Now, the gospel work is being accomplished, just as God has purposed; many our heavenly family members, scattered all over the world, are coming to Zion. The feet of those who preach the good news and the holy name of God are moving faster. Thanks be to God!

I know well that gospel preaching has become a custom of all brothers and sisters in Zion. Now, let’s consider how we can live a life worthy of the gospel, through God's teachings.

It is more blessed to give than to receive

We are trying to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel by praying, studying and preaching. A manner is a product of one’s thought and spirit. So the manner worthy of the gospel comes from the thought that pleases God. The Bible tells us what is the manner worthy of the gospel.

Ac 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

What God most wants from us is our manner of giving, being based on love. God wants us to give anything to others than to receive, whether it is big or small. When we do not fully understand the definition of love or the way to receive God’s blessing, we may do harm to our neighbors and society and fail to be blessed.

When we give help to others, God’s blessing comes to us. It may be the greatest help to teach the way of life to those who are dying. Apostle Paul is a good example. He rescued many people from death and was greatly blessed by God.

Let’s look back into our manner of life in the gospel. On which side were we, on the side of giving or receiving? “Why dose not God give me this? Why dose He not bless me in it?” Rather than thinking that way, we need to think like this―“How much pains God has been taking to save and protect us! For 6,000 years God has been unceasingly working to fulfill the prophecies. Now, what can I do for Him?” Thus, if we try to repay God for His grace, we will bear the fruit of the gospel abundantly and please God.

If we want to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel, we should give rather than receive. If we’d like to receive, we may give others trouble or loss mentally or materially. It is not a manner worthy of the gospel. He who wants to only receive is like a man who drinks seawater to quench his thirst; the more he drinks, the more he feels thirsty. Such a man is never satisfied. He always grumbles and soon asks to give him more, even though what he wanted was already given. Though God gives him blessing to overflow, he endlessly demands as if he were emptied.

On the contrary, he who does the gospel work with thanksgiving always tries to give help to others, even though he is weak and feeble; he tries to please God and help Him. As a result, his life becomes positive and blessed abundantly.

Love is to seek the good of others

There are many Biblical cases of those who constantly gave and were blessed, and of those who always wanted to receive and failed to be blessed.

God always gives us love. Until this moment He has been only giving us. By shedding His blood, He gave us love, and by tearing His flesh He gave us eternal life. He came to the earth in the flesh for us sinners who were destined to die.

Since the new covenant was destroyed by the devil, our God has restored all His decrees and laws including the seven annual feasts of three times and given us life, which no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could bring.

Only Christ could give us life and restore all His laws, so He came to the earth once again. Because He came to give us all these without cost, His life was full of shame, pain and sacrifice.

Christ, God our Creator, would not receive anything from us but only give everything to us.

Now we hope the gospel will prevail and we will bear much fruit. For this, we need to try to give help to others and to seek the good of others. When we help others receive eternal life, God’s word and love, no hardship will occur in Zion; only love will overflow, and the fruit of the gospel will be abundant and our salvation will be completed soon.

1 Co 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, … It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

When we practice love, the basis of love must be the other-seeking, not the self-seeking. ‘Not to seek my own good’ implies ‘not to give others difficulties for my own comfort and easiness.’

If I get angry with my brother and yell at him because I am distressed, we may hurt him so much. If I am patient and gentle with my brother even though we feel troubled or uneasy, he will also treat me with love. Then smiles will bloom among us and we will all live in peace and harmony.

Thus, seeking others’ good is the greatest factor in practicing love. Until today, we’ve led many souls to salvation with an earnest heart. In order not to make our efforts vain, we need to remember these words every day “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and “Love is not self-seeking.”

If every pastor tries to give spiritual help to his sheep, comforting those with difficulties in the truth, and the church members understand their pastor’s position and try to lighten his labors, commending and encouraging one another, the devil will never be able to tempt the church. However, if brothers envy one another and speak against one another, what will become of the church?

1 Co 6:6-9 But instead, one brother goes to law against another―and this in front of unbelievers! … Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?

There is no wickedness in the hearts of those who are seeking others’ good. However, those who are seeking their own good―who only want to receive―plant evil and wickedness in their hearts; they feel jealous of those being praised and try to exalt themselves; and they arouse discord and suffer because of their perverted and crooked heart given by the devil. After all, their names will not be recorded in the book of life, and on Judgment Day they will hear God’s stern word that they will never inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Only the names of those who try to share their good things with others will be recorded in the book of life in heaven and commended by God. Keeping this in mind, we should try to give rather than receive.

A stingy beggar’s lot

Long ago, an incognito king met a beggar when he went out to see how the people were living. The beggar asked the king for alms. Then the king said to him, “If you give me a thing first, then I will give you.” After the beggar thought for a while, he took corn out of his bag, which contained a pumpkin and some potatoes. Then he plucked three grains from the corn and stingily gave them to the king. To the stingy beggar, who had never given to others but only received until that time, it was a great generosity to give the three grains. Seeing the three kernels of the corn, the king told his attendant to give him three pieces of gold―each piece was the same size as a grain of the corn.

If the beggar had given the king all of the corn or potatoes or the big pumpkin, he would have received a greater amount of gold equivalent to the size of what he had given. However, he only wanted to receive and not give, so he received a blessing as much as he deserved. Thus, he who does not make a habit of giving cannot give much and consequently cannot receive a great blessing.

The manner worthy of the gospel is to give love first

We are moved when we see our brothers and sisters deliver spiritual food every day and pray for those who are weak and help one another. Such a life―sharing love―is worthy of the gospel.

According to the word, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” try to find the way to give help to others and give as much as possible. ‘For God, for brothers, for all mankind, what can I do?’ If we diligently give, we will be able to humble ourselves and will have a broad mind.

We believe in the true God and seek the good of the people of the world, having the mind of Christ. When we give more love, our gospel work will be finished more quickly.

When God comes as Judge, we will be given rewards according to our deeds. Those who have given good things to others―those who have delivered God’s word to them―will be rewarded abundantly and commended by God.

As God’s children, we shall deliver God’s love to our neighbors by giving spiritual food, that is, the truth of salvation. In addition to preaching God’s word, we shall live a life worthy of the gospel every day. God bless you all heavenly people!