CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST

I grew up in a home where faith was practiced by both my mother and father. My father eventually became an ordained Elder in my Presbyterian home church, followed by my mother, who was also later ordained as an Elder. There were some Sundays that my entire family was at church from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. because of Session meetings. My brother and sister learned patience and the best hide-and-go spots in the church. In the 1980s, the Korean immigrants attended church diligently three times a week: Wednesday evening worship, Saturday prayer meetings, and Sunday worship services. The devotion was not only spiritual; it was also cultural. What many may not realize is that parents of immigrants wanted to ensure that their children, who were growing up in America, never forgot their cultural roots. As a result, a number of Korean churches lifted up Korean culture classes on Saturdays as much as Bible study. One of the unintended consequences was that I truly grew up thinking Christianity was only for Koreans. This was eventually dispelled when my Irish friend in the 4th grade told me he attended church on Sunday, to which I replied in shock, "But you're not Korean!" I had conflated my faith and lifestyle based on my practice. Then in 1988, during a youth revival night, something changed everything. The words of the preacher landed with clarity. Jesus Christ became real to me after years of Bible study. The good news that Jesus Christ took my sins away and offers a real relationship with God was the most beautiful message I have ever heard in my life. The Holy Spirit led me to the cross and to Christ. At this moment, two things happened. First, the Holy Spirit was gifted to me, and He has lived in me since that day. Second, I realized Christianity was not merely a lifestyle I practiced and could discard for another way of living. Whether it’s the cultural traditions of our youth or the moral checklists we create for ourselves today, it is easy to mistake "doing church" for "knowing Christ." The Christian life is a new life that only Jesus provides by grace. This past Sunday, I asked our congregation to consider this question during the season of Lent: "Is the basis of my Christianity in a confidence of what I have done or is it a confidence in Jesus and what He has done?" The difference is vastly important. When Jesus is our confidence, the way we live becomes motivated by sacrificial love, holiness, and grace, even for our enemies. This is the truth found in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” As we journey through Lent, it is a good time to examine if our confidence and trust lie in Jesus Christ. He alone lived a sinless life, died a sinner's death, and rose in resurrection power so that we may live not merely an improved, happier life, but a holy, joy-filled life that glorifies God forever. The same Christ who opened my eyes that night in 1988 still gives new life today! In Christ Alone, Pastor Jason