City Life Starter

By Ji Yun

We began our journey over 12 weeks ago, in hope of better understanding God’s Word through studying Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.  I hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as our contributors and you also found their writing convicting but also encouraging.  There were times when we, as the contributors had to wrestle with difficult passages and teachings of Paul that are not popular or even accepted in today’s culture.  Through it all, our hope is that you have a better understanding of the 1 Corinthians and how this ancient book of old is still relevant to us today.

Why Doctrines Matter

My personal reflection from the 1 Corinthians is the importance of the Christian doctrine and how vital it is for us today.  When I think of Christian doctrine, I believe in the universal doctrine of Christian faith, that has been passed down from our Lord to the disciples, from the apostles to the Church Fathers, remain standing through the test of time that has been established and believed throughout history.  Universal doctrines of the Christian faith still matter to us today, especially in the era where many of the doctrinal issues are being questioned by both secular atheists to liberal theologians.  This is why doctrine matters and what you believe matters.

Stumbling Block

The resurrection of Jesus can be the greatest miracle that changed the course of history or just a fairy tale.  It is the foundational stone that our faith in Jesus and the eternal life is founded upon or it is a stumbling block that keeps one away from it.  As a Christian, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a non-negotiable truth.  There are those who would dismiss this historical event as an exaggerated story, and even say the resurrection is not necessary for the Christian faith.  The reason is quite simple, you can not believe in something that is supernatural with only an intellectual mind.  One of the greatest Christian thinker and philosopher Saint Augustine, it is only after his conversion that led him to believe that faith cannot be something that can be accepted with an intellectual mind, and that faith must be founded upon the revelation of Jesus Christ, the risen Savior.  Augustine said, “Unless you believe, you will not understand.”

Conclusion

Do you believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus?  Or do you struggle to believe or have difficulty in understanding?  It is the responsibility of every believer to seek and search for the truth, grow in faith by spending time in God’s Word and even wrestle with issues that you do not understand.  Take a moment to reflect upon your faith, do you truly believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?  If this is true, do you live a life that is worthy of our Lord’s death and resurrection?