September 29, 2019 The person of the Holy Spirit

Senior Overseer Kidong Kim

Outline

[1 John 3:13-24]

God
is love.
Because
He loved the world (1Jn 4:8),
He sent the Only Begotten Son, who gave His own life.
This is true love (1Jn 3:16).
Love is not done merely through words (Jam 2:15-16).
The tongue is a liar (Jam 3:2).
Love refers to giving your life. This is life (John 6:53).
God gave His own life to us.
Jesus Christ is His love (John 3:16).
The Holy Spirit gives His testimony and guarantee
and He dwells in us.
This is how we know the Lord Jesus Himself dwells in us (1Jn 3:24).Jesus
is the love of God (Matt 17:5).
Believing in Jesus
is believing in God’s love
and receiving this love.
This love is His commandment (John 13:34).
He dwells in my spirit,
so my spirit must take control over my heart
and my heart must take control of my flesh.
○ Receive first the forgiveness of sins
and your spirit will be saved.
○ Receive the Holy Spirit
and your spirit will never die again.
○ If your spirit prospers, your whole body will be in health.
You will prosper in all things.
You will be blessed with the blessings of God.
※ To claim that all you need to do is believe
means you need to be forgiven of your sins.
It means you must receive the Holy Spirit to live.

Summary

Semuon’s Letter

We know and proclaim the Calling of God: ‘Return to the Word.’ This is the faith of the Berea Movement. We must choose between Him who has hidden His face with a veil, and Him who has taken off the veil. The former can be seen as if looking at a mirror. The latter sees God directly. We are exhorted to choose the latter.

In the past, we only knew God vaguely. We only knew Him through parables and saw Him through shadows. This was the first covenant, which we once abode in. Now, we see God in Person. We know His face and know His voice. We know His nature and love. We know He gives life to those souls who confess Him as their life, their Savior and their God. He has directly testified to everlasting life by His resurrection.

By believing Him, obeying Him and receiving His grace, we gain both the Resurrection of life and everlasting life. We call this ‘the Gospel of grace’. This is the truth. The truth refers to all the words of God. It refers to experiencing even the deepest parts of His word. The truth refers to the work, power, and life of God the Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The truth consists in knowing all the promises, created works, and judgements of God. This is faith. The truth is faith.

The truth is the word understood by the Holy Spirit. This word is spiritual. The word of the Law is not spiritual. It is merely the teaching which proclaims and regulates the duties of the flesh. You cannot save your soul this way. You can save your spirit only through the truth. This is why Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

‘Freedom’ refers to the glory belonging to those who will live eternally with God. No authority in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth, can harm our freedom. On the contrary, these authorities will disappear by themselves in the presence of the truth. Before we gain faith, we call this ‘the Gospel’. When we gain faith, we call this ‘the knowledge of the truth’. Before the Holy Spirit came, there was no truth in the world. But since the Holy Spirit has come, He makes us understand the truth. This is why He is called ‘the Spirit of Truth’.

‘Return to the Word’ means coming out from religious teaching and religious life, and returning to the Word of God. This is the truth. This is God’s calling to us. ‘Return to the Word’ refers to returning to the Word that comes from God. No matter who tries to hinder us in the world, they who receive support from the Holy Spirit and become people of the truth are eternally free. In this way, I – Semuon – am always free by the truth. I am blessed with the blessings of God.

I write this to all the beloved people of Sungrak Church, and to all Bereans throughout the world! We must all ‘Return to the Word’ – even if it means laying down our lives. Return to the Word! Return to the Word! Let us all ‘Return to the Word’!

Semuon,

29th September 2019

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