The Theme of the New Testament is Building a Victorious Church

Today, I am sharing with you a topic: To Build God's Temple, One Must Be Faithful to the End. However, this chapter does not discuss God's temple. Instead, it contains many concepts, such as rest and God's house, which may seem confusing. When reading the Bible, we must grasp the theme and have a holistic view. As the Chinese saying goes, seeing the trees but not the forest, we must grasp the overall concept. Without a holistic view, we cannot build a complete system. The theme of the New Testament is building a victorious church.

From the previous chapter, we saw that all things shall be united in one. This salvation is for us to enter into a state of unity with God, which is to build a victorious church. Similarly, the previous chapter also spoke of being united with God, putting all things under our feet, and overcoming death and temptation. If you see a church that has not put all things under its feet and has not overcome death and temptation, then it is not a victorious church. It may have the label of a church, but it is filled with the doctrines of demons. For example, the Old Testament records the Pharisees who served in God's temple, whom God called a brood of vipers. Do not think that if a church has a building, it is God's church. That may not necessarily be God's church.

Some brothers and sisters have told me that when they went to Europe and saw the grand cathedrals, they felt a sense of solemnity and reverence and thought that they were God's temples. But that is not God's temple. If you lived in the Qing Dynasty, you would have the same feeling walking through Tiananmen, Duanmen, and Wu Gate to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but that is not God. So, do not pursue feelings; pursue how God reveals His church.

Building a Church Requires Faithfulness to the End

God puts all things under His feet, overcomes death and temptation, is united with God, and is filled with God's glory. This is the church, God's house and God's temple. God's glory fills it, and then you have a share in Jesus Christ. This is called rest. The Book of Hebrews combines the house, home, and rest, which leads to only one conclusion. The theme of the New Testament is building a glorious church. Similarly, Hebrews Chapter 3 also speaks of building God's temple, and that one must be faithful to the end.

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house, whose house we are if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (Hebrews 3:6)

This house is God's temple, God's church.

We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. (Hebrews 3:14)

Building God's church requires faithfulness to the end, persistence to the end! The author was facing a situation where many people did not persist to the end in building the church. Many people were enthusiastic today and indifferent tomorrow. Many people had faith and hope in building God's temple today, but tomorrow these ideas would disappear, and then they would say, I was baptized and saved xx years ago, and I can return to my heavenly home after I die. Is that really the case? The most important thing is to be faithful to the end. I often see many Christians who look like demons, gossiping and undermining people's faith; then, they claim to be saved after baptism. But I cannot see the image of Jesus in them at all.

When the author saw this situation, he wrote a long passage to tell us: To build God's temple, one must be faithful to the end of one's life! Brothers and sisters, do not think that once saved, always saved. That is not the case. We are in danger of falling at any time on the road we are running. We must learn how to avoid such dangers. Some people say that this is God's sovereignty, but it is actually your choice.

Human choice is very important. If your purpose in being with us is not to build God's glorious church, you will not be able to walk with us, because we are all laying down our lives. If you do not lay down your life, you do not have Mingding Destiny. If you do not regard building God's glorious church as the most important thing in your life, how can you walk with us? As you walk, you will feel tired.

Destiny is why people live! We are born for this, we live for this, and we are willing to pay the price for this matter when we come into this world. If your purpose in coming among us is to gain some advantage, you will walk very tiredly and then will not be able to continue. I encourage brothers and sisters to ask themselves if they are truly people with Mingding Destiny. If you do not have Mingding Destiny, we can tell, and you yourself know, because people will not do what they do not agree with.

If your purpose is for work and making money, you will not be able to walk with us. Because we look down on work and see through the things of a lifetime, we are faithful to God to the end. Brothers and sisters, do not think that you can follow us to gain some advantage or be a straggler; do not think about the world while wanting to walk the heavenly path. The author of Hebrews did not compromise in the face of the situation at the time. He said, Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity. If brothers and sisters are satisfied with being stragglers, running with us out of breath, how can you walk with us?

If some of us brothers and sisters do not have Mingding Destiny, let me pour cold water on you: you really cannot go on. The Bible says, You always go astray, and you shall never enter my rest, which means you cannot be in my temple, you cannot go on. Only in God's temple can you find rest. If you do not have Mingding Destiny, where does rest come from? If you do not have Mingding Destiny, how can you be in God's temple? God's temple is built by a group of people with Mingding Destiny. If you do not have Mingding Destiny, are not born for this, do not live for this, and are not willing to offer yourself as a living sacrifice, completely and fully, then this road cannot be walked.

Finding Rest in God's Church

We must know that rest is the key to solving our problems. Rest is building God's holy temple and living in God's temple. We must all be people with Mingding Destiny in the depths of our hearts. The church built by this group of people with Mingding Destiny has God's presence, which is walking with God. The church is the body of God. To have a share in Jesus Christ is to find rest in the church.

Why is our church so strict? Because our church is built by a group of people with Mingding Destiny. It is definitely not that you can become one of the church's people simply by sitting in the church. Therefore, I encourage the brothers and sisters of our church to walk with God and be with God, to build God's glorious church, to be faithful to the end, and not to hesitate no matter how much suffering or fatigue we endure. Because a person's life is vanity of vanities, only building God's glorious church is the meaning of our life. If this is not the meaning of your life, then the following content has nothing to do with you. My words are rather heavy, but the author of Hebrews speaks even more heavily than I do.

Rest is not the solution to the problem. A pastor suffered from hydrocephalus and could not sleep. He felt powerless when he worked and did not know how to live. Someone recommended that I minister to him. To be honest, ministering to such a pastor was a great obstacle for me, and I needed a lot of courage. I asked him: Can you explain how your illness came about? He told me: Pastors only have one day off on Saturday, and they are busy from morning to night at other times. If they serve God every day, wouldn't they get sick and die? He complained in his heart, how could he not get sick? I told him: I have believed in the Lord for more than twenty years and have never missed a Sunday. After becoming a pastor, I have served God wholeheartedly, day and night, without ever resting. Although my physical body is laborious, I have rest in the depths of my heart.

I devote myself to building a glorious church. When they see me, they ask me why I am so healthy, with a body as strong as an ox. I do more renovation work than my colleagues and young people. Why is this? Because I live in rest. If I lived in rest, I would also get hydrocephalus, cancer, and various aches and pains, and these diseases would come upon me. Therefore, rest is not the solution to the problem, only rest is.

Rest is building God's glorious church, walking with God. Building God's glorious church is the most noble goal of our life. When the Israelites came out of Egypt and entered the wilderness, they did not regard shepherding sheep or farming as the most important thing. They regarded building God's tabernacle as the most important thing. They thought, Let's do this first, and then do other things.

When David became the king of Israel, the most important thing he thought about was building God's temple. Later, God told David, You do not need to build a temple for me. Your son Solomon will build a temple for me. This is what everyone cannot understand the most. David married Bathsheba after adultery, and Solomon, the son born to him by the adulterous Bathsheba, built the temple. Why was Solomon king and built the temple, and not David's other sons? I think it was because David was so eager to build the temple that he always mentioned it to his children. The other children were not interested, only little Solomon was interested in this matter, often discussing with David how to build the temple. To build God's temple is a glorious Mingding Destiny. Why did God choose Solomon to be king? It was because Solomon had a heart to build a temple for God. If Solomon's brothers had a heart to build a temple for God, they would have been kings long ago, but they were not interested.

You must know that if a person comes into this world with building God's glorious temple, establishing God's glorious church in his heart, then you cannot but have rest. Because rest is the key to solving many problems in our life, but many people do not know it. Not knowing is such a pity! The rest I am talking about here may be a little different from the rest you imagine, but you see the line of thought I have laid out, which seems more reliable. This is how I read the Bible: I like to have a higher theme, and then unfold it, corresponding to each chapter and each verse. We must see the trees and also see the forest; we must see the big picture and the big theme, and then see what each chapter and each verse is talking about. Today I think our church is doing very well, because that is what God has done through my hands.

The Foundation of Healing and Deliverance Lies in a Victorious Church

We have discovered the foundation of healing and deliverance. It is not about anointing or spiritual gifts, but about building a victorious church. God wants to build the church on the rock of truth, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This means our diseases are closely related to the power of hell. God gives us the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. We must remember this. If we are not in a victorious church, we cannot be healed. Being healed is not because you have a glorious Mingding Destiny, but simply because you have received grace. Do not remain at the level of your faith saving you; it is crucial to start entering into your Destiny. Therefore, you see that the 12 disciples Jesus chose were not following Jesus because He healed them. So, brothers and sisters, you must be clear-headed; this is very important.

The foundation of healing and deliverance is building a victorious church. When we build a victorious church, healing and deliverance saves us a lot of money and trouble. Without a victorious church, nothing can be done. Today, a Singaporean I ministered to had a chest injury from a punch, with a bone fracture that had lasted for almost a month. He consulted a brother in his church, who is an orthopedic doctor. This brother told him that his bone fracture would take one and a half months to heal, which is similar to the Chinese concept of 100 days for bone and muscle injuries. But this is not the word of God.

After I prayed for him, his pain decreased significantly. Then I said to him, Think about why their prayers were ineffective for you? Why was my prayer effective? After everyone hears this, especially those listening online, do not say, Only you can do it. I have heard this many times, and I do not care if I hear it again. The question is, does it matter whether I can do it or not? What matters is that I have the determination and will to build God's glorious church. I have paid a very heavy price for this, and it is a tearful story, but it does not matter.

Today, I want to tell everyone that I was born and live for this purpose. Nothing and no one can stop me from building God's glorious church. I do not have small-minded plans. Building God's glorious temple is my interest, so today everyone must know that in God's temple, you will find rest.

Do Not Be Deceived by Sin, Do Not Harden Your Hearts

Let us review the points we have discussed: First, the theme of the New Testament is building a victorious church. Second, building God's church requires lifelong faithfulness. Third, rest can only be found in God's church, which is the body of Jesus Christ. Fourth, do not be deceived by sin, do not harden your hearts.

Do you know that today, there are countless people who hear God's word and see God's works?

For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? (Hebrews 3:16).

Today, many people pray, I want to hear God's word. All the Israelites who died in the wilderness had heard God's word. Hearing God's word and doing God's word are two completely different things.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. (Hebrews 3:7-9).

Today, brothers and sisters, seeing miracles does not count, hearing God speak to you does not count, only those who are faithful to the end count. The Israelites who died in the wilderness were often confused in their hearts.

Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ (Hebrews 3:10-11).

Do not think that seeing is enough. There are many people who have seen Jesus perform miracles, but it is useless. Only those who see God's works, hear God's word, and then do it, are truly believers. We are partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Today, we must not harden our hearts as in the day of rebellion. Do you want to be an Israelite who died in the wilderness? I tell you today that on the road to pursuing rest, there are corpses everywhere.

God is a God who strikes down people. Those who are unwilling to enter His promised land, those who hear His word, see His works, and yet remain confused and hardened in their hearts, God strikes them all down in the wilderness. You do not need to defend God, saying that our God is not that kind of God, that our God in the New Testament is Santa Claus, that the dynasty has changed. God has never changed. If today our brothers and sisters cannot enter into God's rest, still hardened in their hearts, not taking God's plan as your plan, not taking God's goal as your goal, even though you have seen God's works, heard God's word, yet remain hardened in your heart, God will strike you down. You think the God of the New Testament does not strike down people? God strikes down people just the same. The words spoken in the Bible are still valid.

If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. (Deuteronomy 28:58-59).

If you think this sentence is outdated, then I can tell you that it is not outdated.

A few days ago, a pastor with cancer came to me and asked me how to be healed. I did not want to say it directly to him, so I talked about myself. I said, If I get cancer, I deserve it, because I have not feared the glorious and awesome name of the Lord God; if I get a long and prolonged illness, a great and serious plague, you do not need to sigh for me, nor do you need to praise me, nor do you need to hold a memorial service for me. Just wrap me up in a sack, no need for a coffin. Because I have violated the word of the Lord God.

Every time I stand next to a coffin, looking at the person inside, whether they died of cancer or in a car accident, I tell myself, God, have mercy on me, may I carefully observe Your words all my life, walk in Your ways, and build Your victorious and glorious church. Let me live and die for this purpose, let me live in Your Destiny, let me carefully observe Your words.

Do not think that being on the road to rest means entering the land of Canaan. No, more than 600,000 people died in the wilderness, and that entire generation died out, only Joshua and Caleb entered. Later, another 600,000 people were counted, all of whom were born later. The Israelites walked for a full forty years, it is a pity that they watched the promised land but could not enter; they watched themselves come out of Egypt and enter the wilderness; they watched the blessed day was about to come, and it flowed out from between their fingers. All because of being deceived by sin, so do not be deceived by sin, do not harden your hearts.

Today, everyone must still know:

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it. (Genesis 4:7).

How many Christians today are deceived by sin? Those who live small lives, who are afraid of battle, who are unwilling to pay the price, who like to eat, drink, and be merry, who pamper the flesh, who have their own way, who are often confused, who do not understand God's works, there are too many. You think that the person whose sternum was broken was still full of garbage in his head. When I prayed for him yesterday, I saw a pile of garbage in his head, I saw a demon following him behind him, so how can he get better? Today he came to me again, and the garbage in his head came out as soon as he opened his mouth, and he still refused to turn back.

A few days ago, I met someone who owed someone 400,000 yuan, but also talked about doing charity, I thought, well, go ahead and do it. May God have mercy, that is called hardening the heart, having one's own set of things. I asked, when did you see Jesus doing charity, no; when did you see Jesus doing things that people think are very good. People will not do things they think are wrong, people do things they think are right. But whether you think you are right or wrong is not the key. Whether Jesus thinks it is right or wrong is the key.

Today, when we read the Bible, many people do not understand why God killed so many people, and try to defend God. You do not need to defend God, you get yourself confused as soon as you defend God. You feel that God should not kill people, God should be Santa Claus. Then let us see how the Bible is written:

Who, then, were those who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. (Hebrews 3:16-19).

They would rather believe doctors than believe God; they would rather believe reasonable logic than believe God's miracles. They believe many things, are willing to pay the price for many things, but are unwilling to pay the price for God, what a tragedy. Do not think that the three words Christian means you are a Christian; and do not think that you are a Christian just by sitting in church, listening to worship songs, and listening to sermons online. A Christian is someone who lays down his life for God. If you cannot lay down your life for God, then you are actually a Christian who died in the wilderness. You may say that I have heard God's word, I have seen God's works, I have received God's blessing, but these are not the keys, these do not prove anything.

A few days ago, a Christian came to me and said she wanted to give a testimony. She said that when she prayed, her child got better, that when she prayed, her child's job got better, all testimonies of God's mercy and grace. I thought to myself, can you give a testimony about building God's glorious church? Today, can we brothers and sisters be people with a Mingding Destiny, come out of this kind of Christian who does not pay the price, and be a Christian who pays the price. We are to build God's glorious church. The body of Jesus Christ is built by a group of people with a Mingding Destiny, not by a mob.

Conclusion

So we brothers and sisters must know that God is building His church, and God is also cleaning His house, so that His church can be holy and manifest His glory. God's temple is built with treasures, not with garbage. You and I must be treasures in God's eyes. What kind of person is a treasure? It is someone who holds the beginning of their faith to the end, no matter how much the price, still holding on and persevering, never retreating, to build God's glorious church together, to enter God's rest, this is our lifelong pursuit, Amen!