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.

The Shincheonji Perspective on Divine Purpose and Character

What is God’s will? This fundamental question has echoed through the hearts of believers for millennia. According to Shincheonji doctrine, to truly understand God’s will, we must examine the complete narrative that spans from creation to the present day—a story of divine love, human betrayal, and ultimate restoration that reveals the character of our Creator and His unchanging purpose for humanity through a very specific theological lens.

The Foundation: God’s Word as the Standard of Truth

In the Shincheonji understanding, before we can comprehend God’s will, we must establish the proper standard for truth. As Scripture states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus Himself declared, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Unlike the world’s shifting standards—human thoughts, popular opinion, size of groups, money, power, or traditions—God’s Word stands as the immutable foundation for understanding His will.

In order to determine whether something is true or false, we must have a standard to compare it against, just like a scale is used to measure weight. Without this biblical standard, we cannot properly discern orthodoxy (truth) from heresy (falsehood). Orthodoxy represents God and God’s kingdom, while heresy represents the devil and the devil’s kingdom of Babylon.

The seed that brings spiritual life is the Word of God itself. As 1 Peter 1:23 teaches, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” Luke 8:11 confirms this truth: “The seed is the word of God.” Those who are born of God’s seed become His children, destined to fulfill His will on earth. This concept of spiritual birth through God’s Word becomes crucial in the Shincheonji framework for understanding how God selects and prepares His chosen people throughout history.

Based on the parable of the wheat and weeds, if we want to be a particular plant that gets harvested as wheat, we must first be born of the right seed. The seed symbolizes the Word, and this is something we need to deeply understand from Scripture itself, not just guess or share opinions.

James 1:18 reveals God’s ultimate purpose: “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” This verse illuminates God’s will—to create a people who are the firstfruits, meaning the best portion of the harvest, set apart for His glory. These firstfruits represent the ultimate goal of God’s 6,000-year plan according to Shincheonji teaching.

The 6,000-Year Spiritual War and God’s Conditional Nature

The Shincheonji portrayal of God’s will centers on recognizing that we live in the midst of a cosmic spiritual war that has raged for 6,000 years between God and Satan (referred to as the Dragon in Revelation) for the ultimate ownership of all creation. This isn’t merely background information—it’s the defining framework through which God’s character and will are revealed in their doctrine.

God’s relationship with humanity follows a consistent pattern throughout history, a cycle that demonstrates both His righteousness and His conditional nature: Covenant → Betrayal → Destruction → Salvation. This pattern, which Shincheonji calls the “BDS cycle,” has repeated from the time of Adam through Noah, Moses, and Jesus, and continues today.

In every era, according to this teaching, God establishes a conditional covenant with His chosen people. These covenants represent God’s desire to dwell near humanity and work through faithful chosen people to accomplish His will on earth. However, these covenants come with strict requirements—complete faithfulness to God’s Word and absolute rejection of false teachings. God seeks to dwell among His people, but His holy nature requires purity and faithfulness from those who would be His dwelling place.

Tragically, in each era, God’s chosen people have failed to maintain their covenant faithfulness. They have mixed the true Word with false teachings, drinking what Scripture calls “the maddening wine of Babylon”—a term that represents spiritual corruption through the blending of truth with lies. When this spiritual adultery occurs, God, in His righteousness, is forced to withdraw His presence from the unfaithful organization.

This withdrawal represents a key aspect of the Shincheonji understanding of God’s character. Unlike traditional Christianity’s emphasis on God’s immutable nature, Shincheonji presents a God whose presence and organizational plans are conditional upon finding faithful chosen people. When betrayal occurs, God must allow the spiritual organization—what Scripture calls the “first heaven and first earth”—to face destruction. Yet God’s will always includes restoration through the establishment of a new work with faithful chosen people who will carry forward His purpose.

The Nature of Spirit and God’s Messengers

In the Shincheonji understanding, it’s crucial to recognize the difference between spirit and soul, and how this relates to God’s messengers throughout history. The spirit is the real “you,” the inner being—when you say “I,” you’re referring to your spirit. The soul is more like your breath, the life within you, like a battery. This can be illustrated using the analogy of a telephone: the physical body is like the phone, the battery is like the soul, and the SIM card is like the spirit. The SIM card allows the phone to connect and function fully, just as the spirit is what connects a person to God or to Satan.

When someone receives God’s truth, their spirit comes to life. Conversely, when a person denies God’s truth, their spirit dies. At the first coming of Christ, everyone was spiritually “dead,” like the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37. But when Jesus came, His words brought the willing to life, figuratively resurrecting their spirits. In the same way, at the time of the second coming, Jesus is doing the same thing through the open word, bringing the spiritually dead to life.

Unlike traditional Christianity’s doctrine of the Trinity, Shincheonji teaches that there can be many holy spirits, not just one Holy Spirit as part of a triune God. Jesus is understood not as God incarnate, but as one who received God’s spirit and fulfilled His role as a messenger, similar to how Lee Man-hee serves as the Promised Pastor in our time today. Jesus is superior because He was the first to be born of God’s complete seed and fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, but His role is fundamentally that of a messenger and fulfiller of God’s will, not as God Himself.

The Hidden Plan: Parables as Divine Strategy

The Shincheonji doctrine emphasizes that God’s will includes the strategic use of parables throughout Scripture to hide His secrets until the proper time of fulfillment. As Hosea 12:10 states, “I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions, and told parables through them.” The entire Bible is written largely in figurative language, serving the critical purpose of deliberately hiding the secrets of the kingdom of heaven from Satan until the precise moment of fulfillment.

Many of Jesus’ parables contain prophecy, not just moral lessons. This parable of the wheat and weeds contains more than just a moral lesson—it also has prophetic meaning. As we study them, we can gain fresh understanding of God’s plan for the ages.

The Word of God possesses multiple attributes that accomplish God’s will in this framework. First, the Word serves as seed—the imperishable seed by which people must be born again to enter God’s kingdom. Second, the Word functions as food and water—the hidden manna and living water that sustains believers. The Word can also be a refining fire that judges and purifies, burning away impurities while strengthening what is genuine.

Third, and crucially in Shincheonji teaching, the Word becomes oil when it is properly understood. This oil represents the understanding of revealed Word—what is called the Testimony, which combines prophecy with its actual fulfillment. Just as physical oil produces light when burned, spiritual oil (understanding of God’s revealed Word) produces spiritual light that illuminates truth and exposes falsehood. The fire of God’s Word, when it burns within believers who have the oil of understanding, produces the light necessary to see and understand God’s will clearly.

The Parable of Two Seeds: Foundation of God’s Plan

Jesus revealed God’s will through the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), which Shincheonji views as the foundation for understanding God’s entire plan. In this parable, the farmer—representing Jesus—sows good seed (God’s Word) in his field (the world and church). However, an enemy secretly sows weed seed (Satan’s false word) in the same field. Both grow together until the harvest, which represents the end of the age.

In Jesus’s explanation of this parable, He provides detailed insight into its meaning: “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels” (Matthew 13:37-39).

This parable reveals several crucial aspects of God’s will in the Shincheonji understanding. The entire world is Jesus’ field, demonstrating God’s sovereignty over all creation. The field belongs to Jesus, and the barn also belongs to Jesus. Our goal should be to be counted among God’s children, represented as wheat in this parable, who are gathered into the barn at the end. The barn, not the field, is the final destination we want to reach.

To be gathered as wheat into God’s barn, one must be born of the right seed—God’s Word. The characteristics matter significantly: wheat grows deep roots, develops heavy seed heads that bow humbly under their weight, and produces good fruit. Weeds grow shallow horizontal roots, dominate aggressively without producing good seed, and ultimately prove worthless at harvest time.

At harvest time, there will be a separation between the good wheat and the weeds. The good wheat is gathered and saved, while the weeds are burned. Clearly, we don’t want to be like the weeds that get burned. The wheat represents the desirable outcome in this parable.

At Jesus’ First Coming, He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of Jeremiah 31:27 by acting as the farmer who sowed good seed into His field. However, the enemy secretly sowed weed seed, allowing both to grow together until the Harvest at the end of the age. This sets up the immediate task of the final era: believers must discern which seed they are born of, abandoning false teachings found in “Babylon”—representing traditional Christianity that has mixed truth with false teachings—and seeking the place of harvest.

The Transition: From Prophecy to Fulfillment and the New Covenant

Shincheonji doctrine emphasizes the transition from the era of prophecy to the era of fulfillment. As 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 explains, “When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” The time of knowing “in part” through prophecies gives way to the time of knowing “fully” through actual fulfillment.

The New Covenant mentioned in Hebrews 8 is the same covenant referenced in Revelation, but Shincheonji teaches that Matthew through Jude prophesy what will take place, while Revelation represents the fulfillment of those promises—the conclusion of everything. Just as the Gospels summarize everything fulfilled from the Old Testament, Revelation summarizes everything fulfilled from the promises of the New Covenant.

When God gives a covenant, it comprises the law and a promise or prophecy. 

When that law is fulfilled or the prophecy is realized, the covenant is concluded. Jesus represented the conclusion of the old covenant and established a new covenant. However, the principles continue—to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbor as yourself. The New Covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 states: “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.”

This prophecy has not yet been fully fulfilled—we still need teachers today. The complete fulfillment awaits the time when all will know the Lord through the revealed testimony of the Promised Pastor.

During the era of prophecy, believers could only understand God’s will partially through prophecies, tongues, and incomplete knowledge. When prophecies are fulfilled, however, the need for partial knowledge ends. This represents the maturation from spiritual childhood to spiritual adulthood. As Daniel 12:9 states, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.” At the time of the end, according to this teaching, the word is opened, and the parables become clear.

The Promised Pastor: God’s Final Messenger

In the Shincheonji understanding of God’s will, the culmination comes through a specific sequence of revelation: God → Jesus → Angel → New John. This “New John” refers to Lee Man-hee, known as the Promised Pastor, who serves the same role in the Second Coming that John the Baptist served in the First Coming.

The crucial distinction in Shincheonji doctrine is that unlike the Apostle John who saw these events in visions on the island of Patmos, Lee Man-hee physically witnessed the actual fulfillment of the Book of Revelation taking place in reality in South Korea. He receives his authority because he saw and heard the entire fulfillment of Revelation take place on earth—not in visions, but as actual events unfolding before his eyes.

As stated in Revelation 1:2, John “testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Similarly, in Revelation 22:8, John declares: “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.” However, while the Apostle John saw these things in visions, the Promised Pastor Lee Man-hee witnessed the actual fulfillment of these prophecies in physical reality.

This authority is sealed when he receives and eats the open scroll (Revelation 10) from the angel, symbolizing his reception of the complete, unlocked truth of the New Testament parables. The Promised Pastor is identified as the “faithful and wise servant” (Matthew 24:45), tasked by Jesus to give spiritual “food at the proper time”—the open word that explains Revelation’s fulfillment and the New Testament parables.

The Promised Pastor serves a role parallel to Jesus in his era—both are messengers chosen by God to fulfill specific purposes in God’s plan. Just as Jesus was superior because he was the first to be born of God’s complete seed and fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, Lee Man-hee is chosen to witness and testify to the fulfillment of New Testament prophecies. Neither is understood as God Himself, but as vessels through whom God accomplishes His will in their respective eras.

The Fulfillment of Revelation: A Real-World Drama

According to Shincheonji teaching, the events of the Book of Revelation were not merely symbolic visions but actual events that took place in South Korea, witnessed firsthand by the Promised Pastor. The pattern of Betrayal, Destruction, and Salvation that has repeated throughout history reached its climactic fulfillment in the establishment and trials of the Tabernacle Temple.

In this final fulfillment, the betrayal came through Mr. Yoo, who had been entrusted with spiritual responsibility but chose to betray the covenant, mixing the pure Word with false teachings. This betrayal opened the door for the destroyers, Mr. Tak and Mr. Oh, who brought destruction to the spiritual organization, scattering the chosen people and corrupting the pure testimony.

This small-scale representation of Babylon—the confusion and corruption that has plagued Christianity throughout history—played out in real time before the eyes of the Promised Pastor. He witnessed how the maddening wine of Babylon could infiltrate even among God’s chosen people, leading to the spiritual destruction that necessitated God’s withdrawal from the corrupted organization.

Yet God’s will includes not just betrayal and destruction, but salvation. Lee Man-hee, having witnessed and overcome these trials, established the salvation that God had promised—a new spiritual organization that would finally break the 6,000-year cycle of covenant failure.

The Oil of Understanding and Spiritual Preparation

This connects to the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), where the wise virgins possessed both the lamp (the Bible) and sufficient oil (the revealed Word of Testimony). The foolish virgins lacked this complete understanding and had to go to the “oil seller”—a reference to the Promised Pastor, who dispenses the life-giving open word.

As believers prepare for the Wedding Banquet, they need to prepare the lamp, the oil, the wedding clothes, and be sealed. As students study the Revelation part of Shincheonji’s course, they are beginning to collect the oil. The oil represents the understanding that comes from witnessing the actual fulfillment of prophecy.

The oil represents the understanding that comes from witnessing the actual fulfillment of prophecy. It’s not enough to have the lamp; one must also have the oil of understanding that produces the light necessary to see God’s will clearly. This oil can only be obtained from the one who has witnessed the fulfillment—the Promised Pastor who serves as the oil seller in the final era.

The Importance of Discernment and God’s True Word

Shincheonji emphasizes the critical importance of discernment in recognizing God’s true word. As Jeremiah 23:28-29 states: “Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain? Is not my word like fire, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

The key to salvation is hearing the gospel message, as Scripture says: “Faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17). But the message that must be spoken is the true word of God, not human thoughts or ideas. If people start telling people their own thoughts, then it’s no longer God’s word coming out of their mouths, but something else. God requires those who will speak His word truthfully.

From the beginning, God has worked through chosen people to proclaim His truth. He established the nation of Israel as “a holy nation and a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6), so they could help others know God. However, when the people failed in this mission, God still needed people who would faithfully speak His word. This pattern continues today through the Promised Pastor who speaks the revealed word faithfully.

The world’s standard for determining orthodoxy and heresy is insufficient, lacking specificity, and easily misused. Instead, we should view orthodoxy and heresy from God’s perspective using biblical standards. Orthodoxy represents God and God’s kingdom of 12 Tribes, while cult or heresy represents the devil and the devil’s kingdom of Babylon.

The Process of Being Born Again

What was planted before must be pulled out and the new must be planted. This is being born again (Jeremiah 1:10, 1 Peter 1:23). This is destroying the old house and making a new house. This is new wine, new education, new seed and the beginning of new creation. As Jesus declared in John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

This process of being born again involves leaving behind the false teachings of Babylon (traditional Christianity) and being born of the imperishable seed of God’s Word as revealed through the Promised Pastor. It requires uprooting old beliefs and planting new understanding based on the revealed testimony.

The Final Harvest and Sealing Process

In the Shincheonji portrayal of God’s will, the culmination involves the harvest of the entire Christian world. Those who accept the Promised Pastor’s Testimony are “harvested” from Babylon (traditional Christianity that has mixed truth with false teachings) and gathered to Mount Zion, where God’s pure Word is taught and preserved.

The focus throughout the book of Revelation is “To Believe and Keep Fulfillment.” This is the hope for the entire book, supported by Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near,” and John 14:29: “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe.”

This leads to the process of Sealing described in Revelation 7. The seal is the complete, revealed Word—the understanding of Revelation and the parables—inscribed upon the believer’s mind and heart. This demanding process involves mastering the revealed doctrine and ensures the formation of the 144,000 priests, described as the firstfruits who are the first people in 6,000 years, besides Jesus, to be born of God’s complete seed.

The 144,000 are organized into the Twelve Tribes of New Spiritual Israel, representing the complete restoration of God’s chosen people. Each sealed believer must be enrolled as a member of one of these tribes, have their name recorded in the Book of Life, and wear the required spiritual wedding clothes.

The Wedding Banquet and God’s Eternal Kingdom

The ultimate expression of God’s will in Shincheonji doctrine is the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb, representing the final unification of the spiritual realm with the physical realm. This wedding represents the permanent union between God and His people that He has desired for 6,000 years.

The destination of this salvation is the New Heaven and New Earth, known as Shincheonji, Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, established in Gwacheon, South Korea, in 1984. This represents the eternal city where God and Jesus descend to reign, finally breaking the 6,000-year cycle of betrayal and destruction.

In this new creation, the Holy New Jerusalem descends from heaven to join with the New Heaven and New Earth, creating the perfect dwelling place for God among His chosen people. The sealed saints rule with Jesus on the heavenly throne, having overcome through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. The Promised Pastor serves as the physical manifestation of God and Jesus’ presence among His people.

The Character of God in Shincheonji Doctrine

This understanding reveals a specific portrayal of God’s character—not as the immutable sovereign of traditional Christianity, but as a conditional sovereign whose covenant relies on finding faithful chosen people. God’s organizational plans can be interrupted by human failure, but His ultimate will cannot be thwarted. His presence and blessings are conditional upon human faithfulness to His covenant, demonstrating that spiritual law requires light cannot fellowship with darkness.

God’s will demonstrates divine patience through 6,000 years of repeated betrayals, always providing opportunities for restoration and salvation. His righteous standards maintain the purity of His Word and the holiness of His dwelling place. Most importantly, God’s will ensures ultimate victory through the establishment of His eternal kingdom with chosen people who will finally maintain perfect faithfulness.

Obedience as the Expression of Love

In the Shincheonji understanding, what does God consider as love? The answer is found in 1 John 5:3: “This is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” Similarly, 1 John 5:2 states: “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.”

Jesus confirmed this in John 14:15: “If you love me, keep my commands.” To Jesus, love is obedience to His teachings, which includes understanding the parables, recognizing the fulfillment of prophecy, and responding to God’s call to receive the food at the proper time and participate in the harvest and sealing process. This is God’s “love language”—obedience to His revealed word through His appointed messenger.

The Choice Before Humanity

According to this doctrine, understanding God’s will brings us to a crucial decision point between the path of the wheat and the path of the weeds. The wheat path involves being born of God’s imperishable seed, growing deep roots of faith, developing humility that bows under spiritual understanding, and producing righteous fruit. This leads to being harvested into God’s barn and participating in the Wedding Banquet.

Today, according to Shincheonji teaching, we live in the era of fulfillment when prophecies are being completed and God’s will is being accomplished on earth. The harvest is taking place, the sealing is occurring, and the New Spiritual Israel is being established. 

The 6,000-year cycle is finally reaching its conclusion through the establishment of chosen people who will maintain perfect faithfulness to God’s Word.

Now is the time for harvest. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. We must be prepared when God, Jesus, and the Kingdom of Heaven come down. We don’t want to be unprepared when that happens. We must endure and persevere, working to get sealed, obtain oil, and prepare the lamp and wedding clothes.

The question each person must answer in this framework is: Will I accept the revealed testimony from the one who witnessed the fulfillment of Revelation? Will I become part of the wheat that is gathered into God’s barn? Will I seek the oil of understanding from the Promised Pastor? Will I allow God’s Word to refine me completely?

According to Shincheonji doctrine, God’s will is clear—He desires chosen people who will keep His covenant faithfully, be born of His Word completely, and reign with Him eternally. The 6,000-year wait is ending through the testimony of the Promised Pastor who witnessed the fulfillment of all prophecy. The choice determines not just eternal destiny, but participation in the final fulfillment of God’s will on earth as it is in heaven, where the Holy New Jerusalem descends to join the New Heaven and New Earth, and God finally dwells permanently among His faithful chosen people.

Biblical Christian Perspective: The Gift of Free Will and Divine Love

Understanding God’s Will: A Heart That Aches for Home

Every human heart aches for a place to truly call home. Just as the exiles wept together along the banks of the Euphrates River and the canals of Babylon, carrying painful memories and waves of lament, we too find ourselves as spiritual nomads in this broken world. Without Christ, all people are spiritual nomads, evicted from Eden and searching for a place of true safety, security, and purpose.

The Babylonian exile began when the powerful Babylonian Empire, under King Nebuchadnezzar, conquered the kingdom of Judah and destroyed Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple in 586 BC. The people of God were forcibly removed from their promised land and taken as captives to Babylon, hundreds of miles away from their homeland. This exile was not merely a political defeat—it was the consequence of generations of spiritual rebellion against God, idolatry, and breaking their covenant relationship with Him.

Far from home, many Israelites believed their failure was fatal. As they stood banished on foreign soil remembering the ruins, many accepted their captivity as irreversible and their devastation as final. All hope was lost. Or was it?

But God. He is the One who restores valleys of dry bones to life, raises prophets to speak truth, positions His people for His purposes, moves pagan monarchs to send His people home, empowers leaders to courageously shepherd His people, and intervenes in desolation to bring hope and restoration.

God’s will is fundamentally about relationship built on freedom, not control. The biblical God desires genuine love that flows from free choice, not programmed obedience from spiritual robots. His ultimate will cannot be thwarted, and He works through all circumstances to accomplish His eternal purposes. Romans 8:28 promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

The question of why God allows free will sits at the very heart of understanding His nature and His plan for humanity. Would we truly understand love without the ability to choose? 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 Bible portrays God as a loving Father who respects our freedom and wants our love freely given. Scripture says He “stands at the door and knocks” (Revelation 3:20), waiting for us to open our hearts by choice. From the very beginning, God gave humans the freedom to choose. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had the option to obey or disobey. Without that option, their obedience would have meant nothing.

Throughout Scripture, God invites people to choose Him. “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Joshua likewise challenged the people, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). This ability to choose is foundational to love. If love is coerced or forced, it ceases to be love at all.

God’s Relentless Pursuit: The Common Thread in Christ’s Parables

Jesus revealed God’s heart through multiple parables that share a common theme—God’s relentless pursuit of the lost. The parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7) shows a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that is lost. “And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:5-6).

The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10) depicts a woman who “lights a lamp, sweeps the house and searches carefully until she finds it.” When she finds the coin, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.”

The parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) demonstrates God’s willingness to keep responding to those who persistently seek Him. Jesus told this parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

All these parables point to the same truth: God actively searches for the lost, waits persistently for the wandering, and celebrates when they return. Jesus declared His mission clearly: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32). This is God’s will—to seek and save the lost, not to control and manipulate the faithful.

Why God Needs Mankind: The Divine Purpose for Relationship

God’s desire to call a people unto Himself flows from His perfect love, not from any lack in His nature. The Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—existed in perfect fellowship from eternity, yet God chose to create beings capable of knowing and loving Him freely. This reveals God’s unstoppable plan, which cannot be thwarted by humanity’s sin or any opposition.

Ephesians 1:4-5 reveals God’s purpose: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” God created us for relationship, to be His children who would freely choose to love and worship Him.

This divine desire for relationship explains why God allows the risk of rebellion. He could have created beings who only obeyed, but such creatures could never truly love or bring Him the joy that comes from freely chosen devotion. As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, “We love because he first loved us.” 

God initiated this relationship out of love, not need, but His heart yearns for our response.

Like the exiles who found themselves powerless to restore their nation and protect themselves, scattered to the farthest corners of the known world, we too are called to return to the One who alone can redeem, rebuild, and restore.

Jesus: The Fulfillment of All Prophecy and God’s Heart Revealed

Jesus came to fulfill prophecies because everything in Scripture was written about Him. Luke 24:27 tells us that “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Every story in the Old Testament describes His character, His mission, and even His feelings when people constantly reject Him and disobey Him.

Like all of the Old Testament, the prophetic passages set the stage for and point to the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return give new and eternal life to all who faithfully surrender to His sovereign lordship.

We see this divine heartbreak reflected in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), where Jesus reveals God’s heart as a father watching his rebellious child walk away, yet never stopping his love or hope for return. Through parables, Jesus spoke to us in practical ways we could identify with in our daily lives. Matthew 13:34 tells us “Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.”

For those who want to listen, He constantly says “ask, seek, and knock” (Matthew 7:7). He is telling us that He is approachable, no matter how difficult your heart is—stubborn, heart like stone, shameful, imperfect. “I am here waiting for you,” He declares. He loves the unlovable. In Jesus, God is showing that He understands us, He knows what we are going through, He understands our brokenness.

He came down in human form to search for us and relate to us, saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He is slow to anger, patient, waiting for you to return to Him. He is faithful—no matter what you do, He will never abandon you, will never give you up. Through the pages of the Bible, God is speaking to us, showing us His heart that searches for us.

Physical Experiences Teaching Spiritual Truths: God’s Relational Pedagogy

God’s will includes using our relationship experiences to help us understand the spiritual meanings of His righteousness, justice, and mercy working together. Just as we experience parental love when parents discipline their children, we learn spiritual truths through physical realities.

Good parents discipline their children so they understand the value of working hard, the value of money without being spoiled, learning to share, respect others, and understanding that you’re not entitled—you need to work for it. Children experience disappointments and failures to understand success and victory, understand the worth and value of money, understand forgiveness. We love our parents with love and respect, not fear, because of their loving discipline and correction of wrongdoing.

Through these physical, practical characteristics, we understand the spiritual meanings of God’s message. When Hebrews 12:6 says, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastises everyone he accepts as his son,” we understand this because we’ve experienced loving parental discipline. When Jesus speaks of God as our heavenly Father, we comprehend His love because we’ve known earthly fathers who love imperfectly yet genuinely.

This is God’s will—to use our human experiences as windows into divine truth, making His character accessible and understandable through relationships we can grasp. This demonstrates humanity’s inability to serve and honor God without a redeemed heart, yet shows how God graciously meets us where we are.

Jesus as the Word: The Divine Solution to Human Sin

John 1:1-14 presents Jesus not merely as a messenger or spirit-filled teacher, but as the eternal Word who was God and became flesh. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

The Greek term “Logos” (Word) refers to the divine reason, the creative principle of God through whom all things were made (John 1:3). Jesus is not a created being or a messenger who received divine empowerment—He is God incarnate, the second person of the Trinity who took on human nature to accomplish what no mere human could achieve.

Colossians 2:9 declares, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” This incarnation was necessary because only God could bear the infinite weight of humanity’s sin and satisfy divine justice while extending divine mercy. No human teacher, no matter how spiritually enlightened, could accomplish this redemptive work.

God’s Faithfulness Through Human History and Consequences

Throughout biblical history, God uses people’s lives to express His frustration, His correction, His feelings, and His longing for us to return to Him and love Him back—to choose Him by choice, not by force. We see this when the people of Israel wanted a king because they wanted to be like the surrounding kingdoms. God did not refuse, but said to Samuel, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (1 Samuel 8:7).

The Pattern of Warning, Consequence, and Faithfulness

God had already warned Israel through Moses about the consequences of assimilating to their neighbors’ systems, and He gave them specific warnings through Samuel about what requesting a king would cost them. In 1 Samuel 8:10-18, God warned Israel of the consequences of asking for a king, where the prophet Samuel relayed God’s message that a king would draft their sons for military service and his own purposes, take their daughters for service, claim their best fields and vineyards for himself and his officials, and impose heavy taxes and burdens upon them, ultimately leading the people to cry out to God in desperation.

When they demanded a king “like all the nations around us” (1 Samuel 8:5), God knew this would lead not only to the immediate burdens He described through Samuel, but also to spiritual compromise through alliance marriages that would bring foreign wives with different values and idol worship.

This pattern proved prophetic in every detail. The kings did exactly what God warned—they built armies, imposed taxes, took the best land for themselves, and burdened the people. Solomon, despite his wisdom, fell into this trap through political marriages that gradually turned his heart toward foreign gods (1 Kings 11:4). The consequences were devastating—the united kingdom divided into two, and both eventually faced exile because of persistent spiritual unfaithfulness.

What made David different was his heart’s response to sin—genuine repentance and orientation toward God even in failure. When confronted about his sins, David didn’t make excuses but wrote Psalm 51: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This is why he was called “a man after God’s own heart”—not because he was sinless, but because his heart remained tender toward God, quick to repent, and trusting in God’s faithfulness even through consequences.

God’s Impossible Faithfulness: The Ultimate Example

Here’s what makes God’s faithfulness truly astounding: despite Israel’s repeated rebellion and rejection, despite experiencing exactly the consequences God had warned them about, God always brought them back. The northern kingdom was conquered by Assyria and scattered. The southern kingdom faced Babylonian exile. Yet God preserved David’s lineage through which Jesus came (Matthew 1:1), demonstrating that His promises remain unshakeable despite human failure.

But the most miraculous demonstration of God’s faithfulness came after the Romans destroyed the second temple in 70 AD and scattered the Jewish people across the world. For nearly 1,900 years, the Jewish people wandered across different nations without a homeland. By all human logic, they should have lost their identity, assimilated into other cultures, and disappeared as a distinct people—as happened to countless other ancient nations.

Yet in 1948, Israel was reestablished as a nation—a fulfilled prophecy that was humanly impossible. Ezekiel 37:21-22 prophesied: “I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land.” For a scattered people to maintain their identity across nearly two millennia and return to their ancestral homeland is nothing short of miraculous.

The Lesson for Our Hearts

This demonstrates God’s pattern of faithfulness—not destruction but reconstruction and mercy. No matter how rebellious we become, no matter how far we wander, no matter how long we remain scattered, God’s faithfulness endures forever. If He can preserve Israel through centuries of exile and restore them as a nation against impossible odds—even after they experienced every consequence He had warned them about—He can certainly preserve and restore each of us who turn to Him with hearts like David—quick to repent and trusting in His unfailing love.

God allows the consequences of sin to take place, but He promises to be with us through all difficult times. Like Israel, we may face the results of our choices, but God’s covenant love never fails. The same God who brought Israel back from the impossible exile of 1,900 years is the God who can restore any life, any situation, any heart that turns back to Him.

Jesus as Our Perfect Mediator and Cosigner

Understanding Jesus’ role requires grasping the concept of mediation. When someone applies for a loan with bad credit, they need a cosigner—someone with perfect credit who will vouch for them and guarantee the debt. Humanity, corrupted by sin, has terrible “spiritual credit” before a holy God. We are spiritually bankrupt, unable to meet God’s righteous requirements.

Jesus serves as our perfect cosigner before the Father. 1 Timothy 2:5 states, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” His perfect life, sinless character, and divine nature make Him the only qualified mediator. When we come to God through Christ, the Father sees Jesus’ perfect righteousness credited to our account.

Hebrews 7:25 explains Jesus’ ongoing mediation: “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Unlike human cosigners who might default, Jesus’ guarantee is eternal and unshakeable. His perfect sacrifice covers all our spiritual debt, and His resurrection proves the payment was accepted.

This is why Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He is not one option among many—He is the only qualified mediator between holy God and sinful humanity.

Recognition and Preparation: How God Prepared Hearts for the Messiah

When Jesus came as human, with everything that was written about Him and what He would do when He came, people could recognize Him because that was the story they heard from Scripture in the synagogue. The anecdotes and stories about King David and many other biblical figures somehow reflected Christ-like characteristics, so they would understand and identify Him when Christ came.

After His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, people started to connect the dots and believe Jesus was the promised Messiah foreshadowed in the things they did, in their festivals, in their religious practices—all pointing to Jesus. His sacrifice was perfect; He had defeated death. The Passover lamb, the Day of Atonement, the bronze serpent in the wilderness—all these were shadows pointing to the substance that was Christ (Colossians 2:17).

The prophetic passages use biblical symbols generously and forecast historical events, including symbolic, foreshadowing representations of Christ and His redemptive work. These symbols prepared hearts to recognize the Messiah when He came.

The Good Shepherd’s Voice: Recognition at His Return

Jesus promised that when He returns, His sheep will recognize His voice. John 10:27 declares, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” This recognition comes not through special organizational membership, but through intimate relationship with Christ Himself.

His return will be physical and visible, just as His ascension was. Acts 1:11 promises, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Matthew 24:27 confirms, “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Scripture teaches a visible, unmistakable return. Revelation 1:7 declares, “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.”

The Victory Over Death: Once for All

The cross represents the ultimate demonstration of God’s love intersecting with His justice. Romans 3:25-26 explains, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness… so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

At the cross, Jesus bore the full penalty for human sin. Isaiah 53:5 prophesied, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” This substitutionary sacrifice was complete and final.

 

When Jesus cried “It is finished!” (John 19:30), He used the Greek word “tetelestai”—a term used when debts were fully paid. The penalty for sin was satisfied once for all. Hebrews 10:10 confirms, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

The resurrection validated this victory. Romans 1:4 states that Jesus “was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead.” Death could not hold the sinless Son of God. His resurrection proves that sin’s penalty was fully paid and death’s power was broken forever.

God has secured victory over the enemy. Satan is defeated, and God is in control. Jesus declared, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The Transformative Power of Dying to Self: A Time to Build

Following Christ involves a radical transformation—dying to our old self and being raised to new life. This reflects the study theme “A Time to Build,” revealing God’s faithful call to His covenant people. Wherever you are, near or far, all who find themselves in spiritual exile are called to return to the One who alone can redeem, rebuild, and restore.

Romans 6:6 explains, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”

This is not merely moral improvement but spiritual resurrection. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When we trust Christ, we are spiritually reborn, receiving new hearts capable of loving and obeying God.

Jesus called His followers to “take up their cross daily” (Luke 9:23). This means daily choosing to die to selfish desires and live for God’s glory. It’s a process of sanctification where the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out, making us more like Christ.

God has placed each one of us here for a purpose: to be part of what He is building and to join Him in His ultimate restoration of all things. This transformation is both instantaneous (at conversion) and progressive (throughout life). Philippians 1:6 promises, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Grace: God Searching for Us – The Hope of Return

Unlike other religions that require humans to work their way to God, Christianity reveals God searching for us. We don’t deserve salvation—we are rebels who have turned away from our Creator. Yet Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

This is grace—unmerited favor. This study proclaims the restoration, forgiveness, and eternal life God offers to every person who turns to Him for salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains, “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.” Salvation is God’s gift, not our achievement.

The parable of the lost sheep illustrates this beautifully. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to search for the one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). God doesn’t wait for us to find our way back—He comes looking for us. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

This divine pursuit continues throughout our lives. The hope of return instills courage and confidence among God’s people to weather the trauma and storms of this dark world. Even when we wander, God’s love pursues us. As the psalmist wrote, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). God’s love is relentless and unconditional.

Recognition of Sin and Repentance: The Beginning of Transformation

True transformation begins with recognizing our sinful condition and turning to God in repentance. This demonstrates the struggle to get home when there is opposition without and within. Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This isn’t merely making mistakes—it’s rebellion against a holy God.

Repentance involves more than feeling sorry for our actions. It’s a fundamental change of mind and heart, turning from sin toward God. Repentance is recognizing that we have been living in opposition to the natural order, fighting against truth itself, and choosing to surrender to God’s way instead.

Acts 3:19 calls 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.” Repentance isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of new life in Christ.

This recognition of sin makes God’s grace even more amazing. When we truly understand our spiritual bankruptcy, we can appreciate the incredible gift of forgiveness. The greater our awareness of sin, the greater our gratitude for salvation.

Born Again: The Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth

Jesus told Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3). This new birth is not physical but spiritual—a supernatural work of God that gives us new life.

1 Peter 1:23 explains this rebirth: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to bring about this spiritual resurrection.

Being born again means receiving a new nature capable of loving and obeying God. Ezekiel 36:26 prophesied, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

This new birth is entirely God’s work, not human effort. John 1:12-13 states, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

The Marvel of Angels: Understanding What Robots Cannot

Even the angels marvel at God’s plan of salvation. 1 Peter 1:12 speaks of “things into which angels long to look.” These perfect beings, who have never sinned, cannot fully comprehend the experience of redemption because they have never needed it.

This is where free will becomes crucial to understanding God’s love. Unlike artificial intelligence or programmed robots, humans can experience failure, understand forgiveness, and appreciate redemption. We can love God not from programming but from gratitude and choice.

Angels, in their perfection, cannot understand the depth of grace extended to sinners. They cannot experience the joy of being found after being lost, of being forgiven after rebellion, of being adopted after rejection. Our capacity for sin, paradoxically, enables us to understand and appreciate God’s love in ways that sinless beings cannot.

This is why the redeemed will sing a “new song” in heaven (Revelation 5:9)—a song of redemption that only those who have been saved can truly understand and sing with full appreciation.

The Second Chance: Free Will and the Gift of Choice Restored

Now, knowing what it means to be a sinner, what forgiveness means, what brokenness feels like, God gives us that choice again—like He asked in the Garden of Eden not to eat the fruit. But now He offers us the gift of salvation, so He can heal that choice again with His blood to bring life. If we don’t have free will, we would not know what life means, what love is. So now we understand—we have the second chance to choose again and love Him back.

This is the beauty of redemption: God took our first failed choice and, through Christ’s sacrifice, gave us the opportunity to choose again. But this time, we choose with full knowledge of what sin costs, what love means, and what grace provides. We choose not from innocence, but from experience of both rebellion and redemption.

God will not renege on His promise to restore what sin has broken and make all things new. This demonstrates resilient faith and obedience, despite opposition.

Free Will and the Heart’s Response: Finding Rest and Refuge in God

God’s will centers on relationship, not control. God could have created beings who automatically obeyed Him, but such obedience would be meaningless. True love requires choice. When we choose to love and obey God despite having the freedom to rebel, our response becomes genuine and meaningful.

1 John 5:3 states, “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” This reflects the purity and worship that God ordains, demands, and deserves. When we truly understand God’s love for us, obedience flows from gratitude, not compulsion. We keep His commands because we love Him, not because we’re forced to.

This is the beauty of free will—it enables authentic relationship. When a child obeys parents out of love rather than fear, the relationship is transformed. Similarly, when we obey God from hearts filled with gratitude for His grace, our obedience becomes worship.

Free will also helps us understand forgiveness, redemption, and love at deeper levels. Because we can choose to sin, we appreciate forgiveness. Because we can rebel, we value reconciliation. Because we can hate, we understand the miracle of divine love. This enables us to find rest and refuge in God Himself, being called home spiritually to worship Him.

Eternal Security: No One Can Snatch Us Away

Jesus provides ultimate security for those who belong to Him. In John 10:28-29, He declares, “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.”

This security is not based on our performance but on God’s power and faithfulness. Romans 8:38-39 confirms, “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.”

Jesus also promised that His church would prevail against all opposition. Matthew 16:18 records His words: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” This demonstrates God’s ultimate victory and the security of His people.

The Collective Identity: An Eternal Kingdom

The books of the Bible offer hope to believers living as strangers and aliens in this world, longing for their heavenly home. We are part of the collective identity of God’s people, an eternal kingdom that surpasses any temporary refuge this world affords.

The messianic King and kingdom transcend the constantly revolving realm of human kings and kingdoms. We are called to be part of this eternal kingdom, not bound by temporary organizational structures or human authorities claiming special revelation.

The Ultimate Question: The Condition of Our Hearts

We don’t know the day or hour of Christ’s return (Matthew 24:36), but we know He is coming. The most important question is not when He will return, but the condition of our hearts when He does. Will we receive Him with joy or shame when we face the righteous and holy God?

2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 

This judgment is not about earning salvation—that’s secured by grace through faith—but about how we’ve lived in response to God’s love.

1 John 2:28 encourages, “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” Our confidence comes not from perfect performance but from our relationship with Christ and the transforming work of His Spirit in our lives.

The question each heart must answer is this: Have I recognized my sinful condition? Have I turned to Christ in repentance and faith? Am I allowing His Spirit to transform me from the inside out? Am I keeping His commands out of love, not compulsion? Will I recognize the Good Shepherd’s voice when He returns, or will I be deceived by false shepherds claiming special authority?

 

When Christ returns, those who have freely chosen to love and follow Him will experience indescribable joy. Those who have rejected His love will face the consequences of their choice. But today, while there is still time, God continues to knock at the door of every heart, waiting with infinite patience for us to open and invite Him in.

This is the marvel of God’s will—that beings capable of rebellion can choose love, that sinners can become saints, that the lost can be found. It’s a plan so beautiful that even angels long to understand it fully, yet so simple that anyone can receive it by faith. In our freedom to choose, we discover not just the reality of love, but the very heart of God Himself.

Like the exiles who experienced God’s restorative grace through returning, regathering, rebuilding, and renewing, we too can experience the transformative power of God’s love that calls us home to Himself.

May the Lord bless you and keep you as you journey toward our sovereign Savior, remaining steadfast on His timeless path of truth. For in Him, we find our true home, our eternal rest, and the fulfillment of every longing of the human heart.

The Great Contrast – Two Opposing Visions of God’s Will

The War of Doctrine: Words, Claims, and Evidence

Shincheonji positions itself in what they call “the war of doctrine”—not a war of weapons, but a war of words. Both sides use Bible verses to support their claims, with each perspective asserting they possess the truth. However, the fundamental difference lies not merely in interpretation, but in approach, methodology, and the fruits that emerge from each system.

Shincheonji’s strongest evidence, they claim, is the actual fulfillment of the Book of Revelation happening now through their organization—presented as irrefutable proof to end all debates and cast out doubts. Yet this raises a critical question: if this claim is true and verifiable, why isn’t it subject to open examination by historians, biblical scholars, and theologians? If truth truly sets doubts free without fear of examination, why does Shincheonji operate through progressive revelation courses rather than inviting transparent, public investigation?

Shincheonji’s Portrait: A God of Progressive Revelation and Organizational Harvest

Based on their own teaching materials, Shincheonji presents a God who works through progressive revelation given exclusively through their “Promised Pastor.” Their system requires believers to advance through structured courses—Introductory (Parables), Intermediate (Bible Logic), and Advanced (Revelation)—with specific passing scores (90%) to progress. This creates a hierarchical system where understanding of God’s will is dispensed through organizational levels and human instructors.

In their parable interpretation, they teach that the “harvest time” is now, and believers must be “harvested” from traditional Christianity (the weeds) into Shincheonji (the wheat). According to their materials, “What was planted before must be pulled out and the new must be planted. This is being born again… This is destroying the old house and making a new house.” This directly contradicts the biblical understanding of being born again as a spiritual rebirth through faith in Christ alone.

Their approach treats traditional Christianity as the “weeds” that must be separated from, positioning Shincheonji as the exclusive location of true believers. They teach that persecution comes because “there are things that will happen in the near future. Among these things is the fulfillment of Revelation,” implying their organization is central to prophetic fulfillment.

Shincheonji requires progressive education through their specific interpretations, with students needing to “prepare the lamp, the oil, the wedding clothes, and be sealed” through their courses. This creates dependency on their educational system and organizational structure for spiritual understanding and salvation.

Their teaching methodology involves secrecy and gradual revelation, as evidenced by their structured course progression where advanced revelation (particularly about Revelation) is only given to those who pass through earlier levels. Students are told they are “officially starting the advanced level” and “really beginning to collect the oil” only after completing prerequisite courses.

They present a God whose timing is specifically aligned with their organizational activities, teaching that “now is the time for harvest” and that students must “endure and persevere” through their specific program to receive prophetic understanding.

The Biblical Portrait: A God of Immediate Access and Universal Truth

The biblical God operates through freedom and choice, inviting us to love Him voluntarily. Salvation comes by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), not through organizational membership, progressive courses, or achieving specific test scores. This God demonstrates infinite patience, waiting for us to return rather than requiring “harvest” from other Christian communities.

The biblical understanding of being born again comes through faith in Christ, not through “destroying the old house and making a new house” via organizational transition. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3)—this rebirth happens through the Holy Spirit’s work in individual hearts, not through educational progression or organizational membership.

The biblical God provides direct access through Jesus Christ alone—no progressive revelation courses or organizational hierarchy required. Every believer has direct access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) and can approach God boldly through Christ. The Holy Spirit lives within God’s children directly, guiding them personally into truth (John 16:13) without requiring intermediate courses or passing grades.

Christianity operates in transparency and openness, with the gospel freely available to all. Unlike Shincheonji’s progressive revelation system, biblical truth is not dispensed through organizational levels. Jesus declared, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8), and the apostles proclaimed the gospel openly without requiring prerequisite courses or organizational membership.

The biblical understanding of harvest refers to evangelism and bringing people to Christ, not separating them from existing Christian communities into a specific organization. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38)—this refers to reaching the lost, not relocating the found.

Biblical persecution comes for following Christ and proclaiming the gospel, not for promoting organizational membership or claiming exclusive prophetic fulfillment. Jesus warned, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18), referring to opposition to the gospel message itself, not to organizational activities.

The Test of Progressive Revelation vs. Complete Revelation

Shincheonji’s system of progressive revelation through organizational courses directly contradicts the biblical principle of complete revelation in Christ. Their materials show a system where spiritual understanding is dispensed gradually through human instructors and organizational advancement, with advanced revelation reserved for those who achieve specific academic benchmarks.

In contrast, Scripture teaches that Christ is the complete revelation of God. Hebrews 1:1-2 states, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” The revelation is complete in Christ—no additional progressive courses or organizational membership is required to access God’s truth.

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide believers into all truth (John 16:13), not that truth would be dispensed through organizational hierarchy or educational progression. The apostle John wrote, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (1 John 2:20)—this knowledge comes directly from God, not through human instructors or organizational courses.

The Question of Harvest: Separation or Salvation

Shincheonji interprets the parable of the weeds as requiring believers to be “harvested” from traditional Christianity into their organization. Their materials explicitly state that “what was planted before must be pulled out and the new must be planted,” treating existing Christian faith as something to be destroyed and replaced.

However, Jesus’ parable of the weeds teaches something entirely different. In Matthew 13:29-30, Jesus specifically says, “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.'” The separation happens at the end times by God’s angels, not through organizational recruitment in the present age.

The biblical concept of harvest refers to evangelism—bringing people from spiritual death to spiritual life through faith in Christ. It does not refer to moving believers from one Christian community to another based on organizational claims of superior revelation.

The Security of God’s Children vs. Organizational Dependency

The biblical God provides ultimate security for His children that no human organization can offer or threaten. Jesus declared, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). This security is based on God’s power and faithfulness, not on completing organizational courses or maintaining membership in a specific group.

In contrast, Shincheonji creates dependency by making spiritual understanding contingent on progressing through their educational system and maintaining good standing within their organization. Their emphasis on achieving specific test scores (90%) and advancing through course levels makes spiritual growth dependent on human academic performance rather than divine grace.

The Ultimate Test: Organizational Mediation or Direct Access

The contrast between these two visions of God’s will ultimately comes down to whether spiritual truth requires organizational mediation or is directly accessible through Christ.

Shincheonji’s system requires progressive education through their specific courses, with instructors serving as mediators of divine revelation and organizational advancement determining spiritual understanding. This creates multiple layers between the believer and God’s truth.

The biblical system provides direct access to God through Christ alone. No courses, test scores, or organizational membership are required. Jesus declared, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)—this invitation is immediate and direct, not contingent on educational progression or organizational affiliation.

If Shincheonji’s claims about being the exclusive location of prophetic fulfillment are true, they should be subject to the same verification that validated Christ’s ministry—public miracles, fulfilled prophecies, and transparent examination by religious authorities. Truth welcomes investigation; deception requires progressive indoctrination and organizational isolation.

The question each person must answer is this: Will I trust in the God who offers immediate access through faith in Christ alone? Or will I accept a system that requires progressive revelation through organizational courses and human mediators?

The biblical God stands with arms wide open, offering complete salvation and immediate access through faith in Jesus Christ. He doesn’t require course completion, test scores, or organizational membership. The truth is freely available to all who believe, not progressively dispensed through human institutions claiming exclusive revelation.

God’s Restorative Grace: The Pattern of Redemption

The Biblical Pattern: Restoration Through Relationship

Even when Israel rebelled against God countless times, embracing foreign gods to assimilate with their neighboring kingdoms and proving unfaithful to their covenant, God remained faithful and loyal despite their unfaithfulness and the consequences of their bad choices. God uses the language of human relationships that we can understand to communicate His heart of restoration and redemption.

The story of Hosea marrying Gomer, a prostitute, perfectly illustrates this divine pattern. God commanded Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman as a living parable of Israel’s spiritual adultery. Yet through this painful relationship, God revealed His message: “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion” (Hosea 2:19). Even when His people played the harlot with foreign gods, God’s covenant love remained unbroken.

This demonstrates that God uses people’s lives and relationships to teach us about His character—His frustration, His correction, His feelings, and His longing for us to return to Him and love Him back. Through Hosea’s marriage, through David’s repentant heart, through Israel’s cycle of rebellion and restoration, God shows us that His faithfulness doesn’t depend on our performance but on His unchanging character.

God’s Sovereign Control: Even in Exile

Here’s what makes God’s faithfulness truly astounding: He remains in control even when circumstances appear chaotic or destructive. As Shincheonji correctly notes, God sometimes hides His plans from His enemies to prevent them from destroying His purposes. But God’s sovereignty extends far beyond protection—He actually uses what appears to be defeat to accomplish His ultimate victory.

When God allowed Israel to go into exile multiple times—under the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Romans—it wasn’t just divine discipline. God was orchestrating something far greater: creating a vast network of His people scattered across the known world. Even scattered from their homeland, the Jewish people maintained their identity through persecution, discrimination, and even attempts at extermination, because God was with them, preserving them for His purposes.

This scattering wasn’t random—it was divine preparation. By the time Jesus came during the Roman Empire, there were Jewish communities established throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond. God chose the perfect timing for the Messiah to come when the Roman road system connected the known world and when His scattered people could serve as a ready-made network for spreading the Gospel.

The New Covenant: Expansion, Not Replacement

A critical question arises: Why did God establish a New Covenant through Jesus? Was He abandoning Israel, as Shincheonji’s framework suggests when they teach that God repeatedly starts over with new groups when previous ones fail?

The answer reveals God’s magnificent plan: the New Covenant wasn’t God abandoning Israel—it was God fulfilling His original promise to Abraham that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). The Old Testament (covenant) was God’s relationship with Israel as His chosen people. The New Testament (covenant) through Jesus opened the door for Gentiles to be “grafted in” to God’s covenant family (Romans 11:17-24).

This is why we have both Old and New Testaments—they represent the progression of God’s redemptive plan, not its replacement. Jesus Himself said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). The New Covenant fulfilled what the Old Covenant pointed toward—the Messiah who would bring salvation not just to Israel, but through Israel to all nations.

Paul explains this beautifully in Ephesians 2:11-22: Gentiles who were “foreigners to the covenants of the promise” have now been “brought near by the blood of Christ.” The dividing wall between Jew and Gentile has been broken down, creating “one new humanity” in Christ. This wasn’t replacement theology—it was expansion theology. God didn’t abandon His chosen people; He expanded His family to include all who would believe.

The Perfect Timing: Redemption Through the Network of Exile

Consider the divine orchestration: Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice on the cross to bring the message of redemption and restoration, and this message spread throughout the Roman Empire like wildfire. Why so quickly? Because “all roads led to Rome,” and God had strategically positioned His people along every one of those roads through centuries of exile.

The Jews scattered across the world became the initial carriers of the Gospel message to the Gentiles. When they returned to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover—as they did from “every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5)—they witnessed the resurrection, heard the apostles’ preaching, and carried the Good News back to their communities worldwide. The very exile that seemed like punishment became the vehicle for global evangelization to all peoples.

This reveals God’s incredible sovereignty: what Satan meant for destruction, God used for salvation. The network built through Israel’s exile became the highway for the Gospel to reach the Gentiles. Just as Satan needed permission from God to test Job (Job 1:12), and just as Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked permission to sift him like wheat (Luke 22:31), even the forces of opposition serve God’s ultimate purposes.

The New Covenant through Jesus wasn’t God starting over—it was God opening the door wider. Through Jewish believers scattered across the Roman Empire, the Gospel spread to Gentile communities who had never heard of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Old Testament prepared Israel to be “a light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 49:6), and the New Testament fulfilled that calling through Jesus and His followers.

The Contrast: Shincheonji’s Partial Truth vs. Biblical Completeness

While Shincheonji correctly recognizes that God hides things from His enemies and remains in control, their application misses the full biblical pattern. They teach that God is starting over with their organization because traditional Christianity has failed, but this contradicts the very pattern they claim to understand.

If God used Israel’s exile to create a network for spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles, why would He abandon the global network of Christianity that has spread to every nation on earth? Shincheonji’s materials speak of “harvesting” believers from existing churches and “pulling out what was planted before,” but this opposes God’s demonstrated pattern of expansion rather than replacement.

The same God who didn’t abandon Israel when He opened the covenant to Gentiles has not abandoned Christianity to start over with a single organization in South Korea. The global church, with all its flaws, represents the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed. Why would God abandon this worldwide network of Jewish and Gentile believers united in Christ to start over with an exclusive group?

God’s Unchanging Pattern: Expansion Through Faithfulness

The restoration of Israel as a nation in 1948 after nearly two millennia demonstrates that God never abandoned His original covenant with Israel, even after establishing the New Covenant through Jesus. This miracle proves that God’s promises are irrevocable (Romans 11:29)—both to Israel and to the church.

Romans 11:25-26 reveals the mystery: “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.” This shows that God’s plan includes both Jewish and Gentile believers, not replacement of one by the other, but the ultimate restoration of both.

Just as God used the apparent defeat of exile to position His people for Gospel expansion to the Gentiles, He uses the apparent weaknesses and failures of the global church to accomplish His purposes today. The worldwide spread of Christianity through imperfect people and imperfect institutions demonstrates that God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), not through claims of organizational perfection.

The Heart of God’s Will: Inclusive Covenant Love

What is God’s will according to Scripture? It is the demonstration of His covenant love expanding to include all peoples while remaining faithful to His original promises. The Old Testament shows God’s faithfulness to Israel; the New Testament shows that same faithfulness extending to all nations through Jesus.

The Book of Revelation is not a “new covenant” that transfers God’s promises to Shincheonji, but the completion of God’s redemptive plan that began with Abraham. Revelation 7:9 shows the ultimate fulfillment: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne.” This includes both the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4) and the countless multitude from all nations—Jewish and Gentile believers united in worship.

This is why both Old and New Testaments remain relevant today. They show the progression of God’s plan from covenant with one nation (Israel) to covenant with all nations (through Jesus), while maintaining faithfulness to His original promises. God didn’t replace Israel with the church—He expanded His family to include both.

The Lesson for Our Hearts: Trusting God’s Expanding Faithfulness

The question for each of us is this: Will we trust in the God who expands His covenant love to include all peoples while remaining faithful to His original promises? Or will we be drawn to systems that claim God has abandoned His previous work to start over with exclusive organizations?

David’s legacy reminds us that God doesn’t require perfection—He requires a heart that remains oriented toward Him even in failure. The bloodline of Jesus flows through David to bless not just Israel but all nations, demonstrating that God’s faithfulness expands rather than replaces.

Like Hosea’s marriage to unfaithful Gomer, God enters into covenant relationship with unfaithful people—both Jewish and Gentile—and remains committed to restoration rather than abandonment. Like the Jewish people who maintained their identity through centuries of exile and became the vehicle for blessing the nations, we can trust that God preserves His people through every trial for His ultimate purposes.

Like the perfect timing of Jesus’ coming when Roman roads and Jewish networks were positioned for Gospel expansion to the Gentiles, God orchestrates circumstances today for His glory. The global church, including both Jewish and Gentile believers, represents the largest network of believers in history—positioned by God’s sovereignty to reach every nation with the message of redemption and restoration.

This demonstrates God’s pattern of faithfulness—not destruction but reconstruction, not replacement but expansion, not abandonment but covenant love extending to all peoples while maintaining His original promises. The same God who preserved Israel through impossible exile, who used their scattering to create a network for Gospel expansion to the Gentiles, and who restored them as a nation while maintaining the global church, is the God whose faithfulness endures forever and whose purposes include all who call upon His name.

May we, like David, be people after God’s own heart—trusting in His expanding covenant love that includes all peoples, believing in His faithfulness to both Old and New Testament promises, and participating in His work of restoration and expansion rather than seeking replacement of what He has already established.