The purpose of this Reddit post here is to have it translated into various languages.
MHL’s Audacious Claims: Rewriting Revelation and Elevating Himself Above Jesus
u/lady-intp
EX-Shincheonji Member
Teaching/Doctrine
Hello!
I was inspired by a commenter on a recent post to delve deeper into the many titles MHL claims for himself in SCJ. Their perspective sheds light on some core issues. Here’s the original comment from a pastor who left SCJ (source: Reddit comment):
Pastor’s Comment:
“Regarding your statement about ‘Questioning Salvation,’ this is actually one of their core doctrines. I’m a Pastor and had been attending class as a part of U.S. Seminary this past several months. I understood the teaching but didn’t always agree with everything and was in constant prayer that the Lord would guard my heart to the truth of His Word. It wasn’t until recently that they began to really deviate from Scripture.”
Yes, SCJ claims they “deceive to protect,” but the truth is they obscure the requirement to go through the “promised pastor” to get to Jesus. The pastor’s comment continues:
Pastor’s Comment (cont.):
“Regarding salvation, according to their teaching, due to the open Word provided by the ‘promised pastor,’ salvation is now obtained by receiving the open Word, flocking to Mount Zion, and strictly following the teaching of the ‘he who overcomes.’ This is not the Gospel taught by Jesus, the apostles, and throughout the New Testament. Paul, in Galatians 1, speaks to how if an angel or even themselves come teaching a different Gospel, let them be accursed. This is absolutely a different Gospel.”
In many ways, MHL is elevated to a position equal to or above Jesus.
Titles Claimed by MHL:
- Promised Pastor
- The New John
- Overcomer (One Who Overcomes) in Revelation 2 and 3
- One who wrote the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2
- One of the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11
- The Advocate or the Counselor
- The Faithful and Wise Servant (Matthew 24)
- The Reality of the New Testament
- The Messenger of Revelation 1
- High Priest of the 12 Tribes
- The Tree of Life
- The Spiritual Father (Spiritual Adam)
- The Light of the World (this one is straight bait)
- The One Who Seals the 144,000
- The Messenger of Jesus
- The Angel in Revelation 10
- The Tabernacle Temple Leader
- The Mouthpiece of God
- The One Who Fulfills Prophecy
- The One Who Went Up to Heaven in Revelation 4
- The One in Front of God’s Throne (Revelation 5)
- The Golden Censer (Revelation 8)
- The One Who Eats the Little Scroll (Revelation 10)
- The Seventh Trumpet (Revelation 11)
- The Male Child Born (Revelation 12)
- The White Horse That Jesus Rides (Revelation 9-11)
- The Bride of Christ (Revelation 19, 21)
- The Establisher of God’s Kingdom on Earth
- The Hailstone with a Talent Comparable to his Weight (Revelation 16:21)
Pastor’s Comment (cont.):
“The last class I attended, the instructor denied that Jesus is God. When asked if they were saying Jesus was just a man, they said yes. They also denied the Trinity as a whole. Which makes sense for their doctrine. In order to legitimize the teaching of MHL and convince people to follow him, they have to place him on the same level as Jesus. Since it would not be possible for him to achieve the level of God, they must bring Jesus down to his level—a man.”
This aligns with what MHL himself wrote in his book (which is literally titled) Revelation (pages 11-12) regarding Salvation:
“No one can come to Jesus, gain eternal life, or enter heaven, except through the one who overcomes. Salvation can only be obtained through: the one who overcomes.”
This is why SCJ hides its doctrine until members are fully committed. However, the Bible clearly states no man is the arbiter of salvation.
By the way— it’s no surprise that MHL titled his book Revelation rather than something less blasphemous like Commentary on Revelation. It’s not just ironic that MHL titled his book Revelation—it’s deeply revealing of his intentions. By claiming the title outright, he’s not just offering commentary; he’s making the audacious assertion that the biblical book of Revelation is, in fact, his. He’s positioning himself as its literal fulfillment and author in a spiritual sense, reading himself into the scripture as if the text was written about and for him. This goes beyond interpretation—it’s an outright claim of ownership over God’s Word.
Important: The “Three Covenants” Doctrine
SCJ teaches that Revelation represents a “third covenant,” which places the Cross in an awkward, diminished position. If Moses fulfilled the first covenant, and MHL claims to fulfill the “third covenant,” where does that leave Jesus’ work on the cross?
This doctrine leaves SCJ members uncertain about their salvation. But 1 John 5:13 says:
“So that you may KNOW that you have eternal life by belief in Me.”
God is clear: He does not require works to attain salvation. Your works are the fruit of your salvation, not the means to achieve it. Salvation comes through faith alone in Jesus Christ. SCJ’s doctrine flips this on its head, demanding works and obedience to MHL as prerequisites for salvation. But this is contrary to what the Bible teaches. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us:
“For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].”
Adding to this: SCJ’s parable book teaches that Jesus’ atonement doesn’t apply unless you understand their parables—a claim that is not scriptural!
On Denying the Trinity
When I asked my instructor why they disprove the Trinity, she responded, “If we didn’t, how would we explain MHL’s position in God’s plan?” While some Christian denominations question the Trinity’s origins in the Council of Nicaea, SCJ goes further, claiming Jesus is not divine but merely a man. This conveniently positions MHL on equal footing with Jesus.
It’s worth noting that Islam similarly claims that Jesus is merely a messenger/prophet, denying His divinity. However, no Christian should accept this view. Scripture makes it clear that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, and any doctrine reducing Him to merely a messenger or a man contradicts core Christian beliefs.
As if God would choose MHL, a sinful, adulterous narcissist to be on the same level as the Lamb who is without blemish. The Bible is clear: the second coming will be seen by every eye, not secretly revealed decades later.
A Suggestion for Those Considering Leaving SCJ
If you’re struggling with whether to leave SCJ, try this experiment:
- Visit any nearby church—denomination really doesn’t matter.
- Ask the pastor: “What would it take for you to turn me away? Is there something unacceptable to you?”
This might seem simple, but experiencing actual tolerance and openness can break the spiritual chains SCJ places on its members.
Genuine spiritual leaders will NEVER turn you away or dismiss your questions. Actual shepherds care about the salvation of your soul and will NEVER give up on you. It truly is about life and death to them, so they will not even bring up the possibility that you’ve “already made up your mind”, because your doubt doesn’t offend them.
SCJ’s teachings have clear contradictions to Scripture. They demand loyalty to a man instead of leading believers to Jesus. If you’re questioning your faith in SCJ, trust your instincts and seek the truth—you’ll find it outside of their walls.
Comments Section
u/Tesher777
You seem to know a lot about this cult, pastor. How long have you been in it for?
↳ u/lady-intp
The pastor’s name is: u/UnoMas3123. If you scroll to the top of this post you can see the link to his original comment 🙂
u/Alive_Friendship_895
EX-Center Student
I just cannot get over that he wrote his own book of Revelation. That’s terrible 😢 it’s far more of a blatant cult than I imagined before, especially this part: “No one can come to Jesus, gain eternal life, or enter heaven, except through the one who overcomes. Salvation can only be obtained through: the one who overcomes.” I can’t believe people don’t run for the hills when this is revealed to them. It’s complete blasphemy written by a man who has an unrelenting hunger for money, power, and control 😭😭😭
↳ u/lady-intp
Man Hee Lee wrote several books, which are the foundation of Shincheonji’s teachings. These include:
- The Creation of Heaven and Earth
- The Revelation of the Old and New Testaments
- The New Heaven and New Earth
- The Testimony on the Revelation of the Old and New Testaments by Chapter
- The Understanding of the New Covenant
- The Wisdom from Heaven: Parables and Prophecies
- The Secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven
I think people who are curious or intellectual can look into these books, but you don’t have to subject yourself to the rigid class rituals and the year-long study. Personally, I went on their YouTube channel and binged the education after I left to confirm I made the right choice, which gave me peace of mind. I wish more people knew they could become sovereign again and still research independently without staying in the group to “understand.”
Also, yes, MHL studied under someone and referred to him as “Lord,” but after that leader was diagnosed with schizophrenia, MHL essentially appointed himself as the new leader. Let’s not forget that while MHL is buying land in Korea with church funds, he’s also standing at graduation ceremonies telling people he’s a “humble farmer.”
↳ u/Alive_Friendship_895
I’m surprised he can still give a coherent speech at the ceremonies. Hopefully, we won’t be able to for much longer.
↳ u/lady-intp
The members say he’s getting younger! It’s like that.
u/Alive_Friendship_895
Wow, thank you for sharing this. I had no idea he wrote his own Bible. That’s so terrible 😢. Now I have a response to them when they say they only follow the Bible, not man’s opinion. Actually, no, they follow a man-written book.
u/Beginning_Durian_595
1 Extra: it is also claimed that LMH is the hailstone in (Rev 16:21), and they compare the ‘talent’ to his weight.
↳ u/lady-intp
Hey! I will add this rn!!! but I actually have no idea what you might be referencing because I didn’t make it that far. Wdym his weight? Like his weight? ⚖️
↳ u/Beginning_Durian_595
Excerpt from Page 400 of Lee’s book “The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation” ⬇️
3. Gigantic hailstones from heaven
One final plague remains with the pouring out of the seventh bowl: the plague of gigantic, one-talent hailstones. In the time of Moses, real hailstones mixed with blood came down from heaven. The hailstones in Revelation, however, are spiritual and refer to God’s word of wrath and the pastor who speaks these words on God’s behalf. The hailstones mixed with blood in Rv 8:7, the hailstones in God’s temple in Rv 11:19, and the hailstones coming down out of heaven in Rv 16:21 are all the same. The weight of these hailstones refers to the weight of the pastor who holds the word of wrath. The explanations of the other verses in Revelation that mention hailstones include several pertinent references.
↳ u/lady-intp
Thank you for the source, I’ve added it. The logic is wild: “gigantic, one-talent hailstones = MHL’s spiritual significance.” Who’s in charge of this? Some poor SCJ staffer with a clipboard and a holy scale? If he gains 1 pound, he ruins revelation for everyone, and nobody is saved 🤣
↳ u/Beginning_Durian_595
Ya, he needs a dietician to keep him up to par 😂. JkJk lol.
↳ u/Beginning_Durian_595
Ya, like Lee’s literal weight ⚖️ lol. Like being weighed on a literal scale weight.
u/Aggravating_Good1367
Thank you so much for posting this!!
At its core, there is no substance to SCJ. They literally are building recruitment robots, and you will find most SCJ Bible teachers don’t know the Bible. They are given a lesson plan designed by HQ in Korea to memorize, along with scriptures that are cherry-picked out of context to support their perspective. This is what they mold to suit the ‘hook’ of unsuspecting people and teach them, before making a plan in the background to make sure the student doesn’t leave center/conditioning camp. The longer you stay in SCJ and you have a sincere heart, the more you see that it has nothing to do with God or Jesus.
I remember when I was an enthusiastic newbie, after a potential student decided not to join, the leaders said, “It’s ok, perhaps there will be another time.” This was after telling us that it’s a life or death situation and if everyone doesn’t join SCJ now now now, they will all die.
I was shocked at the response. SCJ doesn’t believe what they teach; they just say what they think will cause people to act the way they want. Pure manipulation.
↳ u/lady-intp
If you think about it, they’re missing out on so much from the Bible because they focus on revelation so much. Even if they do jump around the Old Testament and the New Testament, it’s only for the verses that will support in the future what they will reveal to you about revelation. There’s so much about the resurrection and the meaning of the cross and the meaning of the sacrifice that is so rich, and SCJ doesn’t teach it because their focus is not Jesus. One of my main fears when I left SCJ is that my religious life, my spiritual life, would be empty without all of their input, and that hasn’t been the case. So I would encourage anyone to just not make a decision based on that because you can definitely find richness studying the scriptures in many other places!