I had lived a disastrous deathful life with no hope, no pleasure because at that time I was separated from kingdom of God with fallen into eternal sin.
Then I thought my misery was disappeared when I entered the gate of a certain church and started a joyful church life with my clapping and praising God.
At that moment my everyday life was wonderful. I preached God's name praising God's grace who gave me a salvation.
I thought a faith of 1:1 connection between God and each single person is important.
I believed I am O.K only when I keep my faithful belief regardless of my neighbors' condition.
I had a viewpoint that I am enough to go to the heaven only I repeat 'Only Jesus' like 'Save us, merciful Buddha' in Buddhism.
I didn't care the dogma of salvation or the meaning of holy communion, baptism etc.
I considered it is the best preaching which gives me a message including a helpful moral social life, regardless of this church or that church.
However one day, I received a reformed tenet. All of a sudden everything was fallen down. Like the Tower of Babel, my sand castle of faith was rolled back by flood.
I recognized that all things before are only a religion deed after feeling that I am a member of a living church in a God's kingdom, after knowing that it is how important to have my place in a God's church, after learning that how many seniors in faith shed their blood and tear for the truth of God's kingdom.
I have known the great Frederick III, Grasper Olevianus, Guido de Bres, Calvin, pastor Kim Hong-jun, Choi Nak-jae through a great God's grace.
What is your only comfort in life and death?
That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ
I was thrilled when I knew the procedure of how this confession came from.
Now I confess that God wants us 'a pure proclamation of message', 'a correct execution of holy Communion and baptism' which most churches have confessed from generation after generation and 'delivering this church, dogma, faith' to the descendants which we are learning, keeping and practicing in a church which executes offering and discipline of God correctly.
We keep in mind and put forth strength that we should be a church which inherits a main religious belief and its theology in our times that are continuing through history and also which should succeed them to the following generation.
It is a part of our church Charter.
I think it is right that we should go into church solidarities that already go forward and confess the same religious belief like us. I also think that we should cooperate with such solidarities and make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace because it is very difficult and lonesome on our own to spread our such religious belief correctly and to gather into a holy church in the process of making a universal church which God only leads and of going forward.
I thank God in this point that He has already prepared IRPC in our country. He loves our nation very much.
I know well that it's only God's grace and blessing to join for my church in IRPC today.
We'd like to carry out our duties of membership church with fear and trembling but with joy and boldness.
Although our church is very small and located in southern part of Korean peninsular, we promise that we will learn ardently and make every effort to grow up for fear that our being membership shouldn't become worried to the membership churches especially to the kingdom of God.
Thanks to the God!!!! GwangYang reformed Church Lee Ki-Yong
2011.04.10
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기독교 국가”에 대한 교회사적 검토-김헌수 목사님 