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Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundational principle of a genuine and triumphant spiritual life. No spiritual realities promised in the Bible – holiness, knowledge, power, courage, fruitfulness, etc. – can ever be experienced without an abiding faith in Christ. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Jesus denounced those who refused to put their faith in Him, even though He had taught them the divine truths and done many miracles that proved His divinity. He chided them, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?..." (Matthew 17:17). He disapprovingly asked His disciples (being frightened by a great storm of wind, where the waves beat into the ship), "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:40).

While Jesus reprimanded people who lacked faith or had little faith, He commended those who expressed extraordinary faith. He told the centurion who exhibited extraordinary faith in His power to heal his servant who was sick with palsy, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel" (Matthew 8:10). When a woman, "which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment" (Matthew 9:20) for healing, Jesus said to her, "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole" (Matthew 9:22). To the two blind men who "followed him, crying, and saying, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on us" (Matthew 9:27), He responded with the words: "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:29). That’s not all. Hear the words of Jesus to the woman of Canaan, who sought deliverance for her daughter who was "grievously vexed with a devil" (Matthew 15:22): "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt" (Matthew 15:28). Whoever came to Jesus with a prayer of faith received not only answers to his / her prayer, but also His commendation.

Like the apostles who said unto the Lord, "Increase our faith" (Luke 17:5), we too must pray that our faith will steadfastly grow. An increase of faith is greatly to be desired by all Christians. We enjoy "boldness and access" to God "with confidence by the faith of him" (Ephesians 3:12). Paul reminds all Christians that it is "by faith ye stand" (2 Corinthians 1:24b). Daily spiritual joy and hope are gained as "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Victories in spiritual battles belong to those who take "the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). Indeed, "this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4b). Thus, we can be sure of a life that is steadfast and sanctified, successful and safeguarded for the glory of God – "the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him" (Hebrews 10:38).

Scripture tells us that the ancient spiritual heroes "through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11:33-34). The stories of the valiant deeds of God’s servants who exercised their faith in God’s Word are strewn all over the pages of the Scriptures.

Consider a few examples of the valiant men of God who gained great victories through faith:

• "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain" (Hebrews 11:4).
• "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death…. for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5).
• "By faith Noah…prepared an ark to the saving of his house… and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Hebrews 11:7).
• "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and… by faith he sojourned in the land of promise… for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:8-10).
• "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age…" (Hebrews 11:11).

So also, by faith, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, David and many more did great things in their generations.
My beloved brethren, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2a). "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Hebrews 10:23).

Faith shall make us a people of great spiritual conquests and accomplishments. Jesus said, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matthew 17:20). The "mountain-moving" faith is not faith in oneself, much less faith in faith, but faith in God. It is not faith itself – no matter how great – that moves mountains, but the God in whom the faith is grounded. Faith has only as much power as its object. If we persist in prayer with faith, we will receive God’s promised forgiveness, peace, joy, freedom, guidance, fruitfulness, protection, wisdom, victory over sin and trials, and countless other blessings.

What does Paul mean by the statement in 1 Corinthians 6:19 - "ye are not your own"?

It is instructive to note that even those who claim that "I am my own" are bound by circumstances, relationships, etc. No one is entirely free. Hence, none is fully independent in his decisions, speech and actions. One may differ from certain people, but others will influence or affect him.

The principle that the apostle Paul emphasises here is that every Christian belongs entirely to God. His soul and body are not his own, but God’s. This is one of the most elementary principles of Christian thought and life. The essence of Christianity is a voluntary surrender of will and life to Christ. No Christian should claim that he is the master of his own life, even though everyone naturally wants to think that he is his own master.

Christians are not their own. Christians are the Lord’s purchased possession. "For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:20). The divine possession of every Christian is a real, permanent, and blessed truth. If we could only realise it more!

To be mindful that we are not ours, but the Lord’s is not some dangerous fanaticism. It is a calm and dignified assurance within our souls that strengthens us to live consciously with holy and glorious aspirations. What strength and beauty it would give to our life!

When Christians appreciates this truth, they yield their hearts to Christ! Then their thoughts are not their own, but are subject to the Lord who redeemed them for Himself. Their abilities, time and resources are not theirs, but are to be consecrated to Him who is their Saviour and Lord.

Christianity is violated and demeaned when those who claim to be Christians refuse to yield their souls and bodies entirely to their Saviour and Lord. The Apostle asked, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). As Christians, our bodies are not our own to use in any way that would defy or displease the Lord who owns them entirely.

Paul emphasises that Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who has made their body His residence. So Paul called them to abstain from sexual sins, that their body be kept sanctified as the temple of the Holy Spirit who indwells them. Committing fornication is as disgusting as committing sexual sins in a worship sanctuary. Whenever sexual immorality is committed by believers, abomination is committed within God’s sanctuary. Every sin committed in a Christian’s body is a defiling act within the temple of God. Christians’ bodies are God’s temple, reserved for His praise and purposes. Our bodies, therefore, have one supreme purpose: to glorify God. "Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13b).

The sense of Divine ownership, rather than self-ownership, is the inspiration of all Christian virtues, aspirations, motivations, dignity and strength. Imagine the sanctity of the temple of old, about which it is said that "the glory of the Lord had filled the house" (1 Kg 8:11). Are we not also blessed with such a higher sanctity in our bodies because of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit? Shall not "Holiness unto the Lord" also be our motto because we are His?

Online Pastors’ Conference

An Email from Pr Sujith Samuel

Dear Pastor,

I thank God for His special help and strength upon you in preaching five sermons on the theme, "Shepherding in the Spirit", during the Online Pastors’ Conference (June 25-26, 2020). I also praise God for bringing many participants from India, China and Southeast Asian countries (Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, etc.), including the preachers of our church from Singapore and the missionaries from the Philippines.

Most of the pastors who attended the last Pastors’ meeting (in June 2019) here in Vizag, India, were not able to make it for this meeting. They live and serve beyond the bounds of the city. The network coverage is not good in those areas. So, they could not get into the online meeting.

However, there were many new participants from other areas of India in last week’s Online Pastors’ Conference. From their feedback that I’ve received, I would like you to know that they were much blessed from the five teaching sessions that you have conducted. The "Question & Answer" session was beneficial to them to clarify their doubts on the topic of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in and through His servants. Some participants have requested for the recordings of all those sessions. I would like to thank you for your plans to make them available; for those recordings will undoubtedly benefit them, especially those who could not hear them.

I thank God for the help offered by Bro Lijoy George, Bro Cornelius Koshy, Bro Mathew Peh, Bro Norefel Resuma, etc. for all the efforts they have put in to ensure that the online meetings were smoothly conducted. May the Lord bless all those who helped in organising this conference.

Please continue to pray for the work here in Vizag and its surroundings. Students are preparing to come back and resume their studies in GBI. We are still not sure whether students from far will be able to return to GBI for the new semester. Meanwhile, some renovation works are being done in our rented premises to enlarge the meeting area to receive more students and also to ensure social distancing. If the Lord permits, the renovation will be completed soon, and the premises will be ready for worship service, classes, etc.

I am delighted to know that the church in Singapore had been given permission to conduct Holy Communion service in Gethsemane Media Centre. May the Lord, in His good time, open the doors of His house for regular worship, prayer, fellowship meetings, etc.

Remembering all of you in my prayers,
Sujith

If you have been following the Lord Jesus, having trusted Him as your Saviour and Lord, then heaven is prepared for you. Jesus said, "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour" (John 12:26). Later He said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3).

The day before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). How remarkable is it that Jesus' greatest desire concerning His people is that they will share His celestial glory for all eternity! He eagerly awaits our arrival in heaven to welcome us to heaven's pure and perfect joys.

However, Christians of our times, generally, seem to have lost the excitement about the glory of heaven. Their hearts relentlessly pursue earthly affluence, success, pleasures, and prosperity. Their lives are so dedicated to their academic excellence, career goals, business success, vacation plans, etc. that the notion of "laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come" (1 Tim 6:19) is viewed as an unwanted distraction. To them, the appeals from Scripture that they ought to prepare themselves to eventually leave this earth by laying up treasures in heaven, are unwelcome intrusions into their busy lives. They disdain and set aside the biblical counsels to live every day with heaven in view. They think that living for heaven while on earth is an enormous waste of their time and energy. When such Christians lose their focus on heaven, they become self-indulgent and self-centred, materialistic and worldly, spiritually weak and lethargic.

All genuine Christians must remind themselves that they are "strangers and pilgrims" (1 Peter 2:11; cf. Heb. 11:13), and that their citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). This world is not the Christians' real home. Like the ancient heroes of faith, we too must confess that "here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come" (Heb. 13:14). Godly men in the Bible longed for heaven, and expressed their earnest expectation of the coming glory with the LORD in heaven:

• "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me" (Job 19:25-27).
• "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:9, 11).
• "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (Psalm 73:24).
• "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1:23).
• "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
• "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-

Like those saints who declared their enthusiasm and hope of heaven, we too should sing and declare our longing for heaven, and live with great anticipation for heaven's glory. Let us rejoice that we are called to be heirs of the eternal celestial glory. As Jesus told the disciples, let us "rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20; cf. Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27). As noted earlier, their citizenship is there (Phil. 3:20). We are promised "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven" (1 Peter 1:4). Our eternal reward is there. In Luke 6:23, Jesus said, "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven". Our greatest impetus to be in heaven is the rich fellowship that we will have with our wonderful Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the glory of heaven.

If the church loses its heavenly-mindedness, it will become a worldly, carnal, and spiritually lethargic church. Such a worldly-minded church will be disobedient to the Lord and be ungodly in its pursuits. So brethren, let us take heed to the Lord's command to all His followers, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). "If ye then be risen with Christ," Paul wrote, "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1).

Revelation 20:14-15: "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

This is a description of what follows the final Great White Throne Judgment. All the wicked dead shall be brought to life again and be judged according to their works by the Lord who sits upon the Throne. According to the previous verse, Revelation 20:13, "the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." The mention of "the sea" giving up its dead makes it clear that regardless of how far a body has disintegrated, it will nevertheless be resurrected for this judgment. The physical bodies of the unsaved will be joined with their souls; then they will be cast into "the lake of fire"!

The phrase "lake of fire" occurs only in Revelation – and that for a total of five times (19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8). In our text, the casting of the wicked dead into the lake of fire is referred to as "the second death". It does not denote, as some erroneously taught, annihilation or complete destruction of a person. According to their teaching, the soul and body of the wicked will be completely destroyed, such that they will not suffer the eternal torment in hell or the lake of fire. That teaching of annihilation is unscriptural.

The lake of fire is the place where the wicked will suffer eternally the torments of hell. It is the place in which the wicked spend eternity in torment. John the Baptiser associated hell with "unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17). Jesus referred to hell as "everlasting fire" (Matthew 18:8), and "everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46). He also described hell as "the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:43b-44; cf. 9:45b-46, 48). This is the place where Satan, the Antichrist and the false prophet will also be cast into forever. Revelation 20:10 says, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." The epistle of Jude also testifies to the eternality of the hell-fire, which is reserved for the unrepentant wicked. In fact, hell’s torment is referred to by Jude as "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 1:7).

It is declared in Revelation 20:15, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This divine declaration about those whom God will cast into the lake of fire, the place of eternal torment, is sure to happen.

Let not the strident voices of the unbelieving ones – that God will not cast anyone into eternal hell – ever cause us to doubt the certainty of His judgment, which is mentioned so clearly here. God will execute the judgment of the unrepentant and the unredeemed, just as He has said here.

We are told that "whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." The word "whosoever" means all persons, irrespective of their ranks, worldly achievements, age or social status. It is an all-encompassing word. The only group of people who will be delivered from the lake of fire will be those whose names are "found written in the book of life". Kings, princes, statesmen, judges, philosophers, religious men, rich men, poor men, the young, the aged, as long as their names are not found written in the book of life, will be doomed to the lake of fire for eternal punishment!

In the New Testament, "the book of life" is the sacred register of all those who are saved (cf. Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 22:19). This book belongs to Christ, the Lamb who was slain for the redemption of the people whose names are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world (cf. Revelation 13:8b; 17:8b). At the last judgment, everyone not listed in the book of life is consigned to the fiery lake (Revelation 20:12, 15)!

How can you know whether your name is written in the book of life? If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be an overcomer of sins and trials by His grace, you can be assured that your name is in the book of life. In Revelation 3:5, Jesus said, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." He will never blot out the names of those who have trusted Him for the forgiveness of their sins. The comfort of the believers is that their names are recorded in the book of life, and that they shall remain secure in the possession of the Lamb who was slain for them.

Those who repent from their sins and trust in Christ do not have to fear the eternal hell. For in Revelation 20:6, it is said concerning the believers that "on such the second death hath no power".

But all those who are not found in the Book of Life will be doomed to an eternal punishment in the lake of fire!

While rebuking the unbelief of the Jews, Jesus said to them that "…many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 8:11). The Lord means not only those who are geographically far away from Israel, but also those who have been far away spiritually, like the Gentiles, will become heirs of His kingdom by faith in the Gospel. What a grand, glorious prophecy was that! It is His plan to draw many from the Gentile world that lay in spiritual darkness and alienation from Him into His glorious kingdom.

That prophecy has been steadily worked out through His faithful servants since He uttered those words. Jesus also said how God would gather a great multitude from all the corners of the world at His coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory – "he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matthew 24:31).

To bring all His people into His kingdom, He tells His servants, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (Luke 14:23). Jesus wants us to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Every faithful church and every genuine Christian cannot lose this perspective that Jesus has placed before His followers.

We have a great vision and responsibility from the Lord concerning global evangelism. Like the apostles and all the faithful, fervent Christians of yesteryears, we must press forward to spread the Word all around the world. We should spare no effort in the work of the world evangelisation.

We must be ready to thrust forward when God opens the doors of the Gospel for us, and prepares us with convictions and capabilities to do whatever He would lead us for the extension of His kingdom. We must believe that His purposes shall not fail. And when He bids us do His will, we must count it a great privilege and honour to give all that He requires of us, knowing that we are given the honour to be part of His great plan for the redemption of a people whom He wants us to reach for His name’s sake.

To the unbelieving and disobedient Jews, Jesus said, "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matthew 21:43). May we never be a spiritually barren people, lest the Lord’s judgment be upon us for wasting the opportunities and resources (which He has graciously afforded us) for selfish and worldly purposes. Instead of being accursed for wilful barrenness, may we expect His blessing as we yield our all to serve Him and be fruitful. May we be warned: when He looks for the fruit in us, if we are found to be like the fruitless fig tree, He will pronounce His curse upon us (cf. Matthew 21:19)!

A sacred compulsion is laid upon our hearts by our great Saviour and Lord. May the persistent love of our Lord work through us to call sinners from eternal damnation, and out of their guilt, shame, misery into His kingdom of light. One day soon, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). The Biblical vision that compels us forward in the global expansion of our church ministry is: "for all nations shall come and worship before thee" (Revelation 15:4). Indeed, "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee" (Psalm 22:27). Let us not hesitate to continue to give ourselves to the redemption of sinners, so that worship of the LORD may arise all around the world.

Let every child of God yield to the Spirit’s leading in his or her heart concerning the part He wants us to contribute in the global Gospel outreach. Continue to pray earnestly for all our preachers and missionaries, mission churches, the Bible Witness magazine, web-radio, internet ministry, media ministry, Gethsemane Bible Institutes, and for all the local evangelistic efforts through TGCM, the campus ministries, Lions Home for the Elders, door-to-door evangelism, etc.

Mission Needs:

There are three areas that the Board of Elders would like to call for your continued support.

1. Cebu Building Project: We prayerfully hope to raise S$2 million, within the next 5 years, to have a building to accommodate the church and GBI ministries, and if possible, the TGCM (Cebu) as well.
2. San Antonio Worship Hall: A small structure, which was built by our late missionary on his family property, has been dilapidated after being bombarded by several typhoons over the past several years. It has become necessary to fence up the compound to prevent some from misusing the place. It would cost about S$30,000/-.
3. A Vehicle for the Vizag Mission: To help the Gospel work carried out by Pr Sujith Samuel, our elders have decided to raise about S$ 30,000/-.

Let us pray earnestly for the above needs, and support with whatever the Lord help us to give.