Now, our lost brothers and sisters scattered all around the world are coming to Zion like clouds. Our attitude of mind should be more mature than ever. As more and more people are being led into the truth, we need more leaders who can help and guide the new members. We are God''s workers who have been called by God earlier and are participating in the holy work of the gospel. When we fear God, humble ourselves and serve our brothers and sisters, the gospel work will be accomplished more swiftly.

Not only should we listen to the word of God, but also we should put the teachings of God into practice. If we act like Christians only in Zion and behave differently outside of the Church, we are unable to please God.

Do not be arrogant

There is a saying in the west, "If you want to find the truth, lower yourself." It means that those who want to get the truth need to always have a humble attitude because the truth lies low, not in a high, special place.

What God hate the most is arrogance; He repeatedly warns us not to be arrogant because we came down from heaven on account of our arrogance.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Bible teaches us that we must avoid arrogance.

Ro 11:17-23 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you . . . they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. . . .

In the parable of the grafting branches, the Jews are compared to the branches of the good olive tree and the Gentiles to the wild olive branches. Originally, the Jews were chosen by God and salvation was promised to them (see Jn 4:22).

However, they failed to accept God who came to the earth in the flesh, and committed a grievous sin of despising and crucifying Him. Therefore, God turned His salvation to the Gentiles. Simply put, the original branches of the olive tree were cut off because of their arrogance, and instead we who were the wild olive branches have been grafted into the true olive tree; we have received Christ, and now share in the nourishing sap from Christ by His grace, mercy and love.

So, God has granted us salvation, and in addition God has given each of us the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge, to another the fervent faith and enthusiasm to save one soul, and the like (1 Co 12:4-11).

Regarding these gifts, God told us not to be arrogant but humble. If a grafted branch produces fruit, it is not the branch itself that bears fruit. But the root which supports and sustains it. If we, who have been grafted into God, do not realize God''s grace and mercy but have an arrogant heart, we will lose the blessing of salvation which God has given us, just as the Jews were deprived of God''s blessing although they were the original branches.

The result of arrogance

Arrogance is like a spiritual poison, and it extinguishes the wisdom and understanding which we have received from God, and makes us lose the power of the Holy Spirit. Always keeping this in mind, we should give glory to God who gives us strength.

Pr 16:18-19 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

God does not tolerate arrogance. He does not judge anyone by their external appearance but looks at their heart.

We must remember the fact that all grace and blessings come from God. However, sometimes we may fall into the thought, ‘It''s because I''m talented" or "It''s because I''m good at this." This kind of thought weakens our spiritual power. Thinking that way, if we do not faithfully carry out the gospel mission which God has entrusted to us, we will greatly regret when we go to the kingdom of God.

Human beings are so weak that they are likely to fall into arrogance. Even Moses, who was humbler than any other person in his time, was severely rebuked and scorned by God for his arrogant words.

When the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron that there was no water to drink at the desert of Zin, God ordered Moses to strike the rock with his staff to make water come out of it. Moses struck the rock as God had ordered him, and water poured out for the community and their livestock to drink. However, Moses, who used to give all glory to God, made a mistake at that moment. He said, "Must we bring you water out of this rock?" to those who grumbled against their leaders and despised them (Nu 20:1-13).

We are likely to make this kind of mistake if we hold on to our own view and judgment. We need to always realize that whenever an amazing work of the gospel is accomplished, there is God''s invisible power working behind the scenes, not human ability.

The message from God, not from me

Eze 3:17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

God commanded the prophet E ekiel, "Hear the word I speak and give them warning from me." So, the prophets spoke the people only what they heard from God and were taught by Him, not speaking on their own. Then, how can we, the gospel prophets, say, "I did it myself," while delivering the word of God?

God chose Saul as the first king of Israel because he was very humble.

However, after he became king, he gradually grew arrogant, and later in his reign he disobeyed God. Finally God took back the glory and honor which He had bestowed on him.

There is no one who can exalt himself before God. We should control ourselves to stay humble since we live with God in the truth, unlike the people who do not believe in God and behave haughtily without being humble.

Humility is a virtue we must have both physically or spiritually. Jesus also emphasized the importance of being humble when He was on the earth.

Mk 16:15-17 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven."

When Peter recognized Christ, Jesus said that it was not revealed to him by man, but by Father in heaven. Peter might have thought he had figured out by himself that Jesus was the Christ, and also he might have wondered why Jesus said that. Peter could have exalted himself as if he had understood the truth by himself, but Jesus reminded him of the existence of God who let him know everything, so that he would not fall into the wrong idea.

It is the same when we realize the truth. At first, we knew nothing at all about the Bible and the truth, but we begin to feel excited as we hear the word of God and come to have a little more understanding of it. As a balloon full of air floats, we become haughty with the thought, ‘I''ve understood this much,'' and come to forget that it is God who has granted us wisdom and understanding.

We should keep in mind that everything is a gift and blessing from God. We were once wild olive shoots and our own fruits were worthless, but as we are grafted into Christ, we can now bear very valuable and substantial fruits. That''s why Jesus said to Peter, "This was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven."

The arrogant come to destruction, and the humble to blessing

We should sincerely work for the gospel with a humble mind. When we pay more attention to God''s word and are faithful to the truth of the new covenant, we can be refined as heavenly people.

Throughout all ages, God has blessed the humble and taken back blessings from the arrogant. He rejected the arrogant no matter how much ability they had. In case of King Nebuchadnezzar, it was also because of arrogance that he lost his glorious throne.

Da 4:29-31, 34-37 . . . he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. . . ." . . . At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High . . . I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

If we become arrogant, everything is taken away from us: our position, authority, power, and so on. As soon as Nebuchadnezzar said, "I did it," God said, "The throne has left you." When he became arrogant, God took away all his prosperity and power in a moment.

Nebuchadnezzar lost his sanity, wisdom and glory; for seven years, he lived like a wild animal, being drenched with the night dew in the grass of the field. Afterwards, he realized that everything came from God and that he had been foolish to think that he had done everything by himself even though he was a feeble man who could lose his sanity and wisdom in an instant like a wild animal. He truly repented, and as he praised and thanked God with a humble heart, God restored his sanity and wisdom.

It is a very important teaching of the Bible that God lowers the arrogant.

When we think of God who has lowered His people like the "refuse of the world" (1 Co 4:13) from the time of the desert up until today, we should restore our lost wisdom and understanding and glory through repentance and spiritual realizations, instead of losing them because of our arrogance like Nebuchadnezzar.

Accomplishing the gospel with a humble mind

Let us not be arrogant but humble ourselves and set good examples of faith for our brothers and sisters, sharing their hardships as their companions in the way of faith. God lets us walk the desert of faith in order to humble us.

Dt 8:2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

Just as God did to the Israelites in the time of the desert, He humbles us and leads us to the way of the desert even if He is able to stand us up on top of the world; sometimes He allows us to starve, sometimes lifts us up, sometimes humbles us.

We should accomplish the gospel work with a humble attitude, no matter what position or situation we are in and what obstacles we face. We are to always humble ourselves before God and before our brothers and sisters as well. We need to consider each and every one of our brothers and sisters precious, as a fellow worker who strives for the gospel work of God. In addition, we should take great care of them with love and encouragement.

I''m sure that if we do that, we can walk the blessed path of faith and receive abundant grace and love from God.

Let us engrave the words of God, "Do not be arrogant," deep in our heart. We cannot go to heaven with an arrogant heart; if we have a humble mind, we will be filled with God''s love and wisdom leading to heaven. As people of Zion, let us make every effort to carry out the gospel work with confidence and humility in our own position and situation.