Those Who Please God

God has promised to give His children, who dwell in Zion, the eternal inheritance of the kingdom of heaven where there is no death or pain or sorrow. Giving thanks and glory to God for granting us the promise of the eternal heavenly kingdom which we will possess for ever and ever, we should follow God wherever He leads us, having faith.

The Bible says that a wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother (Pr 10:1). As wise sons and daughters of God, we should live a gracious life without any regrets for the gospel, thinking about how we can please God and what kind of faith and determination we must have in order to glorify God.

A house in heaven, which is built with materials sent from the earth

A rich man, who had lived a life of faith, died and went to heaven. In heaven he was guided by Peter who had the keys of the kingdom of heaven. While on earth, the rich man lived in a luxurious house; moreover, he believed in God, and now he was in heaven. So he expected that he would live in a gorgeous house in heaven. With his heart pounding, he followed Peter. After quite a while, he saw a housing complex where there were many golden luxury houses which he had never seen on this earth.

‘Wow, my house must be one of those houses.’

With a heart full of expectation, he followed Peter. Strangely enough, however, Peter did not guide him there and just passed by those brilliant houses. After going a bit further, he saw another housing complex where there were big and beautiful houses which were a little less gorgeous. This time, too, however, Peter just passed by. Finally, he arrived at a town where there were very shabby houses. There, Peter stopped in front of a house like a cabin, and said to the rich man.

“This is a house for you to live in forever.”

The rich man was very surprised. Being angry, he complained and said, “While on earth, I lived a luxurious life in a grand house which everyone envied. How can you tell me to live in this shabby house forever?” Then Peter explained to him the reason. “There is a rule in heaven. According to that rule, we have to build a house in heaven for each person to live in forever, only with the building materials which that person sent us while on earth. I wanted to build a nice house for you, but the materials you sent us every time were all very shabby and poor. It made my heart ache a lot. However, according to the rule, we had to build your house only with the materials you sent from earth. So we couldn’t help but build this kind of shabby house.”

A man reaps what he sows

Of course, the aforementioned story is somewhat exaggerated; there is no one who will live in such a shabby place like a cabin in heaven. The kingdom of heaven that God has prepared for His beloved children is a tremendously beautiful place which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived (1 Co 2:9).

Through the story, however, we need to pay attention to something important. God has opened the gate of salvation, so whoever enters Zion and serves God with reverence diligently while abiding in the truth will certainly go to the kingdom of heaven.

However, when they arrive in heaven, they will be rewarded according to what they have done; their rewards will be different from one another. The Bible says that God will give to everyone according to what he has done (Rev 22:12).

Although a person has lived a life of luxury which everyone envies, if that person’s materials—actions—are poor, he or she will never be able to receive a splendid house in heaven. Everyone, whether righteous or wicked, will eat the fruit of their ways and deeds (Pr 1:31; Isa 3:10), and they are to reap what they sow.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.2 Co 9:6

There must be a difference in rewards for actions between the person who sows generously and the one who sows sparingly, between the person who makes much effort and the one who makes little effort, and between the person who works with all his heart, mind and soul and the one who doesn’t. In ancient Korean history, there were grades for the meritorious retainers who had rendered distinguished services to the king—the first grade meritorious retainer and the second grade meritorious retainer; the king gave each meritorious retainer the reward which he deserved for his services.

It will be the same for God’s people. When they arrive in heaven together, they each will receive rewards and blessings different from one another. In the parable of the talents or minas, the servants who had followed their master’s will faithfully and gained more talents were all able to share in their master’s happiness—the glory of heaven; however, some of them were given authority to rule over ten cities, and others over five cities (Mt 25:14-30; Lk 19:12-27).

If a heavenly house for us to dwell in forever is built with materials sent from this earth, what kind of materials do we have to send to heaven? When we do something with a wicked mind or intention, bad or poor materials will be sent to heaven. On the contrary, if we do it with enthusiasm and sincerity towards God and with faith to follow all the teachings of the Bible, solid materials will be sent.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.Gal 6:7-9

People reap what they sow. Those who put their effort and time into pleasing their sinful nature cannot help but send perishable materials to heaven. On the other hand, those who sow to please the Spirit will be led into an everlasting beautiful house in the kingdom of heaven; for they are those who try to do everything for the gospel and store up rewards in heaven.

Praying hard, studying God’s word diligently, and trying our hardest to lead the souls, who have not yet been saved, to salvation, according to the example of God who came to this earth to seek and to save the lost—all these can also be good materials in the kingdom of God. Our future can differ according to how much effort we exert with all our heart and mind for the kingdom of heaven.

Those who live in accordance with the Spirit are the ones who please God

We need to sow generously, and what we must sow is the deed of obedience to God’s will and teaching, not the act of pursuing our own pleasures. If we always live in accordance with God’s word, we will be able to send better materials to heaven.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.Ro 8:5-8

We can obey God and please Him when we have our minds set on what the Spirit desires, not on what the sinful nature desires. Those who follow the Spirit do not live according to the sinful nature, but they always think about what pleases God.

Pursuing the things that please our Heavenly Father and Mother, let us be faithful even in small things so that we can glorify God. When God says that if we humble ourselves on this earth, we will be exalted in heaven, we should become humble and serve others according to the word of God; and when God tells us to preach the Word diligently, being prepared in season and out of season, we have to preach the Word eagerly as God tells us to. Then we will receive the most beautiful house in heaven (Mt 23:12; 2 Ti 4:2).

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.Col 3:1-10

To send good materials to heaven, we should get rid of everything that belongs to our earthly nature—our “old self,” including our rough edges and all the worldly desires and greed. Unlike the people who only pursue things on earth, those who run towards the kingdom of heaven make efforts to change their personality or character and renew their goals in life. By doing so, they always emit the fragrance of Christ.

‘What kind of materials have I sent to heaven until now? How is my house being built now?’ We need to think about it carefully. Do we not spend all 24 hours a day on worldly things and pleasures without making time for God, even just one hour? If we change the direction of our thoughts and have a bit more spiritually oriented view of things, the angels can build us a nicer house with better materials. However, if we just waste our time without doing anything, they will be feeling anxious.

As we feel hungry if we do not eat, so our souls feel hungry if we do not eat spiritual food. It is not enough just to listen to the sermons on worship days. Let us read even just a few pages of the Bible each day, so we can take God deep into our hearts and pay constant attention to God’s teachings contained in the Bible. We cannot live the life of faith faithfully just by attending worship services. In our daily lives, we should devote ourselves fervently to preaching the gospel and always walk in God’s teachings. The Bible teaches that we reap the fruit of our actions; those who make little effort will have small results, and those who make much effort will reap fruitful results. Keeping this in mind, let us devote all our heart and mind to the gospel, so that we will not have any regrets when we arrive in the kingdom of heaven.

A life full of hope for the invisible eternal world

God has given us the gifts of the Holy Spirit: To one God has given the gift of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the gift of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, and to another faith by the same Spirit (1 Co 12:4-11). So, there must be many things that we can do to please God. God has given each of us different talents and abilities, so we can put all our talents and abilities together to build the eternal and heavenly temple—the New Jerusalem Temple. We should do our best to carry out our Godgiven duties.

Jesus says that forceful men lay hold of the kingdom of heaven. We must make every effort to go to heaven with great fervor enough to be called the “forceful ones.” Although it is said that we will go to heaven without cost, it does not mean that we can naturally be changed and go to heaven without doing anything; it implies that our effort is nothing compared with the glory that God will give us. Only those who strive for the kingdom of heaven and continuously send good materials for an eternal house in heaven, where they will live forever, can go to the heavenly kingdom. How can God bring the people, who do not have a house in heaven where they will live forever, to the kingdom of heaven? If it were possible to enter heaven without effort, why would the Apostle Paul have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one even five times, and why would God have let the fate of the man with one talent be written in the Bible?

That is why God tells us to be zealous and faithful, even to the point of death, and to set our minds on things above, instead of pursuing earthly things and enjoying worldly pleasures. Our eternal joy is in heaven.

Let us think about the kingdom of heaven which we will go to, our house we will live in forever. If you want to dwell in a wonderful house in heaven which you have never heard or seen, from now on send good materials—earnest prayers, burning enthusiasm for the gospel, etc. Through our temporary efforts, a beautiful and eternal house is being built in the kingdom of God even at this moment.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.2 Co 4:16-18

In this visible world, joy lasts only for a moment and everything else is just temporary. In the invisible spiritual world, however, everything is eternal. So, let us set our minds on eternal things above and follow the will of Father and Mother more obediently, so that we can bear much good, beautiful fruit.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.Ro 8:24-25

The Bible tells us that if we hope for what is invisible—what is in heaven, we wait for it patiently. The day will surely come soon when we will experience infinite delight and shout for joy over the fact that we have lived in accordance with God’s word. Thinking about the glory that will be given to us according to God’s word, let us work hard for spiritual things that are pleasing to God.

Paul went back to heaven, saying with strong confidence that now there was in store for him the crown of righteousness because he had finished the race and had done everything he had to do. It shows that he sent so many good and wonderful materials to heaven. This is what we all envy him for.

Instead of just envying him, from now on let us examine ourselves and continuously send spiritual materials to heaven, which can glorify and please God. I earnestly ask you all to send the best-quality materials which are acceptable in heaven, not defectives ones, so that the angels can joyfully build a beautiful and splendid house for you.

Let us preach with eagerness and save many souls. God has promised that if we lead many to righteousness, we will shine like the stars for ever and ever. I truly hope that all our members in Zion continue to send many wonderful materials—good and beautiful deeds—to heaven until the angels say, “Now we have too many materials already; bring no more materials,” so that your house in heaven can be built beautifully.