierce your soul and cut into your heart (Heb 4:12)? Or is it just another insignificant drop in the pool we call social media?

Information, especially visual information, is now a drug, and Twitter/Facebook sells it for free. Take away this drug and people go into withdrawal. Just try to see how long you can last without internet. If history is any indication, your kids will be much, much worse than you. This drug is potent and people are thinking of ways to give us more while requiring less.

We spend way too much time going through our phones and not enough time through our Bibles. Our heads are looking down more than they are looking up. We are too busy going places and don't have time to remain on our knees, silent and still at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:39-40).

Do you think this is okay? We are unable to differentiate between truth or fiction, unable to research what scholars have established for centuries, and we swoon over easily disputable facts. We need professional apologists to defend plain doctrines because we supposedly do not have the time or ability to look it up ourselves. This is not rocket science, it's really not that complicated. I'm not promoting intellectualism, I'm pleading for less laziness and complacency.

We are so fixated at fitting everything in 140 characters that we cannot do anything extraordinary, only many instances of the ordinary. We put more value in small nuggets of wisdom and discard mountains of pure gold because "it takes too long to read". God did extraordinary things through Paul (Acts 19:11) and He wants to do the same through you too! But you must strive to live as Paul did, wholly for God.

I may be ranting now, but I am also calling for change. As a computer programmer, I do admire the technology behind social media. I do appreciate being able to post "ordinary" updates. It's a very useful thing I use to keep my family and friends closer than ever. And I encourage everyone to keep doing that. But this cannot be all we do. Strive to do more than this. Strive to change lives, save souls, and glorify God. Are you content to let this massive platform be wasted? Did God save you just so you can do nothing with your life? Impact no one? Live safely and die in your sleep?

As a Christian, if you find yourself thinking and acting like the majority, it's time to stop and reflect. You're not supposed to be like everyone else. You're not even supposed to be liked by most people (Psa 79:4). You are God's child, called for a special purpose (Eph 4:1). Be who you really are.

Sharing the Cost in Evangelism

Amazing salvation story! Read it, share it, praise God for it!

To catch people up, I go out with a team of people to the local mall to evangelize every week. From my previous Facebook status update, you guys read about Raghulan, the guy from the mall who was agreeing with everything we said about God, sin, Hell, and the whole gospel. Two days ago he texted me "hey tony where can I get a copy of the bible?" I told him that I'd give him one and that we can meet up some time to do that. Additionally, he told me how he had a lot of questions for me.

Unbeknownst to me, God had already been working in his life prior to us meeting him at Markville. He had already been thinking about God a lot even though he came from a Hindu family. He had some pretty crazy things happen to him in the past few months. Anyway, that night we shared the gospel with him, he could not sleep well and even woke up in fear due to a terrible nightmare. Maybe we talked about judgement day (John 16:8) too much, just maybe. But that's one of the reasons he contacted me: he was afraid. But so was I when I first heard about Hell, and you should be too. When we met up, I asked what his questions were and he said, "I don't really have questions, I just want to hear more about what you were talking about." Yes! He just wants to hear more about Jesus Christ! So I told him more. I was not the one speaking that night (Matt 10:20), God kept showing me passage after passage of scripture and I just read to him, using as few of my own words as possible. We talked for a good long time as he also started asking questions and shared more of his story. When asked how he felt, he said "God is calling me." (Rom 11:29) When asked what was stopping him from being under the authority of God, he said "Nothing."

Hallelujah! I told him how he can pray right then and start that relationship. But before continuing, though the evangelist in me just wanted him to "pray the prayer" and "accept Christ," I knew he needed to be warned first. I spent much time telling him about my journey, about my grandparents' rejection of me (Matt 10:35), about the hardships (1 Pet 4:12), about how life does NOT get easier, about sanctification (Rom 6:19), about how he will have to give up stuff (Rom 12:2), about how the devil/world will hate him (1 John 3:13), about how being a Christian means being a slave of God (Rom 6:18), about the cost of following Jesus (Luke 9:58)... but lastly about how it's all so worth it (Phil 3:8) and about Heaven (Rev 22:4). I then asked again if he's still willing to give up control of his life over to God and to be His slave. He paused, thought for a bit, told me he was afraid, and then with an eagerness in his eyes, looked up and finally declared, "Yes."

And the prayer, oh the prayer. After we prayed together as he walked from darkness to light, he asked me, "Did you feel it?" I was confused for a bit but then he said, "This thing in my chest, this feeling. Ah, I can't describe it. Did you feel it too when you first prayed?" I proceeded to tell him about who the Holy Spirit is (John 14:16-17) and the concept of the trinity. He is now going to read the gospel of John and sometime next week we'll meet up to talk about it. If only you guys saw the look in his eyes, the joy he was exuding, the relief he felt, the sweet, sweet moment when he tasted the goodness of our savior for the first time. This is what I live for, the salvation of souls for God! If you've never felt this, I urge you now, win souls for Christ! God can use anyone! He used me!

Never in my evangelism have I warned someone so thoroughly and to tell them NOT to be a child of God. In fact, I told him to be a slave. Come on, who'd say yes to being a slave? It is foolishness (1 Cor 1:18)! But if you're called by God, it's the best thing ever. Never in my life have I understood irresistible grace so clearly. There was nothing I could say that would have turned him away from God. Friends, we don't have to try to make the gospel appealing, figure out a fancy way to get their attention, make sure they know God loves them, play the role of the nice friend who is always there, water down the gospel to make it simpler, or share cheap grace. This is what we must do in evangelism: we preach Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23) and how we are to be crucified with Him (Gal 2:20). Yes, at its core it's still just faith in Christ, but never without the cost. And when we evangelize, if we are preaching this true gospel, God WILL work (Isa 55:11).

In summary, this is what happened: Christ looked at him and said, "Mine" (Phil 3:12b). All I did was go to the mall and open my Bible.

The Trumpet's Blast

A very short sermon on Numbers 10:1-10 on trumpets that I made a few months ago but never delivered, written down now because I was asked to. Read Numbers 10 first, then prepared to be blown away. Get it? Blown away. Haha...

First, in any Bible study, we must remember what it meant for the people back then. The trumpets were very effective tools used to summon the people either to war (v9) or to move out (v2). It was a loud way to worship God (v10) and to be "a reminder...: I am the Lord your God" (v10). Even back in the day, each time the trumpets sounded, the Israelites would be reminded that God is calling them, summoning them to something. They would also be reminded that they are not alone in this desert, something much needed in their forty years of wandering. But as important as this historical usage was, there is a deeper significance. We know what that "something" God was calling them to back then, but what is the "something" God is calling us to today? We'll get to that soon.

This imagery of the trumpets continues all throughout the Bible, even to Revelation. Rev 8 talks about the seven trumpets, each bringing about judgement, death, and destruction. That's what the trumpets signified back in Numbers too: war, death, and destruction. Rev 8:7 tells us that "in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled." What is this mystery? We know this mystery! Rom 16:25-26 says "according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed". Rev 11:15 tells us "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.'" It doesn't get any better than this! GOD WILL REIGN!

That is what the last blowing of the trumpet will bring about: the consummation of God's kingdom! Imagine, no more death, no more suffering, no more sin, just peace and worship of a beautiful God. The Israelites worshipped when the trumpet was blown in Num 10:10, and that is what we will be doing for all eternity too when this final trumpet is blown. Look forward to that day, that final trumpet, as you continue in your journey through this wilderness that is the fallen world. The promised land is near, don't miss that final blast of the trumpet, listen for it, wait for its sound.

And yes, in fact we are not listening or waiting for a trumpet, but for Christ himself. 1 Thess 4:16 says "The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God." Yes, Jesus has descended once and will again, "coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matt 26:64). It is the same cloud that led the Israelites through the wilderness, the same cloud that is associated with divine presence, the same cloud that would have set Jesus on the same level as God. Oh don't miss it, don't miss the imagery here, don't miss the sound of Jesus' voice. John said in Rev 1:10 that "I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet". Whose voice was that? Why was it like a trumpet? That voice was Jesus Christ! The trumpets calling the Israelites to war and to worship was in fact Christ!

The calling in our lives to fight sin and to battle for souls is also a call from Christ! His call IS the trumpet in Num 10. His voice IS the trumpet in Rev 1:10. His presence IS the promised land that is waiting for us! Brothers, sisters, don't miss that sound. "Be sober-minded; be watchful." (1 Pet 5:8) Furthermore, in your every day lives, "blow the trumpet and warn the people" (Eze 33:3). Tell them of the gospel of Jesus Christ or the blood will be on your hands (cf. Eze 33:6)! If you do not know Christ, don't miss his call. Can you not hear the many trumpets that have already been sounded? Can you not hear my Master beckoning you to come? Repent and join me in the worship of my God and my king.

A Testimony about God and My Grandparents

Today, I have a testimony to share. I had shared this in many formats but am now writing this down in order to edify as many people as possible. This is a story about my unsaved family.

My grandparents hated Christians and didn't even want their kids or grandkids to have anything to do with church. They would physically look away and not listen when we were talking about God. This one time, some Christian friends came to visit and care for them, my grandpa actually looked straight up at the ceiling WHILE they were talking, talk about rudeness... Beyond this spiritual darkness, there were spiritual attacks from Satan as well. For my grandpa, every single time that he went to church, that same night he would have a nightmare about demons and evil spirits fighting him or holding him down on the ground. These dreams would get so intense that he sometimes woke up in the middle of the night and got violent with my grandma. It got so bad that he doesn't even want to be physically near a church building now. During the times we prayed, he would not listen, when we talked about Heaven and Hell, he would laugh, and at the mention of Jesus, he would scoff. My grandma on the other hand would simply laugh at me every time I talked about Jesus, saying I'm delusional for believing in the afterlife and that I'm 走火入魔 (in too deep in a demonic way). The gospel had been shared in full many times, from the showing of the law to the sinfulness of man to the desperate need of Jesus as Lord and savior.

I don't need to tell you guys that spiritual warfare is real. And this is what had been going on in my house for the past four months, with my older brother too who is not too unlike my grandpa (in his rejection). I tried preaching the full, unadulterated truth of the gospel to them and they turned away. I tried loving them unconditionally and being the best example of Christ I possibly could and they ignored it. I tried fasting and praying on my knees many times a week, crying out for God's intercession, and sometimes I felt like He wasn't answering.

What made it worse was how much I love my family. I love them so much. I love them more than any other human relationship I have. I love them with the love of Jesus Christ. If I could die so that they might be saved, I would. If I could pluck out my eyes so that they can see Jesus how I see Him, I would. They are drowning, dying, and I cannot do anything... I could only watch them die... And that's what they are doing now. God has shown me very clearly that it is He alone who has the power to save. Nothing I do, no matter how "right" they are and how "strategically sound" they might be can amount to anything if God chose not to work in that way at that time.

But praise be to God, the joy of my salvation and the uplifter of souls! When we realize that it is God alone who works (Psalm 62:1), He starts working. When we continue our responsibility in sowing the seed and then do nothing else but sleep (Mark 4:26-27), God makes it grow. When we stop thinking that somehow our efforts would "inspire" God to act and realize that any action on His part is by His grace and nothing else (Eph 2:8-9), that's when God shows up.

My grandparents live in Taiwan, and I'm in Canada. The fact that they were even here for four months was an amazing opportunity. Just a month or two ago, when they still didn't want have anything to do with God, they came to church! In fact, they were adamantly against going on the previous night. Then, through the petition of the saints on bended knees, we saw a complete change of heart within a few hours! I have so many more of these God stories in just the past four months I could share but this post would get way too long. Just know that for 81 years of their life, they had never went to church, been part of worship, prayed with people, or heard the full gospel. And this all happened this summer! Praise God! Praise God!

Last week when my brother left, as we were sitting in the car at the airport, as I shared how much he means to me and how much I wanted him to see Jesus clearly, right before we were about to pray, tears started forming at his eyes. I've only seen him like this twice in my life. God was tugging at his heart and it is so evident! Bob, if you're reading this, God is calling out to you right now! How can you deny it any longer? It's not family you miss or need, it's Jesus! Read your Bible, pray, and meet your savior! Sorry about sharing this in public, you'll be fine.

This week, not to share any details, I was devastated by my grandpa's hardness of heart. And it broke mine. I had to lay it all before the throne of God above because my heart could not take it anymore. I had to stop trying so hard and doing so much and simply trust that God's word does not go out in vain. I even had to lay my grandpa's life on the altar, saying that his salvation (or lack thereof) does not change a thing about my affection for Christ. It was one of the hardest things I've had to do.

The next day, after prayer, the same thing that happened to my brother happened to my grandpa. The thing is, during the whole prayer I was sharing about the love of Christ and how they need it so badly. The Holy Spirit led me to rebuke them! Instead of getting angry, my grandpa, who I've never seen tear up in my entire life, was doing all he could to hold back his tears. My grandpa, who had never held my hand, not even to cross the road when I was a kid, could not let go of my hand after prayer. This was God at work!

My Christian friends, you may know all these things. You may know how only God saves. But I am praying that this truth will impact you more today than it ever did. When we experience spiritual oppression of this level, we don't stop trying when we see how our methods are ineffective. We keep trying as long as we are with them, waiting for God to work, however long it may take. And when we are not with them, we pray unceasingly. And throughout it all, we trust in God not to do what we ask, but to do what is good. That is the secret to evangelism: To fully work and fully rest at the same time. The gospel is disgusting and the fragrance of death to those who are perishing. But once God flicks that switch, you can be doing and saying the exact same things, but your unsaved friend will be on his knees, begging God to forgive him, smelling life for the first time.

Is that not where you were when you met Jesus for the first time? On your knees, broken, but knowing you've finally found what you've been searching for? Do you remember the beauty of your savior when you first laid eyes on Him and the smile on His bloodied face? Can you recall more clearly what was shared at your conversion or rather the overwhelming weight of sin and the unsurpassable desire for Christ? That feeling was the Holy Spirit! The Spirit's working can and WILL overwhelm any of your efforts. It was by GRACE you have been saved! Shall we "stop working" so that grace may abound? By no means! Do you remember what you were when you were called? Can you think back on how much God has changed you since then? Do you not think that what the gospel did in you, it can do to your friend/family? Yes! Yes, God Is mighty to save.

And if you can't remember any of these things, you need to repent right now. Beg for Jesus to forgive you. Know in your heart that whatever you had before was of man and not of God. Ask for a new heart of flesh and new eyes of faith. Then open those eyes, and look! Look up, for Christ is waiting for you with open arms. Oh run to Him, run to our blessed savior! And know that then He will give you rest for your soul.