Introduction

Good day to all! We begin the second lecture on the Christian transformation of the new era. Christian transformation is a very broad topic, and whether ten lectures will be enough to cover it, I am not sure, but I will try my best to pack it in. It is crucial for everyone to understand why transformation is necessary. It is because Christians of this generation are filled with confusion. This confusion is not just a few isolated instances, but it permeates their entire lives.

Yesterday, I spoke about The Hypocrisy of This Generation. Why the confusion? Because of the pervasive hypocrisy. Hypocritical pastors build hypocritical churches, and these churches are filled with hypocritical Christians, who have managed to nullify the powerful Gospel. They have effectively killed a living God in their midst. God has not died, but He is as good as dead in their midst. They have essentially worshipped Baal as Jehovah. When compared to the Bible, it just doesn't add up. Even those with only elementary school education can tell that they are talking and acting nonsense.

Later, people grew accustomed to the confusion, thinking it was normal. They became numb and stopped questioning, accepting things as they were. As I have said before: building an airplane that cannot fly. They say: That's just how airplanes are! What kind of talk is that? I thank the Lord that these confusions are the very reason I founded the Chinese Mingding Doctrine. I turned the entire flawed theological system almost upside down. Because of these confusions, I constantly sought and explored, removing doubts and growing step by step. I believe that after so many years as Christians, you must have experienced confusion. You grew up as a confused generation in the midst of such bewilderment.

I have good news for you: we have resolved the majority of these confusions. If you listen to my Q&A sessions, many questions are very difficult to answer. Yesterday, someone posed a question to me: what is the difference between being shrewd as a serpent and being hypocritical? It's not an easy question to answer, but I gave a rather concise response. I simplified the issue to the point where it is fundamentally godly on the inside but appears as a serpent on the outside – that is being shrewd as a serpent. If you are a devil at heart but appear like Jesus on the outside, it is useless!

People today like to put on a show. Have you seen the Pope? Wearing the papal hat, dressed in papal robes, and holding the papal staff. His appearance just screams holiness! But do you believe that if we put that hat on Chow Yun-Fat and give him that staff, that top-tier actor could play the part perfectly? Some might say Chow Yun-Fat is even better looking. He acts like a gambling king when he plays one, like a king when he plays one – he can act like anything. With the right exterior, he's a handsome young man! With the right exterior, he's a dashing old man! So, the exterior is very powerful, but what truly matters is substance on the inside.

I want to tell everyone good news: don't be afraid of confusion, because we have the Bible. Don't be stumbled by what I say; don't give up. After listening, check what I say against the scriptures. Because Peter and James are often my hotpot ingredients, I often bring them up to give them a shake. These epistles they wrote are included in the Bible but give people a lot of confusion. Do you all know which book in the entire Bible I have read the most times? You will never guess. Romans? Galatians? Genesis? No! It's the Book of James. I wanted to understand it from beginning to end, but I never could. Later, I understood. He did not write it clearly, so how could I understand it?

I discovered that many people also did not understand it, but they still often like to preach from it. I admire them. I read the Book of James and prayed, and then read it again and prayed, but I still could not understand it. Why? Because he did not write it clearly. Brothers and sisters, you must accept what I say. You have definitely not read it as many times as I have. Why could I not understand it? Because I wanted to put it into practice, but I could not. You will notice a characteristic: the sermons I preach and the exegesis I do are all called treatises. Newcomers definitely do not know what this term means.

There is a type of book called the classics, such as the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon. There is also a type of book called the treatise, which takes the content of the classics and puts it into practice. The results of this practice are called treatises. What I speak of are all the results of practice, teaching you how to use them. Zhang Zhongjing wrote the Treatise on Cold Damage, which is a treatise. The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic is a classic. We read the Bible, and I speak of treatises. It is roughly the relationship between the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic and the Treatise on Cold Damage. I am speaking of practical things. If I cannot practice them, how can I speak of them? I am doing it with an attitude of practice. The problem lies here: many people do not practice, and when they do, they get stuck.

Everyone must know that the Chinese Mingding Doctrine truly comes from divine revelation. Do you know what happened later? God guided me to read Acts chapter 15 and the book of Galatians. After piecing these images together, God gave me a revelation: because James read Galatians, he saw that Paul had thoroughly criticized him in Galatians. James was angry, so he wrote the book of James. That is the corresponding relationship, and later I was able to align it.

The Chinese Mingding Doctrine came out of confusion. I encourage everyone to have this kind of perseverance and rigor. Don't think I'm talking nonsense. If I talk nonsense and get messed up by God, becoming an enemy of God, wouldn't I be asking for trouble? The greatest tragedy in a person's life is: an engineer builds a bridge, and the bridge collapses; an aeronautical engineer builds an airplane, and the airplane crashes; a construction engineer builds a house, and the house collapses; a real estate businessman builds properties, and the properties are left unfinished. These are all fatal. A lawyer cannot win cases, and an accountant cannot balance the books. These are all tragedies!

So, everyone must know that I am a rigorous academic, and I have solved a massive amount of confusion. I want to tell everyone good news: don't be confused anymore. But some people listen, and some do not. Those who listen should simply examine with a learning attitude, and they will be fine. I am afraid that some have not studied well in elementary school, even less so in middle school, and just fooled around in college, and then they come out to compare with me, unable to even understand the elementary school textbooks. Someone died recently, and when he was alive, I wanted to serve him. Whenever he was in pain after getting cancer, I would lead him in prayer, and he would feel much better. Would you say he experienced God? Yes, he did. But as soon as I told him that cancer is a curse, he would argue with me.

Like a flitting sparrow, like a fluttering swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight. (Proverbs 26:2)

This sentence means that all curses have a root. He thought that curses would not come upon him; he had read it wrong! How could he not be confused? He never understood what was going on until he died. He would not accept what I said, and then he died in confusion. Whenever traditional Christians talk about demons, they say: There are no demons in me, because He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. But the demon is inside you, so what is so great? He says: I believe in the Lord, and the Holy Spirit lives in me, so He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. But I just cannot see that. Whenever they talk about curses, they say: I have no curse; curses will never come upon me. There are no more curses in the New Testament. I say: You really should go back to elementary school! My words are harsh enough. How can we talk this way? We cannot! Finally, I said: Brother, I cannot serve you either. Just go wherever you want! There are many people in this world. I serve those I can serve, and I give up on those I cannot.

When I got COVID last year, I had difficulty breathing, a high fever, and was sweating all over. All I did was pray and pray. Everyone thought I went to the hospital, but I did not. I isolated myself. I am not that immoral as to spread the virus everywhere. During this time, I saw a news report that a pastor had died of COVID. Someone said to me: Are you scared? I said: What is there to be afraid of? Before this pastor died, he left behind an article, written line by line with much pathos.

At heart, he had a hope: to build a church filled with love. He was the founder of that church, and he was not satisfied with the church he had founded. It's like I wrote a program and was not satisfied with the program I wrote. He wrote that the church lacked love, had internal strife, and a host of other problems. During my illness, I was in terrible pain, but I thought: Isn't this what you built? I was filled with emotion. He still hoped to build the church into something like a home, a church filled with love.

The Chinese Mingding Doctrine does not talk about this. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine talks about building God's army to trample on the devil, our enemy. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine talks about a victorious church. Many people build a church that seems to be full of love, but they do not know how to define love. It is all carnal. How can that be good? They build a church of love but end up building a church full of internal strife. Who is to blame? It was not done right! I was struggling on the edge of death, watching, and I was moved to tears. Did he die? Yes. He had been a pastor for decades, but he did not understand until his death. Why? Because he did not know how real the spiritual realm is, so there were many confusing things.

There was another pastor who died of brain cancer recently. Why? Because a member of their church came to me for ministry. I said: Which church are you from? He said he was a member of so-and-so church. I said: Why don't you seek ministry from your pastor? He said, Who knows who will minister to him? Then I carefully inquired. I don't know if what he said was true or false; there is no way to verify it now that he is dead. He did say this.

At that time, their church was holding a healing conference. I said: Aren't you holding a healing conference there? Didn't you go? He said: No, we are holding a healing conference in our church, but it is only for outsiders, not insiders. Here is another church that is only for outsiders and not insiders. I am really dizzy! This is deception. So, the church has come to have a lot of confusion today. How could such a loving pastor be like this? Even at the point of death, he was still writing about loving the Lord, striving to love God.

I guess he never understood it until his death. He was always confused and died in confusion. If I lived in confusion, that would not do! I have to figure it out. I ask God and change if I do not get it right. If I do not get it right at seventy, I will change. If I live to eighty and what I have been doing for fifty years turns out to be wrong, I will still change. People think it would be too embarrassing to admit that what I have been doing for fifty years is wrong. How many tragedies are there in this era? There is too much confusion among Christians in this era! I grew up in the local church, and it was full of confusion.

I went to a pastor's funeral. He was killed in a car accident. Because I knew him, I stood outside his coffin and said a few words to the dead man. I knew him, and he loved cars very much. Do you know car lovers? They change the wheels, change the exhaust pipes, and the car's engine is not big, but when you step on the gas, the noise is quite loud. They also put film on the car and change it to all sorts of colors to modify it! That's what car lovers do.

At that time, I said: God, I will love you alone. There are many such things. I have seen some pastors who like to wear Hermès clothes. I do not think there is anything good about those things; they are so expensive. On the road of seeking Mingding Doctrine, I have seen many tragedies and many confusions. I am someone who explores and seeks. If brothers and sisters become people who explore and seek, you will surely receive.

This generation is full of confusion. One day, I received a call from someone who said: Pastor, please pray for my money. I said: What's wrong? Tell me about it. He was from Henan. In fact, there are many people in Henan who love the Lord, but they love with a lot of confusion. He had some money, saved up a few million. When he saw these poor preachers, he wanted to help them and support them. So, he took the money to invest in a business, but he lost everything. All the money was gone, and that was all he had in this life!

Would you say his motives were good? Yes! He wanted to support these poor preachers. Today, I want to give you a reminder: never think about helping God, you cannot help Him. I was moved. I asked: What happened later? He said: Later, I got sick and was bedridden. Every night, something called the Holy Spirit would wake him up and have him pray for his money. He obeyed the so-called Holy Spirit and prayed for his money, but the more he prayed, the more uncomfortable he became, and the more his illness worsened.

Finally, he called me to pray for his money. I took the time to explain the Chinese Mingding Doctrine to him. He had lost his money and was about to lose his life. I said: Let's pray for your life first! He said: No, I have to pray for my money. The Holy Spirit has told me to pray for my money, so I must obey and you must also pray for my money. I said: Is the Holy Spirit that bored? The most powerful thing in this era is changing the Gospel, changing a Gospel of great power into a Gospel of no power.

Don't poor preachers have God to feed them? God can feed them. Why are they poor? Because they believe in the prosperity gospel. The faith of evangelicals is very impressive. Some pastors stand on the stage and say: I am an evangelical pastor. But they are trapped in a confused state of mind, persisting in their faith until the end. I admire them for turning a Gospel of power into a Gospel of no power and persisting until death.

When non-believers look at them, they say: Your God is dead. They say: No, our God is alive. They have believed God to death, yet they are still stubbornly arguing. Even outsiders know that this thing is not working, yet they are still very confident in their prayers. How can they not be confused? I am very moved. God will not make mistakes, and demons will not make mistakes. Only we humans make mistakes. We must return to the Bible to explore and examine it carefully.

Even if there is no New Testament, only the Old Testament, we can still find that a works-based system is cursed. The Apostle Paul did not have the New Testament. There was only the Old Testament. At that time, the New Testament had not yet been written. As long as you understand Genesis, you will know that a works-based system does not work, and a faith-based system is key.

People have changed the faith-based system into a works-based system. Those who do everything based on works can boast. But those who are based on faith have no right to boast because that is not the Gospel. They call themselves orthodox evangelicals and judge that this is heresy and that is heresy. After judging, they end up making themselves heretics. Is that the Gospel that the Apostle Paul preached? Paul said: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. This is a very serious problem!

That is not the Gospel; that is moralism. They have read the Bible as if it were the Tao Te Ching. In fact, they have not even understood the Tao Te Ching written by Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu wrote about governing by non-action, but he still trusts in God. They believe in a Gospel of power as a Gospel of works. Have you noticed an interesting phenomenon? Every Christian can experience miracles and wonders when they first believe in the Lord. Miracles and wonders happen right at the beginning when they believe; otherwise, it is difficult for people to believe.

When we first enter, we have all experienced God. Later, we do not know what happened, but it changes, and they believe the Gospel as if it were just about morality. Isn't this strange? When you first believe in God, what did you do? Nothing. So how did you receive it? Because you believed. But as they believed, they entered into a works-based system. Later, it stopped working because they believed incorrectly, and the foundation was changed. Then someone invented a term called the honeymoon period. The previous one was the honeymoon period, and now it is carrying the cross. You trick people in, and that is what it becomes. The honeymoon period later becomes an old married couple. There is no love, so they just live on and exist. When we first entered through faith, we experienced God, but who deceived us later? They have also deceived me, but they cannot deceive me. You must know that I am someone who seeks!

When my pastor was preaching above, I wrote my own notes below. I could not listen to what they were saying, so I read and wrote my own things. Either I slept, or I wrote my own things. Brothers and sisters, do not be lazy. Explore. When you take notes, do you think I want your notes? Taking notes is to give you a heart of exploration and seeking. What should it be like to believe in the Lord? If you can ask that key question, it will solve many of your confusions.

The root is the foundation, and faith is the foundation. A faith-based system cannot incorporate even 0.001% of works. If we add even a little bit of works, the Old Testament is still the Bible, and we must keep the covenant of circumcision, which is a small operation on the genitals only! When you first believe in the Lord, it is still faith, but as you believe, you want to help God do something, thinking that you are a dish that can help God, and that would be a problem.

In fact, when you cannot see God's grace, you have already departed from it. Leaving God's grace, you rationalize that you are not doing well enough, that your faith is insufficient, or that you are not pious enough. Lacking piety, you strive to improve, aiming for sufficient piety, yet still, you do not receive. Then you do even more, burning yourself out, and a brain tumor appears. That is not founded on faith. We must know for certain that Abraham's faith is something we, in the Chinese Mingding Doctrine, have studied most thoroughly.

We have studied Abraham's faith very thoroughly! Abraham's faith is absolutely not based on works; it is because Abraham believed in God that God reckoned him as righteous. If it were not based on faith but on works, then it would be a disaster, because Abraham's works could always be subject to picking and choosing. Everyone should gradually understand and remove confusion. This confusion stems only from turning faith-based into works-based, and the moment that happens, everything collapses.

Do you know? When we first built the church in the Chinese Mingding Doctrine, some people came to help. When people come to help, you must accept them. Later, I hardened my heart and drove them all away. I said, Either you return to your own church, or you stay in my church. Do not come here to help; I do not need your help, and God does not need your help; it is extremely chaotic. After I drove them away, the church began to grow actively.

The church grows in continuous growth. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine is a system; you cannot listen to God's word with only a partial understanding, only hearing stories. Listening to God's word must establish a system. That is the purpose of today's lecture and activity. After listening to these ten lessons, you should know what changes to make. We are not changing others; we are changing ourselves. We cannot change others, so we change ourselves; we reform ourselves.

Scripture

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:1-14)

Prayer

God! Remove the ignorance within us, and let no one deceive us again. Today, we want to stand in the faith of Abraham, to stand in the grace that you have given us, so that we too may receive the blessing of Abraham. God, today remove all kinds of ignorance within us, let us fully know your will and your plan. God, let your Holy Spirit be in us today, and begin to help us put to death the evil deeds within us. Let us continuously grow every day by God and remove all kinds of confusion within us, get rid of all kinds of uncleanness, restore your mighty gospel, and let the power of the Holy Spirit be manifested again in us. We no longer rely on works for righteousness; we rely on this faith for righteousness, and become blessed people before you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scripture Background

This passage is particularly good. What makes it good is that the Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Galatians under specific circumstances. Let me briefly introduce the background of the Book of Galatians; the background of the Book of Galatians is really too important. What is the background of the Book of Galatians? It is that Paul established churches among the Gentiles, but Peter and James in the Jerusalem church told Paul: You go and establish churches for the Gentiles; we Jews cannot contact the Gentiles; we will preach the gospel to the Jews. This was in the year 49 AD, in the era of Acts chapter 15.

In Acts chapter 15, they reached an agreement: Peter and James would be apostles to the Jews, and Paul would be an apostle to the Gentiles. They managed it quite well. However, Paul always regarded the Jerusalem church as their root, always remembering where they came from. But as the Jerusalem church managed things, it became very strange. They went to the churches Paul built among the Gentiles, especially in the region of Galatia, and began to preach about something called circumcision.

I found this matter a bit strange. What's the point of circumcision? The Israelites were circumcised to the point of national ruin and death, becoming a colony, ending up like that. Aren't those who crucified Jesus just like these people? Why are they still doing this? I thought they were not thinking clearly. But they were very enthusiastic about this thing. Jesus did not talk about this, so this matter is very strange. But their Jerusalem church was like the mother church of the churches built by the Apostle Paul. The mother church of the churches established by the Apostle Paul was the Jerusalem church. As a result, this mother church was using a chicken feather as an arrow, telling the churches built by the Apostle Paul: No, this gospel must have circumcision. You can't say that the people in the region of Galatia, upon hearing that it came from the mother church, especially with Peter standing there so impressively, having followed Jesus for three and a half years, and having been present when Jesus was crucified, suddenly felt very convinced.

What is Paul? Paul never followed Jesus. After Jesus ascended to heaven, Paul was still persecuting Christians. After this arrangement, some people really started accepting what Peter said. So the Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Galatians. The church Paul built was still a branch of the Jerusalem church, and you still had to give some face to the Jerusalem branch. As a result, it touched on the fundamental interests of God, and Paul suddenly got energetic:

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3)

This is picking at faults fiercely, so Paul wrote the Book of Galatians. From beginning to end, between the lines, he stepped on Peter and James. He was very skillful, ruthless, and powerful, so this matter pleased God. Paul said:

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

How harsh these words are! It was not about rebellion, but about leaving the pure gospel to us. You can imagine how much risk the Apostle Paul had to take at that time. This political struggle and contest had just begun, challenging the Jerusalem church. The internal political struggle of the church is still a contradiction within the church. Thank God, after the Galatians received this letter, they returned to the teachings of the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul spoke harshly!

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9)

If someone preaches to you another gospel, let him be accursed. Who is this talking about? Peter and James. Brothers and sisters, let us not be partial or judge people by appearances, but begin to be people who explore and seek. Do not believe blindly. Blind faith ends very miserably. We must return to the gospel written by the Apostle Paul, which is based on faith.

After the Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Galatians, who saw it? Peter saw it. Some people said, Peter is talking about you; you are pretending. Others took it to James, and James did not feel good after reading it. When was it written? About two or three years later, in the year 52 AD. From the year 49 AD to the year 52 AD, there were only three years. Paul worked extensively to establish churches. Then James wrote the Book of James. Some people say, Is it really like this? If you have this academic spirit, carefully compare them, and you will find that the Book of James and the Book of Galatians are like two people fighting online. You write an article, and I write an article, arm wrestling online. Paul was angry, so James said in his book:

For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:20)

Paul said: based on faith.

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:9)

James said: No, being based on faith is not enough; it must also be based on works.

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:17)

They were all competing, trending in the church. Ultimately, not only the Galatian church and the Ephesian church, but also the Corinthian church were inextricably linked to Peter. So, brothers and sisters, you must know that there are few who study the Bible as thoroughly as I do, and of course, thank God! For giving us the revelation, I finally understood the Book of James.

Brothers and sisters, observe that those who like the Book of James have many confusions inside! Fortunately, only one book of James was written. Not only is the writing poor, but the Old Testament was not understood either. Whether it is James or Peter, although one is Jesus's brother and the other is Jesus's great disciple, they do not like to study, and they did not understand the Old Testament, let alone the New Testament. Everyone must not dislike studying. Asking you to take some notes is like killing a pig, which is troubling. Asking you to write a note seems as if it is written for me. No, it is written into your head!

The Confusion of the Galatians

The confusion of the Galatians is similar to the confusion of Christians today. Where does the confusion of Christians today come from? It comes from the Book of James, the First and Second Epistles of Peter, and the Book of Jude also creates the same confusion. I thought: God, you are really humorous. Do you know why God is particularly humorous? It is how the entire Bible includes the Book of James, the First and Second Epistles of Peter, and these things. That is not to let you read and understand, as if digging a pit. I thought, where did the confusion of the Galatians come from? It came from Peter and James.

What did they do? If I were Peter and James and came to Galatia, what would I do? Today's gathering, I would have collected all the offerings and taken them back to Jerusalem. Then I would share the importance of circumcision, which is just a small surgery, so everyone does not need to worry. After everyone listens, would you feel a sense of revulsion? Everyone opens the Old Testament; our ancestor Abraham was circumcised. Oh my goodness, generally, people would definitely be confused, Oh my, what should I do? Circumcision then. So the entire Galatian people began to be circumcised.

There were quite a few Galatians who were circumcised! Anyway, just have a small surgery. People also said, This thing is very hygienic and healthy. But the problem is that this is not the gospel. If you get circumcised, another problem arises: do you want to offer cattle and sheep, and do you want to go to the Jerusalem church to worship? If you push down like this, if you bring in circumcision and bring in other things, wouldn't you go back to the Old Testament again? These people are all those who do not read the Book of Genesis very well. If they understood the Book of Genesis, they would also know that before Abraham was circumcised, God considered him righteous because he believed in God.

And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

As a result, this entire thing went wrong. How did it go wrong? Because behind this, it is the offspring of vipers making trouble, deceiving people and causing confusion. As a result, the Galatians began to be confused: Oh my, before, I had COVID and tested positive, and after praying, I got better. Oh my, why is it not good now? Hurry and send me to the hospital and insert a tube. After inserting a tube, I died. Paul, why is this gospel not working? Some people wrote letters to Peter, some wrote letters to Paul, and some wrote letters to James. As a result, Paul wrote the Book of Galatians. I guess Peter and James would say: That was the honeymoon period. What to do then? Like that, this is called bearing the cross of Jesus Christ. Oh my, it is confusing. You say, are you confused? I am also confused. Then start suffering. Paul said, Did you suffer so many things in vain?

Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? (Galatians 3:4)

You definitely did not understand this sentence, but the Galatians definitely understood it after reading it: Oh my, the sins I committed were meaningless. Praying does not work. Hey, I was working fine before, why does it not work now?, and then I got confused. The gospel has been changed, just like a computer has been infected with a virus, and your buttons do not work. You know that your computer is infected with a virus, and then infected with a Trojan horse. When you want to execute something, it does not work anymore, and that computer becomes an old and tired horse. Do you say the Galatians are confused? Confused. Why? The gospel does not work. I can't figure it out no matter how I think about it. Is circumcision in the Bible? It is in the Bible.

Paul, facing this situation, wrote the Book of Galatians in a flamboyant manner. Actually, the Book of Galatians, the Book of Ephesians, the Book of Colossians, the First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians, all the way to the Book of Romans, are all solving this confusion issue. The Galatians suffered a lot of sins, so they had to bring out Abraham again. You can't say that Paul brought out Abraham, and James also brought out Abraham, and Peter also brought out Abraham. Everyone almost tore Abraham into pieces; you understand this time, right?

Paul Reminds Them How They Received the Gospel Initially

Paul reminds them how they originally received the gospel. Look at how this is said:

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:1-2)

When the Holy Spirit came down upon you, you did not have circumcision! What are you doing circumcising that thing for? How did you know the Holy Spirit came down upon them? Because when the Holy Spirit comes down upon people, people will receive tongues, and various powers of the Holy Spirit will be manifested. The word Holy Spirit is very important. Now, some people, when they mention the Holy Spirit, almost go crazy. Jesus can be mentioned, but the Holy Spirit cannot be mentioned. But the Apostle Paul said: Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Are you so foolish? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:3-5)

These words immediately solved this matter. How did they solve it? Then, at that time, we walked this road. How did someone bewitch you to walk another road? Did the Israelites go to national ruin and death by the other road, and they are still a colony now? How did you go there again? Especially my mother church, which is the Jerusalem church, where they tossed around for a few years and became so poor that they were ringing with emptiness. Is that good? Of course, this was not said. So at that time we were able to receive. Everyone must know that you must start to persist in walking the road of faith.

Consider this: how can one achieve perfection through the flesh? By performing circumcision on the genitals? What then? These are all problems. You might say I am not devout enough. No matter, I can be even more devout. Starting from the foot of Mount Tai, prostrating every three steps, kowtowing every five, until my head is a bloody mess at the peak. Is that devout enough? Devout indeed. But without the work of the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit of God does not rely on such things.

You see how devout I am! But what does this have to do with faith? Nothing at all. Achieving perfection through the flesh is utterly meaningless. I once knew a Christian who fasted and prayed for forty-three days in church, only to die there. His family came looking for him. Forty-three days of fasting and prayer! I thought, Are you trying to overpower Jesus? To outdo Him? And then he died. Isn't that perplexing? God, what is going on? God might well ask: I'd like an explanation too! What were you doing? Who knows where he went after death.

How does this mighty power of the Holy Spirit manifest? Miracles and wonders are a critical component of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I ask you, how many miracles does the Holy Spirit perform among us? I tell you, in our midst, the miracles in just one week can surpass those in many churches in an entire year. Why? Because the Spirit of God is glorified among us. We are founded on faith.

Jesus Christ's ministry on earth lasted only a few years, just over three, but the miracles He performed in those years could fill countless books. They only wrote a few down in the Gospels. So I tell you, miracles, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Gospel we believe today are inseparable. When you are penniless, how can I minister to you? Give you money? Money won't solve the problem. But the power of God can, and miracles will occur. And that is good.

One of our sisters shared with me yesterday that she was once in despair. She came among us in that state, heard the Gospel of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine, and prayed: God, take me away from this place. And God did take her away! A miracle happened, turning days of utter poverty into days of wealth. So I want you, brothers and sisters, to understand that without miracles, there can be no transformation. What can people do without miracles? Giving you money, helping you find a job, it's useless. A miracle is what is needed.

Brothers and sisters, know this: I want the paralyzed to walk, the blind to see. Among us, the blind see, the lame walk, and lepers are cleansed. Why? Because our God is a God of miracles. Unlike some who dilute a powerful Gospel into a powerless one and say miracles are unimportant, they are talking nonsense. If miracles are not important, why did Jesus perform them? Without miracles, there can be no transformation.

So, brothers and sisters, through the Holy Spirit—the Holy Spirit is a core component of the entire Christian faith. If you seek to put to death the deeds of the body, do so by faith through the Spirit. If you long for a miraculous transformation in your life, do so by faith through the Spirit. Our God is a God of miracles. Even in a world teetering on the brink of crisis, God can create a job for you. Do you believe that? But you do not live for the job, for you live for God.

Our faith is not built on eloquent or persuasive words, but on the power of the Holy Spirit. With the power of the Holy Spirit, how wonderful it is to witness daily miracles! Prayers answered, healings received, financial problems solved. Why? Because we walk a path of faith, not of works, founded on faith. I know your works are insufficient, and so are mine. Even Abraham's works were insufficient. If God only worked when our deeds were perfect, that would be a tragedy.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, stop trying to help God with your works. He does not need our smelly tofu. Before God, we are not a delicacy; we are only recipients. I saw a sister type that when she came to me, she was not a believer. After a long spell in the hospital, she was failing. She remembered me, and after I prayed with her for an hour, she went home bouncing with life. I was overjoyed! More so than she was. The Gospel is effective! Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not rely on your works before God, but on your faith. Through faith, draw on the power of God. Rely on the Holy Spirit to solve your problems. The Spirit of God is good!

Returning to the Faith of Abraham

There are all kinds of faith. Some people say, Pastor, why does my faith not work? I ask, What kind of faith do you have? Your faith is in yourself. People believe in themselves one moment, and then they don't, leaving me exhausted. If I am believing in myself, will that work? Therefore, return to the faith of Abraham. Abraham heard God's word and believed God, not arguing with Him. That is why I often bring up Abraham in my sermons.

Abraham deserves a Nobel Prize, for he made a great discovery: the faith of Abraham. It is magnificent. All who have the same faith as Abraham will enter into Abraham's blessing. Abraham's faith is believing that our God can create something from nothing, raise people from the dead. He believed that what is impossible for man is possible for God. This is in line with what Jesus taught. So return to the faith of Abraham. I have studied Abraham's faith thoroughly, from Genesis 12 to Genesis 26.

If you follow me from now on, listening to Genesis every week, you will gain much. Abraham finally understood one thing: life is meaningless. Many people today realize that life is meaningless, but if life were truly meaningful to you, you wouldn't be able to walk Abraham's path.

Abraham sought God because he found life meaningless, and God led him on a difficult path that required faith to overcome. From Ur of the Chaldees to Haran, then to Canaan, and finally to Egypt, leading two thousand people was no joke. Why? Because he believed that life had little meaning, so he sought an eternal hope. He felt that death rendered life meaningless. This is the faith of Abraham.

So do you ask if Abraham's faith came before or after seeing through life and death? I tell you, it came after seeing through life and death. If you are filled with longing for this life, finding it exciting, enjoying entertainment, you will not be able to walk this path. If people are dating, finding partners, seeking jobs, buying houses and cars, traveling, playing games, making friends—it is difficult to walk Abraham's path. Abraham disliked these things. He found them boring. Life and then death seemed pointless. As a result, he sought God, and that is how Abraham's faith came to be.

If your view of life differs greatly from Abraham's, if you do not find life empty, then you need not come; you will not be able to walk this path. So why do I minister in this way? I am exhausted from my ministry, but it is alright. Why? Because this is the meaning of my life. I was born for it, I will die for it, I live for it. This is the purpose of my life. If I don't do this, what else is there? Abraham's faith began here. Then, upon seeking God, he found that those who bless Abraham will be blessed, and those who curse Abraham will be cursed! If you do as Abraham did, you will be mighty!

Abraham's life was filled with miracles. In battle, he led 318 men to defeat four kings. He was a mighty prince, honored and respected by those around him. How satisfying it is to be such a person! God said, I will make your name great, and I will deliver your enemies into your hands. These are encouraging words. Brothers and sisters, do you want to be such a person? Return to the faith of Abraham, which is faith in God, not in oneself.

Brothers and sisters must know that there are two paths in this world: one is living by the sword, and the other is living by the grace of God. Living by the sword is being under a curse; it is relying on works. But through faith, relying on God, God will say, I am your shield. He is truly God, protecting us. What are you afraid of? When you fear, you lose faith, and when faith is lost, the devil comes.

Faith as the Foundation is Key to Blessing

When you are founded on works, you are under a curse. When you are founded on faith, you begin to be blessed. It is that simple. Reflect on your path of faith over the years. Never say, God, let me give you something. What does God need your trinkets for? Never make that mistake. Faith must come before sacrifice for the sacrifice to be meaningful.

Whenever I pray for someone, I minister with faith as the foundation. I let you receive grace first, even if you are imperfect, and then address the problem. I once prayed for someone who was going blind, and they were healed! I found it amazing! Because I ministered with faith as the foundation. Therefore, our Gospel is truly the Gospel, not a moralistic preaching.

The person I was ministering to told me that the doctor said he would be blind within a year and that his vision was blurry. I said, Brother, do you know that whoever has eye problems has been healed through my prayer! Then, he had hope. I was able to give him hope in his despair. I prayed for him for five minutes and he was completely healed. God's Words never fall short, especially now that they have healed you and it was incredible.

After that, it really was the case that anyone with blurred vision was healed by me. I am not lying to you; that is the case 100% of the time. A sister once came to me and asked what she should do. I simply prayed before asking, and proclaimed there will be a blessing over your future, and just by being faithful, the Sister walked away with hope. Every time a person’s faith is established, the Lord will come show Himself. When your hope has vanished and suddenly rekindled, you shall not despair!

Focusing on faith is the key to blessings. If you want to bless someone, don't rely on what you see, but boldly declare with faith that miracles will be manifested through you because faith can move God's mighty arm. God fulfills according to your belief. Start believing that you have a bright future and walk the path of faith. Many people do not know this secret and are self-righteous. Since they do not know that basing our foundation on faith is the basis of all blessings, do you wish to bless others? If you wish to bless this world, bring them to the Lord through Abraham's faith, for that is what the Lord created.

All Who Live by The Law Are Cursed

The entire Old Testament is a model, because being able to follow every Law is an impossible task. To say that you don't break the law is to imply that one has followed every commandment set by the Holy Word, and that even if you have made a mistake even once, the Lord will be displeased with our actions. Many Christians don't live by that teaching, and instead confuse themselves by proclaiming that Sister so and so is pious, and when faced with that proclamation I typically give back my own retort of How can they have reached such enlightenment? In response, I am typically faced with their deeds. And the conversation ends there. I follow up with Who has been blessed by the Sister's presence? How many has she healed? How many have had their lives turned around? And the conversation ends there once more.

We cannot take the path of piety. Typically, the more devout claim to walk with the Lord, despite being diagnosed with terminal illnesses... if we were to follow a facade that is too great, we are more likely to be fooled. The only Lord of praise that should be lifted is the King of Kings. I can boast to no end that I had an audience with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If I had measured my deeds, there's little chance I would even get an audience with our Lord. And if I had been blessed with an audience, and were too haughty to thank Him for His Grace, there'd be no further blessing. Brothers and sisters, please understand that all shall be cursed who follow the way of The Law.

Is There a Contradiction Between The Teachings of Law and Faith

If you can understand the Word of God, being foundationally faithful is to be in union with the Lord. No need to read further, there's teachings enough from Genesis and Deuteronomy. The foundational message to be taken from Abraham, Genesis is that through having faith we are in unity with Christ; if we are made of the Law, we are cursed. If our fundamental building block is built out of the Lord and his faith, we are able to be born of Him into an eternal life. There is no contradiction, for to understand His Word is to follow with Faith in God.

Closing

Why are we speaking regarding the perplexity of modern Christians? It is because the issue lies in the vast amount of them that follow earthly deeds. Today there needs to be a reformation of the Christian faith, and I feel blessed to be a hand in the reformation. Together, we are blessed to be a hand in God's holy plan.

Walk away from deeds this day, and thou shalt be set free and blessed greatly. I find that in many places what is right and holy I do not need to spell out, but I persevere in doing so, for it is by doing so that we call our brethren into the safety of God's Kingdom. As such, you shall witness the glory of the Lord.

As the sunset comes, may we gaze upon the glory of His Holy visage. As the sun sets, let us reflect upon how we were able to be a hand in such glory. And until our Lord comes again, let the Holy Glory be multiplied tenfold. May the Temple grow in holiness.

May the Body of our Christ be healed and be raised to a higher standard! Each time I reflect upon His Words, my heart overflows with praise!

Paul left teachings and messages that spoke little of shepherding. Instead, The Holy Word was built out of a fight with the Lord of Darkness for the purity of His Name. Since He has laid the foundations of His Temple, it is under our charge to build upon it and create a masterpiece that He shall be pleased with us. Now may we go one step further, to be better today than that of yesterday.

May the Lord Bless You All.