Main reference: Rv 3:10
There has been persecution and testing for those who believe in God and the Word. Why do persecution and testing come to those who believe? It is because Adam lost to the devil’s testing, and as a result, the world became the world of the devil. Because it is the devil’s world, whoever believes in God gets persecuted and tested.
God tested Abraham (Gn 22:1-13). God allowed Satan to test Job (Job 1:6-12). After Jesus was carried along by the Holy Spirit, he was also tested by the devil in the desert (Mt 4:1; Lk 4:1-2). Both God and the devil test us, the believers, to see whether we truly believe in God or not. Jesus also spoke about the time of testing that will come upon the whole world at the end of the age (Rv 3:10). Just like Jesus and the twelve apostles did, true believers overcome the testing and trials.
The power that allows us to overcome the testing is the Word alone. Samson had power, but neither Samson nor Solomon were able to overcome the testing, even through Solomon had wisdom, authority, riches, and honor (1 Kgs 11:4-13). Only the word of God allows us to overcome; it was also through the Word that Jesus overcame the devil’s testing (Mt 4:8-11).
Mt 4:8-11 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. * “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” *Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” *Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
True believers do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Dt 8:3; Mt 4:4). They remain the same in the times of God’s testing, and they worship no one except God. It is not the devil who created all things in heaven, earth, and people, but God created all things and people; the devil was actually one of the creatures of God. Since Adam’s fall, anyone born of his genes have heaven and hell laid in front of him. Now it is a matter of who will go to heaven and who will go to hell. This will be determined at the time of judgment, according to the people’s deeds just as recorded in the books of the Bible (Rv 20:12; Jn 12:48).
People say they believe in God and Jesus. What is the proof of their belief? To believe in God and Jesus means to believe in the Word because the Word is God (Jn 1:1). It is in the Word that God made Himself, the path of life, known; this is His command. If there is no word, there is no God. If there is the Word, then there is God as well.
To act according to the meaning and purpose of the Word is to believe in God. It is those who act upon the purpose of the Word that can go to heaven (Mt 7:21-27). If anyone says that he cannot believe in God and Jesus because of bread [physical needs] and persecution, then his own word serves as proof that he is not a believer. In John 6, those who followed Jesus for the sake of physical bread left him. However, those who followed Jesus because of the word of eternal life reached the point where they were even martyred.
There was a rich man and a man named Lazarus; they both died. The rich man ended up in hell, and Lazarus went to heaven. The one who went to hell begged, saying, “Send Lazarus to my father’s house. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment [hell].” Having heard this, God responded to him, “There are already people who can preach (Moses and the Prophets), If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead.” This portrays the reality of the present world. If people do not believe when the word of God is preached to them, will they be able to believe when a mere man speaks? For those who truly believe, there will not be a case of disbelief because of bread or persecution. God gave sinners His own son. His son, Jesus, became a ransom for sinners and laid down his life. They made every effort possible to save sinners, asking people to believe. But if people refuse to believe, then will they have an excuse even if they are thrown into the fire of hell? If they do not want to hear and believe in the words of someone (the promised pastor), who has come as a messenger of Jesus, will they be able to believe even if Jesus comes back? Under the pretext of religion and Jesus, some people are eager to possess money and authority. They pretend to believe in Jesus on the outside, but on the inside there is full of wickedness and venom. This is the reality of the present religious world. If one does not believe in God’s word, how can he even believe in man’s word?
As a messenger of Jesus, I (the promised pastor) did not speak my own words, but have only conveyed the word of Jesus. Today pastors, churches, and congregation members are all coming to an end; this is what the prophecy in the New Testament speaks about. God does not acknowledge the previous world, But the only world He acknowledges is the promised kingdom, the twelve tribes, in the book of Revelation. This is the prophecy and promise. In Noah’s time, no one was acknowledged by God except the eight family members of Noah. Similarly, during the time of Jesus’ First Coming, no one was acknowledged by God except for people who belonged to Jesus and the twelve disciples. If one has the revealed word and faith in it, he will be able to overcome persecution and testing. For him, they are not big problems. Tortures, jeers, flogging, being chained and put in prison, stoned, sawed in two, put to death by the sword, destitute, persecuted, mistreated, wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground—people were able to overcome all of these through faith (Heb 11:35-40). Even if persecution and testing follow those who believe, the Lord has already given them abilities to conquer them. We do not regret even sacrificing our own bodies. Instead, we will receive a new thing, inherit the kingdom of heaven, and live with the Lord for eternity. This is a true life of faith.
SHINCHEONJI: Healing All Nations
http://cafe.daum.net/scjschool/E3qZ/596
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