Let me read just one of the letters that came from China. When June comes around, many letters arrive from China for the Senior Overseer’s birthday. Along with their heartfelt messages, they also continue to send material gifts.

I will leave out the rest and read just part of one letter:

“Thanks to you, Pastor, we came to know the truth. Thanks to you, we came to know Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and we are deeply grateful that God has treated us in such a way. Since God placed this precious Word in a precious vessel, we cannot help rbut love the vessel together with the Word. And because you have nurtured us with the Word, we have become truly bold and courageous.”

The Chinese government has recently been putting considerable pressure on churches. China is pursuing an increasingly closed policy and blocking media coming in from overseas. Last week in Hong Kong, roughly one-seventh of the population took part in demonstrations. They were protesting the increasing pressure to bring Hong Kong under greater Chinese control, as well as the removal of criminal suspects without proper authorization. And the situation is unstable not only in Hong Kong but throughout China as a whole, so the government is tightening its control even further.

This same current is also being reflected in the Korean media. One thing this situation has made very clear to me is how strong China’s network of influence is within the Korean media and political circles. Even major conservative media outlets are under considerable pressure from China, and when the United States confronts China, they subtly tend to take China’s side. China is in a very difficult situation right now, yet the media hardly speaks about that. Instead, they continue to present China as though it were fully capable of standing toe-to-toe with the United States. The reason is that their own interests are tied to China in such a way that if China suffers, they suffer as well. They do not like seeing the United States put pressure on China. That is why the Korean media has treated Trump from the beginning as though he were a madman or mentally unstable. Unless people look more deeply into the situation, they tend to have a very negative impression of him. He is often portrayed as though he were completely irrational.

Yet about eighty percent of conservative Christians in the United States support Trump. In reality, the United States had been moving steadily in the direction of homosexuality, animism, and Islam, and Trump brought that movement to a halt. Not only did he stop it, but he has also been turning the country back toward its former direction. Korea, in the end, is also deeply influenced by the United States. But while the United States is now changing direction, we continue moving the opposite way. Our politicians are continuously holding on to values that stand against God.

What is strange about us Christians is that, even though the conflict between God-centered thinking and man-centered thinking clearly lies behind these policies, there are still Christians who support left-wing policies. By “left-wing” here, I mean, in effect, man-centeredness taken to the extreme. Christianity has become thoroughly stained by this kind of man-centered thinking. This goes far beyond simply choosing which politician to support. This is no longer merely a political issue; it is a matter of a person’s fundamental attitude toward life. The same is true throughout the world. We have already seen firsthand how the left operates. People speak loudly about “democracy” while acting in ways that are anything but democratic. They cry out for “freedom” while moving in totalitarian direction. This is man-centeredness and socialism pushed to the extreme. The same pattern can be seen across the world today, and the problem is just as serious in the United States. The divide between Republicans and Democrats is not simply a matter of party politics. Behind it are two very different ways of seeing and approaching life.

That is why this conflict is so difficult to resolve. At the root of it, man-centered thinking comes from this world, while God-centered thinking comes from heaven. Conservative values themselves are rooted in God-centered thinking. Liberalism and individualism are examples of this. These are ideas that the Bible recognizes in a way the world does not. Liberalism and individualism—what I am saying is that these are good things.

Individualism means that each person is responsible for his own choices. This comes from the Bible. Scripture says that each person will be repaid according to what he has done. Even when we work together in the church, the final accounting is still individual. The church does not stand before God as one group and receive a single reward. Just because Semuon goes to heaven does not mean that everyone who worked with him will also go to heaven. One person may have worked in faith and be rewarded accordingly, while another may have worked alongside him without faith. In that case, each person bears his own responsibility. So at the most basic level, individualism places great importance on individual choice and individual responsibility.

People sometimes confuse individualism with self-centeredness, as though it meant caring only about oneself or being unable to work with others. But that is not what I mean here. In fact, Western societies, which are more individualistic, often cooperate more effectively. Is cooperation really better on our side? In Asian countries that are not founded on Christianity, people may appear outwardly to care for one another, yet people do not come together well as a society, and they end up treating one another almost like slaves. Human rights are hardly respected at all. In Western societies, “human rights” is considered an extremely important issue, but in Asia, although people speak of human rights, in reality they often disregard them. What we are moving toward now is totalitarianism—that is, a society of control.

So we see people divided into right and left, or conservative and progressive. But this division is becoming less and less a matter of politics alone. It is becoming a matter of how people think and how they see the world. In other words, the line between religion and politics is becoming increasingly blurred. If politics were truly separate from religion, political changes would not have such a great effect on the way we live. But that is no longer the world we live in. Politics now affects our lives very directly.

In some Western societies today, for example, there are attempts to say that God should not be referred to simply as “He.” People are expected to say “he/say” or use some other gender-neutral term. If a teacher continues to use “He,” students may report the teacher and penalties may follow. If enough penalties build up, that person could face disadvantages in society, such as difficulties with loans or promotion. There are attempts to introduce laws along these lines. If such things continue, even a pastor preaching in church could eventually be sued or imprisoned for what he says. This trend had been growing stronger during the Obama administration, but under Trump many of these things were being rolled back or reversed. Yet many Christians do not understand what is happening. They simply get swept along with the general mood and join in criticizing Trump. We should not do that without understanding the situation we are in.

The whole world is becoming sharply divided along these lines. At the root of much of this is Marxism. One basic feature of Marxism is that it first divides the world into two sides and then creates conflict between them. In the past, the division was between those who had and those who did not. Once people are divided that way, they begin fighting one another. We can see the same pattern in the way the left operates in Korea today: people are constantly divided into opposing sides, and the conflict becomes intense. Neighbors who once got along begin fighting as though they were enemies. Even a meeting about redevelopment in a neighborhood can turn into chaos within ten minutes, with people who live in the same community becoming bitter enemies. We see this happening throughout society. The same thing is happening in churches. Brothers and sisters who once worshiped together suddenly become angry with one another and speak as though they were enemies. This is not simply a matter of how people understand the church. Wherever Marxist thinking enters, this kind of division follows. The same thing happens in the workplace. People who once worked together to make a living are divided into “labor” and “management” and begin fighting one another. Then people within the same nation are divided into ruling and ruled classes and begin turning against one another. And now this same pattern has entered the church.

Is Western society any different? No. The same kind of division takes place there as well. Feminism divides the world into men and women and presents history as though men have always been the rulers and women the ruled. Then men themselves become the enemy that must be brought down. That influence has now come into Korea as well, creating tremendous conflict. We may not always see how strong it is because much of it takes place online, but the hostility can become extreme. It can even turn members of the same family against one another—a father and his daughter, for example. Look at the way some young people speak about older people. Even kkondae, a mocking term for an old-fashioned and overbearing older person, is mild compared with some of the insults they use. They may even use those words against their own fathers. This kind of division and hostility is being planted throughout society. Sexual minorities and those who are not are divided into opposing groups, conflict is constantly stirred up between them, and people make their living by keeping that conflict going. The aim is to overturn existing values. This is not something happening only in Korea. It is happening throughout the world, and it is a serious problem. It is also very strong in the English-speaking world. Other forces, including Islam, are connected with these broader conflicts as well. They may appear in many different forms, but in the end, what we are seeing are two very different ways of life: one that is God-centered and one that is man-centered.

The same thing is happening inside the church. Even the conflict we now see with the left reflects this struggle between God-centered thinking and man-centered thinking. Once the two are separated, the pattern becomes much clearer. Before, everything may have seemed similar, but once you look closely, you begin to hear the same ways of speaking and the same ways of thinking again and again. Feminism, Marxism, and labor movements all use very similar language: “People come first,” or “Church members come first.” It all sounds good. You may also have heard people say, “I am the church.” In society, people say something similar: “I am the nation.” The idea is that each individual is the nation, so if I am happy, then the government must be doing its job well. “I am the church” can also sound reasonable. We may think, “That person really feels responsible for the church.” But in reality, it can easily become a way of saying, “I will do things my own way.”

Why, then, has this way of thinking spread so widely? And why has it spread so deeply within Christianity? In a sense, it was bound to happen, because Christianity itself had become man-centered. And behind that shift lies a certain way of understanding the Bible. Once the idea that “Jesus came in order to save mankind” becomes the starting point, it is not hard to see where the reasoning will lead. The conclusion becomes almost inevitable: “If Jesus came to save mankind, does that not mean that God loves mankind more than He loves Jesus?”

I actually heard this question once during a Bible study while I was in the military. The study was being led by someone who had served as a college ministry leader in a mission organization. He said that Jesus had died for mankind, and one of the new believers there immediately asked, “Then does that mean God loves human beings more than He loves Jesus?” At that time, I had only been living a life of faith at Sungrak Church for about three months before entering the military, but even then I could immediately see how strange that question was. I wanted to answer, but I was not in a position to do so. The leader himself could not answer it. He tried to say something, then finally said, “Maybe so,” and just moved on. I felt very sorry about that. And yet, if we follow that line of reasoning, the question does make sense. If God gave His Son over to death for us, then one might conclude that He must love us more. And from there, it is only a short step to thinking, “Then we must be worth that much love.” That is why people evangelize by saying, “God loves you.”

But to be honest, I do not like that kind of evangelism. What do you mean, God loves you? We are enemies of God. It would be more accurate to say, “God loves Jesus. You are nothing but trash.” And then to say, “But you too can be saved. If you continue as you are, you will die. You will be cursed. You will die eternally. You are an enemy of God. But there is a way to live. If you are united with Jesus, you too will receive God’s love.” That is how it should go. So instead of putting up a sign on a building that says, “God is love,” I would rather write, “God loves Jesus,” or even say something that makes unbelievers feel some fear. Tell them, “God is the Judge,” or, “Do you want to go to hell?” Then, once they come into Jesus, they receive that love. But if we begin by saying, “God loves you,” people simply respond, “I do not need that love.”

That is how deeply Christians have fallen into this way of thinking. Even in church, everything becomes centered on “me.” Me, me, me, me. Then people begin asking, “What is going to happen to my life?” and eventually, “What is God’s will for me?” Today, that sounds like a perfectly natural question. From a man-centered point of view, of course, it may seem natural to think that God must have some particular will for one’s life.

But from a God-centered point of view, the question itself is very strange. When someone asks, “What is God’s will for me?” that person has already placed himself very high and made himself the center. The question itself begins from a mindset that puts the person almost on the same level as God. What special will would God have for that person? Without Jesus, a person would not even be in a position to stand before God, so what does it mean to ask, “What is God’s will for me”? God has a will concerning Jesus, and His will is that everyone should come into Jesus and become like Him. This is not some special plan reserved for one particular person. It is the same for all mankind: “Come into Him.” And then what? Jesus is the way, so live as Jesus lived.

Suppose someone asks, “Is it God’s will for me to devote myself now, or is it His will for me not to?” Of course, devotion is God’s will. The real question is whether that person is ready for it yet. If not, more training may be needed first. Those who have gone ahead can often see these things clearly. So there is nothing wrong with listening carefully to them. When someone asks, “What should I do?” and an experienced pastor or senior worker says, “Do this,” it may actually be better to receive that counsel seriously and obey it as guidance from God. In many cases, experienced people can already see where a certain choice is likely to lead. They can often tell what may happen if someone goes one way or another, and many times things turn out just that way. So it is good to respect that kind of counsel and follow it. Of course, this does not mean that God does not hear us when we pray. He does guide us, and He guides each person according to that person’s level of maturity.

But from our side, we should not be searching for some separate, individual will of God for ourselves. Jesus is the will of God. What we must do is unite ourselves with Him. There is not some separate will of God set apart just for each of us as individuals.

This self-centered way of thinking does not stop there. It goes even further, until people begin saying, “God determined this from eternity,” or, “God decided from eternity that this is what would happen to you.” In this way, man-centered thinking becomes mixed with ideas such as predestination, with one idea added on top of another. And where does that eventually lead?

Suppose disaster strikes someone. A family member is injured in a car accident. Suddenly, what has happened becomes very difficult to accept. The question arises, “If God is with me, how could something like this happen to me?” Then one of two things tends to happen. A person may become angry with God, ask, “Where is God?” and eventually stop believing altogether. Or that person may still try desperately to hold on to faith. But what happens when someone is determined to keep believing and to keep loving God? The person struggles with questions like, “Why would God allow this? What could His purpose possibly be?” Eventually, some arrive at the conclusion, “Maybe God did not know either.”

That is where ideas such as “open theism” come in. The reasoning goes something like this: “God did not know either. He gave human beings free will, so there are things even God does not know. God and human beings work things out together, discussing and cooperating as history unfolds. Therefore, God is not responsible.” This may make God seem warm, approachable, and almost like a friend, but in the end it leaves us with a God who is not all-knowing and is powerless in certain areas. What kind of God is that? Yet some people are satisfied with a God like this. Their thinking has become deeply influenced by the polytheistic ideas of the world, and they are content to leave God at that level. So even if they say, “Jesus is the Son of God,” the Father they believe in is not an all-knowing God. Can that truly be called believing in God? Can that truly be called believing that Jesus is the Son of God? No.

If man-centered thinking continues in this direction, it naturally begins to accept homosexuality as well. The reasoning becomes, “Love me just as I am,” because the human being has become the priority. But we already have a standard. Jesus is our righteousness. Yet now man himself has become the standard of righteousness. So people say, “Just accept homosexuality as it is. Do not question it.” But who said that we should not love people? That is not the issue. Is this something to take pride in? To demand acceptance just as one is, without any thought of repentance, is a strange way of reasoning.

Western society began on a Christian foundation, and yet it is now moving in this direction. When we trace these things back to their roots, whether we call them left or right, we eventually come again to the same divide: on one side is God-centered thinking, and on the other is man-centered thinking. This can even affect the way people respond after hearing the gospel and being changed by it. They may say, “God gave me all this, not people. Why should I thank anyone?” They enjoy the benefits of the civilization in which they live while at the same time attacking the very foundations that helped produce it. It is a deeply contradictory attitude.

But those who are truly God-centered remain thankful in every situation. We know that this world is not heaven. So rather than putting our hope here and trying to turn this world into heaven, or trying to achieve perfect freedom or perfect human rights here on earth, we put greater effort into storing up our reward in heaven.

Across the world today, we are seeing what could be called a clash of civilizations and a clash of ideas. At the heart of it is the conflict between man-centered thinking and God-centered thinking. One day, this could even develop into actual armed conflict. We may be living quietly inside the church right now, but these currents are moving through every part of society. For example, children under seven may soon be required to appear on YouTube only together with their parents. Things like this may not seem very serious to us now, because we do not see them happening around us. But little by little, the restrictions are closing in. Internet search histories and the websites people visit are already being monitored. This is already happening. These are things we would once have thought unthinkable in a democratic society, yet they are now being done in the name of blocking obscene websites. Now children under seven are being restricted from appearing on YouTube, and little by little, more things may be restricted as well.

Then there is the church. Beginning last year, pastors’ income became subject to taxation. Again, little by little. What comes next? Perhaps investigations into church offerings. Then everything would have to be disclosed. That is the kind of society China has become. Churches must report all of their finances and personnel to the authorities. Once that happens, freedom disappears. And eventually, what comes under pressure? The Word itself. If the Word is preached fully, it can be completely shut down.

This is what the Chinese government is doing now. Officials go from place to place inspecting churches, threatening them, and trying to prevent house churches from existing. Even among churches that are officially recognized, only a small number are allowed to remain, while many Three-Self churches are being closed. Churches are also required to display the national flag. Before worship begins, the flag must be raised first. That is what is happening now. Temples are treated in a similar way. When people gather at church, they are also required to sing the national anthem first. If we choose to do something like that because we love our country, that is one thing. But when it is forced upon us, how frustrating would it be to gather for worship and first have to sing the national anthem and salute the flag before the service begins? Gatherings outside churches approved by the state are also prohibited. Those under eighteen are not allowed to attend places of worship, including Sunday school. This is what is happening now.

I also heard of a newly built, government-approved church building near someone’s home that was completely demolished. It was simply torn down until nothing was left but an empty lot. You may remember that for several years the government had already been removing crosses and demolishing churches. But now even a newly built church building in good condition can be flattened completely. The congregation was broken up, and the people were scattered.

So how are we responding in that kind of environment? We have not stopped worshiping openly. We are not gathering secretly; we continue to worship in public. And our attitude is this: “We are full of faith, and we are always ready to face persecution like this.” We need to be prepared for persecution. If all we try to do is avoid it, we will only end up hiding more and more.

Sure enough, only a few days later, government officials actually came. They kept returning. At first they gave warnings, then stronger warnings, and eventually a group of them came and forcibly removed the church signs and plaques. After that, they summoned the pastor, questioned and threatened him, and then released him. What is remarkable, though, is that even in this environment, our fellow workers have purchased another building for worship and are now renovating it. They are doing the interior work. While other churches are being torn down, we are buying a building and renovating it for worship.

A great deal has happened during this process. Neighbors came and tried to interfere. It was the same kind of behavior we have seen from the left. Government officials also came and tried to stop the construction, repeatedly demanding, “Do you have legal documents for this?” They threatened them several times and ordered them to stop. When our people did not comply, the officials became angry and kept sending people, saying, “We will tear the whole building down.” They were threatening to demolish it completely with a bulldozer. Fortunately, the property was privately owned, so they were able to use that fact to stand their ground and resist. Eventually the officials backed down, and so far they have not returned.

Still, there is always the possibility that they could come at night and tear it down. Things like that do happen in China. There have been cases where houses that stood in the way of development were simply demolished, sometimes even injuring people in the process. That possibility remains, but for now, they are holding their ground.

This struggle is much like what happened in the days of Nehemiah when the wall of Jerusalem was being rebuilt. The surrounding people came to mock them and interfere with the work, and the situation is very similar. In this environment, our people are working and praying with one heart, taking turns guarding the place. Just as we have people here who keep watch over the church, they also take turns standing guard there to prevent anyone from interfering.

“Because they may try something while we are away, we are building the church while praying, just as in the days of Nehemiah, and we are also standing guard as though holding spears. It is actually very exciting. Even in the middle of all this, not one person has become discouraged. On the contrary, everyone is even more eager to carry out the work of the Lord. We have one purpose in doing all this: through these circumstances, we want the Word of God to show its power here.”

What they want is for the power of the Word to be revealed through them. In the end, the church building itself may even be torn down. But that is not what matters most. What matters is that the faith revealed in such a moment is seen by God.

Then the letter continues:

“If it were not for the Berea Word, how could something like this even be imaginable?”

That is exactly right. Other churches have disbanded and are keeping quiet, but this is not happening at just one Berea church. The Berea churches are all responding in this way. That is probably why the government has begun paying close attention to them again. In fact, the authorities are now watching the Berea churches more closely and deliberately focusing their pressure on them. Berea has clearly stood out this time.

“We are so thankful that, even at a time like this, we have been able to purchase a place of worship and continue the construction work. We cannot help but be grateful to Sungrak Church. Because you have given us this spiritual Word from heaven, we have such peace in our hearts and such clear assurance that even when things like this happen, we are not afraid, but can face them with joy. We are so happy. What a great blessing it is to be able to suffer persecution for the name of Jesus! You have given us something so precious, and we can only be thankful. All the souls of Hengdao Berea Church are sending a small gift for the Senior Overseer’s birthday. Please receive it as an expression of our gratitude. Senior Overseer, we love you.”

From Evangelist and all the believers of OOO Berea Church.

(Applause)

This is the power of the Word. This is the work we are doing. We say that the one who has received the Word is a god, and this person truly is one. We must continue nurturing souls with the Word so that they may become like this and so that many more people may receive blessing. And as for the believers in China, our prayer is not that they will never face persecution—persecution is to be expected—but that they will be able to overcome it and remain victorious to the end.