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  『 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;   If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.   Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus . 』 (Philippians 3: 10-12) Paul met Christ at Damascus. He listened to Jesus' voice and saw him in glory brighter than the sun. Despite his amazing experience, he said when he wrote to the Philippian church. Jesus told His disciples, "The world hates you as the world hates me." Jesus says that we must not be loving the world, but be overcomers of it. In order for us to overcome the world, we must share in the sufferings of Jesus. Followers of Jesus are not in harmony with the world. Jesus said to Pilate: My kingdom is not a kingdom of this world. It is not the world we have to ask but the king...

  『 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 』 (Philippians 3: 7-9) We cannot serve God and riches together. No matter how trusting and worshiping Jesus, those who love money are not saved. God will say, "I do not know you," when those who love riches die. Only if God knows us, we are saved. It is not important for me to believe in God that God must know us. The faith that God knows about us is saved faith. What is the difference between the faith we believe and the faith God knows? It depends on repentance. Repentance is to deny ourselves before the Word of God. Tod...

『 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed . 』 (Romans 9: 8) The children of the flesh follow the flesh. 『 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 』 (Romans 8: 5) God's children follow the Holy Spirit. 『 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 』 (Romans 8: 14)   However, Galatians (5: 19-21) speaks of the work of the flesh. 『 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication , uncleanness, lasciviousness , Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 』 He who follows the Holy...

    『 For many are called, but few are chosen. 』 (Matthew 22:14)A few days before Jesus died, he told the disciples by parable: A king had a wedding feast for his son. The king invited people, but no one came.   『 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage . But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 』 (Matthew 22:2-5)   The reason for those who do not want to come to a wedding feast is because of their own business. They thought that the present work was more important than the kingdom of God. The others insulted or killed the servant sent by the king. So ...