God is the Source of Life

God is the source of Life. Though there are many gods in the world, God is the only self-existing One. All things in the world are created by God. Every god in heaven and on earth is created and lives by God. God can give life and also take life from them. God is the One who rules over all life.

The life the Bible refers to is not the life of the flesh. The flesh has a limited lifespan, like a battery, and the length of a lifespan differs from person to person. Some live for ten years, some for fifty, some for a hundred, and they all pass away after their lifespan. God has given this flesh to mankind so that they may receive God’s life and build eternal rewards during their time in the flesh. The flesh is a temporary existence, but it is a perfect opportunity to prepare for eternal life.

The life that God wants to give us is the life of God. God’s life is eternal. That is why it is called “eternal life.” The flesh cannot receive eternal life. God made us with a spirit in order to give eternal life to man. Adam’s transgression brought about spiritual sin, and God sent His Son to make payment for it. Today we have been set free from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ and have entered into Jesus through baptism. Those who have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ are able to receive the life that comes from God in Christ.

The Life of God, supplied through the word

A child in the womb is connected to its mother through the umbilical cord. Christians are also connected to God through a life-line. When you press a switch in your house the lights in the room turn on because they are connected to the power plant by wires.  In like manner, our souls are connected to God through a life line which is Jesus Christ, and through Him, we can receive life from God.

The Word is the instrument through which we receive the life of God. Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you, they are spirit and they are life.” In order for the Word to be life to us, we must obey it. Therefore we must be humble before the Word in order to receive God’s life. Blindly reading the Bible many times simply will not suffice. The point is to be governed by the Word of God. Drivers on the road are expected to abide by the laws they already know rather than just reading about the traffic laws constantly. For example: anyone who has learned not to worship idols already knows what to do when the pressure to worship idols presents itself without having to recheck the scriptures. The Word is always teaching us.

The word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. Saints are those who are governed by the Word. Therefore, only life-giving words should flow from their lips. But sometimes words that kill come from their lips as well. Those are not the words of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s word always gives life and cleanses men. Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (Jn 15:3). That is why the scripture refers the Holy Spirit as “the Holy Spirit of Life”. The Holy Spirit connects us to the life of God.

Yet, when people fall into temptation, they reject God’s Word. If the situation is allowed to persist, they become like unbelievers because God’s Word does not work in those people. When the Word is at work, a person becomes humble and truthful, when the Word is not at work, the life withers in that person. Therefore, the life-line that communicates God’s Word to each person’s heart must not be broken. Not only for our own sake, but also for the sake of our families and our descendants, we must keep the life constantly working within us.

The Resurrection, the hope of Christians

Those who have received God’s life will be resurrected on the day of our Lord’s coming. This resurrection does not refer to the resurrection of the flesh, which will perish and return to dust. On the day of resurrection, our spirit will become a body. It is not the same as the body we now have that returns to dust, but rather, it is an imperishable body. Our current physical body, which we are temporarily using for now, comes from dust and will return to dust. Itcannot inherit the kingdom of heaven because it will return to the earth. Some people mistakenly believe that the resurrected body will have no substance. But, that body will be the same as the one we have now in that it will have bones and flesh. After the resurrection, Jesus had appeared to the disciples and said, “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Christians have the hope that they will be resurrected just like Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 says, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Because there is a resurrection, our martyrdom, evangelism, and faith will become our crown. Because our soul will resurrect on the day of our Lord’s coming, we are steadfast in living our life of faith, patiently enduring the hardships we face while on the earth.

God the Father is the source of life. The Son of God was born as a man, and lived a life on earth just like any other man. He did the will of the Father and fulfilled the commandment of God, and He was convicted and killed by men. People killed Jesus by every legal means they could find, but God Himself testified to His righteousness by raising Him from the dead. This is our hope. God will gather the righteous together, who have the right to partake in the resurrection, Just as He raised His own Son from the dead.

Though Jesus was in humble flesh, He could have called upon as many angels as He wanted. However, if He had called upon hundreds of thousands of angels, His death on the cross would not have happened, and mankind would have perished because of sin. So He never called upon the angels. He was pushed around, beaten, mocked, and smitten. He was completely alone. Just before He passed away on the cross, he cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is not an expression of anger towards a father who abandoned his own son. Instead, this is an exclamation of admiration for the depth of love that the Father showed to humanity, demonstrating His love toward the cruel people who crucified an innocent man, yet He never gave up on them. It means, “God, how could you possibly want to save mankind after all that? Your love is endless indeed!”

Jesus was raised after three days. Jesus did not raise Himself, it was the Father who raised Him. God raised Jesus from the dead by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:11). The very same God will also raise us by the Holy Spirit who is in us. The resurrection is the goal of our faith, not to live a good life while we are here on the earth. Without the hope of the resurrection, our life of faith is nothing more than a religion. Jesus referred to Himself as the Resurrection (Jn 11:25). The person who does not believe in the resurrection does not believe in Jesus.

Three powers in the resurrection

After Jesus died, the disciples were seized by such great fear that they hid in the upper-room. Though the door was secured, the resurrected Christ entered into the room. No one had opened the door, and seeing Jesus in the room, the disciples were fearful and greatly startled thinking that He was a ghost. Jesus said, “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Lk 24:39). Jesus had entered the room transcending time and space. The church is the place where He enters transcending time and space. If we are members of the church, Jesus must be in each one of us (Rev 3:20).

The risen Lord appeared to the disciples and said, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19). Their hearts were devoid of peace, filled with anxiety and fear, when Jesus came into their midst bringing peace. Bringing peace is the first prioritized function of the church. Among people, families, or churches, there must first be peace.  Some people spread anxiety to others. They bring accusations and doubts concerning the church and incite other Christians to complain about the church. Christians ought to be peacemakers, not troublemakers.

The second thing the resurrected Lord said to the disciples was to receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22). We need the help of the Holy Spirit in order to receive peace from God. This is why the church seeks for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit means asking the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in us. Just as new leaves sprout on the branches when the spring comes; the wisdom, knowledge, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be revealed in those who are filled with the Holy Spirit. It is not only an event that took place two thousand years ago. The work of the Holy Spirit is still taking place now. Wherever the Holy Spirit manifests His work, fears and anxieties disappear and the life of God comes into being. Thus, we must always be filled with the Holy Spirit just as the Lord commanded us.

The third thing the resurrected Lord said to the disciples was: “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Atonement is different from being cleansed. Atonement means making payment for sin. Only Jesus can make atonement for sin. Forgiveness brings cleansing. In order to be cleansed we must forgive and be forgiven. In other words, we must love one another. One of the most important functions of the church is to forgive one another’s sins.

Even if a man and a woman love each other and get married, once they begin to doubt each other, the relationship is in jeopardy. Extreme jealousy is a most serious mental and emotional condition. Once you begin to doubt your spouse, you view every single action with suspicion. If it is not dealt, with the family could break apart or even worse, end in murder or suicide.  In matters regarding the administration of the church or the pastors, sometimes people have questions. When they do, it is important to come directly to those involved and ask about it in order to prevent misunderstandings. Doubts are like parasites that can even destroy the relationships of happily married couples who have been together for many years,  We must pay special attention to avoid doubting each other in the church.

A man owed ten-thousand talents to his master but he had no money to repay it. Knowing his situation, the master canceled all of his debt. But the man imprisoned another person who owed him one hundred denarii. When the master heard of this, he became angry and made him repay all of the debt. Those who do not forgive, cannot be forgiven. In the Lord ’s Prayer, it says, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors” (Mat 6:12). We are the people who have been forgiven. Hence, we must forgive each other. You can have peace to the extent that you are willing to forgive. True Christians never refuse to forgive.

Peace, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and forgiveness are the three main pillars of the church. Those in the world accuse each other and take one another to court because they do not know forgiveness. But since there is forgiveness in the church, all kinds of people with different backgrounds can come together to worship. Peace, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and forgiveness are not only the primary functions of church, but also the power of resurrection. The church must be filled with peace, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and forgiveness. We must be filled with the power of resurrection.

My beloved Sungrak people, I love you. I truly love you. Please be in peace. Presently our church is suffering from a great sadness and turmoil. The daily lives of Sungrak people have become unstable and divided, in contrast to the great pleasure and peace they once enjoyed, and I feel responsible for the current situation. I ask for your forgiveness for your many tears and hurts. Your passionate prayer on behalf of our church surely has been delivered to heaven, and I am sure that this prayer life will be a great force for our church to experience recovery and reconciliation and growth again.

Sungrak people! Now, some people are slandering me and plotting against the church, causing serious damage, but their claims are not true, but rather designed to deceive you. Additionally, the so-called ‘Church Reformation Council'(CRC) has just presented several accusations and threats, sending me an ultimatum, saying that if I do not accept their demands, they will publicly accuse me and go to the media.

Their demands are that the branch churches as well as Singil main sanctuary should be ‘totally independent’ from Sungrak church and the representatives of CRC be granted financial and managerial authority over the churches. This is the ‘reformation’ they seek. Do you really want the church to be divided?

I will wait and see what they do, not giving them anything to use against me or this church by saying anything as my name (Semuon) suggests. I ask you, if you are the people who at least pray, pray that they might stop here. For the sake of the church, the continuity of the Berea Movement, and for the sake of God’s great name, That is my hope.

Indeed, Sungrak people in each branch church, please stop your hostility and conflicts, and please respect your newly appointed pastors. And I desperately beg you to make your churches be filled with the love and grace that the Lord Jesus has taught us. Let every one extend his own hand first, please.

What kind of believers are the Sungrak people? Aren’t you the ones who have experienced the spiritual world and divine healing through the Bible, and under severe persecutions, opposed evil spirits? How beautiful and honorable your service and devotion are! Your descendants will enjoy the spiritual blessing and prosperity both until the day Jesus returns, and in heaven forever.

I urge all of you to return to the church. Stop a gossip separates about each person or each family and return to your proper place. Then, let us gather our power and take our church to the next level. Let us pray and love each other. I urge all of the pastors who have wavered for a moment to hold fast to your faith and remain faithful. Sungrak church is what it is today because of our power and faith and perseverance with which we have endured even to the point of death. You share in that achievement.

My beloved Sungrak people! Great rewards will be given you in heaven for your faithfulness. When the Chief Shepherd appears, He will give to each one of you his or her reward. Thank you.

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Outline translated by Sarah Lee
Letter translated by Sung-In Hong
Interpretations by Sarah Lee

Chief Editor: Helen Nam
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee