Handong International Law School

Christian Focus

The Christian focus of Handong International Law School emcompasses many dimensions.

It demands excellence in all things, as our lives are meant to honor God. This focus leads us into spiritual worship and praise, celebrating His glory and love. It calls us to a personal relationship with Christ as Lord and Savior, allowing His Spirit to mold us into new creations. It invites us to live lives of service to others and ignites a passion to share the "good news" of our resurrected Lord's love, grace, and His Kingdom.

Objective truth and reality exist not only in the scientific and technological realms but also the moral and spiritual spheres. All aspects of life fall under God's sovereignty and redemption; therefore, both our intellectual pursuits and moral character are integral to our commitment to God, requiring our highest energies and passions as we seek wisdom.

Creation, as the work of God, demands respect for life, recognition of the divine image in every person, and awe at the intricate design of the Creator. Our legal systems should reflect these truths. Yet, evil and sin corrupt personal, institutional, and national life, reflecting humanity's resistance to accountability before God as His creation.

While the law is meant to be an instument of justice and peace, it can be distorted and become a vehicle of previlege and discrimination. When corrupted, the law loses its moral authority, inviting disrepect, disobedience, and even rebellion. Pursuing justice at every level is an act of faithfulness to God and a form of worship. Religious rituals are meaningless to God when not accompanied by justice and righteousness. Christ calls lawyers to use their knowledge and skills to be not only advocates and counselors but also peacemakers and healers in a world tragically torn by hatred, division, and bitterness.

All of life, including the study and practice of law, fall under the Lordship of Christ and should be approached with a spirit of obedience, love, and humility. Positions of trust and responsibility in public and private life are to be undertaken as servants of God and of our "neighbors". Government, when properly framed and exercised, is a gift from God for public order and a healthy society. However, when government is not subject to moral standards and priciples of justice, it is subject to prophetic denunciation and God's judgement.

The gracious love of God, supremely demonstrated in Jesus Christ, invites us to experience forgiveness and redemption, acknowledging that only by His grace and can we find peace and wholeness. This experience transforms not only our personal lives but also the way we understand and engage in our work and professions.

God calls us to lives of integrity, consistency, honesty, and purity in both personal and professional spheres. His Spirit leads us, sometimes consciously, other times through natural or divine gifts and opportunities, into specific arenas of vocation and calling. This allows us to be used for His purposes and the furtherance of His Kingdom.

Our Lord taught that the highest way is love, and that all other gifts are hollow without it. This love must be demonstrated toward all people, regardless of their social, racial, ethnic, or religious identity.