1. Christ-Likeness 1st March 2020
  • An excerpt from Channel News Asia reported by Rachael Phua on 4th Mar 2020: “I felt betrayed’: University graduate on her experience with Singapore chapter of South Korea’s Shincheonji Church”. Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (SCJ), a cult’s church in Korea has been at the centre of a storm in South Korea because it has registered at least half of all COVID-19 infections there. Currently under investigation Ministry of Homes Affair. The founding pastor claimed that he is the second coming of Christ who will bring 144,000 to heaven and that he is the only one able to interpret the Bible. The local university graduate, who is wary of giving her age, is in her 20s. She says she met two men at Dhoby Ghaut station one Sunday afternoon in late December last year. They told her they were collecting information for research about Christians in Singapore. They sounded authentic and so Fiona, a Christian herself, decided to accept their invitation to meet. “He made it sound as if I didn’t know the (Bible) well enough,” Fiona said, so she agreed and dropped him a text a week later to arrange for lessons. And thus began her involvement with the church where she began attending regular meetings, without her mum.
  • As we read a news like this, it makes us wonder what the real problem is. Is there a problem of the lack of Bible knowledge or biblical illiteracy? It is for this, that is why God sends Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teachers to equip the Saints.
  • What Christ-likeness looks like?
  • CONDUCT: Philippians 2:1-5 1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
  • HOLINESS: Ephesians 4:22-24 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
  • LOVE: Ephesians 5:1-2 1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
  • NEW CREATION: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
  • OBEDIENCE – WALK AS HE WALK: 1 John 2:3-6 3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
  • PURE: 1 John 3:2-3 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
  • RENEWED MIND: Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
  • SACRIFICE: Romans 12:1 (NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
  • SERVICE: Mark 10:43-45 43Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
  • TRANSFORMATION: 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
  • TRUST: Proverbs 3:5-6 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
  • What is the Process of becoming Christ-like and what is the ultimate Purpose and the benefit of Protection.

 

ROADMAP

  1. Process
  2. Purpose
  3. Protection

 

  1. Process: Equip, Engage and Edify.
  • Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to beapostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
  • Five Minority: (Some) Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. All appointed to serve one majority.
  • One Majority: Saints.
  • Ephesians 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministryfor the edifying of the body of Christ,
  1. Equip:
  • Starting point is to equip faithful and committed people.
  1. Engage:
  • People who are willing and avail themselves to serve.
  • L. Moody “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, and what I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.”
  • God is not looking for abled person but a person who is available.
  • 1 Corinthians 1:27-30 27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
  • Joke: A proud and confident genius makes a bet with an idiot. The genius says, “Hey idiot, every question I ask you that you don’t know the answer, you have to give me $5. And if you ask me a question and I can’t answer yours I will give you $5,000.” The idiot says, “Okay.” The genius then asks, “How many continents are there in the world?” The idiot doesn’t know and hands over the $5. The idiot says, “Now me ask: what animal stands with two legs but sleeps with three?” The genius tries and searches very hard for the answer but gives up and hands over the $5000. The genius says, “Dang it, I lost. By the way, what was the answer to your question?” The idiot hands over $5.
  • Edify:
  • Lexicon :: Strong’s G3619 – Oikodomē: (the act of) building, building up. The act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness.
  • Edify who? The body of Christ.
  • The end of all knowledge is to use it with wisdom to build up others.
  • Connect: Are we edifying one another?

 

  1. Purpose: Unity of the faith, Knowledge of the Son of God, Perfect man and Fullness of Christ.
  • Ephesians 4:13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
  1. Unity of the faith – Oneness of beliefs, produced by the Spirit through the Word of’ God”, ‘which results in oneness of thought and oneness of purpose.
  2. Knowledge of the Son of God – Sound and complete knowledge about Jesus. Not head knowledge like that of Bible studies, but knowledge that is built upon Christ, His Character and His works.
  3. Perfect man – Mature Christian who is fully grown through practising the word of God. Application is the key towards maturity.
  4. Fullness of Christ – The final goal of this process is to be conformed to His image. It is where we think and act as like Christ.
  • Question we ask… Am I becoming more and more like Christ?

 

  1. Protection: Grow up in Jesus by being knitted and joined together, each doing our part and resulting in edifying in love as a body of Christ.
  • Ephesians 4:14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
  • Protection against false doctrines and deception (Trickery).
  • We cannot based on our intellect or emotions to make decision.
  • Confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favouring information that confirms our previously existing beliefs or biases.
  • Example: Would you join the Korean Church “Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (SCJ)”? Would you get out of it if you know that it is a cult church?
  • Confirmation bias would means some will say “No” citing reasons as they are very nice people; my friends are there; they are doing a lot of good works, etc.
  • Most people do not want the truth because they want to have the reassurance that what they believe is truth.
  • 1 Timothy 1:1-2 1Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
  • The only sure protection for us is the word of God.
  • Ephesians 4:15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ
  • Speaking the truth in love and often, truth hurts.
  • That is why we need to grow up!
  • Ephesians 4:1616from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
  • Personal growth is personal responsibility.
  • Why be part of a Church?
  • How to join and knit together being an individual apart from the Church?
  • How to do our part when we are not part of the Church?
  • How to cause the body to grow when a person is not even part of the body of Christ?
  • How to edify one another when there is no another?
  • Growing towards Christ-likeness is an individual responsibility, and yet it is also about everybody joining together to reach the fullness of Christ.
  • We need one another!
  • A good question to ask ourselves: “Is what I’m about to say or do Christ-like?”