News > North America

Buffalo UBF, US
March 28, 2014

You Are Not Your Own; You Were Bought At A Price

Our ministry may be categorized into two parts. The first and most important one is preaching the word of God. Teaching the word of God is the primary and main thing for our home church ministry, so that every member in the church may be fully equipped with the knowledge and revelation of truth for every good work. Jesus Christ quoted the Scripture when He was tempted by the devil. “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4)

It is so irresistible for us to focus on physical bread that we may lose sight to see the real cause of bread, the word of God. Even in the church settings, it is absolutely possible and in fact so many churches are being trapped by focusing on things other than preaching the word of God. Well, people may say that we study the scriptures more than anything else. Yes, people may read and study the scriptures perfunctorily and mechanically. The word of God is profound and transcendent, revealing the secret of the universe and life. The mind of God is well expressed and conveyed in the text of the Scripture. So, we shall read and study the scriptures profoundly and transcendently to search the mind of the Creator of all things with a humble and lowly heart.

We believe that we do not live on physical bread alone but on every word spoken through the Prophets and the Law. Jesus Christ is the word of life. That is why we put the first priority in our lives in studying and understanding the word of God. In the year of 2013, we have studied Romans chapters 1-8, Hebrews chapters 1-10, Psalm chapters 1, 2, 23, Leviticus chapters 1-6, and Genesis chapters 1-8. The word of God opens our eyes to see what we really are and how we are supposed to handle our lives in the midst of pressures and stress. The word of God is incomparably stronger than the principalities, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, so that we can win the battle in Jesus Christ our Lord, not against our brothers and sisters but against the evil ones (Ephesians 6:12).

The word of God pronounces that we have been justified through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord who died shedding his blood on Calvary. The knowledge and right understanding of being righteous in the sight of God is like a compass which leads us to live in reality and truth, so that we may live by faith not by illusion. Since we have been justified by faith, we do not have to choose evil but can obey Jesus Christ the Lord. It takes time for newborn Christians to learn. But we shall remember there is always a way out provisioned for us at the time of temptation prompted by the vicious and malevolent devil. Jesus Christ is the way out. We are no longer in Adam but in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we do not need to succumb to the evil forces of this dark world although it is true that we still sin and fail. It is also true that there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ, because we have been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, the eternal Great High Priest. That is the right understanding of the word of God. It is absolutely impossible for the devil to win this battle no matter how cleverly and cunningly he shakes us up because the incomparably stronger One Jesus Christ has justified us through His blood. That is the position of genuine Christians.

The second part is the ministry of each member in the church. We understand that every regenerated Christian has received the gift of God. First of all, everyone in Jesus Christ has received the gift of the Spirit. Every member is encouraged to engage in his/her own ministry in school, work, and home. Home Bible school, life sharing, being part of campus ministry are a few examples. These two things we will continue to do this year and evermore.

Dr. David Lee