Opening My Spiritual Eyes: From Darkness to Light

I spent my entire life in spiritual darkness. Two years ago, however, God opened my eyes with the light of truth and delivered me from the darkness.

For seventeen years, I served as an assistant pastor in a Protestant church and received theological training in various institutions. Throughout that time, I was taught that Jesus was the only Savior. Following what I had been taught, I also instructed my congregation that anyone claiming there was another Savior other than Jesus was a liar.

One day, I met a member of the Church of God who had come to my neighborhood to preach the word of the Bible. He asked, “Do you believe in God? If so, shouldn’t you keep His commandments?” I confidently replied that I did. I explained—with absolute certainty—that teachings such as “Do not steal,” “Do not murder,” “Be humble,” and “Speak kindly” were God’s commandments. But then came an unexpected response that completely shook me: I was told that moral teachings alone are not the entirety of God’s commandments. Seeing how surprised I was, he introduced me to the New Covenant Passover, established by Jesus Himself.

It is said that if someone who has lived in darkness for a long time is suddenly exposed to bright light, they may be blinded. In the same way, despite having read the Bible countless times, I had never truly known the Passover. When I first heard about it, doubt naturally arose within me. Remembering Jesus’ warning that false prophets would arise in the last days to deceive even the elect, I became wary, wondering whether this person might be a false prophet. Yet, I could not turn away from the words plainly recorded in the Bible. Driven by a growing curiosity, I decided to listen more closely what they had to say.

After two months of studying the Bible with the pastoral staff of the Church of God, I came to realize that this church teaches only what is written in the Bible. The framework of belief that I once thought was unshakable completely collapsed. Jesus’ parable of the weeds—where the enemy sows weeds among the wheat until the field is overrun—took on a startling new significance. I realized that the world is currently filled with those who practice lawlessness—and shockingly, I was one of them. I had always believed I was a prophet called to teach God’s word and lead His people, but in reality, I was ignorant of the very prophecies I claimed to know. In particular, the words of Revelation 22:18–19 pierced my heart, warning us never to add to or take away from God’s word. I realized that, far from obeying Him, I had spent my life adding my own thoughts and taking away His truths. I had set worship times according to my own will and followed man-made traditions in the name of Jesus, all while priding myself on being a faithful believer. Faced with the weight of my errors, I was so overwhelmed by guilt that I could not even lift my head.

With a humble heart, I began to study the Bible again from the very basics. It became undeniable that the Church of God—which keeps the New Covenant Sabbath, the Passover, Pentecost, and the Festival of Tabernacles exactly as Jesus taught two thousand years ago—is the true church. As I realized that the age has changed into the age of the Holy Spirit, I examined the prophecies concerning the Savior of this age and their fulfillment one by one. This led me to the firm conviction that the Spirit and the Bride, who give the water of life, are God in the flesh. Understanding that we can only recognize Heavenly Mother through Heavenly Father, I accepted in my heart that Jerusalem Mother in Korea is truly God. At last, I resolved to leave my former church and go to Zion.

Before I left, however, I felt a deep responsibility to share the truth with my congregation. I stood before them and spoke of the Savior of this age, but not a single person would accept it; instead, they complained to the senior pastor. The pastor called me in and rebuked me for listening to teachings taught by others. I asked him how the church could baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit if he did not even know the name of the Holy Spirit. He could not answer. When I urged him to listen to the words of the Bible, he refused, even threatening to drive away anyone who came to preach such things. Witnessing those who claimed to believe in God refuse even to consider listening to His words, I was reminded once again that they were teaching falsehood. My resolve to go to Zion became unshakable.

I shared my decision with my family. In truth, they had been far from supportive when I first began studying at the Church of God. My wife, in particular, was strongly opposed. She was so resistant that she didn’t want members visiting our home and even insisted I keep my phone turned off. Her opposition was partly practical; she worried that by leaving my position, I would lose the various benefits I had received as an assistant pastor. By God’s grace, however, her heart gradually softened. When I told her that I intended to be baptized, she declared, “Don’t go alone. We will look into it, too. If it is indeed the truth, we will join you.” My wife, my son and daughter, and my son-in-law all began studying the truth at Zion. As God opened their spiritual eyes, they too humbly accepted the truth. In the end, all six of us received the blessing of new life on the very same day.

As I delved deeper into the prophecies concerning the Savior of this age, my heart broke to learn that Heavenly Father had come to this earth in the flesh and walked a path of suffering for thirty-seven years for my salvation, and that Heavenly Mother continues to sacrifice Herself for me even now. Realizing, even in small measure, the magnitude of Their sacrifice for a sinner like me and the depth of Their love, I was overcome with a sorrow I could not contain. Though I am a child who can never fully repay such boundless love, I sincerely asked for forgiveness from Heavenly Father and Mother.

Repenting of my past, when I led many people down the wrong path, I began sharing the truth of salvation with my family and neighbors. As I devoted my heart and soul to sharing the word with each person, one by one, many of our lost heavenly family members were found. In just two months, God graciously allowed a pre-branch church to be established in my village. Today, more than forty members of Zion gather in unity. The villagers are astonished, remarking that while the church I once served has seen its numbers dwindle, the Church of God has grown so rapidly that it can only be described as a miracle. I firmly believe that this is the work of the Holy Spirit according to God’s prophecy.

I was once spiritually blind—unable to see even though I had eyes. Although I had studied the Bible incessantly, I had not grasped even a single truth. Yet, because Heavenly Father and Mother opened my eyes, I was able to recognize the Saviors of this age, the Spirit and the Bride. I give eternal thanks to God Elohim for revealing the mystery of salvation—which remained hidden to me despite decades in the church—and for granting me the privilege of preaching the gospel.

I earnestly pray that my family and I may remain steadfast in our faith so that we may enter the kingdom of heaven together. Just as my own spiritual eyes were opened, I pray that those still lingering in darkness, unable to discern truth from falsehood, may also be granted sight. From this moment on, I resolve to be a true prophet of Zion, sharing the truth of the new covenant and the Saviors of this age with my family, relatives, and neighbors. My heart is full of joy and gratitude to God Elohim, who led me to the path of salvation and continues to uphold and guide me every step of the way.