A YOUNG woman was washing clothes in a North Korean river. When gathering her clothes, a small Bible or Christian book fell to the ground. Another woman reported the girl to the police. The young woman and her father—about sixty years old—were arrested and held by the local police for about three months. During that time, the woman and her father were investigated and interrogated. They were taken to a market area in town and accused of trafficking. A brief public show trial, was held which consisted of the charges. They were found guilty of a capital offense. Then they were condemned as traitors to the nation and their god leader. Before the execution, people were assembled to witness the deaths. This included teachers and students from fourth grade and up, students from middle school and high school, and people who had come to the market. Seven police fired three shots each into the two victims, who had been tied to posts. The force of the rifle shots caused blood and brain matter to be blown out of their heads.
The Martyrs’ blood drenched the ground.
The Bible tells us about persecution in the Book of Acts: “On that day a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”687
The word scattered here means that they had to leave their homes. They left their jobs, they left many of their belongings, they left their security and they left friends behind. In those days there were no telephones, cell phones or other means to keep in touch. Would you follow Jesus if this were to happen in your country? The extraordinary thing that followed in the Book of Acts is described in Acts 8: “Those who had been scattered preached the Word wherever they went.”688 Do we have to lose all of our possessions689 before we are willing to witness?
Just as the early Church in Jerusalem came under great persecution so the Church in North Korea has come under the same pressures. As with many underground Church movements across the world the Church in North Korea has principles that ensure its growth and continued existence. When there is great pressure from many forces outside the Church the real success of the Church is built upon Biblical principles that are outlined in the Book of Acts. The Church truly has no other blueprint for its growth, structure and daily life. Believers in the end times need to relearn much from other expressions of Biblical Christianity in the world that are under great pressure but bearing great fruit in the Gospel.690
Some of the underground Churches in North Korea recite certain truths to keep them united and to remind them of their faith in Jesus Christ. They recite the Lord’s Prayer and the following five phrases when they meet:
1) Our persecution and suffering are our joy and honor.
2) We want to accept ridicule, scorn and disadvantages with joy in Jesus’ Name.
3) We want to wipe others’ tears away and comfort the suffering.
4) We want to be ready to risk our lives because of our love for our neighbor, so that they also become Christians.
5) We want to live our lives according to the standards set in God’s Word.
Are we ready and willing to state before the Lord that we want to live like that? May God help us to do so.
Along with these five challenging reminders the underground Church in North Korea lives by Biblical principles that guarantee its continued growth and survival. It should be encouraging to us that the New Testament was written under times of great persecution. Therefore it is the perfect roadmap for us as believers entering into the end of the age where great persecution will be evident. Alongside the Scriptures we have these wonderful examples of saints that are enduring much as part of the body of Christ.
We have much to learn from those who are in the most brutal and Christ opposing nation in the world today.