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2014.06.22_Let Us Offer Spiritual Worship

in 2014, Ki Dong Kim

(John 4:10-24)

Outline

God is the living God.
He desires the world to know Him through Jesus (Jn 17:3).
He desires the world to yearn for His encounter (Ho 6:3).
Anyone who wants to meet Him, God receives them(Jm 4:8).
The unique way to meet God is worship (Jn 4:24).
Worship means beholding God’s face and kissing Him.
Therefore, if the worship is not spiritual,
then meeting God would be impossible (Is 1:11-13).
This is God’s command and truth (Jn 4:23-24).
Therefore, worshipping God beyond
the guidance of the truth becomes a false worship.
A worship that is not spiritual (Is 1:14)
becomes an abominable hypocrisy before God.

○Let us be spiritual. Let us be spiritual in order to meet God.
Let us meet the Almighty One through spiritual worship.
○Only by the Holy Spirit can we be spiritual.
So let us repent first and be spiritual by the Holy Spirit.
○Religion cannot meet God. Christianity is not a religion.

※A spiritual worship can meet Him only
if it is inspired by God’s word and His power.

Summary

The Living God Father

God is the living God. Our belief in His living existence is not an abstract notion but a true experience. As God is living, He possesses a clear volition. If anyone wishes to have eternal life and enter the kingdom of Heaven, he must honor God’s will. Even if man does penance and practices self-cultivation, he is unable to enter the kingdom of Heaven by them. He can enter Heaven only by faith in Jesus because that is God’s will. Jesus said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Mark 12:46-50). Even though Jesus wants to save someone, he cannot be saved if he does not abide by God’s will.

We call God as our Father. God is a not a dead but a living Father. We serve God with an everlasting hope while we are on the earth because He is the living Father. Since the birth of the Christian church until now, the reason countless saints were willing to be martyred was because they had experienced the living existence of God the Father. Today we also call God, ‘Father’ because we have the undeniable testimony of the Holy Spirit.

If you pointed at some child’s father and said to the child, “That man is not your real father,” would that child nod his head and say, “Oh, I see’? Most children would adamantly say, “No, he is our father!” If you then put on a blank face and say to the child again, “Didn’t you know? He isn’t your real father,” the child would probably burst into tears, insisting that he is. We must confess like the little child that God is our Father, just as Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10:15).

God is the One and Only God. Why One and Only? A spirit has no form and thus it cannot be touched with our hands nor heard with our ears. However, God does have an image. He sent to the world His only begotten Son who was in His bosom, and He is the image of God, namely Jesus Christ. The reason people cannot believe this is that they are oppressed by the gods of this age (2 Cor. 4:3-4).

A person cannot have any relationship with God unless he confesses that God is the One and Only Father. In the time of Noah, the people who perished in the Flood were those that did not acknowledge God. God’s will has not changed since. God loved the world and gave them His image, so that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God may not perish but have eternal life. The Son of God experienced the afflictions, poverty, hunger and infirmities of man just as it was prophesied (Isa. 53:3-10), and in the end died on the cross. The cross was a device used to punish the worst criminal offenders. Although Jesus had only done good deeds in the world, the people accused Him and finally crucified Him. Even so, God raised Him from the dead. Jesus did not faint and wake up on His own; God raised Him to life.

God sends the Holy Spirit to those that believe in and follow Jesus according His will. Even the demons recognize the fact that we have received the Holy Spirit. James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” When we, filled with the Holy Spirit, confess that our God Father is living, even the demons recognize and submit to us. We have such clear proofs in our faith.

We are the people who have experienced the resurrection of Jesus. After Jesus resurrected, He appeared before His disciples and even before 500 saints at one time. And before His ascension, He urged His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but wait for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). As the Lord said, the disciples who had gathered in Mark’s Upper Room and prayed received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and began to speak in tongues. There were devout Jews from every nation under Heaven in Jerusalem at that time, and when they were gathered together after hearing the disciples speaking in tongue, Peter boldly testified before them, “God has raised Jesus whom you crucified, and having gone into Heaven He has sent us the Holy Spirit!” And on that day, about 3000 people came to repentance and were baptized (Acts 2:1-41).

What is baptism? First Peter 3:21 says, “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” In the course of history, countless people gave up their lives so as to be baptized. They were able to testify to their status as ones united with Jesus Christ, and did not spare their own lives in doing so because they had a sure experience of how the living God raised Jesus Christ to life.

Some people say that Jesus’ resurrection is not relevant to us directly because it happened thousands of years of ago. However, when we consider God’s word, we must remember that it is still being directed at us in the present day. It is written in Hebrews 3:15, “While it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’” We believed just what the foregoers of our faith have testified to concerning what they had seen and heard, and by this we have an experience that is by the Holy Spirit. Thus, we have received the testimony of God’s existence and for that reason, we serve the living God.

Faith to Set Apart the Holy Day

We set apart one day of the week as a holy day – the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). From Monday to Saturday, each person engages in his own work such as tending his farm, working at the office or running a business and hence seeks God’s help for those matters. Yet on the Lord’s Day, they gather together with the saints to serve God and glorify Him only (1 Cor. 16:1-2).

There are some people who complain, “Why doesn’t anything work out for me when I am serving God so well?” They must first examine whether they have been soundly keeping the Holy Day or treated it as their own.

The first four commandments of the Ten Commandments prescribe how we ought to serve God. The first of these is, ‘You shall have no other gods before Me’; the second is, ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol’; the third, ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain’; and finally, ‘Remember the Holy day and keep it holy’. God warned the idolaters that the curse upon them would continue to their children, down to the third and fourth generation. Conversely, this means that the curse may end after the third and fourth generation. On the contrary, God commanded to stone to death anyone that desecrated the Holy Day (Num. 15:36). He did not spare them even a glimmer of hope in the third and fourth generation.

The Israelites had suffered a great deal despite being the people of God. They studied the Law of Moses while pondering over the reason to their suffering, and eventually they identified the problem. They realized that they had been neglecting God’s Holy Day as well as robbing God in tithes and offerings (Neh. 9:1-10:39). This was also pointed out by Prophet Malachi in Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.”

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He said, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matt 6:7-8). Today, the first thing people do as soon as they have entered the prayer room is to complain to God that He did not grant their wishes. For us, we need to learn the prayer Jesus has taught.

The prayer taught by Jesus starts off with “Our Father in Heaven!” Just as a little child acknowledges his or her own father, we must first acknowledge that God is our Father. Those that do so would remember how God raised to life His only begotten Son and thus keep the Lord’s Day holy. They would also first pray for God’s kingdom saying, “Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). After that they would pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11), humbly asking for the provisions they need for the day God has given them.

God has granted us six days to use for ourselves. He then set apart a Holy Day which we are to use wholly to please the Lord and glorify Him. The reason why people do not have prosperity is not so much of a lack of prayer but because they despise God. God said that He is not pleased with those who despise His name (Mal. 1:6-10). Some people come to church and worship in the same attire they wore while washing dishes at home. Yet, they would not have done so if they had known that worship is an encounter with God.

The Holy Day is sacred. The word holy means ‘distinguished or set apart.’ God did not create anything on the Holy Day but He blessed it and rested on that day. The sun, moon and the creations created over six days will all pass away, but God’s dwelling place will never disappear. The Holy Day is a day distinguished from every other day of the week. Those who consecrate the Holy Day pray for the welfare of God’s kingdom unlike the pagans who only pray for their flesh.

How much suffering did Jesus endure on the earth? God testified concerning Him, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). This was because He endured all kinds of suffering and troubles and obeyed to the end in order to please God. That is also why God had raised Him to life (Heb. 5:7). It is not the right attitude of a saint who is praying to just start saying, “God, why haven’t you given me what I asked for?” as if he was arguing against God.

We must bow our knees humbly before God’s name. Through Jesus, God has revealed the existence of His word and that it certainly comes to fulfilment. Jesus obeyed God’s word and God raised Him to life. If anyone believes this, he would not consider it a burden to serve God nor despise it (Mal. 1:6-14). We will all depart this world one day. After that we will not be able to go to church even if we wanted to. Therefore, we must do the work God desires when we have the opportunity.

Worshipping In Spirit and Truth

When Jesus was in Samaria, a woman said, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship” (John 4:20). Then Jesus replied, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21-23).

In the days of King David, Israel enjoyed a reign of peace. Though they were a small nation, the neighbouring countries could not dare lay their hands on Israel. After that, David’s son Solomon and then his son Rehoboam succeeded to the throne. During Rehoboam’s reign, ten out of the twelve tribes left Jerusalem and moved to the north, where they established a kingdom with Samaria as the capital city. They built an altar at Bethel and worship God there. They thought to themselves, ‘Even if we have left Jerusalem, we can still offer a true worship here.’ On the other hand, those that remained in Jerusalem believed that only the worship offered in Jerusalem, the holy land, would be accepted by God. The North and South Kingdoms both insisted they had greater prestige than the other, however both kingdoms were subject to the prophets’ rebuke. The North Kingdom was criticized for their betrayal and depravity whereas the South Kingdom was rebuked for their arrogance.

The woman’s question about where the worship should be offered – in Bethel or Jerusalem – was based on such historical background. Jesus answered the woman that what mattered was not the location of the worship but that it must be done in spirit and truth. If we examine the original language of the text, spirit and truth actually means, ‘the Holy Spirit and the Truth.’ The word truth also implies ‘a sincere heart,’ meaning that even the flesh has to follow the Truth.

God seeks those who worship by the Holy Spirit and Truth, that is, who worship in Jesus. Though countless people drowned when the flood deluged the earth, God was not mindful of them and only sought for Noah’s household. In the same way, God sent Jesus and gave man the opportunity to believe in Him and be saved. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” To believe in Jesus means to believe in the word of God and His living existence. In other words, it is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that God’s word has been fulfilled through Him. And anyone who worships with such faith, worships in spirit and truth. When we worship in the church, we behold God’s face. A sinner is not permitted to meet the king. But if someone were loyal to the king and rendered meritorious service, the king would grant him the opportunity to meet him. That person would go before the king and kiss his hand or the ring on his finger. And his descendants would take pride in the fact that their ancestor had an audience with the king. The same applies spiritually. We should have our descendants proudly say, “Our forefathers beheld God’s face and kissed His hand.” We must pass down our testimony of the living God to our descendants.

The Life that Seeks God’s Joy

What is the Lord’s Day? The Son of God did not enjoy a lavish life on the earth but suffered many hardships, so much so that He was nicknamed ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ He led such a harsh life on the earth and was shunned by men, yet He never resented God. He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me!” He had prayed so earnestly that His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. But afterward He said, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will,” He got up and finally died on the cross (Matt. 26:39). So how pleased would God have been when He raised His Son who had thus obeyed to the point of death? If Jesus had disobeyed, He would not have lived again. However, Jesus was obedient to the end and God raised Him to life (Phil. 2:6-11). So how great would God’s joy have been?

The Lord’s Day is a day on which we remember the resurrection of Jesus. In other words, it is a day full of the joy God had in raising to life His beloved and pleasing Son. We are not those who stand afar and simply watch God being pleased. When we were baptized, we united with Christ’s resurrection. The day on which God resurrected His beloved Son is the most joyful day to God. That is the Holy Day; the day when those who honor God, behold His face who is full of joy through His Son.

The Lord’s Day is also the day on which Jesus sent the Holy Spirit after His ascension. The Holy Spirit came to the believers on the fiftieth day since His resurrection, that is, the day after the Sabbath, and it has continued thereafter that the believers have been receiving the Holy Spirit and being born again. The worldly people cannot receive the Holy Spirit neither can religious people. Only those who believe in Jesus can receive the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Day is therefore not only a day of remembering the resurrection of Jesus but also a day when God holds the believers of Jesus with special regard.

When it says to remember the Holy Day and keep it holy, it does not mean one should become a slave to the Holy Day. To keep it holy, it is utmost important to understand the significance of that day. Remembering the Sabbath means to remember that it is God’s day, whereas with the Lord’s Day it is to remember that God raised His beloved Son to life. Even though Jesus was put to death according to man’s law, God raised Him again. The Lord’s Day is filled with the joy of God who has conquered, and therefore we ought to rejoice on that day also. Hallelujah means to say to the angels, ‘Let us sing praises!’ when God is rejoicing.

For the flesh that spoils, we must seek humbly regardless of how urgent matters may be. Proverbs 30:8-9 says, “Give me neither poverty nor riches— feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” When it comes to the flesh, we should ask only for daily food and in our hearts say, ‘Help me God if this is a matter befitting Your will, otherwise not.’ There are many people who demand God to give them what they ask for, but very few wish to serve God. Some say, “I’ll dedicate to God if you bless me.” But such people need to consider whether they really have not received any blessings from God.

We must not take the Holy Day negligently. We have to bow our knees before the name of the Lord and glorify it on the Lord’s Day. If one chooses to go his own way for the reason that he is busy on the Lord’s Day, it may be that God has shut the door so that he cannot enter. While we might usually be godly for our own sake, on the Lord’s Day we should have reverence for God and worship Him only. We must be found by God who seeks those who worship in spirit and truth.

Semuon’s Letter

If someone were to ask me of my capabilities, then I will answer, “I can pick up a pen and write.”

If he asks, “Aren’t you tired of writing?” then I will answer, “Writing is the reason for my respiration.” The moment that I stop breathing would be same moment that I stop writing. Everyone seeks to be healthy because they want strong lungs to breathe without any problems. Likewise, I endeavor to breathe and strengthen myself through writing. Even if I cannot make a noise because I lack strength, I desire to demonstrate my life as I sustain my breath through my writings.

Though the sun sits on the west mountain peek, I will continue to write. Though my flesh reaches the end of its lifespan, my writings will remain and continue to fulfill the works that my flesh could not accomplish. And thus, I cannot be any happier. Even if my spirit would be in Paradise, my writings would remain in this world to its last day and watch its history. I sincerely give thanks to God for giving me such inspiration.

The clouds reflecting off the water in a well truly looks beautiful. They change as they move and they rise again. Though a history of one generation passes and another history floats in, the spring water in the well remains clear as it watches them come and go. My parents were really poor, but they were truly kindhearted. I sincerely thank them because they gave me healthy limbs and brain and filled my heart with goodness and passion. They tried to provide more for me, but I can only imagine how they would have felt being unable to give more. Hence, I am grateful for their gratitude rather than being resentful for what they could not impart in me.

From then on, I began to sharpen, shine, gather, and refine myself on my own. If I were lazy, burning my heart with vanity without future, then I would have not made it in this world today. If I lacked physically, then I would not have lived a decent life. If I lacked mentally, then I would not have been able to do anything. It is by the grace of my parents that I was able to live this type of life. Yet, it is the great grace of my Lord Jesus who has saved me from a lost road.

I have accomplished everything that I could do at a young age; therefore, I only have tasks that I must complete at an old age. And I will see the glory on that day when all the works become fulfilled. Though my body is tired and bruised, there are no regrets. Though my road was tougher than others’, it truly is the way to serve and love God more because the Lord Jesus first chose this road.

The Gospel that I have been shouting without a change whether I was young or old is not mine, but God’s. It belongs to the Lord Jesus and thus, I feel deeply moved for He has filled the Gospel and used my lips to speak. From now on, I will try to channel what God had placed in my heart and given in my hands through Wolsan Literature. My tiresome past, but full of longing desires, I call them, memories.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim
Lord’s Day Worship Column

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Credits

2014.06.15_The Kingdom That Can Only Be Taken By Force

in 2014, Sung Hyun Kim

(Matthew 11:2-19)

Outline

God
keeps His will according to how He purposed it.
He sent the Prophets, the Word, and the Law (Jn 1:14-17)
so that the world may know God and His Kingdom.
God commanded the people to obey,
and whoever obeyed Him was taken as His holy nation (2Co 6:16).
In due time, God allowed His will to be proclaimed in the world
so that He may bestow grace to mankind;
this is called the Gospel (1Co 11:23-27).
However, God has embraced
those who hear, believe, and obey the Gospel.
Countless stumbling blocks exist
to hinder those who come before God.
Yet, Jesus has personally taken responsibility over them
and gave His works as grace so that those (1Pe 2:24)
who believe can have easy access to God.
Our faith must be strengthened with the works of Jesus (1Pe 3:21).

○Our faith must first fight and overcome the world.
Without overcoming oneself, he cannot become a true believer.
○One must repent all of his sins and he must battle to win over them.
A true Christian overcomes.
○One must overcome his emotions
and submit to God’s will in order to become a true believer.

※The violent takes the Kingdom of Heaven by force.
One must be armed completely
and risk his own life in order to take by force.

Summary

The People of God Gathered Through the Law and the Prophets

God definitely accomplishes the will that He has purposed. He had given the Law and the prophets to fulfil the will He had set in Heaven. The purpose of sending the Law and the prophets was to make Himself and His kingdom known to man, that is, to gather a people of God.

The nation of Israel is a people of God. They were taken to be His people according to His purposed will. In the beginning God told them, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people” (Lev. 26:12). He promised that His tabernacle will be with them and He will dwell among them (Ez. 37:27).

So what does it mean to be ‘a people of God?’ God defined it saying, “‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel” (Ex. 19:5-6).

The fundamental characteristic that marked the status of Israel was that they were nurtured by the word of God. For instance, when Korean citizens are residing in Korea, they would not actually follow foreign laws. Every country has its own legal system and everyone abides by the law of the country they belong to. The Law is a law that the people of God must follow. The purpose of God giving the Law is clearly shown in Jeremiah 7:22-23, “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’” The most essential attribute for the people of God to have was obedience to God’s word rather than their offerings or any ceremonial rites associated with them. Although the Israelites were under regulations of the flesh, they were certainly a people of God, people belonging to the kingdom of Heaven, not that of the earth.

The way that God ordained the Law to be observed was unilateral. It was by force that the Israelites became God’s people. In most cases when people failed to observe God’s law, they were immediately punished with sickness or plagues. Such punishment even lasted to the third and fourth generation. If anyone was caught violating God’s law, he was stoned to death at the scene. Hence, the Israelites had no choice but to obey God’s law in fear. Regardless of how burdensome the law was, they had to obey in order to be God’s people. And they could not renounce their status as God’s people either because that would be bringing a curse upon themselves.

The authority of the prophets did not vary from that of the Law. They were like two sides of the one coin. It is with any law that when a law-abiding person happens to violate it even once, he must quickly turn back his ways. Otherwise, his heart would become numb and indifferent to the law, even unable to remember it. And when that concerns God’s law, the consequences are very serious. A person that fails to remember God’s law loses his love for God’s kingdom, and his heart becomes filled with only man’s desires and selfish greed. God sent the prophets for such situations. For God’s law to be restored with its rightful authority, it was necessary to censure the person who has breached the law or is about to, so that he may turn. And the prophets undertook this role.

In this way, God called the Israelites as His people, and after having trained them in the wilderness He nurtured them by the Law. Then, He sent the prophets to firmly set the people’s hearts toward the Law, and shape them to be a fine people befitting God’s kingdom. Thus, the Law and the prophets played a vital role in gathering the people of God’s kingdom.

Expanding the Extension of the Concept of ‘God’s People’

It was only until John the Baptist that the roles of Law and the prophets had such a bearing. After that, a change has taken place in God’s administration. Simply put, this change is that man is no longer compelled to become a people of God’s kingdom. While the people of the past were immediately punished upon breaking the law, this no longer happens. Therefore, God’s law has lost the power by which it governed the people of the past, neither are there any prophets since John the Baptist. Now, there is nobody that can censure and restore the people again when they go on sinning and be led astray.

Just as He did with the household of Abraham, David and the virgin Mary who was pledged to be married, whenever God used someone in the past, He came to them unilaterally without even knocking on their door. But ever since John the Baptist, God first knocks on their door and only enters those that open the door to Him (Rev. 3:20). There is no punishment imposed on those that refuse to open the door either. As regards this change, there may be some people of Israel thinking, ‘What a relief! It’s been too hard. Let me take it easy now that there is nobody to interfere in with my life.’ However, this is a huge misunderstanding.

When John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus and asked, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt. 11:3-5). Why did Jesus give this unexpected answer? He was showing that Prophet Malachi had prophesied about Jesus Himself when he said, “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves” (Mal. 4:2). Again Jesus made reference to Malachi’s prophecy (Mal. 3:1) and said, “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You” (Matt 11:10). Likewise, the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 11 certainly cannot be separated from Malachi’s prophecy.

Malachi 3:1 says, “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming.” This prophecy came to fulfilment through the appearance of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Verse two then says, “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap.” A refiner’s fire implies punishment while the launderer’s soap signifies cleansing. This was a prophecy of what Christ would later fulfil.

Concerning those who were unaware of how God was watching their hearts and actions, Malachi 3:13-16 says, “Your words have been harsh against Me,” says the Lord, “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.’ Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” The point God was making here was, ‘Are you not reluctant to obey the Law? Are you not ignoring God’s word?’

But then there was a different group of people. Malachi 3:16-18 says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. ‘They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’ Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.” In the past, Israel and God’s people were taken purely to be of the same meaning. However, a new criterion was being introduced that would replace such an approach.

A fierce judgement is forewarned of Malachi 4:1, “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.” Malachi 4:4-6 says, “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” According to these verses, the people cannot escape judgment if they do not turn when Prophet Elijah appears. And here, the prophet Elijah is referring to John the Baptist.

The people in the past always obeyed God’s law with fearful hearts. The appearance of John the Baptist in such times did not signal an end to their fear but an impending time of great suspense. The prophet Joel prophesied about this, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls” (Joel 2:31-32). The curse and punishment that these prophecies are warning about do not just apply to the local region but will affect the entire world. Therefore, we must escape that great and dreadful day.

God is saying that the degree of notion of ‘the people of God’ once confined to the nation of Israel will be extended to all mankind and every one of them is the object of salvation. As this was God’s original plan, He had said to Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 22:18).

Hebrews 8:1 says, “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” A high priest should be in the tabernacle in the wilderness or the temple in Jerusalem. If such high priest is said to be seated on the throne in Heaven, it is suggesting something different to what the people had known under the Law. This is not surprising because Hebrews 8:5 says, “who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” Then verse 9 says, “not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt,” and then verse 10, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” God was seeking to establish a new people through a new covenant.

The Law had a role to play until the promised Seed should come. Before faith came, everything was bound under the Law. It was a tutor that guides us to Christ, awaiting the day we would be justified by faith (Gal 3:19-24). Though previously it was only the descendants of Jacob who were God’s people, now the descendants of Abraham by faith are the people of God.

Yearning Heart

Before the punishment takes place in the world, we must quickly escape. Just as refugees flee across the borders to seek asylum amid a civil war, we too need to find a way to live. But there is a problem. Who is going to guide us to a place of safety?

Matthew 11:12 says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” A rather unexpected language is being used here. In the NIV translation, this is written as ‘forcefully advancing’ and ‘forceful men,’ to demonstrate that the people who advance using force will take possession of Heaven. In the KJV, the expressions ‘suffereth violence’ and ‘the violent’ are being used. This means that the kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and that the violent will take by force.

These expressions remind us of wars. The word ‘advancing’ in the NIV is also used in the battlefield to move soldiers forward. When they hear the cry “Advance!” the soldiers have to go forward even if it is against their will. This is much the same as saying ‘you might die while fighting.’

The one that desires to take over another country declares a war. Anyone that desires the kingdom of Heaven would seize hold of it. Jesus has opened the gates of Heaven by coming to the earth and bestowing His grace on us. He tore His flesh that is like the veil in the temple and thus opened up the small gate that leads toward Heaven. In the past, God forced even the reluctant ones to become His people and led them as so. However, since the days of John the Baptist, those that desire the Kingdom of Heaven can take possession of it.

In a way, there is a greater responsibility for those that seek to become a people of God, in contrast to the past because they have to do everything without the help of the Law and the prophets. Jesus Christ does not lead anyone by force. Now for each person that relies on His merits, one’s faith becomes the Law and one’s fervor towards his faith becomes the prophet. The day of salvation, the time of grace has come when each person must take action (2 Cor. 6:2).

A person wishing to enter Heaven must be yearning for that kingdom. Of course simply yearning will not be enough. We must risk our lives and advance towards it violently. We have to advance with our tithe, dedication and service as our weapon. How difficult is it for the people of underdeveloped countries to find jobs and enter leading industrial countries? From the making of passport, they go through all the complicated process in between and when they finally arrive in the foreign land, they are left nothing but a passport in their hands. In the same way, we need the determination to pay any price to enter the kingdom of Heaven. This is a war; this is an emergency. For this, there should not be any distinction of night and day, and every resource must be employed.

Many people try to make conservative legalism, the righteousness of their hearts or the cleanness of their spirit, as a measure of faith. We need to have a yearning even when we are reading the Scriptures. If our focus is not on yearning for God’s kingdom, we would not be able to understand the Scriptures nor have a sound foundation of faith in the end.

A yearning is an expression that fittingly describes the attitude that a person should have if they desire to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Just say that a person loved someone. However, they are not together yet, and it is possible that they may never be together. He is afraid that she might refuse him. Watching her from afar tears his heart, and yet when he cannot see her, just the thought of her makes him happy. This is a yearning.

There are many words in the Scripture that speak about this yearning or longing. A bride longing for her wedding date, a groom bearing each day while longing for his bride, a father endlessly waiting for his lost son, and a son thinking of his home while suffering in a foreign land – their hearts are all filled with a yearning and longing. When Abraham was commanded by God to offer the son he received at the age of a hundred, he was able to obey without hesitation because his heart was filled with a longing for God. An intense longing filled Abraham’s heart, like the heart of a farmer awaiting harvest. Jesus who had washed His disciples’ feet and said to them, ‘wait in Jerusalem; I will be with you forever’, even His heart was filled with a yearning and longing.

The Church Life of the Longing Soul

Our spiritual life is a life of yearning. It is impossible for someone who is not longing to lead a spiritual life. And even if he does, he can only be hypocritical. Such a person regards his spiritual life as a waste of money and time, and believes that his church life intrudes on his personal life. Those people judge the aspects of our spiritual life based on what society deems right. This is the resulting outcome when there is no yearning. On the contrary, a longing person goes beyond himself to serve devotedly and thus adorns his spiritual life with glory.

Some people have been commissioned in the church and even blessed by the pastor for that office. Yet, he simply abandons his position on account of some trouble between the members. Such a person regards the church with contempt. When people with longing hearts are gathered together, they accept and make sacrifices for one another, and even suffer unfair treatment with joy. A longing person’s heart is filled with the desire to help, to make sacrifices and even suffer loss for others. To abandon one’s office in the church means to abandon the essence of faith, and proves one’s lack of yearning.

The trees during winter may be alive but they cannot produce sprout, leaves or flowers. However, the trees in spring are like a hungry newborn that they actively draw up the sap from the roots and likewise take in the sunlight. A winter tree that is afraid of being bruised and remains idle like a dead tree has no vitality, responsibility, or yearning and does not bear any fruits. But a tree in spring uses up all of its vitality and sacrifices itself. God is the farmer, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:1-15). God has given us grace so that we may become the longing souls. Otherwise, God would have accomplished all things by force.

God is also full of yearning. He accepted us who were low and cowardly. God’s Son longed for the coming joys and thus endured the cross, undeterred by shame (Heb. 12:2). Because of the longing in His heart, He bore with the sinners who rejected Him. He battled against sin to save us, even to the point of shedding His blood. He wants to shelter us from our insufficiencies and weaknesses. He has bestowed us with grace by His own sacrifice. He could not come out of the grave until the Father raised Him to life. But finally God raised Him, and by this He has become our confidence, our strength, our future and the kingdom of Heaven for our spirit.

Those who are longing do not lose their hearts to the pleasure of this world. Even if something may not be a sin, they distance themselves from it even just for the reason that it may become a seed of sin. A yearning is even more precious than our own selves, which so easily submits to the flesh. It is the yearning within us that determines our true worth.

It would be unreasonable to demand someone who does not love the Lord, “Keep the Lord’s commands! Die for the Lord!” Even though the Lord has given us faith and His word, the people who are not longing will only judge in view of their financial situation and criticize from worldly perspective. The Lord wants our hearts to be filled with the kingdom of God. He desires to take His place and rest in the heart full of yearning. In the past, our hearts were set in the world but now, we must forcefully advance into the kingdom of Heaven.

Who are the people of God? The Scripture has already made known to us of the coming events. Revelation 2:2-3 says, “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.” While only the Israelites used to be considered as God’s people, now those who have received God’s grace are His everlasting people (1 Pet. 2:10).

First Peter 1:8-9 says, “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” Although we have never seen Jesus with our eyes, we love Him and also long for the salvation of our souls. We do not have a prophet. Therefore, we ourselves must fight and overcome. We need to endeavor to have the Holy Spirit work within us. We must be able to overcome the great and difficult obstacles in this and the coming generations.

The Lord is the head and the church is his body. The way to love the Lord, receive and serve Him is to serve the Lord’s body. We should long to be used for the work of the church. We must not shun the little things but offer ourselves for those works. In order to be used even greater, we may not be used right away. However, we must avoid doing anything that takes the church in contempt. We have to go beyond our flesh and emotions. A change must take place in our faith with a yearning heart for the Lord. Since the Lord has opened the gates of Heaven, we must forcefully enter it. We must truly yearn for God, yearn for His kingdom and hold steadfast to the opportunity of salvation given us in this time of grace.

Semuon’s Letter

Beloved Sungrak members!

All throughout my life from the moment the Lord had called me, I agonized ‘How can I please the Lord?’ I thought my healthy body could be an instrument to please the Lord, so I ate good food to maintain my health. Though I couldn’t sleep enough, I believed that being awake and doing God’s work would please the Lord. Therefore, until today, the Lord had helped me to accomplish all the works that were impossible for many others to achieve.

Jesus said ‘Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.’ I would like to say the same. If you cannot believe in my sincerity, then believe me for all the works that I have completed. Through my memoir, ‘Azaleas Bloomed on Wolsan’, I already spoke of the tasks that I plan to complete. I focused on nurturing disciples with all of my heart and strength before, but I now have a goal to dedicate myself for church revival. Before accomplishing anything, I spent sufficient amount of time in prayer and patience.

The reason why I try to make myself known to the world through the Wolsan literature is because of historical relevance. I kept a pebble in my mouth to remain silent through the harsh persecutions and isolation since I needed to fulfill the ‘Berea Movement’ throughout my lifetime. However, because the work that I began was so enormous, whoever desire to comprehend the Gospel might have the tendency of viewing me as a mystical figure. In order to prevent it, I am doing my best to reveal my ordinary-self to others when they try to understand the man, ‘Ki-Dong Kim.’ In this way, our history of ‘Returning to the Bible Movement’ can remain true and genuine in this world.

Our church is truly great. It is a church that stood strong and endured all the severe persecutions in this world. It usually is impossible to withstand such maltreatments; however, it was only possible through the strength of the Holy Spirit who comes from God. It was also possible through your faith because you have heard the truth. May your strong faith be a living tree stump that holds onto the souls of your children. I urge you to live a blessed spiritual life for the sake of your spirit.

I sincerely give thanks to those who have worked together with me for a long time. Even if I might not remember your material and emotional support, I have reported all of your help to the Lord every time. Thus, your support will certainly return to you as blessings and great rewards in Heaven. Do not regret helping me, but rejoice! In result, your supports have contributed to all the work for the Kingdom of God. I fully trust in God and His covenants. Thank you.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim
Lord’s Day Worship Column

2014 Audio

2014 Video

Credits

2014.06.08_Evidence of the Pentecost

in 2014, Sung Hyun Kim

(Acts 2:1-4)

Outline

God
is true.
He has definitely fulfilled His covenant.
God is true because He is not a man (Nu 23:19).
He completely fulfilled all that was spoken
under the first covenant and was crucified (Mt 16:21-23).
Through the blood of the New Covenant,
He became the redemption and life.
He resurrected and ascended into Heaven.
From there, He sent the Holy Spirit
and became the Mediator of the New Covenant (Jn 16:7-).
He gave faith to all mankind (Ro 10:17).
Therefore,
we believed in Jesus’ name and all of His works (Heb 1:2-3).
We have received the Holy Spirit (Ac 10:44-48)
after repenting and being baptized in obedience (Ac 2:38-39).
Since all who were gathered in Mark’s upper room
on the Day of Pentecost received the fullness of the Holy Spirit,
our faith is a reality.
True faith is beginning with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

○Instead of beginning with religion, everyone must repent
and begin with the Holy Spirit to have true faith.
○Why do we not believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ
according to the will promised and commanded by God?
○The Lord Jesus sincerely desires us to become the saints
that does all things according to God’s will.

※The history of the Pentecost is actually God’s work for all.
One must begin his spiritual life first with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Summary

The Time of the Holy Spirit

God sent Jesus Christ in order to save the world. Jesus came to the earth, fulfilled God’s will and ascended into Heaven. And He sent the Holy Spirit just as He had promised before His ascension. Mark’s upper room is a historical site where the Holy Spirit descended for the first time on the day of the Pentecost. About 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit there and began to speak in tongues. This was the beginning of Christ’s church, and a sign of the end of the world.

No body had ever seen God before Jesus came to the earth, even during the time of the Law. Moreover, only a small number of people were able to hear God’s voice while the rest of the people could only hear indirectly. When the prophet proclaimed the word of LORD (Jehovah), the people upheld the authority of the word and obeyed. Even the king bowed in submission before the authority of the prophet; King Saul did so before Samuel, and King David before Nathan.

The people handed over their possessions at the prophet’s request, left their beloved land, and even gave up their lives. They regarded themselves as grasshoppers and yet they charged towards the land occupied by giant-like people, when they were told, ‘the LORD has given you this land!’ When the prophet who was leading them heard God’s voice, the people considered it a great glory and thus obeyed, as if they had seen God and listened to His voice themselves. The fact that the prophet had heard God’s voice became the source of their confidence that they could handle anything.

When the time had come, God who had spoken through the prophets appeared before the people in the flesh. He performed many miracles, demonstrating that He is the Son of God. The people of Jerusalem and all Judea were seeing and listening to Him; however, they did not recognize Him. The creation was unable to recognize the Creator, and the people did not receive their King (John 1:1-11). The people could not possibly comprehend the profound meaning of how God’s Son had humbled Himself before the Father. They refused Him and did not believe that He is the Son of God. When they demanded Jesus for a sign in an attempt to entrap Him, Jesus answered, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matt. 12:39). This was a prophecy of how He would later die and remain inside the earth for three days.

The Apostles and the other disciples who followed Jesus were different to other people. After having witnessed the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, they realized that it was Jesus, whom the Law and the prophets, namely the Scriptures, had been testifying about in the past. Jesus was the Son of God whom God had sent, the heir to the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Son of Man who would later return to judge the world. The Apostles and the other disciples came to know this for certain at the moment when Thomas confessed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). When Thomas, who could not believe in Jesus until then, had finally knelt before Him, at least the small number of people that followed Jesus was ready serve and be faithful to God, love and receive Him.

However, Jesus has gone into Heaven and no longer remained on the earth. There was a time when He had spoken of the Counselor while He was still on the earth. Yet, He could not speak forthrightly to them because the disciples were clearly unable to understand at that time. Jesus said, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me” (John 16:16). He also said, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:25-26). Again He spoke with a similar message, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-14).

The important message Jesus has given through these words is that the work of the Holy Spirit accords with that of Jesus, meaning that the Holy Spirit can substitute for Jesus. It is Jesus’ desire that anyone who wishes to receive Him should receive the Holy Spirit, and anyone who longs for Jesus should long for the Holy Spirit. In saying He would depart this world, Jesus did not mean to leave us and no longer have anything to do with us; rather He was expressing His intention to come inside us and be closer. Hence Jesus said, “You now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you” (John 16:22). It is a shame that despite this, many Christians today disregard the Holy Spirit.

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

God has fulfilled all the words of the first covenant through Jesus Christ. He died on the cross, resurrected and ascended to Heaven. The ministry of Jesus Christ can thus be divided mainly into these three parts. His work on the earth was so that we will not perish in this world but be led to the Father. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’ (John 14:6), which was a methodical explanation of the work He was about to do.

Jesus is the way. He shed His blood and died to atone for man’s sin, and by this He has opened up a way for us to go before God the Father. As the Scripture says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil,” Jesus is the only way to God (Heb. 10:19-20).

Jesus is the truth (John 1:14). His ascension was an attestation that He is the truth. In Him, we have heard the word of truth, namely the Gospel of salvation. We have believed and been sealed by the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:3). Whilst the people did not receive but shunned Jesus, the truth, God raised Him to Heaven and seated Him at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). Concerning Him, 1 Timothy 3:16 writes, “Preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” And Hebrews 1:3 says, “When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” At last, Jesus was glorified as He ascended to Heaven, and the merits of His work were recognized. His ascension has fulfilled the righteousness of God and clearly manifested the truth.

Jesus is the life. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). He also said, “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth to the resurrection of life, or to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:24-29). Jesus has abolished death through His resurrection and revealed life and immortality through the Gospel (2 Tim. 1:10).

Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit to complete in us the work He has fulfilled through the shedding of His blood and death, His resurrection and ascension. For example, there was a shepherd who was in search for his lost sheep. He found it below the valley, yet at the smallest movement, the sheep was in danger of falling off the edge. So the shepherd went down below the valley and securely tied a rope around the sheep but he himself fell off and died. However, the sheep was rescued by someone at the top of the cliff who pulled up the rope. And the Holy Spirit is much like this person who was pulling the rope.

Concerning the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus explained, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:7-8). He made it clear that the Holy Spirit would enlighten us about sin, righteousness and judgment, and that we cannot go beyond the teachings of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “Of sin, because they do not believe in Me” (John 16:9). In order to overcome sin, we have to remember the merits of Jesus who shed His blood and died to open up the way to the Father. And the Holy Spirit is the One who helps us in this. He reminds us that Jesus is the Way, for He has shed his blood for us and died.

Jesus said, “Of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more” (John 16:10). It was a crucial matter for Jesus to go to the Father. Jesus had prayed, ‘Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me” (John 17:11). He also requested, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Then to His disciples He said, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:13-15). Likewise, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit work with one heart and zeal. From now, the Holy Spirit will come and work in my place. My departure and ascension will be the chance for the truth to be officially proclaimed. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, God’s righteousness, the Father’s Truth, will surely unfold. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in relation to what Jesus has fulfilled through His ascension.

Jesus said, “Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:11). The resurrection of Jesus was His victory over the power of the Devil. We have been moved from death to life because of His resurrection. Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” The judgment of the Devil was completed through Jesus’ resurrection and we, in turn, came to have the experience of eternal life.

Now, it is by the Holy Spirit that Jesus continues the work His death, resurrection and ascension has accomplished – that which concerns sin, righteousness and judgment. This three-faceted ministry is also connected to the first, second and third righteousness of God’s will.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not in assisting Christians become prosperous on the earth, in contrast to many people’s misunderstanding. That is not the chief duty of the Holy Spirit but merely a by-effect that may follow those who obey the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to triumph over the power of Hades so that no one would condemn us, and also testifies to our redemption. Even if it was through the lips of another that we have heard the words of Christ, the Holy Spirit sublimates that word into the Truth. Furthermore, He displays the power and miracles that accompany God’s word.

Speaking in Tongues

As Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit descended on the day of the Pentecost. On that occasion about 120 people were filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time and began to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). With the coming of Jesus to the earth, the work that began for the first time was casting out demons. We could even say that His ministry was that of casting out demons. Then, what was it that happened for the first time when the Holy Spirit came? It was speaking in tongues. The gift of speaking in tongues is not manifested gradually over the course of a person’s faith life after having received the Holy Spirit; it is given as soon as he receives the Holy Spirit and is the very first sign.

Speaking in tongues is by the enabling of the Holy Spirit and thus one cannot simply choose not to speak it. This is similar to a rooster crowing at daybreak. No matter how tired the rooster is and even if it does not want to, it instinctively wakes up and heralds the break of day. Likewise, speaking in tongues is by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, independent of a person’s own will.

Jesus never said, “You will start speaking in tongues at the same time as receiving the Holy Spirit.” The disciples were not aware that they would be speaking in tongues. However, Jesus had said, “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20). He meant that the disciples themselves would know of this the moment they receive the Holy Spirit. And His word was exactly right. Every one of the 120 disciples began speaking in tongues the moment they received the Holy Spirit. Although Jesus had never said, “You will speak in tongues upon receiving the Holy Spirit,” all the disciples gathered in Mark’s upper room began to speak in tongues automatically.

Many Christians today consider it unnecessary to speak in tongues. Of course, speaking in tongues does not aid in living our lives in this world. However, it is not to man that one speaks in tongues in the first place. First Corinthians 14:2 says, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.” There is no one apart from God who can understand speaking in tongues. God has granted us this gift, for He was determined not to leave our spirits neglected but to listen to the mysteries spoken from our spirits.

If anyone wishes for God to be with him until the end of the world, he must have God listen to his spirit’s concerns. We should not disdain the gift of speaking in tongues simply because we cannot understand it. It is a prayer that God hears. Be it so that a person does not speak in tongues; yet if he hinders another from speaking, he will never be forgiven as he is directly opposing God and blaspheming against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32).

Actually, there were interference and opposition towards the gift of speaking in tongues from the first day the Holy Spirit had come. The people at the time said that those speaking in tongues were drunk on new wine (Acts 2:13). Even Apostle Paul said that if the unbelievers saw the whole church speaking with tongues, they would think that they are out of their minds (1 Cor. 14:23). Nevertheless, everyone who believed in Jesus received the Holy Spirit during the days of the early church. Instead it was considered strange if a believer had not received the Holy Spirit even after receiving baptism. Therefore, the Apostles went wherever there were believers, even to foreign countries so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. And regardless of where it was, whoever received the Holy Spirit also began speaking in tongues automatically.

The One Who Has Received the Holy Spirit

If Jesus were still somewhere on this earth, then people would do anything to meet the Lord they love. Perhaps many would give up their livelihood, even food and drink to follow Him. If our heart is so earnest and fervent with love for the Lord who can be seen, it ought to be the same with our love and fervor for the invisible Holy Spirit.

If the people, who have received the Holy Spirit, were gathered together in worship, then there should be no one wishing to end the worship quickly to go and enjoy their leisure time. The people of the Old Testament were deeply moved even just by listening to the prophet who had received God’s word. Yet, that cannot be compared to the grace we have received today. The Spirit of God has come inside us, speaks to us and continues to work without ever leaving us. How glorious is this?

The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16). No one in this world accepts our testimony as true when we profess to be God’s children. God’s Spirit nonetheless is within us, guaranteeing that we are God’s children, and keeps us from any spiritual being either in Heaven and on earth. How grateful are we for this?

On the day the Holy Spirit came, Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). And about three thousand souls came to believe in Jesus that day. Some might say, “It seems that just about anyone could have received grace on that day. There would have been beggars and drunkards among that three thousand.” However, those that had met Peter and thus believed in Jesus were devout Jews who had gathered from every nation to observe the Feast (Acts 2:5). Observing the Sabbath and tithing were considered basic to them. They are in stark contrast to many of the Christians today, who have happened to somehow met Christ, received forgiveness and afterwards, live however they want. They were people with discipline, who would practice self-control in order to serve God.

Unfortunately, in this present time when Christians are receiving the Holy Spirit, many people are lazy in serving the church and indifferent to dedication. When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, He would have anticipated a far better result than this. Philippians 2:13-14 says, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing.” For what reason did Jesus have to be crucified? Why did He have to appear in such a lowly and poor form? Why is it that He had to come as a man? It is difficult to understand from man’s perspective. However, that was the way that God worked. Even if it seemed unfavorable to his situation to obey God’s command, Abraham obeyed without hesitation. God saw such faith of Abraham and said, “All peoples on earth, take after him! I will give my only Begotten Son on account of his faith!” It is our spiritual life to obey even when we cannot comprehend God’s command, even if it means loss to ourselves.

The disciples gathered in Mark’s upper room were the only ones who received the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost. Jesus had healed many of their sickness, countless people had heard Him preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, and many people longed for Him. Yet, the Holy Spirit did not come upon them. Jesus commanded, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem!’ (Acts 1:8). Even if they had great love for Jesus and had been with Him for a long time, those that left Jerusalem could not receive the Holy Spirit that day. The first ever coming of the Holy Spirit happened only to the disciples gathered in Jerusalem.

Those that received the Holy Spirit at the time accepted Jesus’ command as their purpose and resolved to devote themselves to Him who is God. Some of those that gathered and waited for the Holy Spirit might have had to leave at some point due to their business and other reasons. But despite those circumstances, the people that remained to the end were the ones convinced that they live by Jesus. Compared to the present times when people claim that any believer can just receive the Holy Spirit, the attitude of the people waiting for the Holy Spirit is worth noting.

Before we help anyone to receive the Holy Spirit, it is good to first teach him or her to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There is no limit to God in sending the Holy Spirit to the believers. Even someone who has just come to have faith in Jesus can receive the Holy Spirit if Christ has forgiven him. But once he receives the Holy Spirit, a definite change has to follow. Even if we may not attain the strict standards of the Jews, we need to become the men who serve God. For this reason, we must be transformed in our hearts, character, and actions. We cannot remain the same as before, even after receiving the Holy Spirit. There has to be a change, at least to the point where we can show all people that we are believers of Jesus. We should be able to clearly show how we have changed to those who have known us in the past, as well as testify that this is the proof of forgiveness.

Jesus was persecuted, and in the end executed. People of all sorts had seen Him, from beggars to rulers, yet there was not one person who did not reject Him. The Holy Spirit however, did not come to be treated that way. Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt. 12:31-32).

Though there are countless people in this world, the Lord only works in those who have received the Holy Spirit. The Lord said with regards to the Holy Spirit, “(He is) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). With the change in Thomas, who previously had doubts about the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples were finally united and began to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. And the same should be manifested in those who receive the Holy Spirit today.

The Holy Spirit and the Church

The church of Jesus Christ began through the coming of the Holy Spirit. Just like the people who waited for the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, we also have been called for the Lord’s will. In the past, Jesus could only speak in parables to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord has purposed a new history starting from Jerusalem, and has called us for that purpose. We need to obey Him as He seeks to fulfill God’s righteousness.

The members that make up the church are each of different backgrounds, personalities, and interests. However, they are in harmony as one community. This is because the Holy Spirit moves each person’s heart and encourages them on towards one and the same direction. The Holy Spirit helps us give up our hearts that followed the world, our love for the flesh and desires, and ensures that the ideologies and philosophies of the world would not take up our hearts. He inspires our hearts and encourages us to act according to God’s will. It is not unusual that a struggle takes place in our hearts when the Holy Spirit is at work within us. It is because the way He leads us is contrary to that of the flesh. We must obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit who wishes to prepare us as holy brides before the Lord.

The Holy Spirit desires the church to be revived and grow, and thus He guides all the saints towards one accord. If the Holy Spirit has willed and entrusted it to us, the work can neither be distinguished as great nor small. The way to obey the Holy Spirit is to do anything that would benefit the church in any way. We ought to be faithful to the work that has been entrusted to us for the revival of the church, and thus become the souls who receive the abundance of God’s blessings.

Semuon’s Letter

Beloved Sungrak members!

I pray for God’s great power to be working in you and your family’s life. Wolsan Literature Concert is held in June every year. Originally, after Seoul Sungrak Church was established and experienced great revival, the church members began to celebrate my, the senior overseer, birthday (June 25th) as a clergy appreciation day. Soon after, the church has turned the clergy appreciation day into Wolsan Literature Festival with the intent of developing literatures of Wolsan. My wish is to establish a grand prize in the future that is as great as the Nobel Literature Prize with the foundation of Wolsan Literature. Thus, I am working hard to develop the Wolsan Literature to expand on a national and international scale.

I have written hundreds of books that focused on the Gospel, but I realized that it was difficult for the unbelievers to encounter them. Thus, I tried to place literary work as a bridge in between the unbelievers and the Gospel to connect them together. The apostle Paul said, “To the Jews I became as a Jew; to the Greeks I became as a Greek.” Likewise, I became the bridge for the Gentiles so that they may encounter the Gospel through me. The Wolsan Foundation (NGO) has finally obtained the approval in China and thus, I plan to expand the literary work greater there.

The reason why I have become an essayist is to compare my past to my present. My sermons have not changed a bit from the past. Wolsan Literature is also part of my ministry. The sermon itself is like a literary work. The ministry itself is like a literary work also. Literature means one’s philosophy. Song-Jook-Ahm (Letters from Semuon) is my philosophy. Though we eat a main course of the meal, we usually supplement it with various side dishes. Likewise, eternal life is the truth, but a parable is not eternal life. Literature is just a parable.

I am certain that at least our Sungrak members fully understand me. I do not have any greed for my flesh, and I do not seek pleasure in the world. I only pour out all my strength and power into reviving the church and developing the ‘Return to the Bible’ movement. I am not a god. I am a man with flesh. I am simply a small servant who only obeys because the Lord had called me. My flesh has grown old and my mind has even become weak. I was driven to accomplish great works for the Kingdom of God because I believed in the talents that the Lord had given me.

The Literary Concert of Sungrak Church is definitely not for my glory. There is no intent on idolizing Wolsan either. As the pioneer of the Berea Movement, I am trying to clarify and definitely expose the literature of Ki-Dong Kim, literary ideology, and also the root of literature. The development of Wolsan Literature will certainly play the role of a bridge to connect others to the Gospel. Such efforts will ultimately bring contributions to the expansion of our church.

I ask you to bless and encourage the arduous work of Poet Wolsan, the senior overseer of Wolsan Literature Concert. Yet, please do not feel any burden. Simply help me with your true love. Many of the best leaders from the Chinese Writers’ Association have been invited for this concert. Please help them to feel the love that Sungrak members have for literature and also assist them to see our proficiency in eminent literature.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim
Lord’s Day Worship Column

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