Right now, we are in the middle of ghost month in Taiwan. Traditionally, the Taiwanese offer many sacrifices to appease wandering spirits whom they euphemistically call "good brothers" and whom they think have gotten a one-month parole from Hell to roam the earth and bring bad luck to any who do not offer them worship. Many Taiwanese are also afraid to travel, take vacations, or to conduct any major affairs such as weddings during this time.
During this seventh month of the lunar year in which Taiwanese fearfully participate in rites to placate the dead, it is good for Christians to consider the truth about what happens to them after they die. As you make yourself familiar with the verses quoted below, you could get yourself ready for opportunities for discussions with your non-Christian Taiwanese friends.
The following is a link to a sermon by Jonathan Edwards entitled, "True saints, when absent from the body, are present with the Lord."
Please also read the following meditation written for the church here in Taiwan: (I will post a Mandarin translation as soon as it is translated.)
Thank you for your prayers for the Taiwanese people to come to believe in the true God.
In Christ,
- the Lintons
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In Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus Christ says, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! and I hold the keys of death and Hades."
Christians do not fear Ghost Month. "Good brothers" do not exist. We know that when a people die, their bodies decay and their spirits depart from this world. They cannot have contact with this world; the dead have no power or influence in this world. There is also no reincarnation. There are two destinations that people go when they die. Spirits of unbelievers are bound in hell to await the Judgment Day. Spirits of believers are immediately present with the Lord in Heaven and await their resurrection. At the end of the world the Lord Jesus Christ will return a raise both the wicked and the righteous from the dead and Christ will judge them with justice.
Instead of fearing ghosts, people should think about their own sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 9:27-28 "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
2 Samuel 12:23 "But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."
If you wish to read more about this topic please look at the following passages: Genesis 3:19, Luke 16:19-31, 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, Philippians 1:21-23, 2 Peter 2:4-10, 2 Peter 3:1-13, Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 20:11-15
啟示錄第一章17-18節，耶穌基督說：「不要懼怕！我是首先的，我是末後的， 又是那存活的；我曾死過，現在又活了，直活到永永遠遠；並且拿著死亡和陰間的鑰匙。」
基督徒不怕鬼月。並沒有「好兄弟」的存在。人死後，他們的身體會腐爛，靈魂會離開這個世界，他們不能夠再接觸這個世界，也沒有影響力或權力了，更不會輪迴轉世。人死後只有兩個去處，不信者的靈魂被捆鎖在地獄，等待審判的日子。信徒的靈魂死後馬上與主同在天堂裡，等候他們的復活。末日主耶穌基督會再回來使惡人和義人從死裡復活，並按公義審判他們。
人不應怕鬼，反倒應該想到他們自己的罪，而來信靠耶穌基督
撒母耳記下第十二章23節：「孩子死了，我何必禁食，我豈能使他返回呢？我必往他那裡去，他卻不能回我這裡來。」
哥林多後書第五章6-8節：「所以，我們時常坦然無懼，並且曉得我們住在身內，便與主相離。因我們行事為人是憑著信心，不是憑著眼見。我們坦然無懼，是更願意離開身體與主同住。」
帖撒羅尼迦前書第四章13-18節：「論到睡了的人，我們不願意弟兄們不知道，恐怕你們憂傷，像那些沒有指望的人一樣。我們若信耶穌死而復活了，那已經在耶穌裡睡了的人，神也必將他與耶穌一同帶來。我們現在照主的話告訴你們一件事：我們這活著還存留到主降臨的人，斷不能在那已經睡了的人之先。因為主必親自從天降臨，有呼叫的聲音和天使長的聲音，又有神的號吹響；那在基督裡死了的人必先復活。以後我們這活著還存留的人必和他們一同被提到雲裡，在空中與主相遇。這樣，我們就要和主永遠同在。所以，你們當用這些話彼此勸慰。」
如果你想讀更多關於這個主題的經文，請查閱以下的經文：創三19、路十六19-31、林前十五12-23、腓一21-23、彼後二4-10、彼後三1-13、啟七9-17、啟二十11-15。
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Please pray that Taiwanese will come to know the fear of the true God that leads to repentance and faith in Jesus.
Friday, September 4, 2009
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