【Who am I】1
It is not easy to know yourself and the enemy!
Once, Jesus led his disciples to the territory of Caesarea Philippi, where there was a statue of a Roman emperor. Caesar raised his hands to the crowd as if he were dominating the world. At that time, this group of people must have been deeply touched, and Christ also raised a very important topic to the disciples at this moment:"Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15)In response to Jesus’ great question, Peter gave the right answer:"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16)
When Christ was not yet born to preach, and His pioneer John the Baptist first appeared in the wilderness, he immediately shook the religious world in Jerusalem. Because he originally came from a religious family, he abandoned the hereditary priests and threw himself into the wilderness. With his fresh and rough style, he issued a deafening warning to men and women in the city. He also baptized people in the wilderness and preached the message of repentance. Baptism for the remission of sins (see Mark 1:4). The religious leaders in Jerusalem immediately sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?" (Refer to John 1:19) John's answer was clear:“I am he who cried out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the paths of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:23)
"Know your enemy and yourself, and you will be safe in a hundred battles." But "knowing your enemy" is very difficult. Although Peter gave the correct answer, the Lord immediately pointed out:"Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah! For flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:17)The disciples have been following the Lord for several years, but they still don’t know who the Lord is, which shows how difficult it is to “know him.” Is it easy to be a "confidant"? John the Baptist also immediately answered the questioner.
John was gifted and was to be a pioneer of Christ, one for the ages. After facing God alone for a long time in the wilderness, John was fully prepared before taking the vanguard position and clearly understood his mission. Otherwise, how could he take on such an important task. But after he was arrested and imprisoned, he was still confused about Christ. He also sent his disciples to ask Jesus: "Are you the one who is to come? Or shall we wait for someone else?" (Refer to Luke 7:18-28) John the Baptist once baptized the Lord in the Jordan River and clearly did so. Testify:"Behold, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." (Refer to John 1:29)But when I suffer a blow, I still have to ask this question.
Mother Teresa, whom people admire today, is about to be canonized by the Vatican, but it is reported that she was very confused and lost about her faith in her early years. It can be seen that it is not easy to know each other and to know oneself. And this "knowledge" will also change over time. Comparing the two, confidant is more difficult.
Old me VS. New me
Since creation, man has had full self-awareness. As Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am," this fully highlights man's self-awareness, so "I" exists. When I was first created, I originally had the dispositions given by God: such as love, righteousness, holiness, etc., the most precious of which is the freedom of choice. This freedom to make one's own decisions is a human trait and a special grace given to humans by God. People are free to obey God's commands to people, and they are free to disobey. But when temptation comes, people actually make wrong choices, ignore God's commands, and become captives of Satan: trapped in This is a serious crime that will affect generations to come. And this innate original sin has been concocted into the "old self" of human beings.
Looking back throughout Old Testament history, people who trembled and struggled under the law were waiting for a kind of redemption. Countless sin offerings and guilt offerings were offered on the altar. Among the blood sacrifices of cattle, sheep and doves that continued to flow out, people were looking forward to a distant hope: the hope of restoring a normal relationship with God! God finally called His servant Abraham to cross the endless desert and wilderness from Ur of Chaldea to the promised land of Canaan, confirming the promised land for the redemption of mankind. God's redemption for mankind is about to be implemented, and prophets throughout the ages have continuously announced to God's chosen people that when God's time is fulfilled, God's salvation - Christ, will become the scapegoat to save the old man trapped in sin. He becomes a new creation in Christ.“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
But whether this "new self" can always be with you throughout your life is a big unknown; because the "old self" is dead and will come back at any time. This should be a lifelong struggle and a lesson that must be dealt with every day. Sometimes, he will return to your heart without you realizing it and continue to control your life. This is the battle of life. We see how the apostle Paul wrote down his feelings in the midst of a painful battle:"For I do not understand what I do; what I will, I do not do; but what I hate, I do. But if I do what I do not want, I obey the law. For then it is not I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” (Romans 7:15-17)
Here Paul describes his inner pain and struggle. Because there are two forces in his heart that compete with and pull against each other; one of the two forces comes from the old self, and the other is the new self. Paul then nakedly presented these two opposing forces (laws) in his heart."I also know that there is no good thing in me, that is, in my flesh. For it is up to me to will to do good, but it is not up to me to do it. Therefore the good that I desire I do not do; the good that I do not do I do not I do what I do not want to do, but it is sin that dwells in me. Then there is evil with me, because according to my inner will, I like the law of God, but I feel that there is another law in the members that is warring with the law in my heart, taking me captive and making me follow that member. in the law of sin” (Romans 7:18-33).
Today we are all copying Paul's experience, and we are also enduring the pain of the intense inner confrontation between the old self and the new self. Finally, Paul cried out: "O wretched man I am; who can save me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24) The result of the fierce struggle between the old and the new laws in the human heart is the new self (God). The law of sin) finally overcomes the old self (the law of sin). Paul burst into cheers:"Thanks be to God for deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ. So then with my heart I obey the law of God, but with my flesh I obey the law of sin." (Romans 7:25)
The inheritance feast has begun
Editor-in-Chief of this Journal/Su Wen’an
In the autumn of 1974, when I was only 20 years old and a sophomore at National Taiwan Normal University (third from right in the third row in the picture above), I participated in the "First Christian Literary Work Training Class" held at the Heavenly Mother's Children's Home.
A few days ago, when I was re-looking at the graduation group photo taken on September 12 of that year, I was shocked to find that Brother Ding Yuanping, who became the consultant of this magazine more than thirty years later, was on my left! This photo of great historical significance has left behind many figures of young communication elites in the Chinese Christian literary world, including Su Wenfeng, Lin Yiling, Liang Minfu, Liu Liangshu, Jiang Baozhen, Jin Peiji, Cai Zhongmei, Wu Shifang, Yan Caixiu, Chen Yiping, etc. At that time, the head teacher who was dedicated to cultivating the literary workers of the Kingdom of God was none other than Pastor Yin Ying, the third from the left in the front row who was wearing sunglasses and had a super cool look!
Thirty-five years later, I am very honored to be able to introduce Pastor Yin Ying, as the editor-in-chief, as a writer who is evergreen like an old tree, "bears fruit in due time" and has an endless stream of cultural, literary and theological discussions for decades, and " Meet the readers of Kingdom of God magazine who are eager to learn and think deeply.
Pastor Yin Ying, who has been the editor-in-chief and president of news weekly and publishing houses in Hong Kong and Taiwan for many years, has also served as a producer and administrative director of radio and television programs, and has been involved in pastoral work for many years, will start from the "Who am I?" column. From the beginning, we can have in-depth communication with readers on their understanding, sensibility and spirituality. We firmly believe that this will be a series of beautiful and rich spiritual feasts.