Disciple Class Testimony - Josh Chung > 제자학교

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I'm grateful for Disciple class this past fall and spring which has been a blessing. I'm thankful for our leader, Youngwoo, who loves the Lord, loved our class, is knowledgeable and spent a lot of time preparing for each class all of which was evident on a weekly basis. He encouraged us daily in our group chat as we read Scripture and posted our daily reflections. I'm also grateful for the opportunity to go through our weekly workbook assignments which helped me learn more about Bible history, etc., to memorize Scripture and cap it off with our weekly meeting with fellow brothers and sisters in fellowship, reciting verses, going over our weekly workbook assignments, learning more about specific points from that chapter and praying for one another. (Who knew I could memorize 20 Bible verses.)

I was especially blessed by our daily Bible reading along with sharing our reflections and doing our workbook which focused on the Book of Matthew. God has given me a desire to know Him through His Word. I used to find the Bible boring and not where I experienced God but now I have come to value and love His Word. I have come to personally experience that Scripture is living and active. (Heb. 4:12) For the longest time, it didn't dawn on me that Scripture is where I get the most full, deep, accurate knowledge and insight to God, the person and work of my Savior, Jesus Christ, my hopeless, utterly depraved state apart from Him and my need for salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. I would never have sought Him on my own. (Romans 3:9-18) Without Jesus, I would be destined to eternal death (hell) which I deserve because of my sins and in light of God's holiness. But only because He chose to save me and make me alive in Christ, I get what I don't deserve, forgiveness for my sins and the consequences of my sin placed on Jesus Christ. Instead, I get clothed in His righteousness, to live this life in communion with Him and one day enter eternal life (heaven). Where I was once under God's wrath, I am now under His grace solely because of Jesus, the Risen King. (Eph. 2:4-9)

I was reading Scripture daily and reflecting on the passage before Disciple class but as I read daily and drafted my reflection for class, God would more often remind me of other passages or verses that related to, supported or dovetailed with the passage I read that day. It was the Holy Spirit working to create a personal time of worship and I was truly blessed as God revealed more of Himself and His truth which lead to greater love and awe of Him. Right knowing of God leads to right loving and right worship of God so I was grateful for this time. As a sidenote, I pray God would help me and our church to be full of both truth and love and ever growing in both. (Eph. 4:15, 1 Jn. 3:18, Rom. 12:9, 2 Thess. 2:10, 1 Cor. 13:6, 1 Pt. 1:22) On one end of the spectrum, knowledge puffs up and knowledge without love completely misses the mark as God's children. (1 Cor. 13:1-13) On the other end, love and worship without correct knowledge of God can lead to love and worship of a God and Jesus of our own making, a false God and not the true God (even within church). On both ends, God is not honored. I pray God will give me understanding to discern when I drift too much one way or the other; apart from Him I can do nothing. 

I also appreciated the book report assignment on Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray. The Andrew Murray book focused on the need for all believers to live in absolute surrender to our Lord. I am reminded that we don't make Jesus our Lord, He IS Lord. I can't live for God and for the world. It is either/or, not both/and. (Luke 6:46-49) As God's child and a Christ follower, I cannot love Jesus while also loving the things that crucified Him (Note: Jesus laid down His life of his own accord. (John 10:17-18)). I cannot have other gods before Him. (1 John 2:15-17, Mt. 10:37-39) I was challenged by the book and all the more want to live in full surrender to Christ's Lordship.

In closing, I am thankful for Disciple class. It was an answered prayer and I hope more church members will take the class and that our church will be able to offer more in-depth, Bible-centered classes that God will use to help our church members mature in the faith as we know Him more/rightly leading to loving and worshiping Him more/rightly.