Title: The Reformation Vision of Jesus
Contents
Today's world is looking for a new order. We are living in an unstable era in which old ideas, systems, and institutions have been torn down, but new ones are not clearly emerging. So world leaders are taking steps to create a new world and order. US President Clinton has launched a new contract. Kim Young-sam introduced a new Korea.
The time of Jesus was also a turning point. The Jews, who had long been oppressed by foreign powers and suffered discrimination and suffering from the legalists inside, also longed for the arrival of a new world. Jesus' proclamation of the New Kingdom came out of such a situation. After receiving a letter from an intellectual who was suffering lonely in prison, I came to believe that the image of the kingdom of God must now be materialized in our society. It is with this kind of faith that I want to reconsider Jesus' message of good fortune today. I want to get the look of the new order in that message. The eight blessings introduce the content of blessings together with those who are blessed, but in our reality, there is a serious gap between those who are blessed and the content of blessings. Only by removing this gap will the kingdom of God appear on this earth.
Let's take a look at #1. The blessed are the poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are those who have no choice but to rely entirely on God because they have nothing, and who humbly seeks to communicate with God. It is not an accidental joy, but a joy that boils within you because you have nothing. Such a person possesses heaven because of nothingness. This is the gospel. But in reality, the poor in heart are not the masters of society and the country. It is becoming an object. Therefore, only by correcting this reality can a true new order emerge. The church must take the lead in establishing this new order.
Let's consider the third blessing. The meek in heart will inherit the earth. The Greek word for meek here has several meanings. First, it is somewhere between rage and composure. This is the humility of admitting one's helplessness and ignorance when it comes to harming oneself, while being furious when it comes to harming others. This also goes with being poor in spirit. These meek people will inherit the land of God. But what about in reality? The meek will never have the earth. Land speculators or unearned income earners will take possession of the land. God's new order will appear only when we change this reality.
Let's take a look at number 5. Those who are merciful will receive mercy. The original word for mercy here is difficult to translate as mercy. Entering into another's mind, seeing and feeling things with his eyes, thinking and acting with his heart. In order to do that, you have to give up your stubbornness and put yourself in the position of others. It means empathy. When we experience this kind of compassion with each other, the kingdom of God will grow. In reality, these people are bound to lose. This should be fixed.
Let's consider the sixth blessing. Pure in heart means pure, unmixed. There should be no impure calculations. If you do good deeds, do courageous deeds, but expect to be heroes or martyrs, that is not cleanliness. It is not from a pure heart to boast that the church spends a lot of money on missions and service. They cannot taste the joy of seeing God. Those who can see God already have God in them. Only those who do good without expecting a reward, that is, those who are pure in heart, receive the blessing of seeing God. But in reality, the pure in heart will suffer from the evil deeds of the devil. Only when this is corrected, God's order will appear.
Let's take a look at number 8. Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake are the masters of the kingdom of God. The early church believers suffered unimaginable suffering. They were thrown by lions, dried in bitumen and burned alive. They were clothed in wild animal skins and sometimes bitten to death by hounds. The hands and feet were burned, but the body was baptized in cold water and the pain was prolonged. Even in the midst of such suffering, the early believers refused to confess that the emperor was Lord. It is because of the conviction that Jesus Christ is our only true Lord. The strength to endure this pain is the strength to unfold the kingdom of God.
But we have lost this power. I have lost this holy power to possess the kingdom of God. In our society, the church cannot provide the energy to create a new order. Even though a quarter of the population is Christian, crime, corruption, corruption and delinquency of all kinds are not diminishing. The fact that there are so many Christians and there are so many churches doesn't seem to mean anything. They are not playing the role of salt or light in the world at all. This is because there are no Christians who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
The reality of our society today testifies that there are no Christians who can receive the Lord's blessing, and even if there are people who can receive such blessings, both inside and outside the church, they are not receiving the blessings promised by the Lord. This reality must be corrected by the church at the forefront. For that to happen, members of the church must be fundamentally reborn. We must be poor in spirit, we must mourn together, we must be gentle, we must make peace, and we must be born again as believers who can be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Only then will we be able to transform the false reality and finally unfold the kingdom of God on this earth.*