5. Why be martyred?

From the sermon on October 16, 2005

Christians who believe that they will go to the kingdom of heaven after they die might misunderstand my words entirely when I preach that no one has gone to the kingdom of heaven. After all, if I am not with Holy Spirit, how dare I make such claims?

Why can’t we, believers, go to the kingdom of heaven? If not, where are the souls who have died so far? The time to save people who are qualified for salvation and to reward people who are deserving of punishment will come. But the time has not come yet until the last day is reached.

Our Christ said to his beloved disciples and believers, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of

all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (John 6:39). If the requirements for the last day are not accomplished, the covenant of Christ and the blessed words of God in the Bible will not be fulfilled.

There is a passage about this in Hebrews. “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool,” (Heb. 10:12-13) quoting David’s prophecy. As David wrote God’s words for Jesus “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet” (Ps. 110:1), the Christ became a priest in the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4).

Now I’d like to explain why we cannot go to the kingdom of heaven now even though we believe in Jesus. Our Christ said to Peter, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt. 16:18) and “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). Peter did not understand