Wang Zhaixian: Talk about "update" in the New Year

Wang Zhaixian: Talk about "update" in the New Year 1. The meaning of update: Update means a good beginning and new hope. The year sequence is renewed, year after year. People are always full of new things...

> 1. The meaning of update: Update means a good beginning and new hope. The year sequence is renewed, year after year. People are always full of new hopes and longing for a bright and dazzling life. But looking around at the world situation, we see deceit and change, wars everywhere, horrific demonstrations, protests and restlessness, and people's panic, just like the people of Seir in the Old Testament era who cried out: "Watcher! How is the night? Watcher! How is the night?" The world today is also in this darkness, depressed and restless inside. They need light and peace. Hope for days of comfort and a new day. The watchman's answer: "Morning is coming, and so is night." Night represents danger and trouble, and morning represents new hope and light. For those who do not believe in God (heaven), there will be a terrible night, but for the chosen believers, it will be "new every morning." (Lamentations 3:23) Because God has opened a new and living way for us, through the Lord’s salvation, we have a living hope and can obtain an inheritance that is immortal, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for us. Even if we sometimes encounter hardship and persecution, as long as we look intently to God and believe that God’s love and mercy will not cease, we will be filled with new hope and joy every day. For example, when Abraham was nearly a hundred years old, although he thought that his body was dead and Sarah's ability to give birth had been cut off, his faith was still not weak, and he looked to God's promises. He did not become confused because of unbelief, but was strengthened by faith, giving glory to God, and fully believing that God's promises would be fulfilled. Therefore, Abraham's days were all new.

2. Renewal represents growth: All academic endeavors require continuous pursuit of improvement, efforts to achieve daily renewal, and continuous improvement. Otherwise, if you do not advance, you will fall behind and will fall behind and fail. Therefore, Paul said: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you can prove what is the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God." " (Romans 12:2)

3. Renewal represents the holiness of the heart: As the proverb says: "Renovation begins with the reformation of the heart", Paul also said: "As long as the mind is renewed," you can say and do whatever you think in your heart, because the effects of a person's life are emanating from the heart. It is said that if a thought is good, it is good, and if a thought is evil, it is evil; a person's actions are all based on the inner thoughts. People look at the appearance, but God looks at the heart. The Lord Jesus often rebuked the Pharisees for being hypocritical. They clean the outside of the cup but the inside is full of extortion and debauchery. It is like a whitewashed tomb that looks good on the outside but is full of dead people’s bones and all filthiness. If a Christian is not renewed from the heart and only has a pious appearance but betrays the true meaning of piety, he will not only fail to please God, but also easily cause a crisis of faith. It also proves that he has no intention to renew. But today some people have abandoned their conscience and are shipwrecked in their faith. Therefore, it is so important for us to renew our minds and become holy.

4. How to renew: Do not conform to the world, because Christians are not of the world—since the first sinners, the world has been given to Satan. (Matthew 4:9) The whole world is lying in the hands of the evil one, but Christ is the chosen race, the royal priest, the holy nation, the people of God. He should be holy from the world, not to occupy its filth, and not to conform to the world. Because today's world is advancing rapidly due to scientific and technological progress, making modern society change rapidly. The values ​​and goals of modern society are still the pursuit of freedom, equality, happiness and progressive life. But in terms of spiritual and moral aspects, people's hearts are becoming increasingly corrupt and decadent. The reason is that the population surges and a large number of people migrate to cities, which makes living in a limited space lead to overcrowding, tense life, fierce competition, narrow-mindedness, and short-sightedness. He has a violent temperament. In order to strive for a larger living space, he often focuses on himself and is concerned about practical benefits. Due to frequent contact, interpersonal relationships become superficial, people do not know each other, their sense of social responsibility is reduced, their love gradually becomes cold, and their knowledge increases. (Dan. 12:4) It promotes the development of industry and commerce and the advancement of science and technology, making human beings boast and be arrogant because of their achievements. In the past, people's concept was that "everything depends on heaven." Now the question is, "As long as you are willing, nothing can be done?" These characteristics of today's society are exactly what Paul predicted: "The end of the world will come in dangerous days." They are a major test of Christian faith. If you follow the example of this world, your mind will not be renewed. Because there is nothing new in the world. The Scripture says: "What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. How can anyone point to anything and say, "This is new?" (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10) Everything under the sun is nothing more than an endless cycle, and there is nothing new. As far as mankind’s so-called new inventions and new doctrines are concerned, these are simply the principles and elements of God’s creation of the universe being discovered and used by man. As for the new trends and customs that are popular in the world, such as some unconventional, novel and weird things, they are nothing more than catering to people's psychology of liking the new and hating the old, curiosity and excitement, so that people can obtain temporary sensory (emotional) satisfaction and happiness. New trends that arise from lust come from the world. This world and its lusts will pass away, but obedience to the will of God will endure forever. The new trend that is popular due to lust comes from the world and is not new. Only by obeying the will of God can it be forever new. Because God can make everything new. (Revelation 21:5) Be constantly renewed. Renewal means constant renewal, which is positive, while “not conforming to this world” is negative. Paul focused on the renewal of the "inner" rather than the "outer body," because birth, old age, sickness, and death are the outer body and a necessary process of life. Its life is short, and the outer body will soon age and become useless, and disappear. And working hard to renew your spiritual life can achieve eternal weight of glory. Renewed by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says: "...by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5) "We have been sanctified and justified, new creations in Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:7) As far as faith life is concerned, we must be constantly renewed by the Holy Spirit. Paul also said: "Don't lie to one another, for you have put off your old clothes and their deeds of the old man and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge.??<>

5. The effect of renewal: It is to change one's mind and be renewed, and it is a complete change. From this, we can see that the effect of renewal is a qualitative change, not a superficial change. Changes can also be divided into benign and malignant changes. If you follow the example of this world, it will be a malignant change. As Paul said: "Do not act like the pagans with a vain heart, whose minds are darkened...the behavior of the old man gradually becomes bad due to the deception of lust." Therefore you are to be imitated by Christ, renewed by the Spirit and the truth, and you are to put off the old self in your former conduct and be renewed in the mind of your mind, and put on the new self, which is created in the image of God from glory to glory. ” (See 2 Corinthians 3:18) Anyone whose mind is renewed will have the mind of Christ as their heart, and their ideas will naturally become one in the Lord. Those who imitate this world in everything will have a generation gap, just like the believers in the Corinthian church, although they believe in the Lord, they are still infants spiritually and are carnal and worldly. The Lord Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight. "