Chancellor's Message

The Cornerstone

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.”

Psalm 118:22-24

Cornerstone International University (CIU) underscores our belief that Jesus is the cornerstone the builders of today’s China and North Korea rejected. The enforced belief systems of today’s China and North Korea excludes the belief in Jesus Christ as Lord of all and Savior of mankind. In place of Christ the Cornerstone, the sinization of China seeks to modify any belief system by Chinese influence while Juche, which means self-reliance follows Marxism for North Korea.

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So, we reach out to every Chinese person and North Korean person to say with the Word of God through the Apostle Peter: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed’” (1 Peter 2:4-8). However, the Bible makes very clear over and over again that Jesus, the Christ is that stone as he himself reminds us in His Word repeatedly while challenge any human being who will hear, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? (See Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11 and 1 Peter 2:7).

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For you Christians in China and North Korea of the twenty first century know that Peter was writing to Christians in the first century who were also suffering persecution like you are today. They needed something more than the material things of this life in which to place their trust and on which to build their lives and so do you. In these verses, the inspired apostle Peter pictured Jesus as a stone which was rejected by men but chosen by God and could serve as a solid foundation for their faith and hope. Likewise, for you servants of God in North Korea and China picture Jesus as a stone which was rejected by men but chosen by God and could serve as a solid foundation for your faith and hope. And for each of you living outside of North and China help us all to build our lives on the solid rock, the chief cornerstone, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and join us in prayer and any way you can to support our brothers and sisters in these two nations. That is what Cornerstone International University is seeking to do. Join us on this mission.

On my desk, as I am reflecting and writing this message, before me is a replicated piece of cloth sent to a worker by a North Korean Christian who went back to North Korea after accepting Jesus in China. This cloth is written with a request for Bible study for an evangelized North Korean who will be sent to the workers. The Korean word on the cloth says: “Teacher Lim, I’m sending a student to you whom I secretly shared the gospel with.

Now she is a believer and she shares the gospel to others with me. She is smart and can be trusted. Although knowing that her life will be at risk, she has made a decision to study the Bible. Please teach her well so she will become our coworker and become our family, Caution and care is needed since It is her first time going to China, as she is scared. As for me, I’ve arrived safely.”

It is worth it all because Jesus is called a living stone in the Word of God.  Though He was dead He is now alive. As we read in the inspired words of the Apostle John: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18).

The reference to Jesus as a living stone, then, is related to the fact that He was raised from the dead.  Jesus is the foundation stone. So, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ and the blessings will come down.