IN 2009, The Associated Press reported that a 33-year-old Christian woman, Ri Hyon-ok, was accused of distributing Bibles and “spying” for foreign countries was publicly executed in North Korea. Despite such persecution and threat of death, the Church in North Korea hears the Word and obeys it. The call to preach the Good News is obeyed by these believers at great cost.
The Bible to North Koreans is a roadmap for living. It is a roadmap for their life and it should be for our life. It dictates to them what they do. We should let the Word dictate to us what we do. To just listen to a sermon and Scripture and then to say “That was a nice message” is foreign to these believers. They desire to obey everything they hear.
The problem for us in most non-persecuted countries is that we think “right” doctrine will be the solution to having “life” but that is not the case. Of course if we have the Holy Spirit we will be led into all truth.722 To seek after perfect theological doctrine in every area is not what the New Testament commands of us. Rather it exhorts us to be in communion with Jesus Christ and to follow and obey His commands. Jesus Christ did not tell us to be theologians, He told us to be followers of Him who embodied His truths and life, and then prove our faith by doing.
When we start reading the Bible based on our human wisdom we deny the faith and accuracy of Scripture. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit men have been making up entire systems of beliefs with theological words that are used blasphemously and do not represent the truth nor the heart of God. We are then misled to believe that such humanistic doctrines carry “life.” Life is not found in a theological system or interpretation; Life is found in Christ Jesus, surrendering to Him and allowing Him to live His Life through us. That’s what it means to be “born again” or “born of the Spirit.”
“Surrender to Jesus Christ!” is the crying need of the day so that sin can be dealt with in our lives. Our focus should not be to try to figure out every mystery in the Bible. Those who study the character of God but do not have the fear of Him in their heart which causes them to depart from private sin in their lives have erred greatly. The underground Church in North Korea is more occupied daily with communion with God, hearing His voice and wanting to follow His direction. For them it is the choice between life and death.
Many of us need to hear the exhortation of James again: “Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”723 We need to come to the Lord daily, asking Him to help us put into practice all that we hear.
A Church that does this is a fruitful Church. Such a Church will bring the Gospel to the people through their lives of obedience, and through verbally proclaiming the message of salvation, even if it means death.
The prophet Jeremiah heard these clear words from the Lord to His people: “But I gave them this command: ‘Obey Me, and I will be your God and you will be My people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.’”724 God’s people are an obeying people, a people that walk in His ways.
Our Lord Himself echoed this important truth: “He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.’”725 May the Church be “blessed” in this way as we grow nearer to that last day.726