World Mission Society Church of God - Rebirth 3

World Mission Society Church of God follows teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Mother.

Apostle Paul was born again by receiving Christ as his master

Gal 2:20 『I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.』

Apostle Paul lived a new life after receiving Jesus Christ. He wrote to the saints of the Early Church: ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation' (2 Co 5:17), ‘Put off your old self and put on the new self in Christ' (Eph 4:22-24).

Paul crucified his old self and put on the new self. He said that Christ lived in him; what pleased Christ was his pleasure, and what He wished was his wish.

Jesus came into this earth to save sinners, and He was pleased when they repented. So was Paul who received Christ as his master; to him, all men were the objects to be saved. So he began to preach.

God gives much fruit to the reborn

Like Paul, we, too, should crucify our old self that does not please God. When only Christ lives in us, we will be pleased with what He wants.

Sometimes we try to bear fruit without being broken. However, this is not God's will. Only through the pain of breaking our sinful nature, we can put on the new self; when we become new by receiving God as our master, what pleases God will be our pleasure and His glory our glory. Then God will let us bear much fruit.

In the parable of the talents, Jesus rebuked the man who had received one talent and didn't allow him to enter the kingdom of heaven. It was because he just kept the talent, without breaking his own self. How about those who had received two or five talents? They broke themselves to be born again, so that they could bear much fruit. The man who had received the one talent, however, kept it to himself for fear of the pain of sprouting. That was why Jesus rejected him.

We are now endeavoring to bear the fruit of life, going through difficulties and adversities. The pain itself is not our ultimate purpose but only a process for bearing fruit. It is God's providence to make us suffer, so that we may be born again and bear fruit. If we understand this, we can accept any hardship as God's great gift for us and give thanks to God. Though there are hardships in the process of our being born again, we shall endure, keeping in mind that everything in our life goes according to God's plans. Dear brothers and sisters! I hope you will be born again and have hope for heaven, so that you can give more glory to God.

World Mission Society Church of God - Rebirth 2

World Mission Society Church of God follows teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Mother.

Bearing fruit after hardships

God shows His providence through nature. Going into the principles of all nature, we realize that without the pain of rebirth, we cannot bear fruit prepared in God's grace.

A silkworm cannot become a moth without casting off its cocoon. A chick must break its eggshell to get life.

Jesus has said that when a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it bears much fruit.

Jn 12:24 『"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."』

If a kernel of wheat remains only a single seed, it cannot sprout and grow. For the bearing of fruit, there must be ‘breaking'; without breaking, there is no rebirth or new self.

Some part of the kernel must be broken, so that it may sprout; beginning with the broken part, the kernel sprouts. If it spares itself for fear of the pain of being broken, it cannot bear fruit. Only when the grain stands the pain and gets born again, it can bring forth much fruit.

So the Bible says that we cannot see the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

Jn 3:3 『In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."』

Without being born again, without being broken, no one can bear fruit and see the kingdom of God.

Our present suffering is like the pain of a grain's sprouting and that of an egg's hatching. If we believe firmly that God will allow us to bear much fruit in the end, we will be able to endure with joy and thanksgiving.

Christ died as a kernel of wheat

Jesus Himself showed an example of being born again as a grain of wheat.

Isa 53:3-10 『… Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. … Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.』

Christ was oppressed, wounded, pierced, despised, mocked, …. "He will see his offspring": Until this word was fulfilled, Christ had been totally crushed in distress. However, Jesus endured all the pain, knowing that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear much fruit. By the perseverance of Christ Himself, we have been able to seek salvation and have the hope of eternal life.

The Bible says that it was God's will to crush Christ. Then, it is also God's will that we should suffer. If we endure and are born again, we can bear much fruit.

Stephen prayed for those stoning him, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Ac 7:59-60). If he had the mind of a sinful man, he would have hated them. However, he received Christ as his master, so that he could be born again and love even his enemies with the heart of Christ.

World Mission Society Church of God - Rebirth 1

World Mission Society Church of God follows teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Mother.

People experience many hardships and trials in their lives. Taking their cross, they walk the path of suffering. This is the life of pilgrims.
How about us who have received God? God has a plan for our life. If we realize this fact, we will understand that our present suffering is a part of God's great plan for our salvation and the process of our rebirth.


Suffering in God's plan

This is what happened in America. There was a fire at a store in Chicago, and the store was completely destroyed by fire. Its owner was a self-made man who had undergone difficulties. So his neighbors and customers commiserated him on his misfortune.
One day, in the ashes stood a small notice board saying, "I will begin again tomorrow. There is no reason I give way to despair."
The owner of the destroyed store opened a street stall beside the board and placed some of his articles on sale. All his business went up in smoke overnight, but he didn't get frustrated. People were moved by his unyielding spirit. As soon as he displayed articles on the stall, they were sold out. Before long, he made enough money to build a new building.
How could he start again? A common thing served as a motive. When the building was completely destroyed by fire and all his efforts came to nothing overnight, he was terribly distressed. Then he drove about the town and happened to see a mason laying bricks. Beginning with the first brick, the mason laid red bricks one upon another; after several hours of the day, there rose a high brick wall. Watching this, he realized: ‘I had nothing in the beginning. However, I could set up a big store, because I wholeheartedly laid bricks one after another like the mason. Now, I'll try a new start, with the mind of the bricklayer.' This indomitable spirit enabled him to rise again and succeed in his business.

The building, which had been burnt down, was restored by its owner's fortitude. In our life of faith, whether we can get over difficulties or not depends on who masters our spirits. If we are not ruled by God but by any other spirits, we will be thrown into despair whenever we face difficulties. If arrogance has dominion over our spirits, we should crucify it. If our spirits are mastered by desperation, we should also drive it out from our hearts.
There are many trials and pains in the process of our rebirth in God. Since we have hope, no adversity can deter us. On the contrary, those who get easily frustrated, even though they've gained success, are thrown into despair when a misfortune befalls them. We endure any adversities and hardships, believing that there are God's certain plans for our lives.

World Mission Society Church of God - Look Upon the Spiritual World 2

World Mission Society Church of God follows teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Mother.
A visible world and an invisible world of dragonfly larvae

Dragonflies fly very close to the water during their spawning season and touch the surface of the water with the tip of their bodies. They then lay their eggs in the water. The eggs hatch into larvae that are covered by an embryonic membrane, and they repeatedly shed their exoskeletons as they grow. The larvae’s final molt transforms them into nymphs, aquatic predators; they make their homes in the muddy or sandy bottom or on plants or among stones. When the dragonfly nymphs reach maturity, they crawl out of the water onto a plant stem. Then their skins begin to split, and the wings of adult dragonflies emerge; soon they are able to fly in the sky. How amazing is the transformation from underwater nymphs to winged dragonflies flying in the sky! It is a dimensional change.
One day a frog visited a pond where dragonfly nymphs lived. The frog told the nymphs about beautiful flowers, stars twinkling in the night sky and insects such as bees or butterflies which he had seen during his journey. He also told them that once fully mature, they would come out of the water and be transformed into beautiful winged dragonflies.
“Now you are merely underwater nymphs. When you become adults, you will have beautiful transparent wings so you can fly freely in the sky. With the wings you can freely fly, traveling from flower to flower.”
However, the nymphs didn’t believe what the frog said about the outer world. For it was unbelievable, unimaginable, and fabulous to them.
After the frog went back, the dragonfly nymphs gathered together to discuss. “His saying may be true.” “No! It’s a nonsense.” They were thus divided in their opinions. Finally they agreed to this opinion: “If any of us is really transformed into a dragonfly that is able to fly in the sky just as the frog said, then he shall get back into the water and tell the truth.”
After some time, one of the nymphs underwent a transformation. The dragonfly nymph climbed up a plant stem out of the water and split its skin. Just like the frog had said, it was transformed into a dragonfly with transparent wings and a long tail. Emerging from its underwater life, it had beautiful wings and could fly from flower to flower, smelling their fragrance.
The Milky Way flowing in the night sky, the sun rising every morning and shining brightly, cool wind, white clouds floating in the sky, beautiful fragrant flowers, …. It was a scene unimaginable in the underwater world.
The dragonfly was reminded of its underwater friends who didn’t know about such a beautiful world, and remembered what they said to each other: “If any of us becomes a dragonfly for the first time, he shall come back into the pond and tell the truth.” Then the dragonfly tried to get back into the pond where it had lived in order to tell the truth to its friends, but it could not go into the water because it had already become dimensionally different from them.


God’s promise of eternal life

Just as the dragonfly nymphs could hardly understand the existence of that other world until it was transformed into a dragonfly, so can we hardly believe and acknowledge what we’ve not experienced in this earth. We often fail to understand Jesus’ teachings on heaven and hell.

The Bible describes the transformation we will undergo to enter heaven.

1 Co 15:50-54 『I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed―in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. …』

“The mortal must clothe itself with immortality.” This shows that we shall be changed into immortal beings. Therefore, we need to deeply study what the Bible says about eternal life which God has promised us.

Jn 6:53-54 『Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”』

How can we eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood then?

Mt 26:17-28 『On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” … So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. … While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”』

God sealed the Passover bread with Jesus’ flesh and the Passover wine with His blood. He promised eternal life to those celebrating the Passover.
When will the people, who have become one with Christ by eating the Passover bread and drinking the Passover wine, be transformed into glorious beings? It is at the last day when the Christ comes down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call. On that day, we will all be changed in a flash; our bodies will be like Jesus’ glorious body (1 Th 4:13-18). We are blessed, for we have received all God’s promises described in the Bible. Imagine the moment when we will be changed in a flash, putting on the glorious robe, the angelic robe. Though we now live in this visible world like the dragonfly nymphs, we will soon live in a world of unimaginable beauty, the kingdom of heaven, as newly-changed beings, as the glorious ones.
Let’s find out who has taught us the way of life, the Passover, so that we can be born again into a new world.

1 Ti 6:15-16 『which God will bring about in his own time―God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal …』

It is only God who can change our mortal bodies into immortal ones. For He alone is immortal. Nobody knows the way of eternal life except God. Only God Himself can tell us the way.
God Himself has taught us the truth of the Passover and given us eternal life to lead us into the spiritual world, the kingdom of heaven. Let’s cling not to this visible world but to the spiritual world where we are going, preparing ourselves to go there. Glory and praise be to the Spirit and the Bride for ever and ever, who have taught us the truth of eternal life so that we may look forward to entering the kingdom of heaven, our eternal home.

World Mission Society Church of God - Look Upon the Spiritual World 1

World Mission Society Church of God follows teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Mother
We live as pilgrims on earth, longing for the heavenly home. Being clothed in flesh in this visible and finite world, our hearts become easily absorbed in outward things, so that we cannot think of the spiritual world. When we indulge in physical things, we can not understand God’s providence; we can’t grow in faith, and even the faith we have will gradually cool down.
Our forefathers in faith tell us that the invisible world exists and it is the eternal world.

2 Co 4:18 『So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.』

Most people believe the things that occur in the visible world, but they can hardly believe the invisible world. There are not many who live in the hope for heaven, because it is the spiritual and invisible world.


Footprints of a camel and existence of God

Two tradesmen were traveling through the desert. One of them believed in God, and the other was an unbeliever.
While they were on their tedious journey, they began a serious debate on the existence of God. One claimed that ‘God exists absolutely,’ and the other insisted that ‘God does not exist.’ They continued arguing so strenuously. The unbeliever said, “Show me the evidence for God’s existence. If He does exist, there must be visible proof of His existence.” Thus his insistence became stronger. Meanwhile it grew dark, and they spent the night in the desert.
The two tradesmen drove a stake into the ground and tied their camel to it. Then they pitched their tents in the desert for the night. Their bodies were so tired, and immediately they fell into a deep sleep. When they woke up the next morning, they found that their camel disappeared. It was certainly serious for them to lose their camel in the endless desert of sand. They looked all around but couldn’t find it. Then the unbeliever found the footprints of the camel and shouted for joy, “I’ve found the camel!” And the believer asked him,
“Where is the camel?”
“Look at these footprints. Won’t we find the camel if we follow the trail of the footprints?”
“What are you talking about? There are only the camel’s footprints, not the camel itself.”
“If we follow the trail of the camel’s footprints, we will surely find the camel.”
Being impatient, the unbeliever loudly said that. Then the tradesman who believed in God became serious and said,
“You believe that there is certainly a camel by only seeing its footprints. Now you see God’s footprints all around you. Why can’t you believe in His existence?”
Just then the sun was rising.
“Behold! The sun always rising every morning is a footprint of God.”

The tradesman believed that the camel was somewhere out there by only seeing its footprints. We have ample proofs of God’s existence all around us. The earth we live on is God’s great handiwork.
The earth is the only planet in our solar system where humans, animals and plants can live. The Bible also shows that God created this earth to fulfill His providence for the salvation of mankind. Why can’t life exist on the planets such as Mercury and Neptune, but only on the planet earth? It’s because God created this earth specifically for the purpose of accomplishing His redemptive plan.
God let only the earth put forth trees and plants that produce oxygen and purify the air, and let there be an ozonosphere region in the upper atmosphere to protect humans from the harmful rays of the sun such as ultraviolet rays. Thus, He has provided every condition for men to live on the earth. All this is evidence that God is alive and working.