Contemporary society, amid rapidly changing cultural, philosophical, and moral landscapes, poses fundamental questions to the church and believers. They must determine how to maintain their identity while applying biblical truth to daily life. Phenomena such as materialism, relativism, secularization, religious indifference, and moral confusion demand not merely adherence to traditional norms but a more fundamental and practical faith-based response. In this context, Pastor David Jang(Jang Jae-hyung) endeavors to apply the profound insights of Scripture to modern life, placing particular emphasis on the church’s purity and the believer’s holy living.
Pastor Jang interprets various New Testament passages—drawing from the Pauline Epistles, John 15, Ephesians, 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, and Romans—understanding the church as a spiritual entity united with Christ. He insists that the church must be established as a holy and pure community. This requires more than superficial moral standards; it involves each believer living a life rooted in Christ, thus enabling the entire church to manifest God’s glory in the world.
By reinterpreting issues such as immorality, moral confusion, marriage, and singleness in light of 1 Corinthians 5–7, Pastor Jang offers practical guidelines for today’s church and believers to maintain authentic holiness and purity. He emphasizes that the church must not compromise with worldly values or overlook sin, but must instead recover its holiness through spiritual union with Christ.
This article, grounded in Pastor Jang’s theological and pastoral focus, examines six sub-themes: (1) the theological and biblical foundation for the church’s purity; (2) faith and life re-envisioned from an eschatological perspective, especially in marriage and singleness; (3) communal devotion expressed by bearing one another’s burdens; (4) the union of believers with Christ and fruit-bearing life illustrated in John 15; (5) the contemporary cultural and philosophical significance of these themes; and (6) concluding suggestions for the church and believers moving forward based on this integrated understanding.
The Purity of the Church
Pastor Jang’s core message highlights the church’s purity—beyond mere institutional or ethical management. True purity emerges as the church prepares itself as Christ’s holy bride through deep spiritual union. Ephesians 5 portrays the church as Christ’s bride, purified and made “holy and without blemish” by Christ’s sacrifice. Thus, Pastor Jang urges the modern church to preserve its essential identity by resisting secular values and moral decay through continuous self-examination and repentance.
In 1 Corinthians 5–6, Paul sternly addresses immorality within the church, calling for the removal of sin and the preservation of communal purity. Pastor Jang interprets such immorality not merely as moral failure but as a threat to the church’s spiritual integrity. If the church is one body with Christ, immoral acts are like festering wounds on that body.
Referring to 1 Thessalonians 4—where Paul declares that God’s will is sanctification—Pastor Jang insists that sin be understood in the context of one’s relationship with God, not merely as a moral infraction. Sanctification is an inner transformation through abiding in Christ and the Spirit’s power. By overcoming worldly temptations, believers enable the church to shine God’s holy light in a confused world.
Citing 1 Corinthians 6 (“your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit”), Pastor Jang underscores that individual ethical issues directly influence the church’s overall spiritual condition. When believers present themselves to God as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1), their collective purity strengthens the church, allowing it to witness God’s glory before the world.
Marriage and Singleness
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul addresses marriage, singleness, and marital relationships—principles that transcend cultural concerns of his day to offer theological insight for believers living amid the tension between creation order and eschatological hope. Pastor Jang reinterprets Paul’s teaching, showing that both marriage and singleness can cultivate devotion and holiness.
Marriage is not a mere social contract or physical union; as Ephesians 5 indicates, it symbolizes the union between Christ and the church. Husbands and wives commit to each other, practicing God’s created order and learning sacrificial love in their small family community, thereby embodying holiness in everyday life.
Paul also presents singleness as a special gift. Singleness is neither superior nor inferior to marriage, but simply another way to devote oneself fully to God, free from worldly ties. Both marriage and singleness, sanctioned by God, allow believers to prepare for God’s kingdom in an eschatological perspective.
When Paul states that “those who have wives should live as though they had none,” he challenges believers not to be overly attached to earthly relationships or possessions, but to live with an eschatological mindset. Pastor Jang extends this idea, asserting that marriage itself should be understood in light of God’s ultimate kingdom purpose. Marriage is not solely for personal happiness, but a sacred arena for participating in God’s redemptive plan.
Ultimately, both marriage and singleness lie within God’s gracious order. Believers must interpret and live their personal circumstances according to God’s will, thereby pursuing holiness and purity amid end-time tension and strengthening the church community.
Love and Communal Devotion: “Bearing One Another’s Burdens”
Building on Galatians 6, where Paul urges believers to “bear one another’s burdens,” Pastor Jang sees this not as a mere act of kindness but as communal devotion. It involves believers actively participating in each other’s lives, sharing pain and weakness together.
For the church to be a pure and holy community, it must go beyond eliminating sin and seeking sanctification; it must also practice genuine love and service. As Jesus says in John 15, “abide in my love”: love is not just an emotion but a life shaped by sacrifice and commitment. Believers show Christ’s love by supporting those in need, praying for the suffering, and patiently restoring those whose faith wavers.
Bearing each other’s burdens is more than a solution to difficulties; it is the very process that helps the church grow into a loving community. By prioritizing others’ needs and serving with patience and dedication, believers embody Christ’s sacrificial love. In doing so, the church stands in stark contrast to the self-centered and fragmented patterns of modern society, becoming a true light and beacon of hope.
Pastor Jang emphasizes that this burden-bearing should not remain confined within the church but extend into the broader world. The church, following the path of the cross, must share in the world’s suffering and become an alternative community that practices God’s love amidst a wounded society.
The Vine and the Branches
In John 15, Jesus teaches that He is the vine and believers are the branches, and true fruit-bearing occurs when believers abide in Him. Pastor Jang views this metaphor as central to understanding the church’s purity and the believer’s holy life.
Union with Christ is not confined to doctrine or sentiment; it is demonstrated through a fruitful life shaped by the Spirit’s presence (Gal 5:22–23). This empowers the church to maintain internal purity and effectively implement God’s will in families, workplaces, and across society.
“Abide in my love” is not an emotional suggestion but a call to active obedience and wholehearted devotion. Believers who remain in Christ practice sacrificial love in marriage, dedicate themselves entirely to God in singleness, and share one another’s burdens within the church. Such union and fruitfulness enable the church to resist secular influences and manifest God’s kingdom in the world.
John 15 also contains an eschatological dimension. Just as branches wither if cut off from the vine, believers cannot maintain holiness without ongoing communion with Christ. Pastor Jang reminds us that in a world of secular confusion, believers can only sustain a holy and pure life by consistently following God’s Word, the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and remaining close to Christ.
Contemporary Application and Conclusion
As demonstrated through passages like 1 Corinthians 5–7, Ephesians 5, and John 15, Pastor Jang shows the modern church how to embody purity and holiness amidst cultural and moral chaos. In summary:
The church’s purity is essential, rooted in its identity as a community redeemed by Christ’s blood. It must stand firmly on truth, refusing to condone sin or compromise with secular values. Personal sanctity and communal unity maintain spiritual purity.
Marriage and singleness are God-given structures and gifts that must be understood in light of God’s kingdom. Marriage reflects the union of Christ and the church, while singleness provides an opportunity for unwavering devotion to God.
The church’s purity and holiness are fulfilled through communal life, where believers practice love by bearing one another’s burdens. This implies mutual commitment and patience, establishing the church as a genuine alternative community in the world.
Union with Christ, illustrated by the vine and branches, is the fundamental principle enabling believers and the church to bear fruit. Abiding in Christ allows spiritual fruitfulness that permeates all areas of life, extending God’s will into society.
In today’s cultural and philosophical landscape, the church must stand as an alternative community that offers Christ’s truth. Just as Paul provided the gospel as a solution in Corinth’s moral confusion, the modern church must present the path of truth and salvation through not only words but also transformed lives.
Pastor Jang’s pastoral philosophy displays a practical zeal for applying these theological principles to contemporary church life. He encourages believers to fulfill God’s will in every domain, building each other up, serving neighbors, and glorifying God. Whether married or single, at home or in church, believers become instruments of God’s kingdom, preparing the church as a holy bride capable of transforming the world.
Ultimately, Pastor Jang’s teaching challenges the church and believers to go beyond religious formality or mere ethical conduct, striving for holiness in every aspect of life. This involves repentance, sanctification, sacrificial love, eschatological tension in marriage and singleness, and abundant fruit through union with Christ. By following these principles, the modern church rediscovers its identity, functioning truly as salt and light to the world.
Pastor Jang does more than convey biblical knowledge; he guides believers in applying God’s Word amid moral confusion and spiritual apathy. This helps the church move beyond doctrinal uniformity toward becoming a holy and pure community that influences the world. As believers practice God’s created order and principles of love in marriage, singleness, family, and the church, expanding His kingdom and revealing His glory, the church stands before the Lord as a pure and radiant bride.
Such teaching transcends theory, presenting concrete tasks for contemporary believers to implement daily. Through mutual service in marriage, wholehearted devotion in singleness, burden-sharing in the church, and abiding in Christ the true Vine, believers become living witnesses of the truth in the world.
Thus, the modern church and believers are called to reflect deeply on Pastor Jang’s theological and pastoral direction and actively apply it. The purity of the church and the holiness of believers are not optional but essential, preparing the way for God’s glory and the coming of His kingdom. In this way, the church exerts genuine spiritual influence, and believers stand firm as witnesses of God’s love and truth.
