A God at War with a Former Employee?

SCJ’s materials describe Satan as “a guardian cherub in heaven” who “began to desire to be like God, to be in charge. And so, the unity in the spiritual realm was shattered, and war erupted.”

They claim this war has raged for 6,000 years with God unable to secure victory. But what does Scripture actually say?

Colossians 2:15 declares: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

The war is already won! 1 John 3:8 states: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” Not “to begin a long struggle” but “to destroy.”

Jesus Himself declared in John 12:31: “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.”

The God Who Abandons: SCJ’s Doctrine of Divine Departure

The Cycle That Binds God

According to SCJ’s teaching, God operates within an eight-step pattern that He seemingly cannot escape:

“What was planted before must be pulled out and the new must be planted. This is being born again (Jer 1:10, 1 Pt 1:23). This is destroying the old house and making a new house.”

They present Jeremiah 1:10 as evidence: “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

But let’s read Jeremiah 1:10 in context. God is appointing Jeremiah as a prophet to deliver messages of both judgment and restoration. This isn’t about God being trapped in a cycle – it’s about God using His prophet to announce His sovereign plans. The uprooting and planting aren’t failures and retries; they’re purposeful acts of divine judgment and mercy.

Consider what God actually says about Himself in Malachi 3:6: “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” If God doesn’t change, how can He be bound by repetitive cycles of failure?

SCJ’s Portrait of a Struggling Deity

In SCJ theology, God is portrayed not as the sovereign ruler of all creation, but as a deity constantly battling against Satan in what appears to be an evenly matched conflict. Their materials reveal a God who:

• Is trapped in repetitive cycles of creation, betrayal, judgment, and starting over
• Must follow the same eight-step pattern in each era because previous attempts failed
• Is repeatedly forced to abandon His chosen people when Satan successfully corrupts them
• Cannot maintain His presence where betrayal occurs
• Has been unable to achieve victory for 6,000 years despite multiple attempts
• Is dependent on human vessels (promised pastors) to carry out His work

This portrayal raises a critical question: Is this the all-powerful, sovereign God described in Scripture?

The Betrayal-Destruction-Salvation Pattern

SCJ teaches that throughout history, God has been forced to abandon humanity repeatedly:

– He left Adam after the fall

– He departed from Noah’s descendants

– He abandoned Israel in the wilderness

– He left the temple before the Babylonian exile

– He departed from the Jews who rejected Jesus

But Scripture tells a different story. Even after Adam’s sin, God came walking in the garden, calling out “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). He didn’t abandon Adam; He provided covering for their nakedness and promised a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15, 21).

When Israel rebelled in the wilderness, God declared in Leviticus 26:44-45: “Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the Lord their God.”

The Biblical God says in Hebrews 13:5: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” But SCJ’s God must leave whenever betrayal occurs.

The Biblical God’s Sovereignty

Compare SCJ’s struggling deity with the God of Scripture:

Job 42:2: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

Psalm 115:3: “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.”

Daniel 4:35: “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?'”

Is this a God locked in a 6,000-year stalemate? Or is this the Sovereign Lord who works all things according to His will (Ephesians 1:11)?

The Diminished Christ: Jesus as Phase One

SCJ’s Two-Phase Jesus

In SCJ theology, Jesus’s work is incomplete. Their materials state:

 

“Jesus = Master (Spirit) → Opens and Fulfills”

“New John = Servant (Flesh) → Witness and Advocate (Sees and Hears)”

They teach that Jesus, being spirit, needs a physical servant (implied to be Lee Man Hee, their “New John”) to complete His work. Jesus planted seeds 2,000 years ago, but the harvest requires someone else.

Jesus is Not God in SCJ Teaching

Critically, SCJ does not teach that Jesus is God incarnate as traditional Christianity understands. In their view, Jesus is merely a “promised pastor” for his particular era—essentially holding the same position as Lee Man Hee does today, just in a different time period. Jesus is seen as a vessel or representative of God’s plan, not God Himself.

This fundamentally contradicts passages like John 1:1-14 which states “the Word was God… and the Word became flesh,” or Colossians 2:9: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

But what does Scripture say about Jesus’s completed work?

John 19:30: “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

“It is finished” – Greek “Tetelestai” – means paid in full, completed, accomplished. Not “phase one complete,” but “IT IS FINISHED.”

Hebrews 10:12-14: “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

One sacrifice. Made perfect. Forever. Not phase one of a two-phase plan.

The Biblical Jesus: Fully Sufficient

Colossians 2:9-10: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.”

Hebrews 7:25: “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Save completely. Not partially. Not pending phase two. Completely.

The Missing Spirit: SCJ’s Redefined Holy Spirit

Where Is the Holy Spirit in SCJ’s System?

Remarkably, in all their discussion of God’s work, the Holy Spirit as traditionally understood is absent from SCJ materials. SCJ does not teach the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity but instead refers to multiple “holy spirits” or “spirits of truth” that need physical vessels to operate through.

In SCJ theology, these spirits work through chosen human vessels—primarily the promised pastors of each era. The “spirit of truth” is not understood as the Holy Spirit of traditional Christianity but as a spiritual force that requires human conduits like Lee Man Hee.

But Scripture presents the Holy Spirit as:

The Teacher – “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

Notice: The Holy Spirit will teach you ALL things. Not “some things until Lee Man Hee explains the rest.”

The Guide – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).

All truth. Available to all believers. Not reserved for one special interpreter in South Korea.

The Seal – “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13).

SCJ’s Rejection of the Trinity

SCJ explicitly rejects the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Their materials emphasize that “God is one” and dismiss the concept of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing as three persons in one Godhead.

Instead, they present a hierarchical structure where:

• God is the supreme being
• Jesus was a human vessel used by God for a specific era
• Lee Man Hee is the current human vessel used by God for this era
• Multiple spirits operate as messengers or forces, not as divine persons

This directly contradicts foundational Christian teachings about God’s nature as expressed in passages like Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, and 1 Peter 1:2.

The God Who Sanctions Deception: SCJ’s “Wisdom of Hiding”

One of the most troubling aspects of SCJ’s portrayal of God is their concept of the “wisdom of hiding” or “heavenly deception.” This teaching suggests that God not only permits but encourages deception when it serves His purposes.

SCJ members are taught that concealing their identity, lying about their affiliation, and using deceptive recruitment tactics are justified because they are following biblical patterns. They cite examples like Joshua’s spies entering Jericho under false pretenses or Jesus speaking in parables to “hide” truth from those not meant to understand.

This doctrine directly contradicts the biblical portrayal of God as the source of all truth. Scripture declares that “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5) and that “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18). Jesus identified Himself as “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), not “the way, the strategic deception, and the life.”

Satan, not God, is described as “the father of lies” (John 8:44). When SCJ teaches that God sanctions deception for a greater purpose, they attribute to the Holy One the very character of His adversary.

The biblical pattern is clear and consistent: God’s people are called to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully” (Ephesians 4:25) and to conduct themselves “with integrity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God” (2 Corinthians 1:12).

A God who sanctions deception is not the God revealed in Scripture. He is a human invention that justifies unethical practices for organizational growth.

The Exclusive Interpreter: Lee Man Hee’s Claimed Monopoly

One Man’s Supposed Exclusive Access

SCJ teaches that only Lee Man Hee can properly interpret Scripture because he alone has “eaten the opened scroll” of Revelation 10 and become the promised “New John.” Their materials emphasize repeatedly that traditional Christianity has been wrong for 2,000 years.

But what does Scripture say about understanding God’s Word?

1 John 2:27: “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Notice: Scripture equips the servant (singular) of God. Not just one special servant, but every servant.

The Berean Test Turned Upside Down

SCJ loves to quote Acts 17:11 about the Bereans examining Scripture. But they’ve turned this verse on its head. The Bereans tested Paul’s teaching against Scripture they already understood. They didn’t need Paul to unlock Scripture’s meaning; they used Scripture to verify Paul’s message.

Isaiah 8:20: “Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.”

The standard is God’s Word, not a human interpreter’s special revelation.

The Conditional Salvation: Working for Your Wheat Status

SCJ’s Performance-Based Acceptance

Throughout their materials, SCJ emphasizes:

• You must understand the parables correctly
• You must be born of the right seed (their teaching)
• You must endure to the end
• You must be sealed with their interpretation
• You must prepare your lamp, oil, and wedding clothes
• You must complete their Bible study program (typically 9 months)
• You must pass their tests and examinations

They quote Matthew 13:30: “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

Their interpretation: Only those who receive and understand their specific teaching become wheat.

Salvation’s Limited Accessibility

This raises serious questions about salvation’s accessibility in SCJ’s system:

• What about those with intellectual disabilities who cannot understand complex parables?
• What about those who die before completing the 9-month course?
• What about those in remote areas without access to SCJ teachers?
• What about those with financial constraints who cannot attend regular classes?
• What about those struggling with addictions or mental health issues?
• What about those who are elderly or terminally ill with limited time?

If salvation depends on completing SCJ’s program, understanding their specific interpretations, and passing their tests, it becomes unavailable to many whom Scripture says Christ died for.

The Parent’s Heart vs. SCJ’s Conditional Love

Imagine a parent with a child who has autism, Down syndrome, or another disability. Would that parent abandon their child because they aren’t developing according to expectations? Would they say, “I don’t have patience to wait for you to change; I need to find someone else who can understand me better”?

Of course not. A loving parent embraces their child exactly as they are, providing extra support, patience, and unconditional love. They don’t set impossible standards or abandon their child for not meeting arbitrary benchmarks.

Yet SCJ portrays God as doing exactly that—repeatedly abandoning His people when they fail to understand or meet His expectations. This contradicts the very nature of God’s love as described in Scripture, where He is compared to a father who runs to embrace his wayward son (Luke 15:20) and a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost (Matthew 18:12-14).

Jesus came precisely because humanity was broken, imperfect, and unable to save itself. He reached the unlovable, touched the untouchable, and welcomed those whom society had rejected. As Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12).

Why Target Christians?

SCJ specifically targets Christians rather than focusing on the unreached. Their materials suggest that existing Christians are deceived and need to be “harvested” from “Babylon” (their term for traditional churches).

This raises a question: If salvation is truly their goal, why focus on converting those who already believe in Christ rather than reaching those who have never heard the gospel?

The Biblical Gospel of Grace

But Scripture proclaims a different message:

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Romans 10:9-10: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

No mention of understanding symbolic prophecies. No requirement to identify the correct interpreter. Simply believe and confess.

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Whoever believes. Not whoever correctly interprets. Not whoever joins the right group. Whoever believes.

The Testimony Twist: Redefining God’s Word

SCJ’s Word Plus Testimony Formula

SCJ teaches: “The Word (the Bible, prophecy) and the testimony (actual reality) must be together. When combined, they provide a complete understanding of God’s will.”

By “testimony,” they mean Lee Man Hee’s claimed experiences and interpretations. They argue that Scripture alone is incomplete without his special witness.

Scripture’s Self-Sufficiency

But God’s Word declares its own sufficiency:

Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

The Word itself is the lamp. It doesn’t need Lee Man Hee to flip the switch.

2 Peter 1:19: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

Completely reliable. Not partially reliable until someone explains it.

God’s Conditional Presence: The SCJ Explanation

Why Does God Leave in SCJ Theology?

SCJ teaches that God repeatedly leaves His people due to betrayal. Their materials explain:

• God establishes a covenant with a chosen people
• Those people eventually betray the covenant
• God must leave because He cannot remain where sin/betrayal exists
• Satan takes over the abandoned group
• God must find a new vessel/people to work through
• The cycle repeats

This pattern supposedly explains why God left Israel, then the early church, and now traditional Christianity. According to SCJ, God has now established His presence with them as the final chosen group before the end.

The SCJ Justification

SCJ justifies this view by citing passages like Ezekiel 10 (God’s glory departing the temple) and Revelation 18:4 (“Come out of her, my people”). They argue that God’s holiness requires Him to abandon groups that fail to maintain perfect obedience.

They further claim that this pattern explains why Christianity has so many denominations—each represents a failed attempt where God had to leave and start over.

The Inconsistency of SCJ’s “Abandonment” Theory

If God truly abandons people when they betray Him, why didn’t He abandon humanity entirely after Adam’s sin? Why didn’t He abandon Noah’s family after Ham’s disrespect? Why didn’t He abandon the Israelites after they worshipped the golden calf?

In fact, God could have started over with just Noah and his family—eight people on a boat. He could have taught them directly, established a perfect relationship, and avoided thousands of years of human failure. But He didn’t.

Instead, the Bible shows God repeatedly extending grace, offering second chances, and demonstrating patience with His people. As 2 Peter 3:9 states: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

What Constitutes “Betrayal” in SCJ’s System?

SCJ claims John the Baptist betrayed Jesus because he expressed doubt from prison. Yet Jesus’ own disciples repeatedly demonstrated doubt, misunderstanding, and even denial:

• Thomas refused to believe in the resurrection without physical proof (John 20:24-29)
• Peter denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62)
• After the crucifixion, the disciples abandoned their mission and returned to fishing (John 21:3)
• Even after the resurrection, some disciples still doubted (Matthew 28:17)

If doubt equals betrayal, then every disciple betrayed Jesus. Yet Jesus didn’t abandon them—He restored them, empowered them, and entrusted His mission to them.

Why Did Jesus Allow Christianity to “Fall Into Darkness”?

According to SCJ, Jesus allowed the early church to fall into darkness almost immediately after His ascension. They claim false teachings corrupted Christianity when “the enemy planted weeds in the field,” requiring a 2,000-year wait until the field was ready for harvest through Lee Man Hee.

But this raises profound questions:

• Why would Jesus establish a church only to let it immediately fail?
• Why would He promise that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18), then allow it to be completely overcome?
• Why would He send the Holy Spirit to guide believers into all truth (John 16:13), only to have that guidance fail for two millennia?
• Why would He allow countless millions to perish without access to the true gospel for 2,000 years?
• If the early church was corrupted so quickly, how can we trust the New Testament itself, which was compiled by that same supposedly corrupted church?

SCJ’s explanation creates more theological problems than it solves, portraying a God who is either unwilling or unable to preserve His truth among His people—directly contradicting Jesus’ promises.

The Biblical Reality of God’s Faithfulness

However, Scripture presents a dramatically different picture:

Romans 11:1-2: “I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.”

Hebrews 13:5: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'”

Matthew 28:20: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

God disciplines His people, but He does not abandon them. Even Israel’s exile was temporary, with God promising restoration. His commitment is unconditional even when His people fail.

The Parable Paradigm: SCJ’s Justification for Exclusive Interpretation

Why Only Parables?

SCJ teaches that God only works through parables and figurative language to:

• Prevent Satan from knowing God’s plans
• Test who truly belongs to God (only those who understand correctly)
• Avoid misinterpretation by unauthorized teachers
• Ensure that only the promised pastor of each era can reveal truth

They claim this explains why Christianity has been confused for 2,000 years—no one had the proper “key” to unlock these parables until Lee Man Hee.

The Control Mechanism

This system creates a perfect control mechanism:

• Only SCJ has the correct interpretations
• Any disagreement proves you’re not “wheat”
• Questioning their teaching means you’re influenced by Satan
• Independent Bible study is discouraged as potentially dangerous

This effectively makes Lee Man Hee’s interpretation the final authority, above Scripture itself.

The Biblical Balance

While Jesus did teach in parables, He also explained:

Matthew 13:11-12: “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.”

Jesus explained parables to His disciples. He didn’t withhold understanding until a future “promised pastor” would arrive.

Furthermore, the apostles wrote plainly in their epistles, not exclusively in parables, so that believers could understand clearly.

The Question of Free Will: SCJ’s Micromanaged Faith

God’s Control vs. Human Freedom

SCJ’s system presents a God who must micromanage every aspect of faith:

• Every interpretation must be controlled
• Every teaching must be standardized
• Every member must learn the same content
• Every test must be passed with the same answers
• Every activity must be approved and monitored

This raises a fundamental question: Why would God create humans with free will only to demand such rigid conformity?

The Biblical View of Freedom

Scripture presents a different picture:

Galatians 5:1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

God values authentic relationship over programmed responses. He desires children, not robots—people who freely choose to love Him rather than being manipulated or coerced.

From the uploaded “Why God Allows Free Will.pdf” document:

“Would we understand love without the ability to choose? This question sits at the heart of why God allows free will. Imagine a world where every action is pre-programmed and every person obeys mechanically. There would be no conflicts or failures, but also no genuine love. God is not a dictator programming us to love Him out of fear.”

The article continues: “If love is coerced or forced, it ceases to be love at all… If a parent threatens a child into saying ‘I love you,’ the words are hollow. When the child, of their own free will, runs into the parent’s arms saying ‘I love you,’ it has meaning.”

This biblical understanding of free will directly contradicts SCJ’s system of rigid control and micromanaged faith.

The True Character of God: What Scripture Actually Reveals

The Unchanging, Faithful God

Numbers 23:19: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

This is not a God trapped in cycles, forced to repeatedly start over.

The Sovereign, Victorious God

Isaiah 14:24, 27: “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen… For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? 

His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?'”

Revelation 19:6: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.'”

Present tense. Reigns. Not “will reign after 6,000 years of struggle.”

The God of Completed Salvation

John 1:29: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'”

Takes away. Not “begins a process to possibly take away if you understand the symbols correctly.”

Romans 8:1: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Now. Present reality. Not future possibility dependent on correct interpretation.

The Deception Exposed: Two Completely Different Gods

The God of SCJ:

• Not triune – Rejects the Trinity
• Jesus is merely a vessel – Not God incarnate
• Holy Spirit is redefined – Multiple spirits needing vessels
• Trapped in patterns – Must repeat the same eight steps
• Repeatedly defeated – Forced to abandon His people when Satan succeeds
• Dependent on humans – Needs special interpreters to reveal truth
• Conditionally present – Only stays where perfect obedience exists
• Still struggling – 6,000 years without victory
• Incomplete savior – Jesus needs human help to finish His work
• Exclusive revelation – Truth available only through one man
• Salvation by works – Must complete their program and pass tests
• Abandons the imperfect – Has no patience for those who cannot understand

 

The God of Scripture:

• Triune – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• Jesus is God incarnate – “The Word was God… and became flesh”
• Holy Spirit is God – The third person of the Trinity
• Sovereign over all – “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19)
• Never defeated – “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37)
• Self-revealing – “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3)
• Ever-present – “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20)
• Already victorious – “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57)
• Complete Savior – “Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely” (Hebrews 7:24-25)
• Universal revelation – “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:9)
• Salvation by grace – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith” (Ephesians 2:8)
• Loves the unlovable – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

A Moment of Critical Reflection

Imagine you’re back in that SCJ classroom. The instructor draws another diagram – this time showing God leaving the temple, leaving Israel, leaving the churches. “God had to leave,” he insists. “Betrayal forced Him out.”

But open your Bible to Lamentations 3:22-23, written during Israel’s darkest hour of exile: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Even in judgment, God’s faithfulness remains. Even in exile, His compassions never fail.

Now flip to Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing. No betrayal, no deception, no failure can separate us from God’s love. This is not a God who must leave. This is a God who pursues us relentlessly.

Loving the Unlovable: The Heart of the Gospel

The most profound difference between SCJ’s portrayal of God and the biblical revelation is seen in how each approaches human weakness, failure, and imperfection.

Jesus came specifically to reach those who felt unworthy of salvation—those burdened by sin, shame, and the feeling that they were too far gone for redemption. He touched lepers whom society had abandoned. He spoke with dignity to women whom culture had marginalized. He ate with tax collectors and sinners whom religious leaders had condemned.

When the disciples failed to understand His teachings, Jesus didn’t abandon them for more capable students. When Peter denied Him three times, Jesus didn’t replace him with someone more loyal. When Thomas doubted the resurrection, Jesus didn’t dismiss him for lack of faith.

Instead, Jesus met each person exactly where they were—with patience, compassion, and transformative love. He demonstrated what He taught in the parable of the lost sheep: “And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off” (Matthew 18:13).

This is the heart of the gospel—not that we must achieve perfection to be worthy of God’s love, but that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Not that we must understand every parable correctly to be saved, but that salvation is a gift received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

SCJ’s God abandons those who fail to understand. The biblical God pursues them all the more.

Critical Questions for SCJ’s System

• Accessibility Question: If salvation requires completing a 9-month course and passing tests, what happens to those who die before finishing? What about those with intellectual disabilities?
• Consistency Question: If God must leave where betrayal exists, how can He remain anywhere, since “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)?
• Historical Question: If traditional Christianity has been wrong for 2,000 years, why did God wait so long to correct it? Did countless millions die without hope?
• Freedom Question: Why would God give humans free will only to demand such rigid conformity in interpretation and practice?
• Biblical Question: Why does SCJ’s interpretation require rejecting the plain meaning of so many scriptures about God’s faithfulness, Christ’s completed work, and the Holy Spirit’s role?
• Compassion Question: Would a loving parent abandon a child with autism, Down syndrome, or other disabilities because they cannot understand complex instructions? Why would God do what even human parents would find unthinkable?

The Ultimate Revelation: Who Is This God?

The Question That Matters

Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew 16:15: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus’s response is crucial: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).

Notice: The Father revealed this truth directly to Peter. Not through a special interpreter. Not through a “New John.” The Father Himself reveals His Son.

The True Gospel Message

Paul warns in Galatians 1:8-9: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

What was that original gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Simple. Complete. Sufficient.

Not “Christ began phase one, and now we need phase two through a special interpreter in South Korea.”

The Final Verdict: A Different God, A Different Gospel

The Wolves Among the Wheat

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:15: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

How do we recognize them? By their fruit. And what fruit does SCJ produce?

• Division of families
• Spiritual elitism
• Dependence on human interpretation
• Fear-based compliance
• Rejection of the sufficiency of Christ’s work
• Salvation accessible only through their program

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 11:4 ring prophetically true: “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”

The God Who Needs No Improvement

The God of the Bible needs no updates, no new revelations, no special interpreters. He declared in Revelation 22:18-19: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life.”

The revelation is complete. The victory is won. The Savior has finished His work.

Conclusion: The Call to True Discernment

As we close this journey through two vastly different portraits of God, let’s return to that classroom one final time. The instructor is explaining how you’ve been specially chosen, how your angel told God you were ready, how you’re the wheat finally being harvested after 2,000 years of confusion.

But step outside that room. Open your Bible without their interpretation guide. Read Jesus’s words in John 10:27-30:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

This is not a God who loses His sheep. This is not a God who must restart every few centuries. This is not a God who needs human help to accomplish His purposes.

The Shincheonji god is not the God of the Bible. He is smaller, weaker, more human. He fails where the true God succeeds. He leaves where the true God remains. He struggles where the true God reigns.

The apostle John, the real John, not a “New John,” gave us this assurance in 1 John 4:4: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Greater. Not struggling. Not failing. Not leaving. Greater.

This is our God – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God who became flesh in Jesus Christ. The God who sent His Holy Spirit to indwell believers. The God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Let no one convince you He needs improvement, reinterpretation, or human assistance. He is God, and there is no other. His word is sufficient. His work is complete. His victory is final.

And that, beloved, is the truth that sets us free – not from confusion about symbols and prophecies, but from sin and death itself. This is the God worthy of our worship, our trust, and our lives.

The wheat and the weeds may grow together, but we need not be confused about which is which. For the true God has given us His Word, His Spirit, and His Son – and these three witnesses agree: Salvation is complete in Christ alone.

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).

Not Lee Man Hee working in you. Not a special interpretation working in you. God Himself, through His Spirit, accomplishing His eternal purpose.

This is the Gospel. This is the Truth. This is the God of the Bible.

Anything else, no matter how cleverly disguised in Biblical language, is another gospel, another spirit, and ultimately, another god.

Choose this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD – the true Lord, revealed in Scripture, completed in Christ, and available to all who call upon His name.

The God Who Waits: Divine Patience vs. SCJ’s Impatience

SCJ’s portrayal of God as one who quickly abandons His people at the first sign of betrayal stands in stark contrast to the biblical picture of divine patience. Throughout Scripture, God is characterized as slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 103:8).

Consider the prophet Hosea, who was instructed to marry an unfaithful woman as a living illustration of God’s relationship with Israel. Despite Israel’s repeated spiritual adultery, God declares: “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?… My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused” (Hosea 11:8).

This is not a God eager to abandon His people. This is a God who pursues them relentlessly, even when they turn away from Him.

Isaiah 30:18 reveals: “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

God longs to be gracious. He rises up to show compassion. He waits patiently for His people to return.

In the New Testament, Jesus illustrates this divine patience in the parable of the fig tree. When the owner wants to cut down the unfruitful tree, the gardener pleads: “Sir, leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down” (Luke 13:8-9).

This is the God of the Bible—not quick to abandon, but patient, giving every opportunity for growth and repentance.

The Disciples’ “Betrayal” and Jesus’ Response

SCJ claims that doubt constitutes betrayal, pointing to John the Baptist’s questions from prison as evidence that he betrayed Jesus. By this standard, every disciple betrayed Jesus:

• When Jesus was arrested, “all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56)
• Peter denied knowing Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62)
• After the crucifixion, the disciples abandoned their mission and returned to fishing (John 21:3)
• Even after multiple resurrection appearances, “some doubted” (Matthew 28:17)
• Thomas refused to believe without physical proof (John 20:25)

If doubt and failure constitute betrayal warranting abandonment, Jesus should have left the disciples and found new representatives. Instead, His response reveals the true heart of God:

• He specifically appeared to Thomas, inviting him to touch His wounds (John 20:27)
• He restored Peter with the gentle question, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17)
• He commissioned these same “betrayers” to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8)
• He sent the Holy Spirit to empower them for ministry (Acts 2:1-4)

Jesus didn’t abandon those who failed Him. He restored them, empowered them, and entrusted His mission to them. This is the opposite of SCJ’s portrayal of a God who leaves at the first sign of imperfection.

The Noah Paradox: Why Not Start Fresh?

SCJ’s cycle of Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation raises a profound question: If God’s pattern is to abandon the unfaithful and start over, why didn’t He simply start fresh with Noah’s family?

After the flood, God had the perfect opportunity to establish an ideal relationship with just eight faithful people. He could have taught them directly, maintained perfect communion, and avoided thousands of years of human failure and divine disappointment.

Yet God chose a different path. He made a covenant with Noah that included all future generations (Genesis 9:9). He knew humanity would fail again—Noah himself became drunk and exposed shortly after the flood (Genesis 9:21)—yet God committed Himself to this imperfect humanity.

This reveals something profound about God’s character: He is not seeking perfect performance but genuine relationship. He values the process of redemption—the journey of bringing fallen humanity back to Himself—more than the efficiency of starting over with a clean slate.

This directly contradicts SCJ’s portrayal of a God who abandons His people at each failure and starts fresh with a new “promised pastor.” The biblical God is committed to His people through their failures, working patiently through history toward ultimate redemption.

The 2,000-Year Question: Why Wait So Long?

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of SCJ’s theology is the implication that God allowed Christianity to fall into darkness almost immediately after Christ’s ascension, leaving humanity without access to saving truth for nearly 2,000 years until Lee Man Hee received his revelation.

This raises devastating questions:

• Why would Jesus establish a church only to let it immediately fail?
• Why would He promise the Holy Spirit would guide believers into all truth (John 16:13), only to have that guidance fail for two millennia?
• What happened to the countless millions who lived and died during this supposed “dark period”?
• If the early church was so quickly corrupted, how can we trust the New Testament itself, which was compiled by that same supposedly corrupted church?

SCJ’s explanation—that the enemy planted weeds in the field, requiring a long wait until harvest—creates more problems than it solves. It portrays a God who is either unwilling or unable to preserve His truth among His people, directly contradicting Jesus’ promises:

“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).

“I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).

If these promises failed so completely that no one understood the truth for 2,000 years, how can we trust any of Jesus’ other promises?

The biblical narrative presents a very different picture: a God who works continuously through history, preserving His truth even amid human failure, and ensuring that “the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations” (Matthew 24:14) before the end comes.

Conclusion: The God Who Stays

In the end, the most fundamental difference between SCJ’s god and the God of the Bible is this: One leaves, the other stays.

SCJ portrays a god who abandons his people when they fail, who cannot maintain his presence where betrayal occurs, who must constantly start over with new vessels when old ones prove inadequate.

The Bible reveals a God who declares: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). A God who, even when disciplining His people, promises: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed” (Isaiah 54:10).

This is the God who became flesh and dwelt among us—not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). The God who, knowing His disciples would all abandon Him, loved them to the end (John 13:1). The God who, even while we were still sinners, died for us (Romans 5:8).

This is the God who stays.

And this God—the true God revealed in Scripture—requires no special interpreter, no exclusive organization, no performance-based acceptance. He offers salvation freely to all who believe, regardless of their intellectual capacity, social status, or physical condition.

His arms are open wide to embrace the prodigal, heal the broken, welcome the outcast, and love the unlovable.

This is the God worthy of our worship, our trust, and our lives.

Choose this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD—the God who stays.

Biblical Faith vs. SCJ’s Cycle of Abandonment

The Persistent Pattern of Divine Faithfulness

Throughout Scripture, we see a consistent pattern not of God abandoning His people, but of His enduring faithfulness despite human failure. From Genesis to Revelation, the biblical narrative showcases a God who remains steadfast in His commitment to humanity, even when they turn away from Him.

This stands in stark contrast to Shincheonji’s teaching that God repeatedly abandons His people when they fail, initiating a cycle of betrayal, destruction, and salvation that requires a new “promised pastor” for each era. According to SCJ, God has abandoned Christianity as a whole, leaving only their organization as the true church.

The Bible tells a different story. In Romans 11:1-2, Paul explicitly addresses this question: “I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.” Even when Israel was unfaithful, God maintained His covenant commitment.

The Compassion of Christ vs. SCJ’s Conditional Acceptance

Jesus demonstrated extraordinary patience with His disciples despite their failures. When Peter denied Him three times—an act that could certainly be classified as “betrayal”—Jesus didn’t abandon him but restored him to leadership (John 21:15-17). When Thomas doubted the resurrection, Jesus didn’t reject him but invited him to touch His wounds (John 20:27).

This compassionate approach extends to all who struggle. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He welcomed those society had rejected—the tax collectors, the sinners, the lepers, the mentally ill—showing that God’s love extends especially to those who are broken.

SCJ, however, presents a system where salvation depends on one’s ability to complete their program, understand their interpretations, and pass their tests. SCJ teaches that salvation comes through faith in their specific interpretation of prophecy and fulfillment, particularly regarding the book of Revelation. They require members to accept their organization’s exclusive claim to truth and their leader’s role as the appointed witness of Revelation’s fulfillment.

This creates a works-based system where salvation is tied to intellectual performance and organizational loyalty rather than faith in Christ alone. Their emphasis on testing, memorization, and accepting their particular interpretations creates barriers to salvation that are not found in Scripture.

The True Nature of Repentance

The Gospel message begins with repentance. Christianity calls upon us to change ourselves rather than focusing primarily on changing others. Our core prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, demands that we forgive other people, but preceding that is a request for our own forgiveness: “Forgive us our sins.” We must meditate on what we’ve done wrong and how we’ve fallen short before we can truly forgive others.

This biblical understanding of repentance stands in stark contrast to SCJ’s approach, which focuses on condemning all other Christian denominations while positioning themselves as the sole possessors of truth. True repentance is not about proving others wrong but acknowledging our own need for God’s mercy.

The Paradox of Noah: Why Not Start Fresh?

If God’s pattern truly were to abandon the unfaithful and start over, as SCJ teaches, the story of Noah presents a perfect opportunity that God chose not to take. After the flood, God had just eight faithful people with whom He could have established an ideal relationship, teaching them directly and avoiding thousands of years of human failure.

Instead, God made a covenant with Noah that included all future generations (Genesis 9:9), knowing humanity would fail again. This reveals something profound about God’s character: He values the process of redemption—the journey of bringing fallen humanity back to Himself—more than the efficiency of starting over with a clean slate.

This directly contradicts SCJ’s portrayal of a God who abandons His people at each failure. The biblical God commits Himself to working through human imperfection, not abandoning it for something supposedly better.

God’s Redemptive Plan: Recognition, Repentance, and Transformation

The biblical path to salvation begins with recognizing our sinful condition. Romans 3:23 states clearly that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This recognition requires humility—acknowledging that we cannot save ourselves through our own efforts or goodness. Without Christ, all people are spiritual nomads, searching for a place of true safety, security, and purpose.

This humility opens the door to genuine repentance. Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for our sins but turning away from them and toward God. Acts 3:19 instructs us to “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” This repentance is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of allowing Jesus to transform us from the inside out.

Genuine transformation—both personal and societal—begins with repentance, not with external conformity to religious systems or human authorities. The biblical pattern shows that God works through repentant hearts, not through perfect performance or adherence to human interpretations.

Salvation comes through faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, not through our own efforts. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes this clear: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” This contradicts SCJ’s emphasis on their specific program and interpretations as requirements for salvation.

However, genuine salvation produces transformation. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” This transformation is not instantaneous but progressive. We still struggle with sin, face temptation, and sometimes fail. Romans 7:15-25 describes this ongoing battle vividly. The difference is that believers now have the Holy Spirit empowering them to grow in holiness.

Accepting Christ doesn’t mean we can “do whatever we want and never sin.” Scripture is clear that we remain accountable for our actions. Galatians 6:7-8 warns: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” While our salvation is secure in Christ, our choices still have consequences—both in this life and in terms of eternal rewards.

Memorization vs. Transformation: The Echo Chamber Effect

SCJ members are required to memorize doctrinal positions, Bible verses, and interpretations as prescribed by their organization. This memorization is not merely encouraged but required for “sealing”—their concept of being marked for salvation. Members must pass tests demonstrating their knowledge of Lee Man Hee’s testimony and SCJ’s interpretation of Revelation.

This approach creates what can be described as an “echo chamber effect,” where members repeatedly hear, memorize, and recite the same interpretations without developing personal conviction or understanding. Rather than experiencing genuine transformation through a relationship with Christ, members conform to SCJ’s doctrinal scripts through constant repetition and testing.

True spiritual growth, however, involves personal conviction and transformation, not just memorization. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he emphasized that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Mere knowledge of doctrine without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit leads to legalism rather than life.

Genuine believers should be able to articulate their faith in personal terms, describing how their relationship with Christ has changed them from the inside out. Their testimony should reflect personal experiences of God’s grace and transformative power, not just rehearsed doctrinal statements. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:13, “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” True belief produces authentic expression, not scripted responses.

SCJ’s View of Conditional Salvation

SCJ teaches that salvation is conditional and can be lost at any moment. According to their doctrine, members must “endure until the end” by maintaining perfect adherence to their teachings and organization. Salvation is not secured at the moment of faith but is contingent upon remaining faithful to SCJ until the destruction of “Babylon” (which they identify as Christian churches) and the Wedding Banquet, when spirits and flesh are united for permanent salvation.

This view directly contradicts the biblical teaching of salvation by grace through faith. SCJ’s reasoning for conditional salvation stems from their interpretation of passages like Matthew 24:13 (“the one who stands firm to the end will be saved”) and Revelation’s warnings to the churches. However, they take these passages out of context, ignoring the broader biblical teaching on the security of believers in Christ.

SCJ justifies their works-based approach to salvation by emphasizing human responsibility to the exclusion of divine grace. They focus on passages that call believers to persevere without balancing them with passages that affirm God’s preserving power. This creates a system where members live in constant fear of losing their salvation if they question SCJ’s teachings or fail to meet their standards.

The biblical view, by contrast, presents a balanced understanding of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While Scripture calls believers to persevere in faith, it also assures us that God is faithful to complete the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). Our salvation ultimately depends not on our perfect performance but on Christ’s perfect sacrifice and God’s faithfulness to His promises.

The 2,000-Year Question: A Theological Impossibility

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of SCJ’s theology is the implication that God allowed Christianity to fall into darkness almost immediately after Christ’s ascension, leaving humanity without access to saving truth for nearly 2,000 years until Lee Man Hee received his revelation.

This creates an irreconcilable contradiction with Jesus’ own promises:

“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18)

“I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13)

If these promises failed so completely that no one understood the truth for 2,000 years, how can we trust any of Jesus’ other promises?

Furthermore, if the early church was so quickly corrupted, how can we trust the New Testament itself, which was compiled by that same supposedly corrupted church? The logical inconsistency is inescapable.

SCJ teaches that Revelation is being fulfilled today and that there is no time to wait. They position their leader as the appointed witness who must testify to what he has seen. This creates an urgency that pressures people to join their group immediately or risk missing salvation. 

Yet this contradicts Jesus’ clear teaching in Matthew 24:23-26: “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it… So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out.”

The Light That Cannot Be Extinguished

Throughout Scripture and church history, we see a profound truth: any attempt to extinguish the light of God’s truth only causes it to burn brighter. When Jesus was crucified, His enemies thought they had silenced Him forever, but His resurrection proved that the light of truth cannot be extinguished. 

As Jesus taught in the Beatitudes, God’s kingdom often works in ways that seem inverted to human logic—the meek inherit the earth, those who mourn are comforted, and those who are persecuted for righteousness receive the kingdom of heaven.

This principle directly contradicts SCJ’s narrative that the true faith was extinguished for 2,000 years until their organization emerged. Throughout history, despite persecution and opposition, the light of the gospel has continued to shine. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18), and history confirms that His promise has been kept.

The persistence of genuine faith throughout church history—evidenced by countless believers who demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit and transformed their societies through Christ-like love—testifies to the enduring presence of God’s Spirit in His church. This contradicts SCJ’s claim that Christianity was abandoned by God and became “the home of demons.”

The False Dichotomy of “Betrayal”

SCJ creates a false dichotomy where any questioning, doubt, or misunderstanding constitutes “betrayal” warranting God’s abandonment. They claim John the Baptist betrayed Jesus by expressing doubt from prison, despite Jesus’ own high praise of John (Matthew 11:11).

This standard would mean every disciple betrayed Jesus, as they all fled when He was arrested (Matthew 26:56), Peter denied Him three times (Luke 22:54-62), and even after the resurrection, some still doubted (Matthew 28:17).

Yet Jesus’ response was not abandonment but restoration. He specifically sought out these “betrayers,” commissioned them for ministry, and sent the Holy Spirit to empower them. This is the opposite of SCJ’s portrayal of a God who leaves at the first sign of imperfection.

SCJ repeatedly emphasizes a narrative of betrayal, destruction, and salvation. They teach that Satan invades and brings destroyers who force people to eat food sacrificed to idols, commit spiritual sexual immorality, or drink maddening wine. This creates fear that questioning their teachings or leaving their group will result in being counted among the “betrayers” who face destruction rather than salvation.

This fear-based approach keeps members in an echo chamber where they refuse to consider alternative interpretations of Scripture. Members are taught that entertaining different biblical perspectives means being “snatched by Satan” and losing their salvation. This creates a closed system where critical thinking about SCJ’s teachings is equated with spiritual betrayal.

The biblical approach is radically different. Jesus showed compassion to doubters and those who struggled with faith. He saw them not as enemies to be condemned but as broken people in need of help and healing. This compassionate approach reflects the heart of Christ, who came “not to condemn the world, but to save the world” (John 3:17).

Former members of Shincheonji have noted the psychological manipulation inherent in this teaching. By creating fear that questioning or leaving the group constitutes “betrayal” that will result in God’s abandonment, SCJ creates a powerful control mechanism that keeps members compliant through fear rather than genuine faith.

Christianity by Choice, Not by Cultural Conformity

True Christianity is not merely cultural conformity or religious routine—it’s a deliberate choice to follow Christ based on personal conviction. Many people grow up in Christian environments where faith becomes more about social conformity than personal relationship with God. They attend church, recite prayers, and participate in rituals without ever experiencing the transformative power of the Gospel.

Jesus addressed this issue with the religious leaders of His day, saying in Matthew 15:8-9: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” Cultural Christianity that lacks personal conviction and transformation is precisely what Jesus condemned.

However, SCJ’s claim that all of Christianity has been abandoned by God fails to account for the millions of genuine believers who have experienced authentic transformation through faith in Christ. These believers don’t just conform to religious traditions; they demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in their lives (Galatians 5:22-23), serve others sacrificially, and grow in Christlikeness through ongoing repentance and renewal.

When SCJ claims that “Christianity is the home of demons” and that “God has abandoned the churches,” they must explain how countless believers continue to experience conviction of sin, repentance, and transformation through the Holy Spirit’s work. 

Jesus Himself said in Matthew 12:25-26: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?”

If Christianity is truly Satan’s domain, as SCJ claims, why would Satan inspire Christians to repent of sin, love their enemies, serve the poor, and worship Jesus as Lord? 

This would be Satan working against his own interests—a theological impossibility according to Jesus’ own teaching. The conviction of sin that leads to repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8), not of demons.

“My Sheep Hear My Voice”

Jesus declared in John 10:27-28: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” This powerful statement affirms that true believers can recognize the voice of their Shepherd and distinguish it from the voice of strangers.

This ability to discern truth from falsehood is a gift of the Holy Spirit, not dependent on special training or organizational membership. 1 John 2:27 confirms this: “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

SCJ’s claim that only their members can truly understand Scripture contradicts this biblical teaching. If Jesus’ sheep recognize His voice, and millions of Christians throughout history have heard and followed that voice without SCJ’s interpretations, then SCJ’s exclusive claims cannot be valid. The Holy Spirit has been guiding believers into all truth for 2,000 years, just as Jesus promised.

Furthermore, Jesus warned about false prophets who would come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly be ferocious wolves (Matthew 7:15). He instructed us to recognize them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). When we examine the fruit of SCJ’s teaching—fear, exclusivity, and separation from other believers—we must question whether this aligns with the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The Inclusive Gospel vs. Exclusive Salvation

The biblical gospel is radically inclusive, offering salvation to “whoever believes” (John 3:16). Jesus criticized the religious leaders of His day for making access to God unnecessarily complicated: “You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Matthew 23:13).

SCJ, however, creates a system where salvation is accessible only through their organization and teaching. They teach that in order to receive salvation, one needs to go to the church where the “One who Overcomes” is found, establishes the 12 tribes, and sings the new song. They define this “word of truth” not as the general gospel message that has been preached for 2,000 years, but as their specific interpretation of Scripture. This creates a system where salvation is limited to those who receive their teaching, effectively making SCJ the exclusive gateway to God.

This contradicts the biblical teaching that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, not through special knowledge or organizational membership. Romans 10:9 states simply: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There is no mention of needing to join a specific organization or pass theological tests.

The Bible consistently teaches that salvation comes through Christ alone—not through human systems, organizations, or political movements. Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), and no human organization can claim exclusive access to Him. This stands in stark contrast to SCJ’s exclusivist claims.

This exclusivity creates particular challenges for those with disabilities, addictions, or other life circumstances that might make completing SCJ’s program difficult or impossible. Would a loving parent abandon a child with autism, Down syndrome, or other disabilities because they cannot understand complex instructions? Why would God do what even human parents would find unthinkable?

The biblical God is described as one who “gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young” (Isaiah 40:11). He makes special provision for the vulnerable, rather than creating systems that exclude them.

SCJ’s approach to salvation also contradicts the biblical teaching on the security of believers. While Scripture calls us to persevere in faith, it also assures us that our salvation is secure in Christ. Jesus said in John 10:28-29: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

In contrast, SCJ teaches that salvation can be lost if one fails to maintain their standards or rejects their teachings. They believe that Satan can “snatch” believers who are not properly “guarded” by SCJ’s teachings. According to their doctrine, salvation is only finalized at the “Wedding Banquet” when Jesus’ spirit and others join in a flesh and spirit union. Until then, members must constantly work to maintain their salvation through perfect adherence to SCJ’s interpretations.

This creates a system of fear and performance rather than the “perfect love [that] drives out fear” described in 1 John 4:18. Members live in constant anxiety about losing their salvation, which directly contradicts the assurance promised in Scripture.

Conclusion: The God Who Stays

In the end, the most fundamental difference between SCJ’s god and the God of the Bible is this: One leaves, the other stays.

SCJ portrays a god who abandons his people when they fail, who cannot maintain his presence where betrayal occurs, who must constantly start over with new vessels when old ones prove inadequate.

The Bible reveals a God who declares: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). A God who, even when disciplining His people, promises: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed” (Isaiah 54:10).

This is the God who became flesh and dwelt among us—not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). The God who, knowing His disciples would all abandon Him, loved them to the end (John 13:1). The God who, even while we were still sinners, died for us (Romans 5:8).

This is the God who stays.

Scripture reminds us that any attempt to extinguish the light of truth only causes it to burn brighter. Despite SCJ’s claim that true faith was extinguished for 2,000 years, the light of Christ has continued to shine through His faithful followers throughout history. As Jesus taught, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

God continued to show His wayward people astounding grace throughout Scripture. He led them to reinhabit the land, rebuild their war-charred city and temple, and restore the worship practices He had ordained. This pattern of restoration, not abandonment, is consistent throughout the Bible.

And this God—the true God revealed in Scripture—requires no special interpreter, no exclusive organization, no performance-based acceptance. He offers salvation freely to all who believe, regardless of their intellectual capacity, social status, or physical condition.

His arms are open wide to embrace the prodigal, heal the broken, welcome the outcast, and love the unlovable.

This is the God worthy of our worship, our trust, and our lives.

Choose this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD—the God who stays.