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  [Jesus Christ] Question 30: Now let us move on to the second part. Answer: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. Latin Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, English translation His only Son, our Lord,   The English Apostles' Creed reads, "His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit," so the fourth and fifth sections are combined. There is no difference in meaning. The phrase "only Son" means there is no one else but the Son. The phrase "only Son" means not the Son of Man, but the only Son of God. As the Son of Man, Jesus had many brothers.  

  Question 29: What benefit is it to you to know this fact?   Answer: It is very beneficial. If demons and evil people had the ability to do anything against God's will, it would be a miserable thing. In that case, as long as we are threatened by them, we would never be able to possess peace of conscience. However, we have reason to rest and rejoice because we know that God restrains them and that they cannot do anything without God's permission. This is because God has promised to be our protector and keep us safe. The object of a believer's spiritual warfare is not Satan and his messengers, but the carnal mind within. The carnal mind resists the Holy Spirit. Romans 7:21-25: "So I discover this law: that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. For in my inner self I delight in the law of God, but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! ...

  Types of Faith and Tests of the Authenticity of Faith   Justification by faith means that one obtains salvation through faith in Jesus. It may sound simple, but it carries much meaning. For believers today, saying that they believe in Jesus means that when a believer believes that Jesus has become the atoning sacrifice on their behalf, they receive forgiveness from all sins and attain salvation. Is the subject of the statement "I believe in Jesus" me or Jesus? Naturally, believers will consider themselves to be the subject of their faith. In Romans 3:21-24, it says, "But now a righteousness from God has been revealed apart from the law, which is attested by the law and the prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to everyone who believes, without distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by God ’ s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." “ Through faith in J...

  Question 28: Then are demons (both Satan and evil spirits) and wicked people also under God's sovereignty? Answer: Although God does not lead them through His Holy Spirit, He controls them, so they cannot move an inch unless He permits it. Furthermore, God restrains them to accomplish His will, even if it is contrary to their will and intentions. God has granted Satan authority to rule over those who are not in Jesus Christ, and both Satan and his messengers are under the dominion of God's power. Satan tempts believers, acts as an adversary to Jesus Christ who defends them, and accuses and prosecutes those who sin. Satan prevents those who are under the law from escaping. Satan approaches believers when they do human works. Therefore, Satan gives believers a thorn in the flesh. Those who are in Jesus Christ are under the dominion of the Holy Spirit, and therefore are naturally under God's sovereignty. A saint under the dominion of the Holy Spirit is one who has obta...

  Question 27: Then, since maintaining creation in its proper state is a greater task than creating it once, why do you call God simply the Creator? Answer: This does not mean that God, after completing the great task of creating creation with His own hands, abandons it and does not care for it. Rather, it means that just as the world was first created by God, He still maintains it in that state, and that heaven, earth, and all creatures could not maintain their existence without His power. Furthermore, because God holds all creatures in His hands, He has the authority to rule and govern all things. Therefore, because God is the Creator of heaven and earth, He directs all natural order through His love, power, and wisdom. This means that He gives rain and drought, hail and storms, good weather, abundant harvests and famine, health and various diseases. In short, this means that God always places all creatures under His rule so that they may serve Him according to His will. God's pl...

  The Password to the Door to the Kingdom of God   When looking at a house today, there is a front door, and most homes have smart keys that require a password to open. Just as one cannot enter a house without knowing the password, I think that the Kingdom of God also has a password. It means that the condition for entering the Kingdom of God is not simply living a life of hard work, devotion, and sacrifice, but rather that there is a mutual promise, like a password. This mutual promise is a covenant between God and man, and that is what the password is. Ephesians 5:31-32 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, as I speak concerning Christ and the church." Here, the word "mystery" appears. The Apostle Paul said, "A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great." What does ...