March 25, 2018_Sour Wine

/in , /by

  • Overseer Kidong Kim

Outline

[John 19:28-30]

God
is living.
He sent His Son, Jesus,
as the Son of Man to taste death (He 2:9)
and then raised Him from the dead (Ac 2:32),
for God is eternally living and unchanging (He 4:12).
This is what we believe.
Our faith should never change (Re 14:4).
The hundred forty-four thousand sealed among the Israelites
are people of unchanging faith (Re 7:4)
who have been with Jesus from the beginning.
The wine that the Lord Jesus should receive on the cross
must be new (Jn 19:30).
He did not accept the wine which had turned sour.
The flesh and blood of the Lord Jesus are new;
they are a new covenant (He 9:18).
Since the Lord shed His blood
we must become the new wine to be offered to Him who is thirsty.
Wine that is overdue and has turned sour because of our miserliness
is unworthy.
We need to understand the Lord’s thirst (Mt 25:35).
He did not desire to be drunk upon the cross
but He was thirsty.
◌ The Lord does not need wine
that is overdue and has become sour.
He is always thirsty for wine that is alive and new.
◌ The Law which is outdated is sour wine.
If anyone tries to please Him through the Law
the Lord will spit it out.
◌ For He only gathers the truth by the gospel,
we have to become the men of truth.
Only by the Holy Spirit, can we offer ourselves to Him.
※ Let our faith become fresh, new wine not sour wine
to be offered to the Lord Jesus to drink.


Summary

The God Who Lives and Works

God is alive and He is still doing His work. The wind blows, clouds move, rain falls, the earth continues to spin and rotate around the sun, trees grow and produce seeds, and people toil and thrive. All these are the work of God, and everything that we experience and know through our senses exists by the work of the living God.

Jesus came to the earth because God sent Him to do His work. We know this because of how Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will but Yours be done.” Even though Jesus was the sinless Son of God, He endured much affliction because He associated with sinners and eventually He died on the cross. He was not afflicted because He was unlucky. He was accomplishing the work that God sent Him to do.

Jesus also had His own will. But He gave up His own will for the will of the Father. He said that He could do nothing of His own will, and that He was doing what the Father told Him to do. Right before he died, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” From this we can see that He obeyed the Father even when it was difficult for Him to understand.

Everything Jesus did, no matter how trivial it appeared, was done to fulfill the will of the Father. Therefore, He is the Word. His life is the Word, His experience is the Word, and His works are the Word. The Holy Spirit is He who bears witness of the Word, and the Word is the truth. The Holy Spirit testifies of the truth. Therefore, without the Holy Spirit, no one can know who Jesus is, or understand His work.

The Three Destinies for a Man’s Soul

Not all those who come to church and worship know why they should believe in Jesus or call Him Savior. It is no wonder that the world is indifferent that Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross. But those who witness to others and evangelize must know why Jesus shed His blood and died.

There’s a misconception among new believers that they are now religious and that they should listen to their conscience and distinguish between good and evil. As their knowledge of the Law grows, so does their conscience and they begin to feel conviction under the Law. They resolve this guilt-conscience problem by becoming more outwardly religious and exercising more discipline over their actions and their body. When they feel they have reached a good level of personal discipline, they begin to judge others based on the standards of their own conscience. Can these people take part in the first resurrection?

There are three kinds of people in the sight of God. The first are those who are completely ignorant of Him, who don’t even recognize the difference between good and evil. They will not be judged after they die because they are already condemned and when they die they will enter into Abyss. From there, they will eventually be thrown into the eternal lake of fire.

Next are people who believe in God but who were still under the Law or conscience. They are continually overwhelmed by conviction from the Law or their conscience and they alleviate it by their own actions and strength. In spite of all their effort, because they have not accepted God’s grace, or they have received grace but then ignored it and went back to trying to earn their way by their own efforts, they will be judged according to their own actions. (Revelation 20:12)

Lastly, there are those who have been united with Jesus. These have admitted that they are sinners, and they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and have been united with Him. When they die, their flesh will return to dust but their souls will go into the paradise to rest until the resurrection of life when they will enter into heaven with Jesus Christ.

Christians Have Been Forgiven by Grace

Some people say that a soul cannot feel pain in hell because it lacks a physical form. There is a big misunderstanding concerning this. Whether a person enters into heaven or is cast into hell, these things will happen after the resurrection (John 5:29). Therefore no one should ignore the warnings about the punishment of hell. This is why Jesus Christ shed His blood and died on the cross.

All men are sinners from birth. This is independent of each person’s actions. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, it affected all mankind. Just as the eggs inside a fish die if the fish dies, all mankind became sinners by Adam’s sin and death came to all men. Since life is the only thing that can free you from the death, where would this life come from? It is in the blood. The life of an animal is in its blood. The life of a man is in his blood. And the life of a soul is in blood. The blood is the life of an animal, of a man, and of a soul. But for a soul to have life not any blood will do. It must come from one who is eternal.

That is why Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross and died. In the beginning Jesus was with God, but He was born of a virgin and lived a life like any other man. He is the second Adam, preceded by the Adam from Eden, and He is also the last Adam. The first Adam was cut off from the life of God and condemned to hell because of sin. But before the punishment of hell was imposed, the last Adam came into the world and died in the place of the first Adam. By this act the sin-debt of Adam’s transgression was paid, and from that moment on, anyone who acknowledges this can come to Jesus Christ and receive forgiveness.

Christians have been forgiven, not by their own actions, but by grace. Anyone who receives Jesus Christ and is baptized can immediately confess, ‘I have received grace.’ No one should be prevented from making such a confession. Those who have received grace may gather together every Lord’s Day to celebrate Christ’s work and the grace it brought forth.

The Last Sour Wine that The Lord Received

The Bible says in John 19:28-30, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received it, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, he gave up His spirit.”

This sour wine was wine which had fermented for too long and turned sour. It was not a good wine. The Law is like sour wine which does not edify our souls. Jesus said all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John (Matthew 11:13). Neither the Law nor conscience could give life to a man’s soul. If you have received grace but still rely on the Law or on conscience, you are calling judgment upon yourself.

When Jesus said, “I thirst,” He was speaking for the souls of all mankind. This is the condition of man’s soul. We are familiar with the story of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had no lack while he was in this world, but after he died his situation completely changed. He begged Abraham to send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. The story reveals the ultimate and most urgent matter to man, the thirst of the soul.

What can quench that thirst? The Law is like vinegar and it cannot quench a soul’s thirst for God. Neither can conscience. After Jesus took the sour wine He said, “It is finished,” and then He died. Jesus fulfilled the Law. He made a way for us to quench the thirst of our souls with the new wine He provided. It couldn’t have been possible by the Law or by conscience.

Many who believe in Jesus still label good and evil based on their conscience rather than relying on grace. Initially they are plagued by guilt until they figure out a way to justify themselves, then they begin to judge others based on their own standards which are derived by their own conscience. They become jealous of those who enjoy freedom in grace, and they try to make them feel guilt. This comes straight from the devil, not from Christ.

We have been united with Jesus Christ. Therefore we are free from judgment and we, along with Jesus Christ, are enjoying everything God has prepared for Him. Having this assurance, we are full of eternal joy. Since this is who we are, what then should we offer to God when we worship Him? Should we offer sour wine? Jesus already took sour wine on the cross, and He will not take it again. Let us quench our Lord’s thirst while we still have a chance; before it’s too late.

Semuon’s Letter

What Elisha was seeking and pursuing was not Elijah’s outer appearance or knowledge. He was seeking the inspiration that he had received from God.

When people sought after me, it was not because of my outer appearance, my wealth, or any sort of authority. I was a shy, unsophisticated and penniless village boy. But when God gave me the fullness of his inspiration, people started to seek after me. It went even to the point that people were being jealous, fighting and boasting over whether they really knew me. Such a thing had never occurred in the past. But what people were seeking was the inspiration of God that was within me.

This inspiration that was in me in the past is still in me today to its fullness. The work of the Lord Jesus and the will of God the Father that was accomplished through this work are still in me in its fullness. I named it The Picture of God’s Will, and for my whole life time I have been walking on this single path. From the year 1962 when I first took hold of that inspiration and until this day, I did not move to the right or the left. I taught only The Picture of God’s Will. This was my life time’s mission and life for my soul.

The moment that I started to teach The Picture of God’s Will, many people persecuted me and slandered me. These people who tried to set up their own will ended up opposing The Picture of God’s Will. Therefore, they could not accept me. The Bible is like a mirror that reflects your soul. If you look at it, whoever you are, you will know what is right. Why do you not look at your souls through the Bible? The Bible is the mirror. Our soul must also be a mirror that reflects the Bible. Why do the saints today not equal at all the saints that are shown in the Bible? If the saints shown in the Bible had power, should not we, today, also possess this power? The Bible and our souls must be one.

The world and Semuon are both going in their own prospective paths. So whether the world loves me or not holds no importance to me. All that I know isThe Picture of God’s Will. So whether I preach or conduct my pastoral ministry, my soul will follow The Picture of God’s Will. The inspiration that I possess is The Picture of God’s Will. This is the inspiration that I have received by revelation from God. It is power. It is truth. It is life.

He who has experienced birth will most certainly experience death. And to die once is a path decided by God for all of us. The important thing is that many people consider death to be the end. But the fact is that a man has as a soul. If the flesh gives up its life, the soul alone will remain and receive judgment from God. Who will be able to endure this terrible judgment?

Some people, after their flesh has died, will become demons without facing any judgment. In the end they will receive eternal punishment. Other souls will receive the judgment that judges good and evil. But the souls that know the Lord Jesus will enter into paradise, resurrect and finally enter heaven. I, Semuon, have inspiration within me.

2018 Audio

Coming Soon

2018 Video

Credits

Outline translated by Sarah Lee
Letter translated by John Kim
Interpretations by Daniel Hong
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee

March 18, 2018_Become a Christian

/in , /by

  • Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[Romans 8:1-9]

God
is our Father. 
He breathed the breath of life
into the man formed from dust
so that the man became a living soul. (Gen 2:7)
The man made of dust will eventually return to dust
but the living soul will live eternally in heaven (Jn 3:16).
The old Nephilim were men made of dust only (Gen 5:2)
and they were destroyed by the Flood.
However God endowed an eternal value to the living soul. (Gen 6:2)
Man made of dust is dust and hence shall return to dust (Gen 3:19)
and can never become a son of God. (Rm 8:14)
However God allowed the living soul and his descendants
to become the children of God together with the Son of God. (Jn 1:12)
The one made of the dust has carnal desires
and therefore thinks only of fleshly matters (Rm 8:5)
whereas the one born of the Spirit receives spiritual inspiration
to understand God’s will and walks with Him.
God has given the Holy Spirit to the living soul
so that he might become a Christian, (Rm 8:9)
who will inherit heaven together with Jesus. (Rm 8:17)
◌ To become the “man of God”
we must receive the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
We must receive the Spirit sent by Jesus.
◌ Without the Spirit of Jesus Christ
we cannot become heavenly people.
Only those born of the Spirit are spirit.
◌ With the flesh, one might become a religious person
but the one born of the Spirit is a spiritual saint,
a true Christian.
※ In short, we must be born again.
We must receive the Holy Spirit
and live only by the Holy Spirit.


Summary

Man cannot live according to God’s will

     God is our Father. We obtained the right to call Him our Father when we became one with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God showed His love toward us by sending Jesus. To fully understand this love, we must first understand God’s absolute justice.

All Christians agree that we should live according to God’s will, and that there is no salvation if we don’t. The problem is that no one can live completely in God’s will, which means no one can avoid the punishment of hell. This is why God extended grace to us through Jesus Christ.

The Law requires man to live according to God’s will. Since no one is capable of doing that, all men are sinners under the Law. Under the Law, the penalty for sin is death. Jesus came to the earth to bear that penalty. He is calling out to sinners: “Come to me all you who cannot live according to the will of God, and receive grace.”

A man does not cease to exist when his body dies. When God created man, He made them male and female and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. God breathed into him and he became a living spirit. (1 Cor 15:45) A man’s flesh comes from the dust and it must return to dust, but his spirit returns to heaven from where it came. But because the first man, Adam, sinned, all of his offspring were destined to be cast into hell.

God clearly commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen 2:17) The devil deceived Adam with a false assurance that he could become like God, knowing good and evil. But the truth was that by knowing good and evil, Adam was condemned to eternal destruction, and all mankind with him. As part of His plan for the salvation of man, God gave Israel the Law, whose purposed was to make man know good and evil. To Gentiles, their conscience would serve the same purpose as the Law. But many people are quick to return to the Law or rely on their conscience even after they have received grace. God warned in the beginning that the knowledge of good and evil only leads to death.

The devil knows this well and he uses the Law and conscience to separate those who are in Jesus Christ from His grace. When a good Christian makes a mistake or a wrong decision, the devil steps in and whispers, “You are a sinner. Listen to your conscience. How could you possibly be worthy of God?” If you fall for this attack of the devil, even Christians with strong faith can become separated from Christ and fall from grace. (Gal 5:4)

So how do we overcome this attack that the devil often uses against us? By acknowledging and bearing witness of the blood of Jesus Christ who is in us. Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives, even when faced with death.” We must testify with our lives that we have received grace by the blood of Jesus Christ. The knowledge of good and evil came to mankind through the scheme of the devil whose purpose is to alienate man from God. We must overcome it by testifying about Jesus and the blood He shed on the cross.

Atonement by the blood

Sin can be characterized in several ways. ‘Original Sin’ was when Adam disobeyed God and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which led to the destruction of mankind. This sin was committed by a single man. There is also a sin which an individual commits which is a sin of commission, or a personal sin. This is a sin of the flesh which does not cause spiritual death.

Additionally, there is an inborn sin. This sin involves sinful thoughts or feelings. God warned Cain saying, “Sin is crouching at your door; and it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Gen 4:7) Cain did not rule over it, but carried out his sinful desires. In this way, inborn sin is the cause of personal sin. The last of the Ten Commandments, ‘You shall not covet’, is an example of inborn sin.

The fact is that in the face of God’s justice, inborn sins are also subject to God’s judgment. If even the sins of the heart will be judged, who can be justified? Didn’t Jesus say that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after has already committed adultery with her in his heart. The Bible clearly states, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Rom 3:10)

The fact that ‘All have sinned’ means that everyone is destined to perish. But thankfully God provided a way of salvation for sinners, by making a way to atone for their sin. Under the first covenant, people shed animals’ blood to atone for the sins of man. Because animals are not spiritual beings, their blood could only atone for the sins of the flesh. In order to be saved from hell, atonement needed to be made for man’s spiritual sin (the original sin). This is what the blood of Jesus Christ accomplished.

The time of the Law and the prophets lasted until John the Baptist. (Mt 11:13) The ministry of the Law and the prophets was completed when John baptized Jesus. Under the first covenant, the practice of slaughtering animals and sprinkling their blood, was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ who would die on the cross and shed His own blood. God’s warning to Adam saying, “You will surely die” was also a prophecy about Jesus. The warning was this: if Adam fell, the Son of God would have to shed His blood and die. Finally, Jesus, right before He gave up His spirit, cried, “It’s finished!” considering all the prophesies.

We no longer belong to the Law but to Jesus Christ through baptism

People treated Jesus like a sinner and a criminal and hanged Him on the cross, but God raised Him up on the third day. After His resurrection, Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20) The disciples obeyed His command, and because they did, we too can be baptized and become Christians.

Baptism is not just another ordinance. Just as all the ordinances are copies of reality, Jesus did not abolish them just to establish another copy again. Baptism is a way through which a man can transfer himself from the Law and conscience to Jesus Christ. In the garden, the devil tricked Adam into eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil by saying, ‘You will not surely die, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ The devil is still deceiving people by telling them to ‘Follow the Law and listen to your conscience, then you will become like God and not die.’ Those who fall for this deception strive to cultivate their intellect and will by discerning between good and evil, but at the end of their journey, only destruction awaits them.

Only those who have been transferred to Jesus through baptism can receive the Holy Spirit. Neither those who trust in Moses nor they who follow the prophets can receive the Holy Spirit. Only those who have been grafted into Jesus can receive the Holy Spirit. (Jn 7:38-39) Those who have received the Holy Spirit will not be ruled by their conscience, but will acknowledge the grace they have received. Our assurance of grace must be strong enough to overcome the condemnation by our conscience.

Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn 8:32) Those who do not know the truth will think that following their conscience is faith. But anyone who has received grace and tasted the gift of the Spirit, if he returns to his conscience, will perish. Anyone who depends on his conscience will be condemned, and the devil takes every opportunity to accuse him. No one has the strength or the power to defeat the devil on their own. In order to defeat the devil, you must acknowledge the blood of Jesus and testify that, “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shed His blood and atoned for my sin. I have been baptized in His name. I remain in Him. I have received grace. I belong to Jesus.”

Rule over your conscience by the Holy Spirit

The devil will never stop trying to erode our faith. He whispers that, “Believing in Jesus’ blood is useless. Don’t you have a conscience? What kind of Christian are you?” The devil seeks to undermine the power of the precious blood of Jesus Christ in our mind by activating our conscience. If we succumb to our conscience, we will face judgment in the end. Therefore, you must acknowledge the blood. The power of the blood must have supremacy over the power of conscience. We ensure this, not just by believing in His blood, but by testify about it also. If we take holy communion every Lord’s Day but do not bear witness of the blood of Jesus, our conscience will eventually condemn us, our faith will become weak, and we might even become sick. (1 Co 11:27-32)

People tend to think that becoming a Christian is easy. They say things like, “All you have to do is believe” or “Just receive it.” But becoming a Christian is not easy at all. The Law, a person’s conscience, and the devil all work together to create obstacles that are not easy to surmount. True freedom can only be found by those who overcome these obstacles.

Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Conscience is of the flesh, and the mind set on the things of the flesh is death. Verse 13 says, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die.” If you live by your conscience, you might be admired by the world, but you will not be transferred to God. On the other hand, grace and truth edify the spirit and bring life and peace.

The first covenant was fulfilled by blood, and now we are under the new covenant. Therefore, receive the Holy Spirit! Anyone can become a religious man who is bound by conscience, but without the Holy Spirit no one can become a Christian who abides in grace. If you have received the Holy Spirit, do not be satisfied with just tasting the gift of the Spirit, be filled! Be so filled with the Spirit that He overpowers your conscience. Do not just speak in tongues, but be so filled with the Spirit that power and many gifts follow you. Testify about the blood and the grace of the Lord Jesus and let the working of His blood be confirmed in you by the Holy Spirit.

Semuon’s Letter

For my whole life, the reason that I have been carrying out the Return to the Word movement of faith is because God called me. He gave me a responsibility and duty to do. For the past 60 years I have endlessly been receiving persecution and alienation. But my will has been steadfast because it was the work that God himself has given me. This work and my faith are one.

If I did not carry out the Berea Movement, who would be capable of carrying it out? For the past several thousand years, there have been martyrs and there have been those who were called by God. But the work given to me is not only one that has never been given in the past, it is a work that you will never be able to find anywhere else. It is a most lonesome work. Just who would be able to bear this work their whole lives? That is why I feel this responsibility is most precious.

I have received a sure calling from God. In the previous year, if you just look at what has happened to the church, you will be able to comprehend it. If I had only just listened and yielded to those people who raised their voices and decided to give up practicing the Berea Movement, those remaining people who still wished to support the Berea Movement would have collapsed. All throughout the previous half century, I have said not even one word of reply to those who have criticized me. But, like a madman I have kept pursuing and leading the Berea Movement. In the future, only the one who is determined to die, and is determined to be forsaken by the world, and will carry on after me, will be able to succeed to the work that I have been doing.

The path that the Lord has walked on may look foolish in the eyes of the world. But one must never criticize the work of God and ruin it according to the desires of man. Remembering the way Jesus rebuked Peter, one must not do the work of Satan. I am a man who belongs to the Lord. In the same way that a lamb is caught, and its meat is torn apart and thrown into the fire as a burnt sacrifice, the Lord will use me, and I will simply obey. I have received the calling of God and I am walking on this path. But it is not a path that will end in glory. It will end in suffering and death. God has entrusted me with a task and I receive it with thankfulness and obedience.

When the people saw Jesus hanging on the cross, they shouted out to him, “Come down from the cross!” Did Jesus ever jump back down? He did no such thing. I am already an offering that has been placed upon the Lord’s altar. Therefore, there is no sadness, there is no pain, there is no anger, or there is no injury. Just as a woman who has just started to experience the pains of child birth, must fully carry it through until the child is delivered, this is the work that I must bear.

There are some who are foolishly calling the removal of the An-Dong Kim family a ‘reformation’ and they are trying to spread this idea. With such an evil intent as clear as day, would God be pleased with them? Rather than interfering with a flock that has already been cultivated by someone else, it is more righteous before God to start one’s own church. Try starting a new church and building a worship center! Then you will understand the reason why Sungrak Church grew in the way it did. I exhort this message to everyone.

So long as God gives me health and strength, I will keep striving forward. I will not yield the determination that I had when I started this church. My church will be an eternal church. I will fight the desires of man with the desires of God. This is the true calling that I have received, and I will carry it through for the rest of my life.

2018 Audio

Coming Soon

2018 Video

Credits

Outline translated by Sarah Lee
Letter translated by John Kim
Interpretations by Daniel Hong
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee

March 11, 2018_Store Up Treasures in Heaven

/in , /by

  • Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[Matthew 6:19-21]

God
is the creator of heaven. 
He created the world
and all things in the world are
models of the things in heaven (Heb 8:5).
Human civilization is also a model of what is in heaven.
Is it not a greater blessing
to possess the realities which are in heaven
than to hold onto that which are models and shadows?
Scripture says that what is given to God
are blessings stored up in heaven (2 Co 9:5).
What is the blessing that is in heaven?
Those that are on earth are models of that which are in heaven.
One cannot save his soul
with that which are mere models (Lk 16:25)
nor can his soul possess blessings (Mt 6:20).
What is on earth is not true blessings
but only a model of the realities in heaven.
On the earth, one can only possess a model of blessings,
for the real blessing is in heaven.
Every time we give offering (Mal 3:16-18)
we possess that much of the realities in heaven.
And God writes and commemorates that in the Book of Life.
◌ For the sake of your soul, do not be miserly.
What is given to God is in then yours in heaven.
Hence let us forever possess the realities of heaven.
◌ To be intentionally poor on earth
means to store up blessings in heaven.
This is our faith.
◌ Do not become attached to models that are on earth
but store up the true realities in heaven.
Offerings given do not disappear but are stored up in heaven.
※ If one only possesses what are only models on earth,
he cannot possess the blessings in heaven.
Let us dedicate unto God and secure the blessings in heaven.


Summary

Earthly things are a preview of heavenly things

God created heaven. By heaven I am referring to the spiritual world, not the physical universe (which God also created). God created heaven and filled it with angels. Then He made the universe in which He made a suitable environment for man, and finally, He created man.

Science and technology are developing rapidly these days, and as technology advances we see many new inventions all the time. However, in a strict sense, these inventions are discoveries rather than creations. We are not creating something which did not previously exist, but rather discovering something which was not previously known. The discoveries that mankind is making within the physical universe enable us to advance human civilization.

So where did the ideas that gave birth to civilization come from? They originated in the minds of men. Unlike animals, man has the capacity to think, reason and imagine. This demonstrates how man’s mind was created in the image of God in that we can imagine something that is not and make it come to pass. Sometimes, ideas come to us, but actually this is just a glimpse of something that already exists in heaven.

The ark of the covenant and the tabernacle that Moses had built were also patterns of things in heaven. Hebrews 8:5 says, “They serve a copy and shadow of heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by God, saying ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.’” Of course it is easy to accept that spiritual things such as the tabernacle and the ark are copies of heavenly things, but other things are also.

Written language and books existed in heaven before they did here on earth. Revelation 20:15 says, “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Man got the idea to record things in books because books existed in heaven first and people became aware of them to a small degree. Man cannot see an aroma but he can smell it, identify the compounds that cause certain smells, and make perfumes. In the same way, when the shadow of something in heaven inspires man, he captures that inspiration and makes something.

Seeds existed in heaven before they existed on earth. The Bible describes the Word, the Son of God, and blessings as seed. God has planted the seed in us. Furthermore, the ground where seeds are sown are also copies of things in heaven. There is bad ground and there is good ground. The good ground receives the seed and produces one hundred times more fruit than what was planted. Many kinds of fruit in this world are also copies of heavenly fruit. Revelation 2:7 says, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

The same is true of man. The Bible says that when God made man, He made him in His image and according to His likeness. Animals are also copies of heavenly things. Revelation 4:7 says, “The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.” In this way, things in the physical universe are copies made from the pattern of heavenly things.

Where should we store our treasure?

Our faith is about storing treasure in heaven while we are on this earth. The Lord urged us to store up our treasure in heaven, to build our home in heaven, to sow for a heavenly harvest. The rich man lived in abundance in this world, feasting every day. But when he died, he pleaded for Lazarus to give him water to help quench his thirst. He was suffering because he had nothing stored in heaven.

Even the poorest man on earth is blessed if he is in Jesus Christ because he has a home in heaven and blessings that he has planted there. Blessings sown in heaven can be enjoyed forever once you enter into heaven, and you can also reap those blessings here in this world as well. A spiritual blessing is so powerful, even a small amount is enough to experience great riches in this world.

The Lord warned those who accumulate riches on earth but do not store up any treasure in heaven saying, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided for yourself?” (Luke 12:16-21) He also warned against pursuing riches but not being rich toward God.

I had no money when I first planted Sungrak church. So I worked with borrowed money and then paid it back. Even after the church grew I did not revel in its success, but rather, I built dozens more local worship centers in distant provinces. Over the last fifty years I have given large sums of money and I have never regretted it.

When you have a blessing in heaven you can enjoy it on earth

This is how I obtained this faith. When I began my life of faith, my family was so poor that we faced starvation every single day. Without land, breaking the chain of poverty seemed hopeless, regardless of how hard you worked. But after I came to believe in Jesus, I realized that I could be a rich man spiritually. I could have as much land as I wanted in which to plant trees, and if I  planted trees they would continuously provide me with food. If I laid up treasure in heaven, I could draw from it whenever I needed to in this world.

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mt 6:19-21) If our hearts are truly in heaven, we will willingly store our treasures in heaven.

2 Corinthians 9:5 says, “So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go to you in advance and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a willing gift and not as a grudging obligation.” In the original Greek text of this scripture, the word gift means blessing. So our giving (offering) is not about charity to God, it is sowing a blessing in your field in heaven and depositing it into your storehouse in heaven.

If we store up blessings in heaven, the benefits also accrue to our children. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son as a burnt offering, Abraham did everything God had commanded preparing his son to be slaughtered. As he was about to strike his son, God stopped Abraham and said, “because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.” (Gen 22:1-19) When Abraham offered what he had to God, He accepted it, and blessed his descendants.

I willingly gave offerings in spite of my extreme poverty because I realized that having this kind of blessings in heaven meant that I could enjoy them in this world as well. When I ministered at Yesan Methodist Church, I pledged to give a certain amount of offering for the construction of a church building, and two more pledges besides. Honoring those pledges meant that my family couldn’t afford a house, which meant that we couldn’t stay together but instead we were scattered everywhere. The situation seemed bleak at the time. However, God called me and let me draw upon that which I had stored in heaven, enabling me to accomplish amazing things.

Let us sow blessings in heaven

We mustn’t give offerings grudgingly. Proverbs 20:25 says, “It is a trap to make a pledge rashly and only later to consider one’s vow.” Ananias and Sapphira sold their land to give to God, but when they kept back a portion of the proceeds of the land, they both died suddenly. This matter is significant considering it did not occur in the Old Testament era, it occurred in the church of Jerusalem, which is a model of the New Testament church.

We must lay up treasures in heaven as long as we live in this world. Some people fall into temptation after years in the church and abandon decades of godly work. You can reap the fruit of what you have sown for eternity, why not water it and care for it? Our dedication and service in the faith is not in vain. God has already accepted it.

Haggai 2:8 says, “‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Whatever we have been given in this world doesn’t become ours until we offer it to God. Do not be deceived into thinking that you are entitled to what you have and disregard God. What will become of you if God blows it away?

The world persecutes Jesus, but we must listen to His words. Why do you fear the law but ignore Jesus’ command? He did not exhort us in this in order to deceive us, but to make us worthy of glory in heaven. If we truly are Jesus’ disciples, we must learn His words and put them into action. Let us sow blessings in heaven, and let us reap the fruit of those blessings forever!

Semuon’s Letter

I look at back at the 60 years of my life of faith. What is clear is that I loved the church and I trusted in the Lord. During all this time, I received constant persecution from the outside world. There probably has been no Korean who has received as much persecution as me. Did I receive persecution because of my foolishness? Or did I receive persecution because I was not intelligent? I generally never participated in the activities of the religious world. I never tried to make my name known to those people. This was because I was concerned that people would be shocked and offended at my name.

At another time, someone who was in a prestigious position made card invitations to call various important people to a certain religious event. But he was so concerned over whether I would attend the event, that he suddenly stopped making the invitation cards. What is more, he even called me several times not to come to that event. But I insisted to go there. When I went there, I saw his face turn deathly pale as soon as he saw me. Such similar incidents have happened to me three times.

I was excluded, disrespected, and alienated. But then, I was reminded of the fact that the Lord endured all these things to the full: He persevered, He held fast and finally He was hung on the cross. So I said to myself, “The sorrow that I am enduring is nothing to me! I am not yet dead! My body is still alive and moving! For years, no, for decades, I shall endure! I will receive glory! I will persevere and hold fast to the end!”

Such a whirlpool of difficulties has come upon me. But there are others, who on the pretext of offering me consolation, come pompously to me. They only come to gain something from me. It was not that I was afraid of them. I only had the good-willed intention of giving them assistance. I made my efforts to help them, and I listened to their requests. Looking back, they were merely those who took advantage of the fact that I was receiving persecution from the outside world. They used it only for their own advantage. Such unfortunate exchanges from people have happened in my life so many times, that it is hard to even mention it.

The path that I have travelled is a swamp land, a jungle, a wasteland where savage beasts dwell. This path is a rugged path where only few people can cross. But I have regarded that walking on this path is the cross that I must bear. What is clearest to me is the fact that I have never departed from the Bible as a workman who mediates the gospel. I have given my devotion until death to take after the Bible.

By the means of the flesh, this might not be regarded as a proud-worthy accomplishment. But according to the spirit, this is not at all the case. I have lived solely for God. I have received persecution solely for Him. If I would fear persecution and so stop to testify, if I would talk like all the other people in the outside world, if I would lead a ministry that manifests no power, and if could conduct a ministry that deals with politics, I could be a famous person, who is not so ostracized by the world.

But instead, I am joyful. To be able to count the few days that I have left makes me all the more joyful. I have blessings ahead of me. I have a reward. I have set this reward as a sign, and I am longingly running towards it. For the past 60 years I walked with the Lord. I am nothing but grateful.

Semuon

2018 Audio

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2018 Video

Credits

Outline translated by Sarah Lee
Letter translated by John Kim
Interpretations by Daniel Hong
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee