2017 Lord’s Day – Page 13

2017.05.14_True Testimony of God

May 19, 2017/in 2017 Lord's Day /by Suna IHM

Senior Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[John 5:30-47]

God
is living spirit.
He
sent forth the Word to the world;
that Word is God (Jn 1:1).
The Word of God became flesh (man)
and came to the earth (Jn 1:14)
and God Himself testified to Him (Mt 3:17);
God’s testimony is true (Mt 17:5, 2 Pt 1:16-18).
Of all testimonies of man, the greatest is that given by John,
yet he was just a burning and shining lamp.
However
God’s testimony is the eternal light
without any shadows (Jn 5:37).
The word of God, the works of Jesus,
and His words written after hearing His voice are the true light,
a true testimony (Jn 1:1-4).
The Holy Spirit is
the Spirit of truth who testifies to Jesus Christ (Jn 16:13-14).
Our faith has received such a testimony.
For we were with Jesus from the beginning,
we received the power of the Holy Spirit
and became His witnesses.
○ As God’s will was fulfilled in heaven,
what needs to be fulfilled on earth
is God’s will to which the Church testifies.
○ The reason we read the Bible
is to know Jesus.
He who comes to know Jesus
becomes His witness from that moment on.
○ Faith life is not about memorizing the Bible every day,
but it is a life of testifying to Jesus daily
wherever we are.
※ Whoever does not have a testimony of Jesus is devoid of life.
He who has a testimony of Jesus has life.
This will be so until He returns.

Summary

Semuon’s Letter

Our tradition is to preserve the authentic Berea teaching

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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 am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

The Church of Jesus which has preserved that tradition endures to this day because Jesus gave us the authority and power to baptize, make disciples and to teach all nations to obey the things He has commanded.

I have come to realize after seeing the shameful things that have happened recently that there has been a great challenge against the Berea movement and its practice. In Berea Academy, the Righteousness of God’s Will is the picture of God’s Will. So then did they really know God’s will who are doing these discourteous things? Did they really understand the Picture of God’s Will?

Although they may have passed Berea Academy courses, even repeating the courses and dutifully listening to the Word, they are no Bereans. They threw away their Bibles, disobeyed God’s will, and called themselves ‘Bereans’, but all they did was just lie. They have exhibited the uncontrolled behaviors of the mystics who were filled with wickedness and ignorant of God’s will. That is why I have decided to teach ‘Authentic Berea’ of Berea Academy, in spite of my old age.

We must not allow a false Berea teaching to take root like tares. I have taught the authentic Berea for the last half century, and tried to raise ten thousand spiritual leaders. I appreciate the efforts of the saints who, with tears and effort strive to keep the Berea tradition alive. I hope that their efforts and their faith take root and continue.

As an old saying goes, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” those who do not have the authentic Berea teaching are lying, saying that they are authentic and damaging a lot of souls in the church in the process. Sungrak church must preserve the authentic Berea teaching just as it has for the last half century so that it can be preached and passed on to all nations.

Today, churches where there has been a breakdown in orthodoxy have been corrupted and fallen into confusion causing the decline and destruction of many churches. They denied what I said – that there can be no separation between Berea, Sungrak church and Semuon – and they have separated Berea from the church, and the church from Semuon. However, I am grateful for the fruit of the ‘Return to the Bible Berea Sungrak Church Love Association’, which aims to preserve the legitimacy and carry on the tradition. I expect this tradition to continue until the Lord comes again. Amen.

2017 Audio

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2017.05.07_Let Us Live By The Holy Spirit

May 12, 2017/in 2017 Lord's Day /by Suna IHM

Senior Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[Romans 8:1-11]

God
is one and only.
He sent His Son to the world
namely, the Son of Man (Jn 1:14-18)
and made Him suffer death on the cross
to save those under the Law.
The cross is the power of the Law (1 Co 15:56).
Therefore
since Jesus Christ satisfied the requirements of the Law
we all died together with Him (Rm 8:4);
and since Jesus Christ rose again
by the righteousness of God,
we have also been raised to life in Him (Rm 3:30).
We have secured the testimony of this through baptism.
Those who are in Jesus are spiritual people
who ought to live by the Holy Spirit (Rm 8:8-9),
not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.
Man lives not by the things of the flesh
but by the spirit.
Thus we must not be slaves of the Law, that is, slaves of sin,
but be free by the Holy Spirit (Rm 8:1-2).
○ Men of the flesh
cannot please God.
We have to be men of the Holy Spirit.
○ If we have the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead,
He will raise our mortal bodies also.
Only those that live by the Holy Spirit are men of Christ.
○ The way the Church can succeed is not by the will of man
but by the Holy Spirit only.
There must be the works of the Day of the Pentecost.
※ Reformation cannot happen by man’s will or words.
Only when there is revival by the Holy Spirit will everything change.
Let us be the church and family filled with the Holy Spirit.

Summary

Semuon’s Letter

Beloved Sungrak people! I love you.

The end of our faith is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. When we try to seek more knowledge we are likely to be tempted by the Devil. By knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, we have received the Holy Spirit and the power that the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Comforter, gives us as well. Don’t you know that demons tremble at this knowledge?

From now on, we have to be true Sungrak people, as godly saints, loving the Lord’s kingdom and earnestly seeking His righteousness. Therefore, we must preach the message throughout the world, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But if you abandon this and seek a mysterious interpretation of the Bible, your soul will wander away from the Bible and will become corrupted.

Recently, in light of what has been happening in our church, some faithful saints willingly gathered and organized a unified group to protect the church against the so called ‘reformers’ who are trying to divide the church. My hope and plea to you is that all members, all departments, and all ministers, unite for the sake and love of the church.

The title of the organization is, ‘Return to the Bible Berea Sungrak Church Love Association’. I am going only to pray and preach the word of God, and as the Chairman of the General Affairs Committee, I approve of and support the formation of this group and declare its legitimacy, there can be no neutral position which is reluctant to love the church. We are to choose life or death (Deut 30:19~20).

Beloved Sungrak people! My patience will not be broken. Even after I die, the association will continue to protect our church. How God has loved our church for the last half century! Can you believe the work of God even though you have seen it with your own eyes? Where can you find another church in which all the members are equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit? We must value and love our church, the body of Christ, more than ourselves, gratefully hoping for the crown in heaven. We have the promise of the first resurrection. Thank you.

I sincerely hope that all of you to love and support the Bible Berea Sungrak Church Love Association’. I, the Overseer, will help the association with prayer. I ask that all cooperate with the effort and prayer. Thank you.

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2017.04.30_Faith On God’s Word

May 5, 2017/in 2017 Lord's Day /by Suna IHM

Senior Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[John 8:31-36]

God
is the Word.
The Word in His bosom
became flesh and came to the world (Jn 1:4).
The Word incarnate shed His blood
and suffered on the cross.
The words that testify to that Word is truth.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit who testifies to the truth.
The truth cannot be perceived by human minds (Mt 16:17)
but can only be understood by the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26).
Therefore Jesus said,
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
Our faith is not based on the words of man;
our faith is about abiding in God’s word (Jn 8:31).
And
when God’s words abide in those who believe,
then there is communion with God (Jn 15:7).
The kingdom of God
is not a matter of talk but of power (1 Co 4:20).
We repented and were baptized after hearing God’s word.
We received the Holy Spirit after hearing God’s word
and became witnesses of Jesus.
○ Is your faith set on God’s word?
Or is it based on man’s words, ideas and feelings?
We have to examine our faith.
○ God’s word is in the Bible only.
Even if the world changes, the word of God never changes.
Nothing is impossible with God’s word.
○ Feelings are not faith but leads to mysticism.
Faith devoid of God’s word is superstition.
Jesus is the Word.
※ Let us go back to God’s word.
Let us abide in
and obey His word.

Summary

Semuon’s Letter

I was ordained as a pastor in the assembly of Independent Christian Mission on 11^th August, 1966 and began leading evangelism crusades across the nation. I established Sungrak Church in Singil-Dong, on 30^th November, 1969. The reason I established an independent church was that church must resemble the Bible. That is why I set up the structure of ministry integrating the excellence of the Presbyterian Church, the advantages of the Methodist Church, and the strength of the Baptist Church. After that, I established ‘Berea Academy’ as a movement to return to the Bible. Meanwhile the church was growing despite of many hardships.

I ordained and appointed some assistant pastors to help my ministry, since I could hardly deal with all aspects of ministry, and I devoted myself to church revival. At that time, it was hard for so many members to gather in one place at the same time for a worship service, so I divided Lord’s day worship into nine times a day. The church moved into another larger building, alleviating the need for so many worship services. But in order for the members who came to the church from remote places to be able to worship in their local area, I established branch churches so that they could worship together through satellite broadcasting.

Over the years the assistant pastors have been routinely rotated or reassigned fostering an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration. The assistant pastors have contributed to the development and growth of the church under the guidance of the Overseer who appointed them, and as a result, our church has become a role model for the world church.

Presently however, our church is facing a great trial and is beset with worry. Although the Overseer appointed assistant pastors to work in the fields, many of them are failing to carry out their duty, even going so far as taking the offerings from the branch churches and discontinue sending them to the main church office.

Our church has never mistreated the offerings that are devoted to God, but has gathered all of the offerings to the church office, depositing them into the bank for the budget of the church and the expenses of the ministry. The process was structured so that the holy offerings which are given to God could not be held ransom. But, there are some assistant pastors who are breaking the law. They should have sent the offerings to the main church so that the church can continue the ministry with proper funding.

Most of those who are doing these illegal actions in the church are the assistant pastors. They are the ones who were ordained and appointed by me. There is an order and a hierarchy in the church. For them, they are accountable to the one who has sent them, just as in the past, for Israel, there were the commanders of thousands, of hundreds, and of tens, who led the people in perfect order.

If you have a sickness in your legs, you might have to cut them off out of necessity, but you cannot cut off your head if even if your head hurts. I am earnestly asking all of them to repent and return. I, Semuon who established Sungrak church, will leave the church, only after I die.

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