Through my faith in Jesus, I have finally understood what it is to be a martyr. Only the one who loves God can become a martyr. He is to love God, and he is to do it with all of his strength and soul. This is what God has commanded. Our life of faith is the life that loves God. Therefore, one must be wholeheartedly faithful to the work of God and give his life for it. This is the very work God loves and is pleased with.

If anyone gives his life for mere religion, he is doing it out of his own ideas and conviction. This has nothing to do with God. In this present world, people are martyred for their country, and some are martyred for their religion. But what God earnestly desires is that we die for Him.

By being baptized in immersion, we have ridden ourselves of the world. We have gotten rid of the knowledge of the Old Man – the knowledge that regards the desires of the flesh alone as useful. We have thus ‘martyred’ ourselves in advance. The reason I am always so bold is that I love God, I have given my life for Him, and that I confess Him. The reason I constantly confess Him is so that I rid myself of my fear.

If it concerns the work that serves God – whatever it is – to stake your life for it is the right thing to do. This is the desire of Jesus Christ. He is the One who laid down His own life on the cross so that He could fulfill the Will of the Father. This is the way the Resurrection raised Jesus back from the dead. And it is towards this Resurrection that I myself am going. On ‘Resurrection Day’, we all come together to commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus. But I have never regarded it as some artificial ceremony. Instead, I believe it is the Glory which I completely rely on. If one worships God, one must do so with all of one’s strength. If one prays to God, one must do so with all of one’s strength. If one does works of service to build up the Church, one must do so with all of one’s strength. And if one gives his offerings to the church, one must do so with all of one’s strength. This is true faith. This is the way one should live his life.

Enduring deception and enticements will sanctify one’s life of faith. The enemy never rests in trying to tempt, oppress, and deceive us. He tries to prevent us from becoming true martyrs. He does this by making us cowardly, unwilling to give offerings, and making us lazy. A true martyr is the one who is humble before the Name of Jesus. The hypocrite does not do this. On the contrary, he is proud before the Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus is the Name of God. This ‘pride’ refers to the one who boasts of his own righteousness, his own man-made philosophy, and his own academic learning. Such a person does not know the grace of God. He refuses to declare it, fearing his own righteousness might be diminished in any way.

What I – Semuon – am constantly thankful for is that I have nothing in this world to boast of. I am truly thankful. I say this in full sincerity: I am blessed in my faith. Even if I am alienated in the world, I have faith that I will be raised up most high in heaven. Before the presence of all of my enemies, I give glory to God. God is the One who will finally give me my reward.

My personal prayer is that all the people of Sungrak Church work in even greater zeal than they are doing now. I pray that they may strive harder towards the goal of rebuilding the church. If we do this – if we push forward towards that day, and if we join together to diligently endure the pains of childbirth – then this church will be the Body that fulfills the Will of God on earth. It will be the church that ‘Returns to the Word’ in great victory. This is my earnest pray.

Semuon