Happy New Year!

Hallelujah! Thanks be to God!

Today we suffer for God, but tomorrow

we enter the kingdom of heaven and gain God's blessings!

Pardon? You ask for my name?

I am Wei Defu, and I'm 65 years old.

I've believed in God since I was very young,

and I've suffered a lot as I've spread the gospel from north to south.

I was arrested by the police, tortured, had ribs broken.

I was sentenced to five years, but I never betrayed God.

I was given the nickname, "Super Paul"!

Pardon? What am I doing for New Year's?

Well, Sister Feng has been absent from our last two meetings,

more likely than not, it's because of spiritual weakness.

So my wife and I are going to her house to offer support.

Hey, where is she?

Honey, come here!

Coming! Coming!

Yep! The fifth day of the new year,

and he wants to drag me out to serve God with him!

He says that this is saving up merit for us which will earn us blessings!

Hey! Super Paul! Super Paul!

Knock it off, don't shout that!

Don't call me "Super Paul" in front of everyone!

It's embarrassing to be called that!

Oh, stop being dramatic!

Say, husband, darling,

what if I were to stay home today?

What's the matter now?

Since I began to believe in God, I've been receiving our brothers and sisters.

I've never tried to support our brothers and sisters,

so what would I even say to her?

I see, that's not something you need to worry about.

Oh?

If a believer is feeling down, then we can go sing a hymn!

Hey! I can do that!

If a believer is lacking faith,

then we can testify how God cures disease!

I can do that!

If a believer fears suffering,

then we can testify that doing work earns blessings!

That I can do!

We have to make believers become very strong in spirit.

So we'll tell about how the kingdom of heaven is paved with gold!

Hey, but darling,

what if the believer has spiritual thirst?

Oh boy, don't worry about it!

Well, isn't Sister Feng your old classmate?

Then you're already friends.

I'll talk with her, you help me,

and if we both work together, I promise we'll be able to support her!

Hey! That sounds about right!

Um, honey.

Yes?

You should know

that this will earn you more merit than a whole year of entertaining people at home!

- Is that really true? - Yes!

OK! I won't disappoint you! Let's go!

Well, here we are!

Ding dong!

Who's there?

It's Super Paul!

What? Selling bowl?

We don't want to buy anything! Thanks, bye!

No! It's me, Wei Defu!

Oh! It's Elder Wei!

Oh, it's you!

- Come on inside! - Bless you!

Thank you.

What are you doing coming here in such cold weather?

Thanks be to God!

We heard that you've been absent from the last two meetings with co-workers,

so my husband and I thought we should come to check up on you.

That also helps us accumulate merit to enter the kingdom of heaven!

That's not it, Sister Feng,

what my wife meant to say was,

we brothers and sisters in the Lord

should always do our best to love and support each other.

It's something we ought to do, and something of which God approves.

Oh, yes, of course.

So, Sister Feng,

you haven't been to our meetings lately,

are you suffering spiritual weakness?

Are you?

Oh, not at all!

Please come in and sit down!

Alright.

Recently, I went away to hear some preaching,

so I missed the meetings.

Here, have one.

Thanks.

Thanks be to God!

You've come at the perfect time.

I've been worrying about getting into the kingdom of heaven.

You were?

Now, if you ask me,

in the years we've believed in the Lord,

we've worked quite a lot,

and we've traveled very far.

But we are still unable to practice God's word.

And in fact, our words often deceive God against our will.

God is holy.

Do you think that a sinner like me can ever really enter the kingdom of heaven?

Oh my, Sister Feng, you're worried about that?

Exactly.

Honestly, you still don't understand God's will.

Here, read this part for Sister Feng.

Me?

Just do what I say and read.

Oh, okay.

I'll just read it then!

Hurry up and read!

In the Lord's name,

I read from the Bible, Book of Romans:

There.

Amen!

I'm done.

So, Sister Feng,

we who believe in the Lord Jesus are already righteous because we believe.

Exactly.

The Lord Jesus has already forgiven all our sins.

No matter if we commit them in the past or in the future,

the Lord Jesus has already forgiven them all!

Amen!

The Lord does not see us as sinners anymore.

Our sins will no longer stop us from entering the kingdom of heaven!

That's right. My husband here has put it very well.

It's simple, we can't let ourselves be constrained by sin.

Honestly, so what if you told someone a little lie?

Forget about those other people,

let's just talk about my husband.

When he preaches, he brings people under his control.

When speaking with our brothers and sisters,

he lies all the time.

At home, he acts like a tyrant,

and sometimes he scolds me when he's in a bad mood.

What?

But then he kneels, and he confesses all of his sins.

Even without sin, he still sobs and cries out to God!

What?

So, think, if even someone like him can enter the kingdom of heaven,

then what are you afraid of? Nothing. Right?

Hey, why are you acting like I'm a tyrant at home?

Why tell her all that?

Well, I'm being honest, isn't that right?

You can't just say things like that!

I just thought that this would make her see how strong your faith is,

that way, she won't worry about not getting into the kingdom of heaven!

Would it kill you to be quiet? Actually kill you?

It'd drive me crazy!

Fine then!

Just sit there, be polite, and keep your mouth busy.

Well, I still wasn't wrong!

I really regret bringing you with me!

Making me look bad!

I can't tell the truth?

Sister Feng, it's fine, don't worry yourself.

Honestly, just have faith that you'll get into the kingdom of heaven!

Now, Sister Feng,

what my wife was trying to say just now was

the blood of the Lord Jesus is effective forever,

and forgives all our sins.

That's right!

And so, we can't let ourselves lose faith that we can enter the kingdom of heaven!

The Lord forgives all of our sins, that's true.

But that certainly doesn't mean that we're holy,

or that we'll never sin again.

The Lord never said that sinners will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven!

I feel I need to set Elder Wei straight.

Elder Wei,

it's true, our sins are forgiven,

but that doesn't mean we're holy, does it?

It doesn't mean we won't ever sin again.

Did the Lord say we could enter the kingdom of heaven if our sins are forgiven?

Have you seen anyone who sins often enter the kingdom of heaven?

Hey, I haven't really seen that.

As of right now, we're clothed in our own guilt,

we're covered in sin.

God is holy,

and people can't see God without being holy.

How could the Lord let people like us, who can still sin, into the kingdom of heaven?

Hey! That's actually a really good point!

I mean, what about that Li Si in our church?

He'll stand there, a big bag of stolen rice in his hand

even as he says,

"Thanks be to God! Thanks be to God!"

Well, you know,

if someone like him got into the kingdom of heaven,

he would take all of heaven's gold, silver and jewels right back to his own house!

That's right!

Never mind the kingdom of heaven,

no one would want a person like that in their house!

True!

What do you know!

Look, I'm only being honest. Why interrupt me?

The Lord Jesus is merciful and loving!

One moment, wait here.

Mrs. Wei.

Yes?

That coat Elder Wei is wearing looks very special, is it?

Well, you've got a good eye!

That coat is from an international fashion brand!

It's a Pharisee Limited Edition!

And you know what? It's very warm indeed!

Pharisee Limited Edition!

Yes.

Sister Feng.

The apostle Paul said,

The Lord Jesus' grace was given to us free of charge.

The Lord doesn't look at our works.

If He did that, could we even call it grace?

The Lord's grace is what saves us, allowing us to enter the kingdom of heaven!

Hey! I think I understand!

Darling, darling, you know you're clever!

You never planned to get into the kingdom of heaven through work and effort,

you're simply relying on grace!

Shush!

You know what I think, Mr. Wei?

I think that you really ought to change your name

to Mr. Too Easy!

- Relying on grace? Does that work? - What are you saying? Stop talking about me.

What do you think? Is that what God wants?

No!

- Elder Wei, - Yes?

We can only enter the kingdom of heaven

by practicing the Lord's word and carrying out God's will.

Those are God's requirements.

Yes, you are absolutely right.

The work and labor I've done all these years for the Lord

as well as the suffering and the prices I've paid …

Haven't I carried out the will of the heavenly Father?

That's right!

I know, as long as I keep it up,

I'll enter the kingdom of heaven!

Amen!

Elder Wei, you say that doing the will of the heavenly Father is doing work,

but I feel that's not right.

Huh?

Work iniquity?

There's no doubt that those who preach and work in the Lord's name suffer and pay a price for it,

so why does the Lord say they work iniquity and can't enter the kingdom of heaven?

That's a good question.

I just think that carrying out the heavenly Father's will

just isn't as simple as it seems.

It means following the way of the Lord, practicing His word,

loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul,

and loving your neighbors as you love yourself.

Only people like that can enter the kingdom of heaven.

Do you all think that I'm right?