Gospel e-Letter

I believe in the God of mercy, grace, and love. But I also believe that He is a God of justice, holiness, and righteous anger. The Lord reveals both mercy and wrath—mercy toward His people, and wrath toward the wicked—both in this life and, ultimately, in eternity in hell. Even when God shows mercy to His children, He never overlooks His justice. He can forgive sinners only because Jesus took their punishment upon Himself on the cross. It is through faith in Christ that anyone can be made right with God. The Bible gives a solemn warning to those who do not believe: they are already under God’s wrath. As Scripture says: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). And again: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18). It is heartbreaking that many continue in unbelief and stubbor...

We don’t know when, but a time will come when we have to depart from this world. At that hour nothing but one thing is essential. It will not matter how much wealth and possessions we had accumulated. We will leave all behind us. We must let go of everything - even our loved ones. With tears and sorrow we have to say our final goodbyes. Not even our health will matter anymore. Our bodies will crumble and fall. Only one thing matters: our soul! For in the momentous hour our spirit will leave to meet our Maker. That hours marks the beginning of eternal bliss or everlasting woe. Our eternal destiny depends solely on our relationship to God during this life. We must make a fundamental choice. Either we trust in God completely or we do not trust him at all. We cannot entrust our souls to anyone else. He alone is worthy of our wholehearted trust, confidence, obedience and adoration. He alone sent his beloved Son to reconcile us to himself, to forgive us all our sins, and to bring ...

Without exception every person will appear before the judgement seat of God. The Lord will divide humanity into two groups: the wheat and the tares; the sheep and the goats; the saved and the lost. Jesus solemnly warns that some professing Christians will be revealed as hypocrites when their evil works are exposed, and they will be lost. What about genuine Christians who sincerely believe in Jesus Christ, trusting him for salvation, who hate sin and strive to please God? Why should they give an account of their lives to God? Is it to determine whether they had made it to heaven or not? No! Christians do not have to wait until Judgement Day to know whether they have eternal life or not. They already have eternal life. "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God," writes the apostle John, "that you may know (present knowledge) that you have (present possession) eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Isn't that amazing? Believers c...

The peace that Christ gives us is genuine and enduring, the peace of the world is shallow and short-lived. Jesus did not come to the world to bring political stability among the nations. Despite all the efforts and peace treaties, humanity has never found rest. The world that rejects the Prince of peace is destined to live without peace. There were wars in the past, there are wars today, and they will continue to the very end. Whether it is strife within families or hostilities between nations, cultures and religions, there will be no end to conflicts as long as sin, jealousy and hatred continue to reign in the human heart. The disciples of Christ are not exempt from trouble. They often find themselves entangled in conflicts even though they do their utmost to live in peace with all people. Moreover they also suffer because of their loyalty to Christ. He spent his life doing good to all, and yet he was hated and crucified because he exposed the world’s sin and hypocrisy. Since Ch...

At the end of the year and the beginning of another, we wish each other health, prosperity and a happy New Year. Many of us also take a good look at ourselves, identify areas that need to change, and make plans and resolutions to improve our lives. The new year gives us hope for renewal. But in itself, time alone cannot carry the weight of our hopes. The year may be new, but we and the world we’re living in aren’t getting any newer. If anything we’re getting a year older. No, our hope is not found in the new year, in ourselves or in our own strength. Where then may we find genuine hope that will not disappoint us? The Scripture invites us to look unto the eternal and unchangeable God, who sustains and renews us by his grace.     The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;         his mercies never come to an end;     they are new every morning;         great is your faithfulness.     “The LORD is my port...

(Gospel e-Letter - December 2014) There is a close link between the first and second advents of Christ. We may consider the glorious return of the Lord at the end of the age as the fitting conclusion to his redemptive work two thousand years ago. Jesus said that a grain of wheat will remain alone unless it falls to the ground and dies, but if it dies it will produce a plentiful harvest. That is the reason why the eternal Son of God became a man and gave his life on the cross. He died to produce much fruit – the fruit are all the people he redeemed to himself. At his return the Lord will reap the fruit of his labours and will gather all his people in his Father’s house. “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28). So at his first coming Christ offered his body and blood as a sin sacrifice to relieve many from the burden and guilt of the...

God has fixed a day when he will judge all people according to their works. Those people who die without a Saviour need not wait till that momentous appointment to know the divine verdict upon them. God warns them in Scripture that ‘whoever does not believe (in the Son) is condemned already’ (John 3:18). They are condemned already because they carry the burden of their sins with them. That Day will simply seal their doom forever and they will be punished according to their evil deeds. Among the damned, there will be those who called Jesus ‘Lord’ but who had continued to live in the filth of sin. These professed ‘Christians’ claimed to believe in Jesus but their life was devoid of good works. ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ - these will be the last words they ever hear from the mouth of Jesus. (Matthew 7:23). On the other hand, God’s children are recognized by their good works. There will be ‘glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good’ (R...

The soul is not easily satisfied. I was disappointed on my son’s birthday. He received more gifts and toys from his friends in one day than I had obtained in my entire childhood. His mum and I bought him a large fire-truck that he desired for a long time. Yet at the end of the day he asked me why I did not also buy him the red car he had seen at the toy shop. The boy’s attitude is not unique. We all had similar feelings. We crave and covet some THING – an electronic gadget, a car, a house, a promotion – but as soon as we grab it in our hands its magic seems to vanish in thin air. Material things simply can’t fulfil our soul. The young daughter of my colleague has better sense. Her father, a medical doctor, was leaving home to go to his clinic. She asked him if he could stay with her. ‘No dear,’ he told her, ‘I have to go to work to earn money so that I can buy you more toys.’ ‘But Dad I have enough toys,’ she answered, ‘It is better if you stay and play with me.’ She’s r...

( My son, who is almost 4 years, had an unusual request. He wanted to see the future! John was fascinated to watch a video of his mother during pregnancy and of himself as a newborn infant. In the end, he asked, ‘Mama, see DVD John big!’ He must have reasoned that since it is possible to see the past, why can’t we see the future as well? That’s interesting, but he can’t see it just yet since we are still working on that movie.

(Gospel e-Letter July 2008) Someone wrote to me recently because she was offended that I mentioned the wrath of God. To her, and many modern Catholics and Christians, the very idea of an angry God is unthinkable. She said, “I believe in God's mercy. I believe Jesus never said that we should receive wrath.” I also believe in the God of mercy, grace and love, but he is also a God of justice, holiness and wrath. Indeed he shows both mercy and wrath; mercy to his elect, wrath to the wicked, both now and for eternity in hell. Even when he shows mercy, God does not ignore his justice. God can only justify sinners by faith because Jesus paid the penalty for their sins on the cross. The Bible warns unbelievers that they are already under the wrath of God. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Elsewhere the Scripture says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the g...