John 21:17-18

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

The resurrected Jesus asked Peter the same question for the third time: “Do you love me?” At that moment, Peter remembered the mistake he had made not long ago. He had confidently boasted that he would go with the Lord even to death. However, when Jesus was actually arrested and death approached them, he denied Jesus three times, saying he did not know Him. Peter remembered that incident and immediately changed his answer: “Only the Lord knows that I love You.” Martyrdom is impossible by human strength. In Mark’s upper room, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter and the other disciples were able to be martyred together. That is why the Lord, seeing Peter’s future, spoke this way: “When you were young, you went where you wanted, but when you are old, another will dress you and take you where you do not want to go.” When the mission of ministry was completed, the path of martyrdom opened for Peter. At that time, Peter did not reject martyrdom but willingly followed that path. This is not by human intelligence or ability, but by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. When we, who are weak, strive every day to obey the Lord’s word and live a life of repentance, the Lord leads our path to victory and allows us to enter Heaven at the last time. Christians who live according to fleshly thoughts will fail in their lives on this earth and will not be able to enter Heaven. Human knowledge or human doctrines are not the Word of the Bible. Only when we repent of our sins and obey the words recorded in the Bible will the Holy Spirit be with us and we will go to Heaven.

Acts 1:6-8

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

No one knows the day Jesus will return; only the Lord knows. False prophets speak of the day the Lord is coming. Anything that contradicts the Bible is a lie. What God’s people must do is receive the Holy Spirit, obey the Lord’s word by the power of the Holy Spirit, and preach this word of life to all people. To receive the Holy Spirit, one must repent. Because an unrepentant heart is filthy and evil, the Holy Spirit cannot enter. When we believe that the Creator God came as Jesus and died on the cross in place of humanity’s sins, and repent by relying on His blood, all sins are cleansed. When we confess Jesus as Savior and repent, the Holy Spirit enters into us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we achieve more complete repentance, live a life of obedience to the Lord’s word, and come to preach the gospel. When someone who has not received the Holy Spirit preaches the gospel with human knowledge, the work of salvation does not occur. A church where the Holy Spirit does not work is merely a social organization where humans gather. Sermons based on human knowledge cannot save dead souls. Such pastors and church members are all under the rule of Satan. Human doctrines are not the Word of the Bible; they do not teach repentance and obedience. Because they always live in sin, they cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Church members who have not received the Holy Spirit only maintain a formal religious life. Church members who disobey the Lord’s word and do not repent have, in fact, been cut off from their relationship with the Lord. There are so many such "chaff" Christians within the church. These people also go to church every Sunday and offer worship. However, their hearts are always under the rule of Satan. Church members in this state are not going the way of salvation but are living like enemies of the Lord. Such church members must quickly repent, receive the Holy Spirit, and believe in God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. All suffering that comes to Christians is God’s whip of love, telling them to repent, receive the Holy Spirit, and obey the Lord’s word.

Acts 1:16-20

“Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his place of leadership.’”

The Old Testament spoke in advance about Judas Iscariot through the mouth of David. Jesus chose him as a disciple. The purpose for which Jesus chose him as a disciple was for him to believe in Jesus as Savior, obey Jesus’ words to receive salvation, and spread the gospel of the kingdom of heaven to the world through him. However, Judas Iscariot did not believe in Jesus as the only Savior, did not obey Jesus’ words, and did not repent of his sins. So, he eventually betrayed Jesus. Because Judas Iscariot loved worldly things more than Jesus, he received money from enemies and handed Jesus over to them. Jesus wanted to save Judas Iscariot and spread the gospel of the kingdom of heaven through him. However, he did not go the way of life but went the way of death. Jesus shed the blood of atonement that forgives the sins of all humans. However, those who do not repent are not forgiven. Judas Iscariot committed a very wicked sin. However, if he had repented, he too would have been forgiven and gone to Heaven. Judas Iscariot regretted his mistake and committed suicide; this is not repenting before Jesus. He was not forgiven and went to hell. Jesus redeemed the sins of all mankind. Therefore, anyone who repents is forgiven and saved. Being redeemed from sin and the salvation of entering Heaven are different things. The purpose for which Jesus redeemed mankind with His blood is so that everyone would repent of their sins and enter Heaven. However, there are so many Christians who only attend church and do not repent of their sins. True repentance is striving not to commit the same sin and repenting. Always living according to the lusts of the flesh while repenting only with the lips is false repentance. It is like a dog eating again what it had vomited. We must strive to obey the Lord’s word every day and repent for the mistakes we inevitably make. The Lord always forgives such people.

Acts 2:8-13

Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

After Jesus ascended, when the disciples gathered in one place and prayed with all their hearts, the fullness of the Holy Spirit came upon them. At this time, the disciples began to speak in tongues of various nations. This showed that the gospel of salvation would be spread throughout the world. Until Jesus came, the Word of God was delivered only to the people of Israel. However, since Jesus bore the sins of mankind, died on the cross, and rose again, the gospel of life is being spread to all nations of the world. The fact that God worked through the people of Israel during the Old Testament times was to show that Jesus Christ, the Savior for all mankind, would come into the world in the future. God alone created all things in the world and all nations, and God alone governs and saves all mankind. The blood Jesus shed by dying on the cross is the blood of redemption shed by God for the salvation of all humanity. This is God’s grand will to have this good news spread to all nations of the world so that anyone who believes in Jesus as Savior and repents may be saved. They did not know foreign languages at all. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they spoke foreign languages fluently. Overseas compatriots who came from each country watched this situation and said in surprise, “How amazing, they are drunk on new wine.” The great work of God cannot be understood by human experience or common sense.

Joel 2:28-29

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days."

God spoke in advance from the Old Testament times that it would be like this to save mankind. However, humans cannot realize this with their short perspective. God, who created the heavens and the earth by His Word, came into the world clothed in human flesh. This was to bear the sins of mankind, die on the cross, and rise again. The God who took on human flesh and died on the cross is Jesus Christ. This news is spread to the whole world so that all humans repent and are saved. Therefore, the same God came as Jesus and died on the cross, and after that, He came into the world again as the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel of salvation to the whole world. Jesus’ disciples and many servants of the Lord must spread this news to the world to save many people. All those who believe in Jesus and repent receive salvation, and the Holy Spirit continues to spread this gospel of life to the whole world through those who were saved first. Those who are deeply fallen into worldly greed and do not repent even after hearing this gospel will not be saved.

Acts 2:36-40

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and shouted the gospel of life to the people of Israel. They were the ones who had strongly demanded Pilate to crucify Jesus Christ and had protested. When Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and shouted that only Jesus is the Savior, the people realized their own mistakes and their consciences were pricked. They asked the apostles, “Then what should we do?” Peter answered them. “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus; then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is what was said to you, your children, and all those living in far-off places. Be saved from this perverse generation.” Since Jesus died on the cross and rose again, anyone can receive salvation. Only when they repent of their sins will even those who killed Jesus be forgiven and receive salvation. Not only the people of Israel but any person in the world who simply believes in Jesus and repents will receive salvation. The way of salvation prepared by Jesus applies to everyone and has no discrimination. Whether Jews or Gentiles, all are sinners. However, when they believe in Jesus and repent, they are forgiven of all sins and go to Heaven. When one believes in Jesus and repents, the soul becomes clean and the Holy Spirit comes. When following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, everyone enters Heaven. The power of the Holy Spirit makes us remember our sins more and makes us repent, and gives us the strength to obey the Lord’s word. The Bible said that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ do not belong to Christ. Such people do not go the way of life. Christians who follow other religions or human doctrines never acknowledge Jesus as Savior, do not repent, and do not obey. God has opened the way of salvation wide to all people without discrimination. However, many humans cannot discard worldly greed and pride and do not go the way of life. In this perverse age, we must receive salvation through repentance and obedience.