Based on a sermon by Timothy Yeung—Vancouver, Canada

Having received so much grace from God, the youths of the True Jesus Church must now ask themselves what they ought to give in return. Today, the youths are heirs to the fruits of a century of God’s grace and their predecessors’ perseverance. Prior generations of youths have done and given so much over the past century; yet, what is certain is the pivotal importance of youths in the century to come. What awaits them?

FOUNDATION

Before looking at what True Jesus Church youths can do for the church in this new era, we ought to remind ourselves of our foundation. Truth is the most important heritage God has given His true church. We must ask ourselves, are we well rooted in the truth?

The significance of being securely rooted in the truth of the gospel is well known. What happens to those with an insecure foundation? Take church work: many well-intentioned youths enter zealously into the ministry, hoping to practice their faith. Yet, as in any community service activity, doing church work involves collaborating with others. Therefore, the possibility of conflicts and disagreements often arise. The more some youths serve, the more challenges they face and the more dissatisfied they may become. This is the crucial point. If, at this moment, youths can learn to separate the social problems of service from the value of their faith and its practice, they will be safe. But if interpersonal challenges convince them that church work is not worth doing, or worse, that this faith is not worth believing in, then they come dangerously close to losing their spiritual life.

This is why a firm foundation in the truth is critical. First, we must be deeply rooted in our faith and know why we serve—to express our love and gratitude for God, and to share His love with others. Next, we need to understand the immutability of our faith. However we may be dissatisfied with people, God does not dissatisfy, and He can help. Knowing and believing this will minimize the risk that disagreements and strife will lead us to give up our faith.

The same applies to secular trends beyond the church. Having experienced their thrills, youths may be eager to adopt similar features in their spiritual lives and in church. They may question why the church does not incorporate secular methods in doing church work. They may ask why the church does not adopt approaches used by other Christian denominations for gospel outreach. However, if we understand that the power of the gospel is spiritual and God-led, it will be apparent that dressing up the truth to make it more palatable is a senseless thing to do. What matters most is the sincerity of our gospel, not how pleasing it is.

Paul reminds us of the value of remaining steadfast in our faith amid the turbulence of worldly ways, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph 4:14).

Children are particularly vulnerable in the two senses given above. First, they are governed by their passions. Second, they are especially influenced by their environment. A mature Christian does not allow his frustrations with fellow brothers and sisters to defeat his faith, and will not permit his conviction in the truth to be thrown into confusion by the secular forces around him. As the youths of the True Jesus Church prepare to take over the reins, they should bear these marks of maturity in mind.

PERSECUTIONS

True Jesus Church youths must be prepared for persecution of a variety more intense than ever seen before, as darkly prophesied in Revelation:

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. (Rev 12:3–4)

This is a menacing picture that is already forming before our eyes. The tenor of public discourse today is increasingly one of religious intolerance. This only heightens in pitch as we continue to make our stand against those forces that strive to draw souls away from God. What is more menacing is the threat from within, as the devil works to confuse the truth and deceive the believers of the true church. We cannot pray that this will not happen, for the Bible has warned us that it will. We can only pray that we will not be of the one-third who will fall from the skies. In order to be safe, knowing and upholding the truth is vital. As the apostle Paul exhorts:

[S]peaking the truth in love, may [we] grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:15–16)

As members of the true church, the inevitability of an increasingly challenging Christian life forces us to confront some basic questions: Do we truly know what we believe in? And if we do, are we willing to stand up for these beliefs?

UNITY OF FAITH

Lastly, the youths must persist in the unity of their faith and commission. As Paul declares:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:4)

Just as the fractures between the world and God's church are inevitable, so the Bible warns us of impending divisions within the church. God has promised to carry His church through to the last days. By God’s grace, the True Jesus Church has made it through a tumultuous century with one accord. Even before our basic beliefs were officially itemized during the first two World Delegates’ Conference (WDC), the True Jesus Church has never wavered in the truth she received from the beginning.[1] This momentous achievement is the fruit of a complete unity—a group of believers in one God, united by the mission to preserve and promote the only gospel that saves.

We are now heirs to a rich tradition of sincere, single-minded conviction and loving, selfless faith. Any youth who grows up in the religious education system of the church, receives the sacraments, and worships beside his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, will undoubtedly experience the power of God’s grace and love upon His church. This heritage of truth is ours to possess and ours to protect.

CONCLUSION

Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,

For they are the rejoicing of my heart. (Ps 119:111)

Our heritage from the Lord is the testimony and law that He has given us. This heritage keeps us going, with hearts full of joy. No matter what, we must keep God’s word in our hearts. Let us not be anxious over our career, marriage, or daily cares. Our spiritual inheritance is God’s word in our hearts, so we rely on His guidance.

As we usher the True Jesus Church into the next era, and we make our plans for church growth and personal development, let us always remember that one Man died so that many would take up His truth and pass it on to the generations to come. It is now in your hands—what will you do?