There is a reality to the underground churches around the world that believers in Western and other free countries do not have. We can easily go to a assembly meeting to just hear truths and think it was a nice messages or good worship. This concept is not in other meetings of God's people in closed countries where when they hear Scriptures it is for their obedience to follow in those ways. To hear a message just for the sake of a good message is foreign to these precious believers.
To these precious believers Jesus Christ is never a concept or idea but a living person to be obeyed and listened to. When they gather as Church they gather to Jesus Christ Himself, His present person and not to hear sermons about Him.
James 1:22 gives us this similar exhortation: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
The following is an excerpt from the soon to be released Principles from Underground Churches book:
"The Bible to North Koreans is a roadmap for living; It is a roadmap for their life and it should be for our life. It dictates to them what they do. We should let the Word dictate to us what we do. To just listen to a sermon and scripture and then to say "That was a nice message" is foreign to these believers. They desire to obey everything they hear.
The problem for us in the West, is that we think "right" doctrine will be the solution to have "life" but that is not the case. Of course if we have the Holy Spirit we will be led into all truth. But to seek after perfect theology doctrine in every area is not what the New Testament commands of us. But rather it exhorts us to be in communion with Jesus Christ and to follow and obey His commands. Jesus Christ did not tell us to be theologians, He told us to be followers of Him who embodied His truths and life, and then prove our faith by doing.
When we start reading the Bible based on our human wisdom we deny the faith and accuracy of scripture. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit men have been making up entire systems of beliefs with theological words that are used blasphemously and do not represent the truth nor the heart of God. We are then misled to believe such humanistic doctrines carry "life".
Life is not in a theological system nor interpretation; The life is in the Holy Spirit, in obedience to God and then carried out by doing to prove our faith in the word of God."
May we by the Lord's grace and command walk in these ways.
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“Christianity was birthed in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and will only continue as we have this empowering from above. God is always looking for the willing vessels that will trust Him afresh for the impossible.” from: Principles for the gathering of Believers under the Headship of Jesus Christ.Since 2012, a growing group of believers in North America started to warn of coming persecution to western countries. This message was shared in a variety of ways. One of the responses to this was to compile a book taking principles from underground Churches around the world of how they thrived under pressure and persecution. The volume, Principles for the Gathering of Believers, had in a short time over 50,000 downloads in ebook format and much interest was shown. Some new house churches started through this and other existing groups were encouraged.