God
Appeared Joyfully
[When
He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the
heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and alighting upon Him.] (Mat.
3:16) [A voice came from
heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well
pleased."] (Luke 3:22)
During
the thirty years that Jesus lived on this earth, never did God appear to Him
and say "[You are My beloved Son;
in You I am well pleased.]"
However, on this day, God personally appeared [when
(Jesus) had been baptized, (and) came up immediately from the water,] and delightfully said, "You are truly My
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." For thirty years, God had never
been that joyful or delighted. Why was He so happy today after Jesus was [baptized, (and) came up immediately from the water]? In addition, the Holy Spirit joyfully appeared. [And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately
from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove, and alighting on him (Jesus).] Why were the heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit so
happy and delighted, and why did They love Jesus so much for going into the
water and coming out of it? What is [water]?
Let
us learn about water.
Tearful
Self-denial
Water
is originally from the alpine regions and the high mountains.
A
long time ago, adults used to say, "Water is higher than the
mountains." This is true.
Water
can be found on top of Mt.
Baekdu, the highest
mountain in Korea,
and on top of Mt. Tien Shen,
the highest mountain in the neighboring country of China. As it looks down at the rest
of creation, it struts with pride thinking that it is the highest, that there
is nothing above it.
Then,
God says to the water, "Water, come down from your proud place and descend
to the lowest position, the lowest place." Disappointed over God's
command, the water turns pale from shock and disappointment. It would rather
die than come down from its high place. Yet, it has no choice but to do so
since it is God's command. As it forces itself to come down, the water
complains and murmurs every step of the way, even shedding tears out of agony.
It continues to grumble and unwillingly descends to lower places, but later
accepts its fate with resignation. Some grow angry and complain about God's
command. They say, "I can't go down," and insist on remaining on the
mountaintop. They are none other than the stagnant waters that refuse to come
down. Because of disobeying God's word, which is their life, they soon begin to
rot. Later, deer or birds refuse to drink that "dead" water, and they
become infested with insects.
Meanwhile,
the water that obeyed and forced itself in tears to come down does not die but
descends very well. While it descends, it begins to think that it only denied
itself, left its high position, and dropped endlessly to lower places. For many
days, it continues to descend in tears. However, to its surprise, the lower it
goes, the more it meets and befriends other waters that have also relinquished
their high positions and are coming down from other ravines. They are happy to
meet one another, and they comfort one another holding each other's hands and
placing their arms around each other's shoulders. Instead of murmuring, they
now sing songs of joy so loudly that their singing later echoes throughout the
ravine as they joyfully flow down.
The
Mountainside Stream Meeting
The
water is not lonely anymore. It has made many friends, and now they can travel
together to even the lowest places on this earth singing. The amusing journey
continues without rest. After many days, the waters suddenly arrive at a place
where a large crowd of water have gathered, something they have never seen
before. They ask a water among the crowd, "Where are we, and what is going
on?" The water answers, "This is where the mountainside stream
meeting is held." The waters from the ravines have finally reached a wide
stream.
Then,
a lecturer stands up and says, "Ladies and gentlemen! I am sure that you
went through much trouble to get here from the high mountains. However, we
still have a long way to go to reach our home in the new heavens and earth. Let
us continue to move forward with greater humility and patience." Everyone
in the audience responds with applause.
The
waters have made more friends, and the lower they humbly descend, the more they
dance waving their arms, shaking their shoulders, and even swinging their hips.
They all flow down with their arms around each other's shoulders. The lower
they go, the happier, the more joyful and broad-minded they become.
The
River Meeting
The
waters continue traveling in a long procession, shouting their motto of modesty
and humility. After traveling for many days and nights without rest, they once
again arrive at the largest meeting place they have ever seen. One water asks
another water among the crowd where they are. The water replies, "This is
where the river meeting is held." The waters have arrived at the river.
The
crowd is so large here that they cannot see the lecturer. They can only hear
his gentle voice over the loud speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen! I am sure
you all went through much trouble and suffered for many days in order to obey
God's words and come all the way here from the high mountains. However, we
still have to travel for many more days to arrive at our homeland, the ocean in
the new heavens and earth. Yet, I fully believe that our God who has guided us
this far will undoubtedly have us arrive at our destination shortly. Though you
may be exhausted from the journey, please be patient to the end. Please make
sure you arrive at our homeland, the ocean in the new heavens and earth, and
live happily for eternity." All attendees of the river meeting respond
with loud applause.
Homeland,
at Last!
Everyone
continues traveling with the motto, "Nothing but humility! Nothing but
modesty!" As they travel, they greet each other: "Friend, where are
you from?" "I'm from Mt.
Sorak." "How
about you?" "I'm from Mt.
Fuji." "I'm
from Mt. Everest." They were all born in
different places. One day, after traveling for many long days, they suddenly
hear the sounds of cheering and splashing. They look up and realize that they
have finally reached the ocean in the new heavens and earth they have always
dreamt about, their homeland.
Then
someone shouts, "Wow! We've reached our homeland!" Everyone lifts up
their voices simultaneously to sing songs of triumph. Overflowing with love, a
countless number of brothers and sisters in the ocean of the new heavens and
earth swarm to them, embrace them, and welcome them. They hold their hands and
tenderly say, "Brothers and sisters! How much trouble did you go through
to come this far? There is nothing here that will hurt your feelings, no more
rocks and stones to block your way or crash into, no more brambles to block
your way or tear at you, no more pain from falling off high cliffs, and no more
anxiety from passing through dark gorges and narrow passes. Here, you will live
enjoying eternal joy, freedom, peace, and happiness." They add, "Since
you have traveled through many adversities and obstacles for many days without
rest, from now on, rest comfortably for eternity. Until now, close friends
would meet together, and then have to part with one another, gather together,
and then separate again. Here, you will live eternally with your dear friends
and never have to part with them again."
The
Song of the Choir of the 144,000!
Brethren
tell them that the choir of the 144,000 will sing a happy, new song forever as
they happily live there. When asked what the title of that new song is, they
say, "The Roaring of the Waves in the Azure Sea."
They carefully explain, "When the choir of the 144,000 sing the new song,
innumerable sea gull 'angels' will especially fly here to dance together and a
countless number of waters will join in to sing as one grand choir. All through
the day, large numbers of cloud 'audiences' will gather to watch with a smile,
and all night long, the moon and innumerable stars will gather around to listen
devotedly with joy." Someone else draws near and whispers, "This
homeland, the ocean of the new heavens and earth is filled with infinite jewels
of every kind and rare, precious treasures."
Upon
hearing this, the waters that have finished their travels shout in unison,
"Wow! How exciting!" All through the night, they repeatedly sing
songs of gratitude and praise to the grateful God who led them from the high
mountains to this place.
True
Baptism
Water
possesses the most beautiful, humble, and modest heart among all creation in
the world. When Jesus was thirty years old and at the closing years of His
life, He went under the water, or lower than water, and then came out
(baptism). The heavenly Father, whose entity is humility and who loves those
who possess a humble heart the most, immediately appeared to Jesus in
inexpressible gladness and joy and exclaimed, "Truly, [You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.] Likewise, our heavenly Daddy joyfully says, [You are My beloved son (daughter); in You I am well
pleased,] to His children today
who possess a humble heart, who go down lower than the humble water. This is
the purpose of true baptism and the ceremony that makes us holy citizens of the
new world.
Contemporary
Christians try to follow the example of Jesus, and they indiscriminately
baptize people by immersing them in water. However, if that baptism does not
move both the one who baptizes and the one being baptized to empty their hearts
and have humble, modest hearts that are lower than water, like God and Jesus,
then that baptism is a false, meaningless act, a mere formality.
Jesus,
who perfectly resembled our heavenly Father, said, "[Unless one is born of water...he cannot enter the kingdom of God (the new world).]" (John 3:5) This does not mean that simply
entering the water and then coming out of it will save a person. It means that
we will not be able to see the new world unless we possess a humble mind and
character like water, the lowest of all creation. Every baptism that is not
based on humility and is performed as a formality or carried out as some annual
religious function, or held just to increase church membership will be recorded
in heaven as the capital sin of cursing and defiling the holy names of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Those who recklessly call the names of the most
holy Three Gods will be culpable in the eyes of Heaven.
"The
vows which we take upon ourselves in baptism embrace much. In the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we are buried in the likeness of Christ's
death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection, and we are to live a new
life. Our life is to be bound up with the life of Christ. Henceforth the
believer is to bear in mind that he is dedicated to (the humble) God, the
Christ, and the Holy Spirit."
Baptism
by immersion is making the following vow before God: "I will be a son
(daughter) who, like water, humbly obeys my heavenly Father."
"Baptism
is a most solemn renunciation of the world. Those who are baptized in the
threefold name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, at the very
entrance of their Christian life declare publicly that they have forsaken the
(proud) service of Satan and have become (humble) members of the royal family,
children of the heavenly King."
"You
must see your own death through the death of Christ.... Know that you end a
sinful life and begin a sinless, new life through faith (baptism)."
"How
deep is the meaning of this ceremony! It symbolizes the great truth of
Christianity and the dual effect upon the believers who accepts it. First, the
reformed man sees and symbolically reenacts the death, burial, and resurrection
of Christ. A life of sin becomes a life of righteousness. Yet, the purifying
characteristics of baptism call for the purification through the blood (death)
of Christ in the heart. Next, he will realize that he is not the person that he
was in the past but 'a new creation in Jesus,' who lives a 'new life' through
the power of God (the heavenly Father) who raised Christ from the dead.
Baptism
symbolizes the greatest change in a person's life, [for as many...as were baptized into Christ have put
on Christ (with humble heart).] (Gal.
3:27) Baptized souls become holy citizens of the new world. They have already
died (self-denial) and have nothing to do with the sinful habits of the past.
The Bible states that they are resurrected into a new life of communing with
heaven once they are dead to sin. A 'tomb of water' (baptism) lies between his
past (and present) life."
"Baptism
is a vow before heaven as an outward show of a greatly changed life for all to
witness. Therefore, it is very important not to baptize too hastily, for it is
not something to be chosen today and forsaken tomorrow."
"It
is the grace of Christ that gives life to the soul. Apart from (the heart and
character of) Christ, baptism, like any other service, is a worthless form. He
that does not (follow and) obey the Son of God will not see eternal life (in
the new world)."
Baptism
"demands that reformed people perfectly follow the footsteps (live a
selfless life) of its Founder, Christ. Only then can they be called Christians
and enter a true baptismal ceremony."
All
baptisms that are not reciprocated with a humble, selfless character and
Christ-like life and end as a mere formality are false. They are abominable
sins.
Unless
we all become like the humble water, go lower than water, and be [born of water,] we
[cannot enter the kingdom] of Christ and [God
(Real Daddy)] (John 3:5) who are
humble.
The
entire Bible focuses on the coming of the Helper, the Holy Spirit in the last
days who will literally fulfill "heaven" in our hearts and souls so
that we may enter the eternal, new world.
You
Also Be Water
Many
people who are ignorant about heaven, the new heavens and the new earth, say
that we go up to heaven. However, no one who tries to go up to heaven will be able to enter. Only those who go
down will reach the new
heavens and the new earth, the new world. Neither those who try to ascend in
front of others nor those who say, "No other denomination but ours will go
to heaven," will enter heaven. Heaven--the new heavens and the new
earth--the new world, is a place only those who continue to yield to others,
who descend to lower places in modesty and humility like water, can enter.
Though
Jesus said, "[Narrow
is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who
find it,]" (Mat. 7:14) I
would like to tell my beloved brothers and sisters today that the road of life
is very wide and easy.
Jesus
said that few would find the narrow and difficult road to life because He did
not see anyone humble like water among those who were listening to His sermon
in that age; He only saw pride and arrogance in their hearts. He said, "As
for you, the way to life is narrow and difficult to enter." However, the
lower humble people descend, the wider, smoother, and easier the way to life
becomes.
The
waters that traveled for so many days to reach their homeland, the new heavens
and the new earth, attain a state selflessness. As their humility is perfected
even in that place, they become invisible water vapors. Every day, billions of
tons of water joyfully ascend to heaven apart from the world. They also become
saviors who supply all creation in the world with fresh water (life) while
traveling through the skies. In the same way, when we continue to humble
ourselves like water and become saints who have perfected our humility, that
is, attained a state selflessness--become "invisible" like vapor--we
will enter and live in the new heavens and the new earth, the new world God prepared.
We will live forever and travel freely from star to star around the whole
universe. The true purpose and vow of a sacred baptism is to help us pass
through the "door" of such a holy state.
Blessed
are those who, like water, constantly follow the road to their homeland with a
humble heart. From this world to the new world, Real Daddy's eternal love and
grace will be with those whose hearts, like Jesus, have descended to a position
lower than water.
In
our generation, there are those who [came
up immediately from the water;] [behold,
the heavens were opened,] and
they heard [a voice (that) came
from heaven which said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased."] (Mat. 3:16, Luke 3:22)
Their hearts have become water. They live a humble, selfless life of humbly
flowing under the world and their brethren. Real Daddy's love, reward, and
grace will be with them forever and ever.
[Jesus
answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.] (John
3:5) Therefore, you must be water, like Me. Then, you will live with Me
eternally in My Father's land, the happy new heavens and new earth, the new
world."
No
matter how much we try to pick up water, we cannot grab it. Unlike people, it
does not stab or hurt anyone. It becomes perfectly selfless vapor and ascends
to heaven. I hope that by casting aside all the greed and selfishness in our
lives and becoming selfless, we will all become members of the "water
family" who fly to the new heavens and new earth, the happy new world,
like Jesus.
The
Ocean Smiles
The
ocean smiles.
It
smiles in pleasant weather
And
in poor weather.
It
smiles when it rains,
When
it snows,
And
even when it is windy.
The
ocean smiles when people fight,
And
when they dance.
The
ocean smiles when nations are at war
And
when they are at peace.
The
heart of the ocean is wide.
The
heart of the ocean is deep.
That
is why the ocean can forgive all things,
Love
all things, and just smile.
All
the beautiful brethren of our country, the new world,
Are
beautiful, holy water,
Citizens whose hearts are like the ocean.
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