A Refutation Using “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

---

Introduction: The Test That Reveals Everything

Imagine you’ve spent over a month studying the book of Revelation. You’ve attended classes three to four times per week. You’ve memorized verses, learned specialized vocabulary, and absorbed a complete interpretive framework. Now you face a test—not just any test, but one you must score 90% or higher to continue.

This is Advanced Level Test 1 from Lesson 114, titled “Examination to Put ‘The New Covenant We Must Keep’ into Action.” It’s the first of three tests students must pass during the Advanced Level (Revelation study), and it comes approximately three months into the nine-month Revelation curriculum.

But this isn’t a typical Bible knowledge test. The questions don’t ask, “What does Revelation teach about Christ?” or “How did first-century Christians understand these symbols?” Instead, they ask students to identify specific organizations, dates, and locations as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. They require students to accept that a Korean religious movement founded in the 1980s is the culmination of all biblical history.

The 90% passing requirement isn’t arbitrary—it ensures that students who advance have internalized Shincheonji’s interpretive framework so thoroughly that they can reproduce it on demand. Those who can’t aren’t ready to continue. Those who can have demonstrated they’ve adopted the organization’s worldview.

As explored throughout “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story,” the question isn’t whether students can memorize answers. The question is whether these answers align with how Scripture was understood by its original audience, how it has been interpreted throughout church history, and whether the claims can be verified through sound biblical interpretation and historical evidence.

Let’s examine this test carefully, analyzing what each question reveals about Shincheonji’s doctrine and comparing it with what first-century Christians actually understood. We’ll use historical, literary, and biblical lenses—not the lens of any particular eschatological system (Premillennial, Amillennial, or Postmillennial), but the lens of how ancient believers would have read this apocalyptic literature in their context.

By the end of this analysis, you’ll see not just what Shincheonji teaches, but how the test itself functions as an indoctrination tool, ensuring that only those who’ve fully adopted the organizational narrative can advance.

---

Part 1: Questions 1.1-1.5 — The Parable Foundation

What the Test Asks:

Question 1.1: “Why did Jesus speak in parables?”
Required Answer: “Because it is the secrets of the kingdom of heaven (to hide the ‘secrets of the kingdom of heaven’ from the enemies, to fulfill what was promised to the Old Testament prophets)”

Question 1.2: “Why does one become an outsider and is unable to receive atonement for his sins if he doesn’t understand the parables?”
Required Answer: “Because one will not know the actual entities”

Question 1.3: “What is made known to us plainly instead of figuratively at the appointed time?”
Required Answer: “Fulfilled reality (the actual entities)”

Question 1.4: “Write the 4 types of fields.”
Required Answer: “The path, rocky, thorny, and the good soil”

Question 1.5: “Write a relevant chapter from Revelation which explains when the harvest takes place for the seed that was sown.”
Required Answer: “Rv 14”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These opening questions establish the foundational hermeneutic (method of interpretation) that underlies all of Shincheonji’s teaching:

1. Parables Hide Truth from Enemies: The answer to 1.1 frames Jesus’ use of parables as primarily about concealment—hiding truth from enemies. This sets up a worldview where biblical truth is secret, coded, and accessible only to insiders.

2. Understanding “Actual Entities” Is Required for Salvation: Question 1.2 makes an extraordinary claim: you cannot receive atonement for sins unless you understand the parables. And understanding parables means knowing the “actual entities”—Shincheonji’s term for the specific people, organizations, and events they claim fulfill biblical prophecy.

This effectively makes salvation dependent on accepting Shincheonji’s interpretation.

3. “Fulfilled Reality” Replaces Figurative Language: Question 1.3 teaches that at “the appointed time” (which Shincheonji claims is now), figurative language is replaced by “fulfilled reality”—meaning the symbols in Revelation are now fulfilled in specific, identifiable entities (which always turn out to be Shincheonji-related).

4. The Parable of the Sower Points to Revelation 14: Questions 1.4-1.5 connect Jesus’ parable of the sower (Matthew 13) with Revelation 14 (the harvest). This creates a framework where all of Jesus’ teaching was prophesying about Shincheonji’s “harvest” of believers.

What First-Century Christians Actually Understood:

When Jesus spoke in parables, His disciples asked why. Jesus explained:

“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. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'” (Matthew 13:11-13)

Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10, referring to the spiritual hardness of those who reject God’s message. The parables served multiple purposes:

1. Revelation for the Receptive: For those with “ears to hear,” parables revealed profound truths about God’s kingdom in memorable, accessible ways.

2. Concealment from the Hard-Hearted: For those who had already rejected Jesus, parables confirmed their spiritual blindness—they heard stories but missed the point.

3. Invitation to Inquiry: Parables invited questions. When disciples didn’t understand, they asked Jesus, and He explained (Matthew 13:36, Mark 4:34).

But notice what Jesus did NOT say:

• He didn’t say parables would remain mysterious until a future organization decoded them
• He didn’t say understanding parables requires knowing “actual entities” in the 20th century
• He didn’t say salvation depends on decoding symbolic language
• He didn’t say parables were primarily about hiding truth from “enemies”

The Problem with Shincheonji’s “Actual Entities” Doctrine:

1. It Makes Salvation Dependent on Organizational Knowledge:

The test answer to 1.2 states that without understanding parables (meaning knowing Shincheonji’s “actual entities”), one “is unable to receive atonement for his sins.”

This directly contradicts the gospel:

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ—not by understanding which Korean organization fulfills Revelation.

“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.” (Romans 10:9)

The gospel requires faith in Christ’s death and resurrection—not knowledge of “actual entities.”

2. It Creates an Insider/Outsider Dynamic:

By claiming that understanding parables (as Shincheonji interprets them) is necessary for salvation, the teaching creates a sharp division:

• Insiders: Those who accept Shincheonji’s interpretation and know the “actual entities”
• Outsiders: Everyone else, who cannot receive atonement

This contradicts Jesus’ teaching that the gospel is for all:

“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.” (John 3:16)

Whoever believes—not “whoever joins Shincheonji and learns the actual entities.”

3. It Misunderstands the Nature of Parables:

Jesus’ parables were earthly stories illustrating spiritual truths:

• The Good Samaritan teaches about loving your neighbor (Luke 10:25-37)
• The Prodigal Son teaches about God’s grace and forgiveness (Luke 15:11-32)
• The Sower teaches about different responses to God’s word (Matthew 13:1-23)

These parables communicated timeless spiritual principles—not coded predictions about specific organizations in the future.

When Jesus explained the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:18-23), He didn’t say, “The good soil represents people who will join Shincheonji in the 21st century.” He said the good soil represents anyone who “hears the word and understands it” and produces fruit.

4. It Ignores That Jesus Explained His Parables:

Jesus explained His parables to His disciples (Matthew 13:18-23, 36-43; Mark 4:13-20). He didn’t say, “You’ll understand these in 2,000 years when a Korean organization arises.” He explained them right then, giving His disciples the understanding they needed.

The Connection to Revelation 14:

Question 1.5 requires students to connect the parable of the sower with Revelation 14 (the harvest). Let’s look at what Revelation 14 actually says:

“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)

“Then I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, ‘Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.” (Revelation 14:14-16)

What First-Century Christians Understood:

The harvest imagery in Revelation 14 draws from Old Testament prophetic literature, particularly Joel 3:13:

“Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!”

In biblical imagery, harvest represents judgment—the separation of the righteous from the wicked at the end of the age. Jesus Himself used this imagery:

“The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.” (Matthew 13:39-40)

Revelation 14’s harvest is eschatological—it describes the final judgment when Christ returns. It’s not about Shincheonji recruiting members in the 1980s-present.

Shincheonji’s Reinterpretation:

Shincheonji teaches that:

• The “seed” in the parable of the sower is God’s word planted in people
• The “harvest” in Revelation 14 is Shincheonji gathering believers from other churches
• Therefore, Jesus’ parable predicted Shincheonji’s recruitment activities

This reinterpretation:

• Removes the eschatological context (final judgment) and makes it about organizational recruitment
• Makes Jesus’ teaching about Shincheonji rather than about spiritual receptivity
• Turns harvest (judgment) into recruitment (organizational growth)

As Chapter 19 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explores, this is a fundamental misreading of apocalyptic imagery, removing it from its first-century context and forcing it into a modern organizational framework.

---

Part 2: Question 2 — Redefining Persecution

What the Test Asks:

Question 2: “It is said in Mt 24, to watch out that no one deceives you, and that the deceivers are the false prophets in verse 11.”

Question 2.1: “Who is this referring to?”
Required Answer: “Pastors of coercive conversion”

Question 2.2: “When it says nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom, which nations are they referring to? It is written that many will be deceived; they will be handed over to be persecuted and to be put to death. At that time,”
Required Answer: “God’s church (nation) and Babylon’s church (nation)”

Question 2.3: “Who are those who are deceived and hand people over?”
Required Answer: “Parents and relatives who were deceived”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions reveal how Shincheonji reframes opposition as persecution and redefines biblical warnings:

1. False Prophets = Anti-Cult Pastors: The answer to 2.1 identifies the “false prophets” Jesus warned about as “pastors of coercive conversion”—Shincheonji’s term for pastors and counselors who help people leave the organization.

2. Nation vs. Nation = Shincheonji vs. Other Churches: The answer to 2.2 reinterprets Jesus’ prophecy about “nation against nation” as referring to “God’s church” (Shincheonji) versus “Babylon’s church” (all other churches).

3. Persecutors = Concerned Family Members: The answer to 2.3 identifies those who “hand people over” as “parents and relatives who were deceived”—meaning family members who try to intervene when loved ones join Shincheonji.

What Jesus Actually Taught in Matthew 24:

Let’s look at the context of Jesus’ teaching:

“Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.'” (Matthew 24:4-8)

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Matthew 24:9-11)

The Historical Context:

Jesus was answering His disciples’ questions about the destruction of the temple and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). His prophecy had dual fulfillment:

1. Near Fulfillment (70 AD):

• The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Rome
• Persecution of early Christians by both Jews and Romans
• False messiahs leading people astray during the Jewish revolt

2. Ongoing Application:

• Throughout church history, believers face persecution
• False teachers arise in every generation
• Wars, famines, and earthquakes continue
• These signs remind believers to remain faithful

What “Nation Against Nation” Meant:

In the first-century context, “nation against nation” (ethnos kata ethnos) referred to:

• Literal warfare between peoples and kingdoms
• The Roman-Jewish War (66-70 AD) that culminated in Jerusalem’s destruction
• Ongoing conflict characteristic of this fallen world until Christ’s return

It did not refer to:

• Conflict between religious organizations
• Shincheonji versus other churches
• Organizational rivalry in 20th-21st century Korea

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Reinterpretation:

1. It Reverses the Warning:

Jesus warned His disciples to watch out for deceivers who would come in His name. Shincheonji reverses this, claiming that those who warn about Shincheonji are the deceivers.

This is a classic manipulation tactic: preemptively label critics as the very thing you’re accused of being. By teaching that “false prophets” are anti-cult pastors, Shincheonji inoculates members against listening to warnings.

2. It Reframes Legitimate Concern as Persecution:

When family members express concern about a loved one’s involvement in Shincheonji, this is labeled as:

• Being “deceived”
• “Handing people over to be persecuted”
• Being part of “Babylon’s church”

This reframing serves to:

• Isolate members from family who might help them see problems with the teaching
• Validate members’ commitment by making them feel persecuted for their faith
• Prevent critical evaluation by framing all opposition as spiritual warfare

3. It Misidentifies True Persecution:

Throughout history, Christians have faced genuine persecution:

• First century: Martyrdom under Roman emperors
• Throughout history: Persecution in various cultures and political systems
• Today: Christians in hostile nations facing imprisonment, torture, and death for their faith

Comparing family concern or pastoral intervention to this kind of persecution is:

• Disrespectful to those who’ve genuinely suffered for Christ
• Manipulative in creating a false sense of martyrdom
• Deceptive in framing organizational loyalty as faithfulness to Christ

4. It Creates an Us-vs-Them Mentality:

By teaching that all other churches are “Babylon” and all opposition is persecution, Shincheonji creates a siege mentality where:

• Members feel they’re in a spiritual battle
• Any questioning is seen as attack
• Leaving is seen as betrayal
• Family intervention is seen as persecution

This is what Chapter 28 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” identifies as “persecution complex”—a psychological tactic used by high-control groups to maintain member loyalty.

What the Bible Actually Teaches About False Prophets:

Jesus gave clear criteria for identifying false prophets:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-16)

The Test of Fruit:

• Do they point to Christ or to themselves/their organization?
• Do they create freedom or dependency?
• Do they encourage testing their teaching or demand unquestioning acceptance?
• Do they produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)?

The Test of Doctrine:

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” (1 John 4:1-3)

False prophets are identified by:

• Denying Christ’s incarnation or His unique role as Savior
• Adding requirements to the gospel (like organizational membership)
• Creating dependency on human leaders rather than on Christ
• Isolating followers from other believers and from Scripture’s clear teaching

When we apply these biblical tests, the question becomes: Who is exhibiting the characteristics of false teaching—those warning about Shincheonji, or Shincheonji itself?

---

Part 3: Questions 3.1-3.4 — The New Covenant Redefined

What the Test Asks:

Question 3.1: “What is the new covenant that was established with the blood?”
Required Answer: “Revelation (the events of Revelation)”

Question 3.2: “What is the difference between the one who keeps the covenant and the one who fails to keep it?”
Required Answer: “The one who keeps it: heaven / the one who does not keep it: hell”

Question 3.3: “What kind of person keeps the covenant?”
Required Answer: “One who records God’s law (Revelation) on their hearts and minds (the one who is sealed)”

Question 3.4: “When does this take place and who are the ones that keep the new covenant?”
Required Answer: “After the work of betrayal and destruction, the 12 tribes that have been harvested and sealed”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions reveal a fundamental redefinition of the New Covenant:

1. New Covenant = Revelation’s Events: Instead of the New Covenant being Christ’s blood shed for the forgiveness of sins, it’s redefined as “the events of Revelation”—meaning Shincheonji’s claimed fulfillment.

2. Keeping the Covenant = Organizational Membership: The difference between heaven and hell is whether you “keep the covenant”—which means accepting Shincheonji’s interpretation of Revelation and joining their organization.

3. Sealed = Memorizing Revelation: “Recording God’s law (Revelation) on hearts and minds” means memorizing and accepting Shincheonji’s teaching about Revelation.

4. The 12 Tribes = Shincheonji’s Structure: Those who keep the covenant are “the 12 tribes that have been harvested and sealed”—Shincheonji’s organizational structure.

What the New Covenant Actually Is:

The New Covenant is one of the most important concepts in Scripture. Let’s examine what it actually means:

The Prophecy (Jeremiah 31:31-34):

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,’ declares the LORD. ‘This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, “Know the LORD,” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the LORD. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.'”

Key Elements of the New Covenant:

1. God’s law written on hearts (internal transformation, not external rules)
2. Direct relationship with God (“I will be their God, they will be my people”)
3. Universal knowledge of God (all will know Him)
4. Forgiveness of sins (wickedness forgiven, sins remembered no more)

The Fulfillment in Christ:

Jesus explicitly identified the New Covenant with His blood:

“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'” (Luke 22:20)

The New Covenant is established through Christ’s sacrificial death:

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:15)

What the New Covenant Provides:

1. Forgiveness of Sins:

“But now he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26)

2. Access to God:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body…” (Hebrews 10:19-20)

3. Internal Transformation:

“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. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

4. Eternal Security:

“By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)

The New Covenant is final and complete in Christ—it doesn’t need fulfillment in a Korean organization.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Redefinition:

1. It Replaces Christ’s Blood with Organizational Events:

The test answer to 3.1 defines the New Covenant as “Revelation (the events of Revelation)” rather than Christ’s blood. This is a fundamental departure from biblical teaching.

The New Covenant isn’t about events happening in Korea in the 1980s—it’s about Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice for sin:

“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” (Hebrews 7:27)

2. It Makes Salvation Dependent on Organizational Membership:

The answer to 3.2 states that keeping the covenant leads to heaven, failing to keep it leads to hell. Combined with 3.4 (those who keep it are “the 12 tribes that have been harvested and sealed”), this means:

• Heaven: Join Shincheonji’s 12 tribes
• Hell: Everyone else

This contradicts the gospel:

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Salvation is in Christ’s name—not in joining Shincheonji’s 12 tribes.

3. It Misunderstands “Law Written on Hearts”:

The answer to 3.3 interprets “recording God’s law on hearts and minds” as memorizing Revelation (as Shincheonji teaches it). But Jeremiah’s prophecy was about internal transformation:

“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

This isn’t about memorizing an organization’s interpretation—it’s about the Holy Spirit transforming believers from within:

“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:3)

4. It Creates a Works-Based Salvation:

By making “keeping the covenant” dependent on being “harvested and sealed” into Shincheonji’s 12 tribes, the teaching creates a works-based salvation:

• You must be recruited (“harvested”)
• You must complete the training and pass tests (“sealed”)
• You must join the organizational structure (“12 tribes”)
• Only then do you “keep the covenant” and go to heaven

This contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture:

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

---

Part 4: Questions 4.1-4.3 — Specific Historical Claims

What the Test Asks:

Question 4.1: “When”
Required Answer: “1966”

Question 4.2: “Where was Revelation fulfilled?”
Required Answer: “The Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon, at the base of Mt. Cheonggye”

Question 4.3: “Write the 2 chapters where we can find the betrayers, the destroyers, and the savior.”
Required Answer: “Rv 13, Rv 12”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions require students to accept specific, verifiable historical claims:

1. Revelation Began Fulfillment in 1966: Students must affirm that the events of Revelation started being fulfilled in 1966—a specific, testable claim.

2. The Location Was Gwacheon, South Korea: Students must identify a specific location—the Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon, at the base of Mt. Cheonggye—as where Revelation was fulfilled.

3. Specific Chapters Identify Specific Entities: Students must accept that Revelation 12 and 13 describe specific people and organizations in 1960s-1980s Korea.

The Historical Reality:

As documented extensively in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1” and “Part 2,” and in “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale,” these claims face significant problems:

1. The Tabernacle Temple Was a Real Organization:

The Tabernacle Temple (Jangmak Seongjon) was founded by Yoo Jae-yul in the 1960s. Lee Man-hee was a member within this organization. The group practiced:

• Intensive Bible study
• Claims of special revelation
• Separation from mainstream Christianity
• Authoritarian leadership structure

2. The Organization Collapsed:

The Tabernacle Temple didn’t endure as God’s chosen organization—it collapsed amid:

• Leadership conflicts
• Financial problems
• Doctrinal disputes
• Members leaving

As documented in “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale,” the organization’s dissolution was due to internal problems and human failures—not cosmic spiritual warfare as Shincheonji claims.

3. Lee Man-hee’s Role:

Lee Man-hee was involved in the Tabernacle Temple but later:

• Left the organization
• Joined other groups (including the Olive Tree movement)
• Eventually founded his own organization (Shincheonji) in 1984
• Retroactively reinterpreted his experiences as fulfillment of Revelation

4. The Claims Keep Changing:

As documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2,” Shincheonji’s fulfillment claims have changed multiple times:

• Who the “betrayer” is
• Who the “destroyer” is
• When events occurred
• How prophecies were fulfilled

If these were truly fulfilled prophecies, they wouldn’t need constant revision.

The Problem with These Claims:

1. They’re Unfalsifiable:

Shincheonji’s fulfillment claims are presented as historical facts, but they can’t be independently verified because:

• The “fulfillment” is only visible to those who accept Shincheonji’s interpretation
• External witnesses don’t confirm the cosmic significance Shincheonji claims
• The events are ordinary organizational conflicts reinterpreted as spiritual warfare

2. They Require Accepting Shincheonji’s Authority First:

To “see” that Revelation was fulfilled in 1966 at the Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon, you must:

• Already accept that Shincheonji’s interpretation is correct
• Already believe Lee Man-hee is the “one who overcomes”
• Already trust that ordinary organizational events are prophetic fulfillment

This is circular reasoning: “Revelation was fulfilled in 1966 because Shincheonji says so, and we know Shincheonji is right because Revelation was fulfilled in 1966.”

3. They Contradict How First-Century Christians Understood Revelation:

When John wrote Revelation to seven churches in Asia Minor around 95 AD, he was addressing their situation:

“John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come…” (Revelation 1:4)

The symbols in Revelation would have been immediately meaningful to first-century believers:

• Babylon = Rome, the oppressive empire
• The Beast = Imperial power demanding worship
• 666 = Likely Nero Caesar (in Hebrew gematria)
• The prostitute = Rome’s seductive idolatry

As explored in “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon,” early believers understood apocalyptic imagery as addressing their context—not as coded predictions about Korea 1,900 years later.

4. They Make Revelation Irrelevant to Its Original Audience:

If Revelation is primarily about events in 1960s-1980s Korea, then:

• It had no meaning for first-century Christians facing persecution
• It provided no comfort to believers throughout church history
• It was essentially a sealed book for 1,900 years

But Revelation itself claims to be relevant immediately:

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud 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.” (Revelation 1:3)

“The time is near”—not “the time is 1,900 years away in Korea.”

Testing the Claims:

As “Prophecy and Fulfillment” documents, when we apply historical and logical tests to Shincheonji’s claims, they fail:

Test 1: Independent Verification

• Can external sources confirm these events had the cosmic significance claimed?
• Result: No. The Tabernacle Temple’s history is documented, but nothing confirms it was the fulfillment of Revelation.

Test 2: Consistency

• Have the fulfillment claims remained consistent, or have they changed?
• Result: They’ve changed repeatedly, as documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2.”

Test 3: Falsifiability

• What evidence would disprove these claims?
• Result: No evidence can disprove them because they’re defined in unfalsifiable terms.

Test 4: Biblical Alignment

• Do these claims align with how Scripture interprets itself and how early Christians understood it?
• Result: No. They require abandoning historical-grammatical interpretation in favor of organizational allegory.

---

Part 5: Question 5 — The Sequential Process of “Fulfillment”

What the Test Asks:

Question 5: “Write in sequence the brief process of the work of God that is to be fulfilled according to the new covenant from the beginning of the prophecy to the end of the fulfillment.”

Required Answer: “The 7 stars and the tabernacle → betrayal → destruction → harvest → sealing → the 12 tribes → the wedding → the first resurrection”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

This question requires students to memorize and accept a specific sequential narrative that Shincheonji claims is the fulfillment of Revelation. Let’s break down each element:

1. The 7 Stars and the Tabernacle:

• The “7 stars” are identified as the seven messengers of the Tabernacle Temple
• The “tabernacle” is the Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon
• This represents the “chosen” starting point of God’s work

2. Betrayal:

• The leaders of the Tabernacle Temple allegedly “betrayed” God’s covenant
• This is identified with various Revelation passages about apostasy

3. Destruction:

• The Tabernacle Temple was “destroyed” by outside forces
• Shincheonji identifies this with Babylon/the beast attacking God’s people

4. Harvest:

• Lee Man-hee allegedly “harvested” believers from other churches
• This is identified with Revelation 14’s harvest imagery

5. Sealing:

• Members who complete Shincheonji’s training are “sealed” with knowledge
• This is identified with the 144,000 being sealed in Revelation 7

6. The 12 Tribes:

• Shincheonji’s organizational structure of 12 tribes
• This is identified as the fulfillment of Revelation 7 and 14

7. The Wedding:

• The “wedding banquet of the Lamb” (Revelation 19)
• Shincheonji claims this is happening now as members join

8. The First Resurrection:

• Shincheonji teaches this is spiritual resurrection through joining their organization
• Not physical resurrection of the dead

What First-Century Christians Actually Understood:

When first-century believers read Revelation, they understood it within the context of Jewish apocalyptic literature and their immediate historical situation. Let’s examine each element:

1. The Seven Stars (Revelation 1:20):

“The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:20)

Jesus Himself interprets this symbol: the seven stars are the angels (or messengers) of the seven churches in Asia Minor—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

These were real churches in John’s time, facing real challenges. The messages in Revelation 2-3 addressed their specific situations:

• Ephesus had forsaken its first love (2:4)
• Smyrna faced persecution (2:9-10)
• Pergamum had false teachers (2:14-15)
• Thyatira tolerated Jezebel’s teaching (2:20)
• Sardis had a reputation of being alive but was dead (3:1)
• Philadelphia had little strength but kept God’s word (3:8)
• Laodicea was lukewarm (3:15-16)

These messages were immediately applicable to first-century churches—not coded references to a Korean organization 1,900 years later.

2. Betrayal and Destruction:

Revelation does describe apostasy and persecution:

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)

But this is a recurring pattern throughout church history—not a one-time event in 1960s Korea. Every generation has faced:

• False teachers arising within the church
• Persecution from outside forces
• The need to remain faithful amid trials

3. Harvest (Revelation 14:14-16):

“Then I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, ‘Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.”

As discussed earlier, the harvest in Revelation 14 is eschatological judgment—the final separation of the righteous from the wicked when Christ returns. It’s not about recruiting members from other churches.

Jesus used harvest imagery for judgment:

“The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.” (Matthew 13:39)

The “one like a son of man” with the sickle is Christ Himself at His return—not Lee Man-hee recruiting members.

4. Sealing (Revelation 7:1-8):

“Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” (Revelation 7:4)

The sealing in Revelation 7 represents God’s protection of His people during tribulation. The imagery draws from Ezekiel 9, where God marks His faithful people for protection before judgment falls on Jerusalem.

First-century Christians would have understood this as:

• God’s preservation of His people through persecution
• Spiritual protection (not physical immunity from suffering)
• Assurance that believers belong to God

The seal is God’s ownership mark—the Holy Spirit:

“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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

It’s not about memorizing Shincheonji’s interpretation of Revelation.

5. The 12 Tribes (Revelation 7:4-8):

The 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel is symbolic imagery representing:

• Completeness (12 x 12 x 1,000 = fullness)
• The people of God (using Old Testament tribal imagery)
• All believers protected by God

This is not a literal organizational structure in Korea. As “The Revelation Project – Day 1-6” by Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage explains, Revelation uses Old Testament imagery to describe New Testament realities—the church as the new Israel.

6. The Wedding (Revelation 19:6-9):

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:7-8)

The wedding banquet of the Lamb is a future eschatological event—the consummation of Christ’s relationship with His church when He returns.

Throughout Scripture, marriage imagery represents God’s covenant relationship with His people:

• Old Testament: God as husband, Israel as bride (Isaiah 54:5, Hosea 2:19-20)
• New Testament: Christ as bridegroom, church as bride (Ephesians 5:25-32)

The wedding feast is the final celebration when Christ returns and brings His people into eternal fellowship. It’s not about joining Shincheonji.

7. The First Resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6):

“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”

The “first resurrection” in Revelation 20 refers to believers who:

• Died for their faith (“beheaded because of their testimony”)
• Remained faithful (didn’t worship the beast)
• Come to life and reign with Christ

Whether understood as:

• Literal physical resurrection (premillennial view)
• Spiritual resurrection (believers’ new life in Christ—amillennial view)
• Vindication of martyrs (preterist view)

All interpretations agree this is about Christ’s victory over death and believers’ participation in His resurrection life—not about joining an organization.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Sequential Narrative:

1. It Removes Eschatological Hope:

By claiming these events already happened (or are happening now) in Shincheonji, the teaching removes the future hope that sustained early Christians:

“We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

Early Christians looked forward to Christ’s return, the resurrection of the dead, and the new creation. Shincheonji replaces this with organizational membership.

2. It Makes Ordinary Events into Cosmic Fulfillment:

The “betrayal” and “destruction” Shincheonji describes are ordinary organizational conflicts:

• Leadership disputes
• Financial problems
• Members leaving
• Organizations dissolving

These happen to religious groups all the time. Reinterpreting them as the fulfillment of Revelation’s cosmic spiritual warfare is:

• Grandiose (inflating ordinary events to cosmic significance)
• Unfalsifiable (any organizational conflict can be claimed as “betrayal”)
• Self-serving (always positioning Shincheonji as the faithful remnant)

3. It Creates a Works-Based Salvation System:

The sequential process makes salvation dependent on:

• Being “harvested” (recruited by Shincheonji)
• Being “sealed” (completing their training)
• Joining “the 12 tribes” (organizational membership)
• Participating in “the wedding” (full commitment to Shincheonji)
• Experiencing “the first resurrection” (spiritual transformation through the organization)

This is salvation by organizational participation—not salvation by grace through faith in Christ.

4. It Requires Accepting Shincheonji’s Authority:

To see this sequential process as fulfillment of Revelation, you must:

• Accept that the Tabernacle Temple was God’s chosen organization
• Accept that its collapse was prophetic “destruction”
• Accept that Lee Man-hee is the “one who overcomes”
• Accept that Shincheonji is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy

None of this can be verified independently—it all depends on accepting Shincheonji’s interpretation.

What the Bible Actually Teaches About God’s Work:

The biblical pattern of God’s redemptive work is:

Creation → Fall → Redemption → Consummation

1. Creation: God creates humanity for relationship with Him (Genesis 1-2)

2. Fall: Humanity rebels, bringing sin and death into the world (Genesis 3)

3. Redemption: God works throughout history to restore relationship:

• Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12)
• Exodus and Law through Moses (Exodus)
• Prophets calling people back to God
• Culminating in Christ (Galatians 4:4-5)

4. Consummation: Christ returns to make all things new (Revelation 21-22)

This is a linear, Christ-centered narrative—not a cyclical pattern of organizational rise and fall.

The center of God’s work is Christ:

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)

When an organization places itself at the center of God’s redemptive plan, it has departed from biblical Christianity.

---

Part 6: Questions 6.1-6.5 — Where Heaven Comes Down

What the Test Asks:

Question 6.1: “Write 2 verses regarding the place where God, the heavens, and Jesus come down upon.”
Required Answer: “Rv 3:12, Rv 21:1-3”

Question 6.2: “Who are the people who are at this place?”
Required Answer: “God’s nation and kingdom”

Question 6.3: “Where is the path to this place? Write two reference chapters.”
Required Answer: “Rv 2, 3 (Explanation: These two chapters are the beginning as well as the entirety of Revelation, and God, Jesus, and heaven must come and one must overcome in order to attain all things)”

Question 6.4: “What happens to the people in this place?”
Required Answer: “They live together with the Lord in heaven”

Question 6.5: “With what have I been re-created according to the promise of the Bible?”
Required Answer: “Through God’s seed and Jesus’ blood”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish that:

1. Heaven Comes Down to a Specific Place: Students must identify Revelation 3:12 and 21:1-3 as describing where God, heaven, and Jesus come down—which Shincheonji interprets as their organization.

2. This Place Is Shincheonji: “God’s nation and kingdom” is Shincheonji’s term for their organization.

3. The Path Is Through Revelation 2-3: Students must understand that Revelation 2-3 (the letters to the seven churches) are “the beginning as well as the entirety of Revelation”—meaning everything in Revelation is about these churches, which Shincheonji claims are fulfilled in their organization.

4. Overcoming Is Required: “One must overcome in order to attain all things”—which Shincheonji interprets as Lee Man-hee overcoming, and members participating through him.

5. Re-Creation Through Seed and Blood: Students must accept that they’ve been “re-created” through “God’s seed and Jesus’ blood”—which Shincheonji reinterprets as their teaching and organizational membership.

What the Biblical Passages Actually Say:

Let’s examine the passages cited:

Revelation 3:12:

“The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”

This is part of Jesus’ message to the church in Philadelphia. The promise is to “the one who is victorious”—believers who remain faithful. The imagery includes:

• Being a pillar in God’s temple (permanent belonging)
• The name of God written on them (ownership, identity)
• The new Jerusalem coming down from heaven (future hope)
• Christ’s new name (intimate relationship)

Revelation 21:1-3:

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.'”

This describes the final state—the new creation when God makes all things new. Key elements:

• New heaven and new earth (complete renewal of creation)
• New Jerusalem (the redeemed community)
• God dwelling with His people (ultimate fulfillment of covenant promises)

What First-Century Christians Understood:

1. The New Jerusalem Is Eschatological:

When first-century believers read about the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven, they understood this as future hope—the consummation of all God’s promises when Christ returns.

The imagery draws from Old Testament prophecies:

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,’ declares the LORD, ‘so will your name and descendants endure.'” (Isaiah 66:22)

This is about cosmic renewal—God making all things new, not about a Korean organization.

2. God’s Dwelling with His People:

The promise that “God’s dwelling place is now among the people” is the climax of redemptive history. Throughout Scripture, God has progressively drawn near:

• Eden: God walked with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8)
• Tabernacle: God’s presence dwelt among Israel (Exodus 40:34-38)
• Temple: God’s glory filled the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11)
• Incarnation: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14)
• Church: “You are God’s temple” through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16)
• New Creation: God dwells directly with His people forever (Revelation 21:3)

This is the telos (goal) of all history—not organizational membership, but unmediated fellowship with God.

3. Overcoming:

The promises to “the one who overcomes” (or “is victorious”) appear throughout Revelation 2-3. But what does it mean to overcome?

“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:5)

Overcoming means faith in Christ—not organizational achievement.

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

The victory is already won in Christ. Believers participate in His victory through faith, not through joining an organization.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Localizes What Is Universal:

Shincheonji teaches that heaven comes down to a specific place—their organization. But the new Jerusalem represents all of God’s redeemed people from every nation, tribe, people, and language (Revelation 7:9).

The promise isn’t that God will dwell with one organization in Korea—it’s that He will dwell with all His people in the new creation.

2. It Temporalizes What Is Eschatological:

By claiming Revelation 21 is being fulfilled now in Shincheonji, the teaching removes the future hope that is central to Christian faith.

But Revelation 21 describes a state where:

• There is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (21:4)
• There is no temple, because God and the Lamb are the temple (21:22)
• There is no need for sun or moon, because God’s glory gives light (21:23)
• Nothing impure will ever enter (21:27)

Is this true of Shincheonji? Obviously not. Members still die, experience pain, need buildings for worship, and live in a world with sin and suffering.

3. It Makes “Overcoming” About Organizational Leadership:

Shincheonji teaches that Lee Man-hee is “the one who overcomes,” and members participate in his victory by joining the organization.

But Scripture teaches that all believers are overcomers through faith in Christ:

“I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:13)

“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.” (1 John 4:4)

Overcoming isn’t about one special leader—it’s about every believer’s victory in Christ.

4. It Redefines “Re-Creation”:

The answer to 6.5 states that members are “re-created through God’s seed and Jesus’ blood.” But what does this mean in Shincheonji’s system?

• “God’s seed” = Shincheonji’s teaching (their interpretation of Scripture)
• “Jesus’ blood” = Membership in Shincheonji (not Christ’s literal blood shed on the cross)

This redefines biblical language to make it about organizational participation rather than Christ’s atoning work.

The Bible teaches that new creation comes through:

Faith in Christ:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The Holy Spirit:

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

God’s Word:

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

New creation is God’s work in Christ through the Spirit—not organizational membership.

---

Part 7: Questions 7.1-7.3 — The Three Denominations

What the Test Asks:

Question 7.1: “Write the names of the 3 denominations to which the betrayers, the destroyers, and the savior belong.”
Required Answer: “The Tabernacle Temple, Babylon (CCK) the Christian Stewardship Training Center, Shincheonji the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony”

Question 7.2: “When”
Required Answer: “At the time of the fulfillment of Revelation”

Question 7.3: “Where (location) these entities appear.”
Required Answer: “The Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions require students to accept specific organizational identifications:

1. The Betrayer = Tabernacle Temple: The Tabernacle Temple (Jangmak Seongjon), founded by Yoo Jae-yul, is identified as the “betrayer” in Revelation’s narrative.

2. The Destroyer = Christian Council of Korea (CCK) and Christian Stewardship Training Center: Mainstream Korean Christianity (represented by CCK) and a specific organization (Christian Stewardship Training Center) are identified as “Babylon” and the “destroyer.”

3. The Savior = Shincheonji: Shincheonji (full name: “Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony”) is identified as the “savior” who overcomes.

4. The Time = “Fulfillment of Revelation”: This is claimed to be happening now (or recently).

5. The Location = Gwacheon, South Korea: All these events allegedly occurred at the Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon.

The Historical Reality:

As documented in “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale,” “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1,” and “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 2,” the actual history is quite different from Shincheonji’s spiritual narrative:

The Tabernacle Temple (1960s-1970s):

• Founded by Yoo Jae-yul, who claimed special revelation
• Practiced intensive Bible study and separation from mainstream churches
• Lee Man-hee was a member
• Experienced internal conflicts, leadership disputes, and financial problems
• Eventually dissolved due to these internal issues

The Christian Stewardship Training Center:

• An organization that opposed the Tabernacle Temple’s teachings
• Engaged in what Shincheonji calls “destruction” but was actually doctrinal opposition and evangelism to Tabernacle Temple members

Lee Man-hee’s Journey:

• Was part of the Tabernacle Temple
• Left and joined other groups (including the Olive Tree movement)
• Eventually founded Shincheonji in 1984
• Retroactively reinterpreted his experiences as fulfillment of Revelation

The Problem: These were ordinary organizational conflicts—the kind that happen in religious movements all the time:

• Charismatic leader claims special revelation
• Organization forms around that leader
• Internal conflicts arise
• Outside groups oppose the teaching
• Organization splits or dissolves
• Former members form new organizations

This pattern has repeated countless times throughout history. Reinterpreting it as the fulfillment of Revelation’s cosmic spiritual warfare requires accepting Shincheonji’s authority—it can’t be verified independently.

What First-Century Christians Actually Understood:

When first-century believers read Revelation, they understood the symbols in their historical context:

“Babylon” (Revelation 17-18):

“The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18)

In John’s time, “the great city that rules over the kings of the earth” was Rome. First-century Christians would have immediately understood “Babylon” as a code name for Rome:

• Historical parallel: Just as ancient Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the temple (586 BC), Rome destroyed the second temple (70 AD)
• Oppressive power: Rome demanded emperor worship and persecuted Christians
• Seductive influence: Rome’s wealth, power, and culture tempted believers to compromise

As “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon” explains, apocalyptic literature used symbolic language to critique oppressive powers. “Babylon” was a recognizable symbol for Rome—not a coded reference to Korean Christianity 1,900 years later.

The Beast (Revelation 13):

“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” (Revelation 13:1)

The beast represents imperial power demanding worship. First-century believers would have understood this as:

• Roman emperors who claimed divinity
• The imperial cult that required worship of the emperor
• Political persecution of those who refused to worship Caesar

The “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:16-17) represented participation in the imperial economic and religious system—not membership in a Korean organization.

The Faithful Witness:

Throughout Revelation, believers are called to be faithful witnesses (martyrs) who:

• Refuse to worship the beast (13:15)
• Remain faithful even unto death (2:10)
• Overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (12:11)

This is about faithfulness to Christ in the face of persecution—not about organizational loyalty.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Three Denominations:

1. It Requires Accepting Unfalsifiable Claims:

To see the Tabernacle Temple as the “betrayer,” CCK as the “destroyer,” and Shincheonji as the “savior,” you must:

• Accept Shincheonji’s interpretation of what happened
• Believe that ordinary organizational conflicts are cosmic spiritual warfare
• Trust that Shincheonji’s narrative is accurate (despite no independent verification)

This is circular reasoning: “We know Shincheonji fulfills Revelation because they say these organizations fulfill Revelation, and we know these organizations fulfill Revelation because Shincheonji says so.”

2. It Demonizes Opposition:

By identifying all opposition as “Babylon” and the “destroyer,” Shincheonji:

• Delegitimizes legitimate concerns about their teaching
• Prevents members from listening to critics
• Frames all opposition as spiritual warfare rather than doctrinal disagreement

This is a classic cult tactic: preemptively demonize critics so members won’t listen to them.

3. It Makes Revelation Irrelevant to Its Original Audience:

If Revelation is primarily about Korean organizations in the 1960s-1980s, then:

• It had no meaning for first-century Christians facing Roman persecution
• It provided no comfort to believers throughout church history
• It was essentially a sealed book for 1,900 years

But Revelation was written to encourage first-century believers facing persecution:

“I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 1:9)

John wrote as someone who shared his readers’ suffering. The message was immediately relevant to their situation—not a coded message about Korea 1,900 years later.

4. It Changes Based on Organizational Needs:

As documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2,” Shincheonji’s identification of who fulfills which role has changed multiple times:

• Who the “betrayer” is has changed
• Who the “destroyer” is has changed
• When events occurred has been revised
• How prophecies were fulfilled has been reinterpreted

If these were truly fulfilled prophecies, they wouldn’t need constant revision. The fact that the “fulfillment” keeps changing reveals that it’s organizational narrative, not prophetic fulfillment.

Testing the Claims:

As “Prophecy and Fulfillment” documents, we can test prophetic claims:

Test 1: Specificity Before Fulfillment

• Were these identifications made before the events, or after?
• Result: All of Shincheonji’s fulfillment claims are post hoc (after the fact). They retroactively reinterpret events that already happened.

Test 2: Independent Verification

• Can external sources confirm these organizations had the cosmic significance claimed?
• Result: No. Historical records show ordinary organizational conflicts, not cosmic spiritual warfare.

Test 3: Consistency

• Have the identifications remained consistent, or changed?
• Result: They’ve changed repeatedly, as documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2.”

Test 4: Biblical Alignment

• Do these identifications align with how first-century Christians understood Revelation?
• Result: No. They require abandoning historical context and imposing modern organizational conflicts onto ancient apocalyptic literature.

---

Part 8: Questions 8.1-8.2 — The Passover and the Messenger’s Work

What the Test Asks:

Question 8.1: “Write 4 verses from Revelation who is able to drink this blood at that time.”
Required Answer: “Rv 1:5-6, Rv 5:9-10, Rv 7:14, Rv 12:11”

Question 8.2: “What kind of work does the pastor, who is the messenger of Jesus sent for the churches in Revelation, do? Write 7 applicable chapters and their contents.”
Required Answer:

• “Rv 2-3: sends the letter on behalf of Jesus”
• “Rv 10: receives and eats the opened scroll that came down from heaven and testifies”
• “Rv 11: killed while being the witness who serve the Lord”
• “Rv 12: fights against the beast and overcomes”
• “Rv 16: the bowl that judges”
• “Rv 19: prepares the wedding supper as the bride of the Lamb”
• “Rv 22: witnesses all the events of Revelation, messenger who is sent to the churches”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish Lee Man-hee’s central role in Shincheonji’s theology:

1. Only Specific People Can “Drink the Blood”: The question asks who can drink Jesus’ blood “at that time”—implying that only those who join Shincheonji at the time of fulfillment can participate in Christ’s atonement.

2. One Pastor Does All These Works: Question 8.2 requires students to identify seven different roles that “the pastor” (Lee Man-hee) fulfills in Revelation. This creates a comprehensive picture of Lee Man-hee as:

• The messenger to the churches (Rv 2-3)
• The one who receives the opened scroll (Rv 10)
• The witness who is killed (Rv 11)
• The one who overcomes the beast (Rv 12)
• The one who judges (Rv 16)
• The bride of the Lamb (Rv 19)
• The witness of all Revelation’s events (Rv 22)

This makes Lee Man-hee the central figure in Revelation’s fulfillment—more prominent than Christ Himself in Shincheonji’s teaching.

What the Biblical Passages Actually Say:

Let’s examine each passage cited:

Revelation 1:5-6:

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

This is about Christ’s work for all believers:

• He loves us (present, ongoing love)
• He freed us from sins by his blood (past, completed work)
• He made us a kingdom and priests (corporate identity of all believers)

This isn’t about who can “drink the blood at that time”—it’s about what Christ has already done for all who believe.

Revelation 5:9-10:

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'”

This describes Christ’s redemptive work:

• He was slain (the crucifixion)
• His blood purchased people from every nation (universal atonement)
• He made them a kingdom and priests (all believers)

Again, this is about what Christ did—not about organizational membership.

Revelation 7:14:

“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

This describes believers who:

• Came through tribulation (persecution, suffering)
• Washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood (cleansed from sin through Christ’s atonement)

The imagery is about purification through Christ’s sacrifice—not about joining Shincheonji.

Revelation 12:11:

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

This describes how believers overcome Satan:

• By the blood of the Lamb (Christ’s atoning death)
• By the word of their testimony (faithful witness)
• By not loving their lives unto death (willingness to die for Christ)

This is about all believers’ victory in Christ—not about one organization.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Limits Christ’s Atonement:

The question “who is able to drink this blood at that time” implies that Christ’s blood is only effective for those who join Shincheonji “at the time of fulfillment.”

This contradicts Scripture’s teaching that Christ’s blood is effective for all who believe, in all times:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)

Christ’s atonement is universally sufficient—not limited to one organization in one time period.

2. It Makes Lee Man-hee Central to Revelation:

By identifying Lee Man-hee as the figure who fulfills seven different roles in Revelation, Shincheonji makes him more central than Christ:

Christ in Revelation:

• The Lamb who was slain (5:6)
• The one worthy to open the scroll (5:9)
• The rider on the white horse (19:11)
• The Alpha and Omega (22:13)

Lee Man-hee in Shincheonji’s Teaching:

• Messenger to churches (2-3)
• Receiver of the scroll (10)
• Witness who is killed (11)
• Overcomer of the beast (12)
• Judge (16)
• Bride preparing the wedding (19)
• Witness of all events (22)

This shifts focus from Christ’s work to Lee Man-hee’s role, making him the functional savior in Shincheonji’s system.

3. It Misidentifies the Messenger:

Let’s look at Revelation 10, which Shincheonji claims describes Lee Man-hee:

“Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand.” (Revelation 10:1-2)

“I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, ‘Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’ I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.'” (Revelation 10:9-11)

In the vision, John (the apostle) receives and eats the scroll. This draws from Ezekiel’s similar experience (Ezekiel 2:8-3:3), where the prophet eats a scroll representing God’s word.

The imagery represents:

• Receiving God’s revelation (eating the scroll)
• Internalizing the message (sweet in the mouth, sour in the stomach)
• Prophesying to the nations (proclaiming God’s word)

This is about John’s prophetic role in writing Revelation—not about Lee Man-hee 1,900 years later.

4. It Confuses Metaphor with Literal Fulfillment:

Revelation uses symbolic, apocalyptic imagery. When it describes:

• The two witnesses (11:3-12)
• The woman clothed with the sun (12:1)
• The beast from the sea (13:1)
• The bride of the Lamb (19:7)

These are symbolic representations of spiritual realities, not literal descriptions of specific individuals in 20th-century Korea.

As “The Revelation Project – Day 1-6” by Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage explains, apocalyptic literature uses highly symbolic language to communicate theological truths. Reading it as a coded prediction of specific people and organizations misunderstands the genre.

What First-Century Christians Understood:

When first-century believers read Revelation, they understood:

1. Christ Is Central:

The book opens and closes with Christ:

• Opening: “Grace and peace from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth” (1:5)
• Closing: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches” (22:16)

2. The Church Is the Witness:

The call to faithful witness is to all believers:

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” (Revelation 2:10)

3. Victory Is in Christ:

Believers overcome through Christ’s victory, not through human leaders:

“These will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” (Revelation 17:14)

---

Part 9: Questions 9.1-9.4 — Four Women and Three Mysteries

What the Test Asks:

Question 9.1: “There are 4 unusual women who appear in Revelation. Write what each of them does and which side they belong to, including the reference chapters.”

Required Answer:

• “Rv 2: Jezebel, caused people to commit adultery, belongs to the devil”
• “Rv 12: The woman clothed with sun, moon, and stars, gave birth to a child who will rule all the nations, belongs to God”
• “Rv 17: The prostitute, gave birth to the children of the devil, belongs to the devil”
• “Rv 19: The bride of the Lamb, prepares the wedding supper, belongs to God”

Question 9.2: “What brings forth the 3 types of plagues in Revelation?”
Required Answer: “Seals, trumpets, bowls”

Question 9.3: “What are the 3 mysteries, and”
Required Answer: “The seven stars, the beast with seven heads and ten horns, the seventh trumpet”

Question 9.4: “What is the other mystery?”
Required Answer: “The name on the forehead of the prostitute, Babylon”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a dualistic framework (God vs. Satan) and require students to:

1. Identify Four Women as Symbolic Figures: Students must categorize four women in Revelation as either belonging to God or the devil, and identify what they represent in Shincheonji’s system.

2. Understand the Structure of Judgment: The three series of judgments (seals, trumpets, bowls) are presented as a structural framework.

3. Identify Four Mysteries: Students must memorize four specific “mysteries” that Shincheonji claims to have decoded.

What the Biblical Passages Actually Say:

Let’s examine each woman:

1. Jezebel (Revelation 2:20-23):

“Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead.”

This is part of Jesus’ message to the church in Thyatira. “Jezebel” is likely a symbolic name (referencing the Old Testament queen who led Israel into idolatry) for a false teacher in Thyatira who was:

• Leading believers into compromise with pagan practices
• Teaching that participation in idol feasts was acceptable
• Causing spiritual adultery (unfaithfulness to God)

First-Century Context: In Thyatira, trade guilds held feasts that included idol worship and sexual immorality. Some Christians were being taught they could participate without compromising their faith. Jesus condemns this compromise.

2. The Woman Clothed with the Sun (Revelation 12:1-6):

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads… She gave birth to a son, a male child, who ‘will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.’ And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.”

This woman represents God’s people (Israel/the Church) who give birth to the Messiah (Christ). The imagery draws from:

• Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37:9): sun, moon, and twelve stars representing Jacob’s family
• Israel as God’s bride (Isaiah 54:5-6, Hosea 2:19-20)
• Zion giving birth (Isaiah 66:7-8, Micah 5:2-3)

The “male child who will rule all nations” is clearly Christ, who:

• Rules with an iron scepter (Psalm 2:9)
• Was caught up to God’s throne (the ascension)

The woman represents the faithful community from which Christ came.

3. The Prostitute/Babylon (Revelation 17:1-6):

“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.’… The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

The prostitute represents Rome (and more broadly, any oppressive, idolatrous world system). The imagery includes:

• Sitting on many waters: ruling over many peoples (17:15)
• Purple and scarlet: colors of wealth and royalty
• Golden cup: outward beauty hiding inner corruption
• Drunk with the blood of saints: persecuting believers (17:6)

First-century Christians would have immediately recognized this as Rome:

• Rome ruled over many nations
• Rome was wealthy and powerful
• Rome persecuted Christians
• Rome seduced people with its culture and prosperity

4. The Bride of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9):

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'”

The bride represents the Church—all believers united to Christ. The marriage imagery appears throughout Scripture:

• Old Testament: God as husband, Israel as bride (Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 31:32)
• Gospels: Jesus as bridegroom (Matthew 9:15, 25:1-13)
• Epistles: Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:25-32)

The bride is corporate (all believers), not an individual or organization.

What First-Century Christians Understood:

1. Women as Symbolic Figures:

In apocalyptic literature, women often symbolize communities or systems:

• Faithful woman = God’s people
• Unfaithful woman = Apostate people or idolatrous systems

This was a common literary device that first-century readers would have understood.

2. The Contrast:

Revelation contrasts two “cities” represented as women:

• Babylon the prostitute (Revelation 17-18): The seductive, oppressive world system
• New Jerusalem the bride (Revelation 21-22): The redeemed community

The call is to come out of Babylon (18:4) and be part of the bride—to reject the world’s idolatry and remain faithful to Christ.

3. Not Literal Individuals:

These women are symbolic representations, not literal people to be identified in history. They represent:

• Spiritual realities (faithfulness vs. unfaithfulness)
• Corporate entities (communities, not individuals)
• Ongoing patterns (not one-time fulfillments)

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Literalizes Symbolic Imagery:

Shincheonji teaches that these four women represent specific people or organizations:

• Jezebel = A specific person in the Tabernacle Temple
• Woman clothed with sun = The Tabernacle Temple organization
• Prostitute = Mainstream Korean Christianity (CCK)
• Bride = Shincheonji

This literalizes what was meant to be symbolic, forcing apocalyptic imagery into a narrow organizational framework.

2. It Makes Revelation About Organizations:

By identifying these women with specific Korean organizations, Shincheonji makes Revelation about:

• Organizational conflicts in 1960s-1980s Korea
• Which group is faithful and which is apostate
• Joining the right organization

This removes Revelation from its first-century context and its universal application to all believers in all times.

3. It Creates a Self-Serving Narrative:

Notice the pattern:

• Bad women = Organizations that opposed or competed with Shincheonji
• Good women = Organizations that led to or became Shincheonji

This is a self-serving interpretation that always positions Shincheonji as the faithful remnant and everyone else as apostate.

4. It Misidentifies the Bride:

The bride of the Lamb is all believers united to Christ—not one organization:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

The Church (bride) is universal—all who are in Christ, from every nation and generation. It’s not limited to one Korean organization.

The Three Series of Judgments:

The answer to 9.2 correctly identifies the three series of judgments in Revelation:

• Seven seals (Revelation 6-8)
• Seven trumpets (Revelation 8-11)
• Seven bowls (Revelation 15-16)

These judgments are progressive and intensifying, showing God’s righteous judgment on evil. But they’re not about organizational conflicts in Korea—they’re about God’s justice in response to sin and persecution of His people.

The Four Mysteries:

Questions 9.3-9.4 ask about four “mysteries” in Revelation:

1. The Seven Stars (Revelation 1:20):

“The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Jesus immediately explains this mystery—it’s not hidden. The seven stars are the messengers (angels) of the seven churches in Asia Minor.

2. The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns (Revelation 17:7-14):

“Then the angel said to me: ‘Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction.'”

The angel explains this mystery: the seven heads are seven hills (17:9) and seven kings (17:10), and the ten horns are ten kings (17:12). First-century readers would have understood this as referring to Rome (the city on seven hills) and its emperors.

3. The Seventh Trumpet (Revelation 10:7):

“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

The “mystery of God” is His redemptive plan being completed—not a coded message about organizations.

4. Babylon (Revelation 17:5):

“The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

“Babylon” is a symbolic name for Rome (and oppressive world systems). It’s called a “mystery” because it’s a code name, but first-century readers would have understood the reference.

The Point:

Revelation’s “mysteries” are either:

• Explained in the text itself (seven stars, beast)
• Understandable in first-century context (Babylon = Rome)
• About God’s redemptive plan (mystery of God)

They’re not coded predictions requiring a Korean organization to decode 1,900 years later.

---

Part 10: Question 10 — Passover Lamb’s Blood and Flesh

What the Test Asks:

Question 10: “Write 3 verses from Revelation concerning the Passover Lamb Jesus’ blood and flesh that was promised which we eat and passover with at the fulfillment of God’s kingdom.”

Required Answer: “Rv 16:12, Rv 17:14, Rv 18:4”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

This question requires students to connect:

• The Passover lamb (Exodus 12)
• Jesus’ blood and flesh (John 6, Last Supper)
• Specific verses in Revelation (16:12, 17:14, 18:4)
• “Eating and passing over” at the fulfillment of God’s kingdom

The implication is that these verses describe how believers “eat Jesus’ blood and flesh” by joining Shincheonji.

What the Biblical Passages Actually Say:

Let’s examine the three verses cited:

Revelation 16:12:

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.”

This is part of the bowl judgments—the final series of God’s judgments on the earth. The drying of the Euphrates prepares the way for “the kings from the East.”

Historical Background:

• The Euphrates was the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire
• Ancient Babylon fell when Cyrus diverted the Euphrates and entered the city (539 BC)
• The imagery suggests judgment coming on “Babylon” (Rome)

Connection to Passover: The only connection is that the Euphrates drying recalls the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14) and the Jordan River crossing (Joshua 3)—God making a way for His people.

But this verse says nothing about “eating Jesus’ blood and flesh.”

Revelation 17:14:

“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

This describes Christ’s victory over the beast and the kings allied with it. Those “with him” are His “called, chosen and faithful followers”—all believers who remain faithful.

Connection to Passover: The Lamb (Christ) triumphs, and His followers are with Him. But this verse says nothing about “eating blood and flesh.”

Revelation 18:4:

“Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.'”

This is a call to separate from Babylon (Rome/the world system). It echoes Old Testament calls to leave literal Babylon:

“Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock.” (Jeremiah 50:8)

“Come out of her, my people! Run for your lives! Run from the fierce anger of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 51:45)

Connection to Passover: The call to “come out” recalls the Exodus—God’s people leaving Egypt. But this verse says nothing about “eating blood and flesh.”

What the Passover Actually Means:

The Passover (Exodus 12) commemorated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt:

The Original Passover:

• Each family sacrificed a lamb
• Applied the blood to their doorposts
• Ate the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs
• The angel of death “passed over” houses marked with blood
• Israel was delivered from slavery

Jesus as the Passover Lamb:

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper during Passover, identifying Himself as the true Passover Lamb:

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'” (Matthew 26:26-28)

Paul explicitly connects Jesus to Passover:

“Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

What “Eating Jesus’ Flesh and Drinking His Blood” Means:

In John 6, Jesus taught:

“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.” (John 6:53-56)

This shocking language caused many to leave (John 6:66). But Jesus was teaching about:

1. Spiritual Reception: “Eating” and “drinking” are metaphors for receiving Christ by faith:

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (John 6:63)

2. Intimate Union: The language emphasizes intimate, personal union with Christ—abiding in Him.

3. Dependence on His Sacrifice: Just as physical food sustains physical life, Christ’s sacrifice sustains spiritual life. We depend completely on His atoning death.

4. Participation in His Life: Through faith, we participate in Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-11).

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. The Verses Don’t Mention Blood and Flesh:

The three verses cited (Revelation 16:12, 17:14, 18:4) say nothing about eating Jesus’ blood and flesh. Shincheonji is forcing a connection that isn’t in the text.

2. It Makes “Eating and Drinking” About Organizational Membership:

Shincheonji teaches that “eating Jesus’ blood and flesh” means:

• Joining Shincheonji (“coming out of Babylon”)
• Being part of the “kings from the East” who cross the dried Euphrates
• Being among the “called, chosen and faithful” with the Lamb

This redefines spiritual union with Christ as organizational membership.

3. It Misses the Gospel:

The gospel is that Christ’s blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins:

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

This is received by faith, not by joining an organization:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

4. It Distorts the Lord’s Supper:

The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice and an anticipation of His return:

“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

It’s celebrated by all believers in remembrance of Christ—not as a code for joining Shincheonji.

What “Coming Out of Babylon” Actually Means:

Revelation 18:4’s call to “come out of her, my people” is a call to:

1. Spiritual Separation: Don’t participate in the world’s idolatry, immorality, and injustice.

2. Moral Purity: “So that you will not share in her sins.”

3. Avoiding Judgment: “So that you will not receive any of her plagues.”

Throughout church history, believers have understood this as a call to:

• Reject worldly values that contradict Christ
• Maintain moral integrity in a corrupt society
• Remain faithful despite pressure to compromise

It’s not a call to leave other churches and join Shincheonji. That interpretation:

• Makes “Babylon” = all other churches (rather than the world system)
• Makes “coming out” = joining Shincheonji (rather than spiritual faithfulness)
• Creates an us-vs-them mentality (rather than calling all believers to holiness)

---

Part 11: Questions 11.1-11.3 — The 12 Tribes and Promised Pastor

What the Test Asks:

Question 11.1: “Just as Jesus went away to prepare a place for us, what is being fulfilled here on earth as it is in heaven?”
Required Answer: “The harvested and sealed 12 tribes of the New Testament”

Question 11.2: “Who am I according to the New Testament in the Bible?”
Required Answer: “A family member who has been born of God’s seed, harvested, sealed, and registered in the 12 tribes of the promised nation”

Question 11.3: “The pastor who is promised by the Lord appears in the New Testament Revelation just as the Old Testament. Write 7 applicable chapters including the contents.”
Required Answer:

• “Rv 1: appointed by Jesus and receives the command to send letters to the messengers of the 7 churches”
• “Rv 4: goes up to heaven”
• “Rv 10: the one who received the words of the opened scroll”
• “Rv 11: witness who serves the Lord”
• “Rv 12: fights against the beast and overcomes”
• “Rv 21: receives God’s inheritance”
• “Rv 22: the messenger who speaks on behalf, sees all the events of Revelation”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish personal identity within Shincheonji’s system:

1. The 12 Tribes Are Shincheonji’s Structure: Students must accept that Shincheonji’s organizational structure (12 tribes) is what Jesus prepared in heaven now being fulfilled on earth.

2. Personal Identity Is Organizational: “Who am I?” is answered in terms of organizational status: harvested, sealed, registered in the 12 tribes.

3. Lee Man-hee Fulfills Seven Roles: Students must identify Lee Man-hee as fulfilling seven different roles in Revelation, making him the “promised pastor” parallel to Old Testament figures.

What Jesus Actually Promised:

John 14:1-3:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Jesus promised to:

• Go to the Father’s house (heaven)
• Prepare a place for His disciples
• Come back to take them to be with Him

This is a promise of eternal life in God’s presence—not organizational structure on earth.

The “Many Rooms”:

The Greek word monai (rooms/dwelling places) emphasizes permanent residence. Jesus is promising:

• Secure place in the Father’s house
• Personal relationship (“that you may be where I am”)
• Future hope (He will come back)

This is about heaven—eternal fellowship with God—not about Shincheonji’s 12 tribes.

What the 12 Tribes Actually Represent:

Revelation 7:4-8:

“Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel: From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000…”

The 144,000 from the 12 tribes is symbolic imagery representing:

1. Completeness:

• 12 (tribes) x 12 (apostles) x 1,000 (completeness) = fullness of God’s people
• Not a literal count, but symbolic perfection

2. The People of God:

• Uses Old Testament tribal imagery to describe New Testament believers
• The Church as the “new Israel” (Galatians 6:16, Romans 9:6-8)

3. God’s Protection:

• Those “sealed” are protected through tribulation
• The seal is God’s ownership mark (Ephesians 1:13-14)

The Contrast with Revelation 7:9:

Immediately after the 144,000, John sees:

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9)

Many interpreters understand these as the same group seen from two perspectives:

• 7:4-8: Symbolic number emphasizing completeness (144,000)
• 7:9: Actual reality—an uncountable multitude from all nations

The point is that God’s people are complete (symbolized by 144,000) and universal (from every nation).

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Literalizes Symbolic Numbers:

Shincheonji takes the symbolic 144,000 and makes it about their literal organizational structure with 12 tribes. But:

• The number is symbolic (12 x 12 x 1,000)
• The tribes listed are Old Testament tribes (Judah, Reuben, Gad, etc.)
• The passage describes all of God’s people, not one organization

2. It Makes Identity Organizational:

The answer to 11.2 defines personal identity as: “A family member who has been born of God’s seed, harvested, sealed, and registered in the 12 tribes of the promised nation.”

This makes identity dependent on:

• Being “harvested” (recruited by Shincheonji)
• Being “sealed” (completing their training)
• Being “registered” (official membership)

But biblical identity is in Christ:

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28)

Identity is based on faith in Christ, not organizational membership.

3. It Makes Lee Man-hee Central:

Question 11.3 requires students to identify Lee Man-hee as fulfilling seven roles in Revelation. This makes him:

• The one appointed by Jesus (Rv 1)
• The one who goes to heaven (Rv 4)
• The one who receives the scroll (Rv 10)
• The witness (Rv 11)
• The overcomer (Rv 12)
• The heir (Rv 21)
• The messenger (Rv 22)

This shifts focus from Christ to Lee Man-hee, making him functionally more important than Jesus in Shincheonji’s system.

4. It Misidentifies Who Goes to Heaven:

Revelation 4:1-2 describes John being called up to heaven in vision:

“After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’ At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.”

This is John’s visionary experience—not Lee Man-hee going to heaven. John is shown heavenly realities to communicate to the churches.

What Biblical Identity Actually Is:

1. Children of God:

“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.” (John 1:12-13)

Identity comes from being born of God through faith in Christ.

2. New Creation:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Identity is in Christ—a new creation, not organizational membership.

3. Members of Christ’s Body:

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

Identity is as members of Christ’s body—the universal Church, not one organization.

4. Citizens of Heaven:

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)

Identity is as citizens of heaven, not as registered members of Shincheonji’s 12 tribes.

---

Part 12: Questions 12.1-12.2 — Jesus and John’s Relationship

What the Test Asks:

Question 12.1: “The relationship between Jesus and John, the messenger who speaks on behalf, seen in Rv 1:13-16, and chapters 2-3, is also seen in the previous eras. Write the two eras and the two entities who have this kind of relationship.”

Required Answer:

• “Time of Moses: God gave the command, and Moses was the messenger who spoke on behalf”
• “Jesus’ first coming: God gave the command, and Jesus was the messenger who spoke on behalf”

Question 12.2: “What type of commandments were given by God in Ex 22:18-20, Dt 18:10-14, and Rv 22:15?”

Required Answer: “Not to practice sorcery, divination, interpreting omens, magic arts, sexual immorality, murder, worshipping idols, or speaking lies”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a pattern of mediation:

1. God → Mediator → People: Throughout history, God speaks through chosen mediators:

• Moses in the Old Testament
• Jesus at His first coming
• Lee Man-hee (implied as “John”) now

2. Lee Man-hee as the Current Mediator: By establishing this pattern, Shincheonji implies that Lee Man-hee is the current “messenger who speaks on behalf” of Jesus, just as Moses spoke for God and Jesus spoke for the Father.

3. Specific Commandments: Question 12.2 lists prohibitions that Shincheonji uses to condemn other churches and validate their own teaching.

What the Bible Actually Teaches About Mediation:

Moses as Mediator:

Moses was indeed a mediator between God and Israel:

“The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” (Exodus 33:11)

“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 34:10-11)

But Moses himself pointed beyond himself to a future prophet:

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15)

Jesus as the Final Mediator:

The New Testament identifies Jesus as the prophet Moses foretold:

“For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.'” (Acts 3:22)

But Jesus is more than a prophet—He is the final and complete revelation of God:

“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, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Jesus Is the Only Mediator:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

There is one mediator—Christ. Not a succession of mediators (Moses → Jesus → Lee Man-hee), but one eternal mediator who is sufficient for all time.

The New Covenant Removes Human Mediators:

Under the New Covenant, all believers have direct access to God through Christ:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

We don’t need a human mediator (like Lee Man-hee) to access God—we have direct access through Christ.

The Holy Spirit Teaches All Believers:

“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.” (1 John 2:27)

This doesn’t mean believers don’t need teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12), but that we’re not dependent on one human mediator for access to truth. The Holy Spirit teaches all believers.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Pattern:

1. It Creates a Succession That Scripture Doesn’t:

The Bible doesn’t teach: Moses → Jesus → Lee Man-hee.

It teaches: Prophets → Christ (the final prophet and eternal mediator).

“The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

Christ fulfills the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17)—He doesn’t start a new succession.

2. It Diminishes Christ’s Sufficiency:

If we need Lee Man-hee as a mediator “speaking on behalf” of Jesus today, then:

• Christ’s revelation wasn’t complete
• The Holy Spirit isn’t sufficient to guide believers
• We need ongoing human mediators

This contradicts Scripture’s teaching about Christ’s sufficiency and finality:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

3. It Makes Believers Dependent on One Man:

By establishing Lee Man-hee as “the messenger who speaks on behalf,” Shincheonji creates dependency:

• You need Lee Man-hee to understand God’s word
• You need Shincheonji to access truth
• You can’t understand Revelation without their interpretation

This contradicts the New Testament teaching that all believers are priests with direct access to God:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

The Commandments in Question 12.2:

The answer lists prohibitions from Exodus 22:18-20, Deuteronomy 18:10-14, and Revelation 22:15. Let’s examine these:

Exodus 22:18-20:

“Do not allow a sorceress to live. Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death. Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed.”

Deuteronomy 18:10-14:

“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD.”

Revelation 22:15:

“Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

The Point:

These passages prohibit:

• Occult practices (sorcery, divination, witchcraft)
• Idolatry (worshiping other gods)
• Sexual immorality
• Murder
• Falsehood (lying)

How Shincheonji Uses These:

Shincheonji uses these prohibitions to:

• Condemn other churches as practicing “spiritual sorcery” (false teaching)
• Validate their own teaching as the only truth
• Frame opposition as evil/demonic

But the irony is that Shincheonji itself:

• Practices deception (lying about their identity during recruitment, as documented in Chapter 26 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”)
• Creates idolatry (elevating Lee Man-hee to a position that belongs to Christ alone)
• Speaks falsehood (making unfulfilled prophetic claims that keep changing)

---

Part 13: Questions 13.1-13.2 — Groups and War

What the Test Asks:

Question 13.1: “What groups appear in Revelation and,”
Required Answer: “Betrayer, destroyer, and savior”

Question 13.2: “Between whom and whom is the war fought?”
Required Answer: “War between God and the devil”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a simplified dualistic framework:

1. Three Groups: All of Revelation is reduced to three groups:

• Betrayer (Tabernacle Temple)
• Destroyer (CCK/Christian Stewardship Training Center)
• Savior (Shincheonji/Lee Man-hee)

2. Cosmic War: The conflict is framed as God vs. Satan, with Shincheonji representing God’s side and all opposition representing Satan’s side.

What Revelation Actually Describes:

Revelation is far more complex than three groups. It describes:

Multiple Groups and Figures:

On God’s Side:

• The Lamb (Christ) – Revelation 5:6
• The 24 elders – Revelation 4:4
• The four living creatures – Revelation 4:6-8
• The 144,000 – Revelation 7:4-8
• The great multitude – Revelation 7:9-17
• The two witnesses – Revelation 11:3-12
• The woman clothed with the sun – Revelation 12:1-6
• Those who overcome – Revelation 12:11
• The bride of the Lamb – Revelation 19:7-9
• The armies of heaven – Revelation 19:14

On Satan’s Side:

• The dragon (Satan) – Revelation 12:3-4
• The beast from the sea – Revelation 13:1-10
• The beast from the earth (false prophet) – Revelation 13:11-18
• Babylon the prostitute – Revelation 17:1-6
• The kings of the earth – Revelation 17:12-14
• Those who worship the beast – Revelation 13:8

Neutral/Ambiguous:

• The seven churches – Some faithful, some compromised (Revelation 2-3)
• The nations – Some deceived, some brought into the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24-26)

The Complexity:

Revelation doesn’t present a simple “betrayer-destroyer-savior” pattern. It presents:

• Ongoing spiritual warfare between God’s kingdom and Satan’s rebellion
• Calls to faithfulness for churches facing various challenges
• Warnings against compromise with the world system
• Promises of victory for those who remain faithful to Christ
• Judgment on evil and vindication of the righteous
• Ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom

What First-Century Christians Understood:

1. The War Is Cosmic and Ongoing:

First-century believers understood spiritual warfare as cosmic (not organizational) and ongoing (not limited to one time and place):

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

The war is against spiritual powers, not against other churches or organizations.

2. The Victory Is Already Won:

While the war continues, the decisive victory was won at the cross:

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

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8)

Christ has already defeated Satan. Believers participate in His victory, not by joining an organization, but by faith in Christ.

3. Believers Are Called to Faithful Witness:

The call in Revelation is to faithful witness (martyria), even unto death:

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11)

Victory comes through:

• The blood of the Lamb (Christ’s sacrifice)
• Faithful testimony (witnessing to Christ)
• Willingness to die (not compromising even under persecution)

This is about personal faithfulness to Christ, not organizational loyalty.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Framework:

1. It Oversimplifies Revelation:

Reducing Revelation to “betrayer-destroyer-savior” removes:

• The complexity of the book’s symbolism
• The richness of its theological themes
• The universal application to all believers in all times
• The centrality of Christ

2. It Makes the War About Organizations:

Shincheonji’s framework makes the cosmic war between God and Satan into a war between Korean religious organizations in the 1960s-1980s.

This trivializes the biblical teaching about spiritual warfare and makes it about:

• Which organization you belong to
• Which leader you follow
• Which interpretation you accept

3. It Creates a Self-Serving Narrative:

Notice the pattern:

• Betrayer = Organization that opposed Shincheonji’s founder
• Destroyer = Organizations that criticize Shincheonji
• Savior = Shincheonji

This framework always positions Shincheonji as the good guys and everyone else as the bad guys. It’s unfalsifiable—any opposition is automatically “the destroyer,” any criticism is “Satan’s attack.”

4. It Misidentifies the Savior:

The “savior” in Revelation is Christ, not an organization:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)

“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.” (Revelation 12:10)

Revelation is about Christ’s victory, not Shincheonji’s organizational success.

What the Bible Teaches About Spiritual Warfare:

1. The Enemy Is Satan, Not Other Believers:

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

The enemy is Satan, not other churches or Christians who disagree with your interpretation.

2. The Weapons Are Spiritual, Not Organizational:

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

The weapons are:

• Truth (Ephesians 6:14)
• Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)
• The gospel (Ephesians 6:15)
• Faith (Ephesians 6:16)
• Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)
• God’s word (Ephesians 6:17)
• Prayer (Ephesians 6:18)

Not organizational membership or loyalty to a human leader.

3. The Victory Is Through Christ:

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Victory is through Christ, not through joining Shincheonji.

---

Part 14: Questions 14.1-14.2 — Three Necessary Things

What the Test Asks:

Question 14.1: “What are the three things that are needed in Revelation, other than betrayal, destruction, salvation? Why is each of these three things necessary?”

Required Answer: “God’s seed: No one can become a child of God without it / Blood of Jesus: There is no atonement of sin without it / Sealing: Necessary to carry out the new covenant”

Question 14.2: “What is written in Rv 22:18-19 and Heb 8:10 also appeared at the time of the first covenant. In what verse is this content found?”

Required Answer: “Dt 6:5-9”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish three requirements for salvation in Shincheonji’s system:

1. God’s Seed: Shincheonji teaches that “God’s seed” is their teaching—the interpretation of Revelation they provide. Without this, “no one can become a child of God.”

2. Blood of Jesus: While they acknowledge Jesus’ blood, in practice this is redefined as membership in Shincheonji (those who’ve “come out of Babylon”).

3. Sealing: “Sealing” means completing Shincheonji’s training and being registered in their 12 tribes. This is “necessary to carry out the new covenant.”

What the Bible Actually Teaches:

Let’s examine each element:

1. God’s Seed:

The Bible does speak of being born of God’s seed:

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

But what is this seed?

“The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11)

The seed is God’s word—Scripture, the gospel message—not one organization’s interpretation.

“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” (James 1:18)

We’re born again through the word of truth (the gospel), not through Shincheonji’s teaching.

What Is the Gospel?

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 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.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

The gospel is:

• Christ died for our sins
• He was buried
• He was raised on the third day

This is the “seed” that brings new birth—not Shincheonji’s interpretation of Revelation.

2. Blood of Jesus:

The Bible is clear about the necessity of Christ’s blood:

“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

Christ’s blood provides:

• Forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7)
• Redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19)
• Cleansing (1 John 1:7)
• Peace with God (Colossians 1:20)
• Access to God (Hebrews 10:19)

This is received by faith, not by organizational membership:

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:25)

3. Sealing:

The Bible does speak of sealing, but what is it?

“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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

The seal is the Holy Spirit, given to all who believe. It’s:

• God’s ownership mark (you belong to Him)
• A guarantee of your inheritance
• Given at conversion (when you believe)

It’s not about completing organizational training—it’s about the Holy Spirit’s presence in believers’ lives.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Three Requirements:

1. It Redefines Biblical Terms:

Shincheonji takes biblical language and redefines it:

• “God’s seed” = Shincheonji’s teaching (not the gospel)
• “Blood of Jesus” = Membership in Shincheonji (not Christ’s literal blood)
• “Sealing” = Organizational training (not the Holy Spirit)

This creates confusion because they use biblical language but give it organizational meaning.

2. It Makes Salvation Complex:

The biblical gospel is simple:

“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.” (Romans 10:9)

Shincheonji’s system makes salvation complex:

• You must be recruited (“harvested”)
• You must complete 9 months of training
• You must pass tests with 90% or higher
• You must be “sealed” with their teaching
• You must join the 12 tribes
• You must remain loyal to the organization

This is salvation by works (organizational participation) rather than salvation by grace through faith.

3. It Creates Dependency:

By making these three things “necessary” and defining them in organizational terms, Shincheonji creates dependency:

• You need their teaching (can’t understand the Bible without them)
• You need their interpretation of Jesus’ blood (can’t be saved without joining them)
• You need their sealing (can’t fulfill the covenant without their training)

This contradicts Scripture’s teaching that Christ is sufficient:

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

Question 14.2 — Deuteronomy 6:5-9:

The question connects Revelation 22:18-19 and Hebrews 8:10 with Deuteronomy 6:5-9. Let’s examine:

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 and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”

This is a warning not to add to or subtract from Revelation. It’s similar to warnings in Deuteronomy:

“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

Hebrews 8:10:

“This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. 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.”

This quotes Jeremiah 31:33, describing the New Covenant where God’s law is internalized (written on hearts) rather than external (written on stone).

Deuteronomy 6:5-9:

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

This is the Shema—the central confession of Jewish faith. It calls for:

• Total devotion to God (heart, soul, strength)
• Internalizing God’s commands (on your hearts)
• Teaching the next generation
• Constant remembrance (at home, on the road, lying down, getting up)

The Connection:

All three passages emphasize:

• God’s word is authoritative and not to be changed
• Internalization of God’s commands (not just external obedience)
• Wholehearted devotion to God

How Shincheonji Uses This:

Shincheonji uses these passages to:

• Emphasize the importance of memorizing their teaching
• Warn against questioning their interpretation (adding/subtracting)
• Create total commitment to the organization

But the irony is that Shincheonji itself:

• Adds to Scripture by claiming their interpretation is necessary for salvation
• Subtracts from Scripture by removing its plain meaning and replacing it with organizational allegory
• Replaces God as the object of devotion with the organization and its leader

---

Part 15: Questions 15.1-15.2 — New Heaven and New Earth

What the Test Asks:

Question 15.1: “What 2 chapters describe how the new heaven and new earth of Rv 21 begin? What 2 chapters describe how the first heaven and first earth pass away?”

Required Answer: “Rv 7, Rv 14 / Rv 6, Rv 13”

Question 15.2: “Write 3 pairs of contrasting chapters in Revelation.”

Required Answer: “Rv 6, 7 / Rv 13, 14 / Rv 18, 19”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a structural framework for understanding Revelation:

1. New Heaven and Earth Begin in Revelation 7 and 14: Shincheonji teaches that the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21) begin in chapters 7 and 14—which they interpret as their organization’s formation (the 144,000 sealed and the harvest).

2. First Heaven and Earth Pass Away in Revelation 6 and 13: The “first heaven and earth” passing away is interpreted as the destruction of the Tabernacle Temple (Revelation 6) and the beast’s attack (Revelation 13).

3. Contrasting Pairs: Shincheonji structures Revelation as pairs of contrasting chapters:

• Revelation 6 (judgment/destruction) vs. Revelation 7 (sealing/salvation)
• Revelation 13 (beast/persecution) vs. Revelation 14 (Lamb/harvest)
• Revelation 18 (Babylon’s fall) vs. Revelation 19 (wedding feast)

What Revelation 21 Actually Describes:

Let’s look at what Revelation 21 says:

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'” (Revelation 21:1-4)

Key Characteristics of the New Heaven and New Earth:

1. Complete Renewal:

• The first heaven and earth have passed away
• Everything is made new (21:5)
• This is cosmic renewal, not organizational change

2. No More Sea:

• In apocalyptic imagery, the sea represents chaos and evil
• No more sea = no more threat, no more chaos

3. God’s Dwelling with His People:

• Ultimate fulfillment of covenant promises
• Unmediated presence of God
• The goal of all redemptive history

4. No More Suffering:

• No death (21:4)
• No mourning (21:4)
• No crying (21:4)
• No pain (21:4)
• Nothing impure (21:27)

5. Physical Descriptions:

• No temple (God and the Lamb are the temple—21:22)
• No sun or moon (God’s glory gives light—21:23)
• River of life (22:1)
• Tree of life (22:2)

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. The New Heaven and Earth Haven’t Arrived:

Shincheonji claims the new heaven and earth began with their organization’s formation. But Revelation 21 describes a state where:

• There is no more death (21:4)
• There is no more pain (21:4)
• Nothing impure will ever enter (21:27)
• God’s glory provides all light (21:23)

Is this true of Shincheonji? Obviously not:

• Members still die
• Members still experience pain and suffering
• Sin still exists
• They still need physical light

The new heaven and earth is a future eschatological reality, not a present organizational achievement.

2. It Removes Eschatological Hope:

By claiming the new heaven and earth has already begun, Shincheonji removes the future hope that sustains believers:

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13)

Christians look forward to the new creation—it’s a future hope, not a present reality.

3. It Trivializes Cosmic Renewal:

The new heaven and new earth represents cosmic renewal—God making all things new:

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

This is about God’s re-creation of the cosmos, not about one organization in Korea.

4. It Misunderstands the Contrasting Chapters:

While Revelation does have structural patterns and contrasts, Shincheonji’s interpretation forces them into an organizational framework:

Revelation 6 vs. 7:

• Chapter 6: The seals are opened, showing judgment on the earth
• Chapter 7: God’s people are sealed for protection through tribulation

This contrast is between judgment and protection, not between “first heaven passing away” and “new heaven beginning.”

Revelation 13 vs. 14:

• Chapter 13: The beast persecutes God’s people
• Chapter 14: The Lamb stands with the 144,000; harvest and judgment

This contrast is between persecution and vindication, not between organizational destruction and organizational formation.

Revelation 18 vs. 19:

• Chapter 18: Babylon (Rome/world system) falls
• Chapter 19: The wedding feast of the Lamb; Christ’s return

This contrast is between the world system’s judgment and Christ’s victory, not between other churches falling and Shincheonji rising.

What First-Century Christians Understood:

1. The New Creation Is Future:

Early Christians understood the new heaven and earth as future hope connected to Christ’s return:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:10-13)

2. It’s Connected to Christ’s Return:

The new creation comes when Christ returns to make all things new:

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” (Revelation 21:5)

This is God’s work, not human organizational achievement.

3. It’s the Goal of History:

The new heaven and earth is the telos (goal) toward which all history moves:

• Creation (Genesis 1-2): God creates
• Fall (Genesis 3): Sin enters
• Redemption (Genesis 12 – Revelation 20): God works to restore
• New Creation (Revelation 21-22): God makes all things new

This is the grand narrative of Scripture—not about organizational cycles in Korea.

---

Part 16: Questions 16.1-16.5 — Deception, Betrayal, and Judgment

What the Test Asks:

Question 16.1: “Write 2 chapters in Revelation that describe where deception and betrayal take place.”
Required Answer: “Rv 2, 13”

Question 16.2: “Write 3 chapters where Jesus and God give judgment.”
Required Answer: “Rv 18, 19, 6”

Question 16.3: “Write 3 chapters where the Gentile beast brings judgment.”
Required Answer: “Rv 8, 9, 13”

Question 16.4: “Write 2 chapters where the one who overcomes judges.”
Required Answer: “Rv 16, 12”

Question 16.5: “Write 1 chapter where they judge one another.”
Required Answer: “Rv 17”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a complex system of judgment with multiple actors:

1. Deception and Betrayal: Identified in Revelation 2 (Jezebel in Thyatira) and 13 (the beast deceiving people)—which Shincheonji interprets as the Tabernacle Temple’s betrayal.

2. God’s Judgment: Chapters 6, 18, 19—God’s righteous judgment on evil.

3. The Beast’s Judgment: Chapters 8, 9, 13—which Shincheonji interprets as the “destroyer” (CCK/Christian Stewardship Training Center) attacking the Tabernacle Temple.

4. The Overcomer’s Judgment: Chapters 12, 16—which Shincheonji interprets as Lee Man-hee judging the beast.

5. Mutual Judgment: Chapter 17—the beast and the prostitute turning on each other.

What the Bible Actually Teaches About Judgment:

1. God Is the Ultimate Judge:

“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.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

“He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)

Final judgment belongs to God alone, executed through Christ.

2. Believers Will Judge with Christ:

“Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)

“To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.” (Revelation 2:26-27)

Believers will participate in Christ’s reign and judgment—but this is corporate (all who overcome), not limited to one individual (Lee Man-hee).

3. Present Judgment Happens Through the Gospel:

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:17-18)

There’s a sense in which judgment is happening now through people’s response to the gospel—but this is spiritual judgment (salvation or condemnation based on faith in Christ), not organizational conflict.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Framework:

1. It Makes Judgment About Organizations:

Shincheonji’s system makes judgment about:

• Which organization is faithful (Shincheonji) and which betrayed (Tabernacle Temple)
• Which organization is the destroyer (CCK) and which is the savior (Shincheonji)
• Organizational conflicts in 1960s-1980s Korea

But biblical judgment is about:

• Response to Christ (faith or unbelief)
• Moral and spiritual faithfulness (righteousness or wickedness)
• God’s justice being executed on evil

2. It Gives Lee Man-hee Judgment Authority:

By identifying “the one who overcomes” who judges (Revelation 12, 16) as Lee Man-hee, Shincheonji gives him judgment authority that belongs to Christ alone.

But Scripture is clear:

“Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22)

Judgment belongs to Christ, not to Lee Man-hee.

3. It Misidentifies the Beast’s “Judgment”:

Shincheonji interprets Revelation 8, 9, 13 as the beast (CCK/Christian Stewardship Training Center) bringing judgment on the Tabernacle Temple.

But in Revelation, the beast doesn’t bring righteous judgment—it brings persecution:

“It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them.” (Revelation 13:7)

The beast’s activity is persecution of believers, not God’s judgment. God allows this persecution to test and refine His people, but the beast itself is evil, not an instrument of divine judgment.

4. It Creates a Self-Serving Narrative:

Notice the pattern:

• Deception/betrayal = Organizations that opposed Shincheonji
• Beast’s judgment = Organizations that criticized Shincheonji
• Overcomer’s judgment = Lee Man-hee/Shincheonji judging others
• God’s judgment = Vindication of Shincheonji

This framework always positions Shincheonji as vindicated and everyone else as judged. It’s unfalsifiable and self-serving.

What Revelation Actually Teaches About Judgment:

Revelation 6 (God’s Judgment): The seals are opened, revealing God’s judgment on the earth. This is eschatological judgment—God’s response to sin and persecution of His people.

Revelation 8-9 (Trumpet Judgments): The trumpets bring increasingly severe judgments. These are divine judgments, not the beast’s activity. They’re warnings calling people to repentance.

Revelation 13 (Beast’s Persecution): The beast persecutes believers and deceives the world. This is evil activity, not divine judgment.

Revelation 16 (Bowl Judgments): The bowls are the final, most severe judgments. They’re poured out by angels at God’s command, not by “the one who overcomes.”

Revelation 17 (Babylon and the Beast): The beast and the prostitute (Babylon) turn on each other. This is self-destruction—evil consuming itself, part of God’s judgment on both.

Revelation 18 (Babylon’s Fall): God judges Babylon (Rome/world system) for its idolatry, immorality, and persecution of believers.

Revelation 19 (Christ’s Return): Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords to execute final judgment and establish His kingdom.

---

Part 17: Questions 17.1-17.4 — Tree of Life and Salvation

What the Test Asks:

Question 17.1: “What is the source of the tree of life?”
Required Answer: “God and Jesus”

Question 17.2: “Who are those who have the name of God on their foreheads?”
Required Answer: “Those who have been sealed with the revealed word (the harvested fruits)”

Question 17.3: “Who has seen and heard all the events of Revelation, Who is the messenger whom Jesus sent for the churches?”
Required Answer: “The promised pastor whom Jesus chose”

Question 17.4: “Write 3 chapters in Revelation and the four gospels that describe after what event salvation comes.”
Required Answer: “Mt 24, after Rv 6, after Rv 13”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish:

1. The Tree of Life: While correctly identifying God and Jesus as the source, Shincheonji teaches that access to the tree of life comes through their organization.

2. God’s Name on Foreheads: Those sealed are identified as having “been sealed with the revealed word”—Shincheonji’s interpretation of Revelation.

3. The Messenger: Lee Man-hee is identified as “the promised pastor whom Jesus chose” who has “seen and heard all the events of Revelation.”

4. Salvation After Tribulation: Salvation comes “after” the events of Matthew 24, Revelation 6, and Revelation 13—which Shincheonji interprets as after the Tabernacle Temple’s destruction.

What the Bible Actually Says:

1. The Tree of Life (Revelation 22:1-2):

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

The tree of life appears in:

• Genesis 2:9 – In the Garden of Eden before the fall
• Genesis 3:22-24 – Barred after the fall
• Revelation 22:2 – Restored in the new creation

What It Represents:

• Eternal life in God’s presence
• Restoration of what was lost in the fall
• Access to God without barrier

Who Has Access:

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14)

Those who “wash their robes” (cleansed by Christ’s blood) have access—not those who join an organization.

2. God’s Name on Foreheads (Revelation 7:3, 14:1, 22:4):

“Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” (Revelation 7:4)

“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)

The seal/name on foreheads represents:

• God’s ownership (they belong to Him)
• Protection through tribulation
• Identity as God’s people

This is all believers—not just Shincheonji members. The seal is the Holy Spirit:

“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)

3. The Messenger (Revelation 22:8-9, 16):

“I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!'” (Revelation 22:8-9)

John is the one who “heard and saw these things”—not Lee Man-hee 1,900 years later.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16)

Jesus sent His angel to give this testimony to John, who wrote it for the churches. This was a first-century event, not a 20th-century fulfillment.

4. Salvation After Tribulation:

Matthew 24: Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD) and ongoing tribulation until His return. Salvation comes to those who remain faithful:

“But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)

Revelation 6: The sixth seal shows cosmic upheaval, and people cry out, “Who can withstand it?” (6:17). Chapter 7 answers: those who are sealed by God.

Revelation 13: The beast persecutes believers. Those who overcome do so by:

• The blood of the Lamb (12:11)
• The word of their testimony (12:11)
• Not loving their lives unto death (12:11)

Salvation comes through faithfulness to Christ, not through joining Shincheonji after the Tabernacle Temple’s destruction.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Makes Access to Life Organizational:

While correctly identifying God and Jesus as the source of the tree of life, Shincheonji teaches that access comes through their organization. But Scripture teaches access comes through faith in Christ:

“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.” (John 3:16)

2. It Redefines the Seal:

Shincheonji defines the seal as “the revealed word”—their interpretation of Revelation. But Scripture defines it as the Holy Spirit:

“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

3. It Makes Lee Man-hee the Witness:

By identifying Lee Man-hee as the one who “has seen and heard all the events of Revelation,” Shincheonji:

• Displaces John (who actually wrote Revelation)
• Claims ongoing revelation (Lee Man-hee seeing fulfillment)
• Creates dependency (you need Lee Man-hee to understand Revelation)

But Revelation was completed by John in the first century. It doesn’t require ongoing witnesses—it requires faithful interpretation of what John wrote.

4. It Ties Salvation to Historical Events:

Shincheonji teaches that salvation comes “after” specific events (Tabernacle Temple’s destruction, etc.). This makes salvation time-bound and organization-bound.

But Scripture teaches salvation is available to all who believe, in all times:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Salvation isn’t limited to those who join Shincheonji after 1966—it’s available to all who call on Christ’s name.

---

Part 18: Questions 18.1-18.3 — Who Reads, Hears, and Keeps

What the Test Asks:

Question 18.1: “Who is the one who reads?”
Required Answer: “The promised pastor who saw all the events of Revelation”

Question 18.2: “Who are those who hear?”
Required Answer: “The congregation members of the 12 tribes”

Question 18.3: “Who are those who keep?”
Required Answer: “Those who believe in the words of Revelation and put them into action”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a hierarchical system of revelation:

1. The Reader = Lee Man-hee: Only Lee Man-hee can “read” (understand and teach) Revelation because he’s “the promised pastor who saw all the events.”

2. The Hearers = Shincheonji Members: Only “congregation members of the 12 tribes” (Shincheonji members) can “hear” (receive the teaching).

3. The Keepers = Those Who Obey: Those who “keep” are defined as those who “believe in the words of Revelation and put them into action”—meaning accepting Shincheonji’s interpretation and remaining loyal.

What the Biblical Passage Actually Says:

These questions reference Revelation 1:3:

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud 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.”

The First-Century Context:

In the first century:

• Most people were illiterate and couldn’t read
• Scripture was read aloud in gatherings
• One person would read while others listened

So “the one who reads” was simply whoever read the scroll aloud in the church gathering—not a special prophetic figure.

“Blessed Are Those Who Hear”:

“Those who hear” are all who listen to Revelation being read—not a select group in one organization.

“And Take to Heart What Is Written”:

“Take to heart” (Greek: tēreō) means to keep, guard, observe—to take seriously and apply. It’s about responding obediently to what Revelation teaches, not about organizational loyalty.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Creates a Mediatorial System:

Shincheonji’s interpretation creates a hierarchy:

• Lee Man-hee (the only one who can read/understand)
• ↓
• Shincheonji members (the only ones who can hear)
• ↓
• Obedient members (those who keep)

This contradicts the New Testament teaching that all believers have access to God’s word:

“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.” (1 John 2:27)

The Holy Spirit teaches all believers—we don’t need one human mediator to understand Scripture.

2. It Makes Understanding Dependent on One Person:

By identifying “the one who reads” as Lee Man-hee exclusively, Shincheonji makes understanding Revelation dependent on him. But:

• Revelation was written to seven churches (Revelation 1:4, 11)
• It was meant to be understood by first-century believers
• It’s been studied by Christians throughout history
• The Holy Spirit illuminates all believers to understand Scripture

3. It Limits Who Can “Hear”:

By identifying “those who hear” as only “congregation members of the 12 tribes,” Shincheonji:

• Excludes all other Christians from understanding Revelation
• Creates an insider/outsider dynamic (only we can understand)
• Contradicts the universal nature of Scripture

But the Bible is for all people:

“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.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

4. It Redefines “Keeping” as Organizational Loyalty:

“Those who keep” are defined as those who “believe in the words of Revelation and put them into action”—which in Shincheonji’s system means:

• Accepting their interpretation
• Remaining loyal to the organization
• Following Lee Man-hee’s teaching

But “keeping” God’s word means obeying what it actually teaches:

“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:25)

What “Keeping” God’s Word Actually Means:

1. Obeying Christ’s Commands:

“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.'” (John 14:23)

Keeping God’s word means obeying Christ’s teaching—loving God and neighbor, living righteously, remaining faithful.

2. Guarding Against False Teaching:

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” (Jude 1:3)

Keeping the faith means guarding against false teaching—which ironically includes testing Shincheonji’s claims against Scripture.

3. Persevering in Faith:

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36)

Keeping means persevering in faith through trials—not organizational loyalty.

---

Part 19: Questions 19.1-19.5 — Whose Revelation and Who Is Blessed

What the Test Asks:

Question 19.1: “Whose revelation is it?”
Required Answer: “Jesus'”

Question 19.2: “Who gave it to Jesus?”
Required Answer: “God”

Question 19.3: “To whom did Jesus give it?”
Required Answer: “His servant”

Question 19.4: “Who is the one who testifies to it?”
Required Answer: “John”

Question 19.5: “Who are the ones who are blessed?”
Required Answer: “The one who reads, those who hear, and those who keep”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a chain of revelation:

God → Jesus → His servant → John → Those who read/hear/keep

Shincheonji teaches:

• “His servant” = Lee Man-hee (the modern fulfillment)
• “John” = Lee Man-hee (the one who testifies today)
• “Those who read/hear/keep” = Shincheonji members

What Revelation 1:1-3 Actually Says:

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud 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.”

The Chain of Revelation:

1. God gave the revelation to Jesus 2. Jesus sent His angel to John 3. John wrote it for the churches (the servants) 4. The churches read, hear, and keep it

Key Points:

“His Servant John”: The text explicitly identifies “his servant” as John—the apostle who wrote Revelation. This is a first-century, completed event.

“What Must Soon Take Place”: The events “must soon take place” (Greek: en tachei = quickly, soon)—indicating immediacy for the first-century audience, not events 1,900 years later.

“The Time Is Near”: Again, emphasizing immediacy (ho kairos engys = the time is near)—relevant to first-century believers, not distant future.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Displaces John:

Shincheonji teaches that Lee Man-hee is:

• “His servant” (the one who receives the revelation)
• “John” (the one who testifies)

But the text explicitly identifies John as both:

• The servant to whom the angel was sent (1:1)
• The one who testifies to what he saw (1:2)

This was a completed event in the first century. Lee Man-hee doesn’t receive new revelation—he interprets what John already wrote.

2. It Claims Ongoing Revelation:

By identifying Lee Man-hee as the one who “receives” the revelation, Shincheonji implies ongoing revelation—that God is still revealing new things through Lee Man-hee.

But Scripture teaches that revelation is complete in Christ:

“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.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)

God’s final word is Christ. The apostles bore witness to Christ, and their testimony is recorded in Scripture. There is no new revelation beyond what’s been given.

3. It Makes “Servants” Organizational:

The text says God gave the revelation “to show his servants what must soon take place” (1:1). “His servants” are all believers—not just Shincheonji members.

Throughout Revelation, “servants” refers to all of God’s people:

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.’… ‘We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small.'” (Revelation 11:15, 17-18)

God’s servants include:

• Prophets
• All who revere His name
• Both great and small

Not just one organization.

4. It Ignores the “Soon” and “Near” Language:

Revelation repeatedly emphasizes that the events “must soon take place” (1:1) and “the time is near” (1:3). This indicates relevance to the first-century audience.

If Revelation is primarily about events in 1960s-1980s Korea, then:

• It wasn’t “soon” (1,900 years later)
• The time wasn’t “near” for first-century believers
• The book was essentially irrelevant for 1,900 years

But Revelation was written to encourage and warn first-century churches facing persecution. It had immediate relevance.

What “Blessed” Actually Means:

Revelation contains seven beatitudes (blessings):

1. Revelation 1:3 – “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it”
2. Revelation 14:13 – “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on”
3. Revelation 16:15 – “Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed”
4. Revelation 19:9 – “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb”
5. Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection”
6. Revelation 22:7 – “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll”
7. Revelation 22:14 – “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life”

Who Is Blessed?

• Those who read, hear, and keep God’s word (1:3, 22:7)
• Those who die in the Lord (14:13)
• Those who stay awake (remain faithful) (16:15)
• Those invited to the wedding supper (19:9)
• Those who share in the first resurrection (20:6)
• Those who wash their robes (cleansed by Christ’s blood) (22:14)

These blessings are for all believers who remain faithful to Christ—not just Shincheonji members.

---

Part 20: Questions 20.1-20.3 — Process of Revelation Delivery

What the Test Asks:

Question 20.1: “Write in sequence the process of how Revelation is delivered.”
Required Answer: “God → Jesus → Angel → The promised pastor (servant) → Churches”

Question 20.2: “What is the purpose of this revelation?”
Required Answer: “To show his servants what must soon take place”

Question 20.3: “What does it mean to testify?”
Required Answer: “To proclaim what one has seen and heard”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions reinforce the chain of revelation with Lee Man-hee as the central link:

1. The Promised Pastor: “The promised pastor (servant)” is inserted into the chain between the angel and the churches—identifying Lee Man-hee as the necessary mediator.

2. Purpose: While correctly stating the purpose (“to show his servants what must soon take place”), Shincheonji interprets “servants” as their members and “what must soon take place” as their organizational events.

3. Testimony: “To proclaim what one has seen and heard” is used to validate Lee Man-hee’s claim to have “seen” Revelation’s fulfillment.

What Revelation 1:1-2 Actually Says:

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The Actual Chain:

God → Jesus → Angel → John → Churches

Not:

God → Jesus → Angel → Lee Man-hee → Churches

Key Points:

1. John Is the Servant: The text explicitly identifies John as “his servant” to whom the angel was sent. This is not a role that needs to be fulfilled by someone else 1,900 years later.

2. John Testifies: “Who testifies to everything he saw”—John is the one who testifies. He saw the visions and wrote them down for the churches.

3. The Churches Received It: Revelation was written to seven churches in Asia Minor (1:4, 11). They received it, read it, and applied it to their situations.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Inserts an Unnecessary Mediator:

By inserting “the promised pastor” into the chain, Shincheonji creates a mediatorial role that Scripture doesn’t establish.

The chain was completed in the first century:

• God gave revelation to Jesus
• Jesus sent His angel to John
• John wrote it for the churches
• The churches received it

There’s no indication that this chain needs to be repeated with a new “promised pastor” in the 20th century.

2. It Claims Lee Man-hee “Saw” Revelation:

Shincheonji teaches that Lee Man-hee “saw” the fulfillment of Revelation’s events. But:

• John saw visions (apocalyptic imagery shown to him by God)
• Lee Man-hee claims to have seen fulfillment (organizational events he interprets as fulfilling the visions)

These are completely different:

• John received divine revelation (God showing him visions)
• Lee Man-hee offers human interpretation (his understanding of events)

Claiming to have “seen” fulfillment is not the same as receiving divine revelation.

3. It Makes the Churches Dependent:

By placing “the promised pastor” between the angel and the churches, Shincheonji makes the churches dependent on Lee Man-hee for access to Revelation’s meaning.

But Revelation was written directly to the churches:

“John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come.” (Revelation 1:4)

The churches received it directly and were expected to understand and apply it with the Holy Spirit’s help.

4. It Contradicts the Sufficiency of Scripture:

If we need Lee Man-hee to mediate Revelation’s meaning, then:

• Scripture isn’t sufficient (we need ongoing human mediators)
• The Holy Spirit isn’t sufficient (He can’t teach believers without Lee Man-hee)
• The apostolic testimony isn’t complete (we need new witnesses)

But Scripture teaches its own sufficiency:

“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.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Scripture is sufficient to equip believers—we don’t need additional human mediators.

What “Testify” Actually Means:

John’s Testimony:

“This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.” (John 21:24)

John testified to:

• What he saw (the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus)
• What he heard (Jesus’ teaching)
• What was revealed to him (the visions in Revelation)

His testimony is recorded in Scripture—the Gospel of John, the letters of John, and Revelation.

All Believers’ Testimony:

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11)

All believers are called to testify—to witness to Christ, to proclaim the gospel, to live faithfully.

But this is testimony to Christ, not testimony to organizational fulfillment claims.

---

Part 21: Questions 21.1-21.2 — Entities That Must Appear

What the Test Asks:

Question 21.1: “What are the 3 entities that must appear at the time of Revelation’s fulfillment?”
Required Answer: “Betrayer, destroyer, savior”

Question 21.2: “Write 3 chapters where each of these entities appear.”
Required Answer: “Rv 2, 13, 12”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions reinforce the three-entity framework that runs throughout Shincheonji’s teaching:

1. Betrayer (Revelation 2): The Tabernacle Temple, identified with Jezebel in Thyatira.

2. Destroyer (Revelation 13): The beast—identified as CCK/Christian Stewardship Training Center.

3. Savior (Revelation 12): The one who overcomes—identified as Lee Man-hee/Shincheonji.

What These Chapters Actually Describe:

Revelation 2 (The Seven Churches):

Revelation 2 contains Jesus’ messages to four of the seven churches:

• Ephesus (2:1-7): Forsaken their first love
• Smyrna (2:8-11): Facing persecution
• Pergamum (2:12-17): Some holding to false teaching
• Thyatira (2:18-29): Tolerating Jezebel’s false teaching

These were real churches in first-century Asia Minor facing real challenges. Jesus commends their strengths and warns about their weaknesses.

“Jezebel” in Thyatira (2:20-23):

“Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.”

“Jezebel” (likely a symbolic name referencing the Old Testament queen) was a false teacher in Thyatira who was:

• Leading believers into compromise with pagan practices
• Teaching that participation in idol feasts was acceptable
• Causing spiritual adultery (unfaithfulness to God)

This was a local problem in a first-century church—not a prophecy about the Tabernacle Temple in 1960s Korea.

Revelation 13 (The Two Beasts):

Revelation 13 describes:

• The beast from the sea (13:1-10): Political/imperial power demanding worship
• The beast from the earth (13:11-18): Religious power supporting the first beast

In the first-century context, this represented:

• Rome (the beast from the sea): Imperial power persecuting Christians
• The imperial cult (the beast from the earth): Religious system promoting emperor worship

The beasts represent oppressive world systems that demand allegiance contrary to God—not specific Korean organizations.

Revelation 12 (The Woman and the Dragon):

Revelation 12 describes:

• The woman clothed with the sun (12:1-2): God’s people giving birth to the Messiah
• The dragon (12:3-4): Satan attempting to destroy the Messiah
• The male child (12:5): Christ, who rules the nations
• War in heaven (12:7-9): Satan cast down
• The dragon persecuting the woman (12:13-17): Satan attacking God’s people

“Those Who Overcome” (12:11):

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

“They” (plural) are all believers who overcome Satan through:

• Christ’s blood (His atoning sacrifice)
• Their testimony (faithful witness)
• Willingness to die (not compromising even under persecution)

This is corporate—all faithful believers—not one individual (Lee Man-hee).

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Framework:

1. It Forces a Pattern That Isn’t There:

Shincheonji forces Revelation into a “betrayer-destroyer-savior” pattern, but:

• Revelation 2 is about seven churches’ strengths and weaknesses—not about one “betrayer”
• Revelation 13 is about oppressive world systems—not about one “destroyer” organization
• Revelation 12 is about all believers overcoming through Christ—not about one “savior” individual

2. It Removes Historical Context:

By making these chapters about Korean organizations in the 1960s-1980s, Shincheonji:

• Ignores the first-century context (Roman persecution, local church issues)
• Removes the universal application (all believers facing similar challenges throughout history)
• Trivializes cosmic spiritual warfare (making it about organizational conflicts)

3. It Creates a Self-Serving Narrative:

The pattern always positions:

• Bad entities = Those who opposed or competed with Shincheonji
• Good entities = Shincheonji and its founder

This is unfalsifiable—any opposition is automatically the “betrayer” or “destroyer,” and Shincheonji is always the “savior.”

4. It Misidentifies the Savior:

The “savior” in Revelation is Christ, not an organization:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)

“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.” (Revelation 12:10)

Revelation is about Christ’s victory—not about Shincheonji’s organizational success.

What Must Actually Appear:

If we’re asking what “must appear” in Revelation, the answer is:

1. Christ’s Victory:

“Then I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11, 16)

2. God’s Judgment:

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.” (Revelation 20:11-12)

3. The New Creation:

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” (Revelation 21:1)

These are the central themes of Revelation—not organizational conflicts in Korea.

---

Part 22: Questions 22.1-22.7 — Opening the Seven Seals

What the Test Asks:

Question 22.1: “Who is the one who opens the seven seals in Revelation?”
Required Answer: “Jesus”

Question 22.2: “What happens when the seals are opened?”
Required Answer: “Fulfillment of Revelation begins”

Question 22.3: “Who are the 7 stars?”
Required Answer: “The 7 messengers of the tabernacle”

Question 22.4: “What are the 7 golden lampstands?”
Required Answer: “The 7 churches of the tabernacle”

Question 22.5: “Who is the chosen people in Revelation?”
Required Answer: “The 7 messengers and the tabernacle”

Question 22.6: “What is the tabernacle?”
Required Answer: “The place where God and Jesus come and dwell”

Question 22.7: “What happens to this tabernacle?”
Required Answer: “Betrayal and destruction”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a detailed narrative about Shincheonji’s origins:

1. Jesus Opens the Seals: Correctly identifying Jesus as the one who opens the seals.

2. Fulfillment Begins: When the seals are opened, “fulfillment of Revelation begins”—which Shincheonji dates to 1966.

3. The Seven Stars and Lampstands: Identified as the Tabernacle Temple’s seven messengers and seven churches.

4. The Chosen People: The Tabernacle Temple is identified as God’s chosen people at the beginning of fulfillment.

5. The Tabernacle: The Tabernacle Temple is where “God and Jesus come and dwell.”

6. Betrayal and Destruction: The Tabernacle Temple experiences betrayal and destruction—the central event in Shincheonji’s narrative.

What Revelation Actually Says:

The Seven Seals (Revelation 5-6):

Revelation 5:1-5:

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.'”

Who Opens the Seals:

Christ alone is worthy to open the seals because:

• He is the Lion of Judah (Messianic title)
• He is the Root of David (fulfillment of Davidic covenant)
• He has triumphed (through His death and resurrection)

Revelation 5:6-10:

“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne… He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb… And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.'”

Christ is worthy because:

• He was slain (the crucifixion)
• His blood purchased people from every nation
• He has made them a kingdom and priests

What Happens When the Seals Are Opened (Revelation 6):

When Christ opens the seals, John sees:

• First seal (6:1-2): White horse—conquest
• Second seal (6:3-4): Red horse—war
• Third seal (6:5-6): Black horse—famine
• Fourth seal (6:7-8): Pale horse—death
• Fifth seal (6:9-11): Martyrs under the altar
• Sixth seal (6:12-17): Cosmic upheaval
• Seventh seal (8:1): Silence, then seven trumpets

These seals reveal God’s judgments on the earth—not the beginning of organizational events in Korea.

The Seven Stars and Lampstands (Revelation 1:20):

“The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Jesus explicitly interprets this symbol:

• Seven stars = Angels (messengers) of the seven churches
• Seven lampstands = The seven churches

Which Seven Churches:

“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:19-20)

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write… To the angel of the church in Smyrna write… To the angel of the church in Pergamum write… To the angel of the church in Thyatira write… To the angel of the church in Sardis write… To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write… To the angel of the church in Laodicea write…” (Revelation 2-3)

The seven churches are explicitly named:

1. Ephesus
2. Smyrna
3. Pergamum
4. Thyatira
5. Sardis
6. Philadelphia
7. Laodicea

These were real churches in first-century Asia Minor. They’re not a code for the Tabernacle Temple in 1960s Korea.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Ignores Jesus’ Own Interpretation:

Jesus explicitly interprets the seven stars and lampstands (Revelation 1:20) and explicitly names the seven churches (Revelation 2-3). Shincheonji ignores this clear interpretation and substitutes their own (the Tabernacle Temple).

This is eisegesis (reading into the text) rather than exegesis (drawing meaning from the text).

2. It Makes First-Century Churches Irrelevant:

If the seven churches are really about the Tabernacle Temple in 1960s Korea, then:

• The messages in Revelation 2-3 had no meaning for the actual churches named
• First-century believers in Ephesus, Smyrna, etc., couldn’t understand or apply these messages
• The book was essentially sealed for 1,900 years

But Jesus sent these messages to real churches facing real challenges, expecting them to understand and respond.

3. It Elevates the Tabernacle Temple:

By identifying the Tabernacle Temple as:

• The seven churches
• The chosen people
• The place where God and Jesus dwell

Shincheonji elevates this organization to a status that belongs to Christ and His universal Church.

But the Tabernacle Temple was:

• A human organization founded in the 1960s
• Led by fallible human leaders
• Subject to the same problems as any religious group
• Eventually dissolved due to internal conflicts

Claiming it was “the place where God and Jesus come and dwell” is grandiose and unfalsifiable.

4. It Makes “Betrayal and Destruction” Central:

Shincheonji’s entire narrative revolves around the Tabernacle Temple’s “betrayal and destruction.” But:

• This was ordinary organizational conflict—leadership disputes, financial problems, members leaving
• It happens to religious groups all the time
• Reinterpreting it as cosmic spiritual warfare is self-serving

As documented in “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale,” the organization’s dissolution was due to human failures and internal problems—not prophetic fulfillment.

What the Seals Actually Represent:

First-Century Understanding:

The seals represent God’s judgments being revealed:

• Four horsemen (6:1-8): Conquest, war, famine, death—the “four horsemen of the apocalypse”
• Fifth seal (6:9-11): Martyrs crying out for justice
• Sixth seal (6:12-17): Cosmic upheaval, people hiding from God’s wrath
• Seventh seal (8:1): Silence, then the trumpet judgments begin

These judgments are:

• Eschatological (related to the end times)
• Universal (affecting the whole earth)
• Progressive (building toward the final judgment)

They’re not about organizational events in Korea—they’re about God’s righteous judgment on evil and vindication of His people.

---

Part 23: Questions 23.1-23.2 — Kingdom of Heaven’s Location

What the Test Asks:

Question 23.1: “Where is the kingdom of heaven?”
Required Answer: “Where the one who overcomes is”

Question 23.2: “Write 3 verses that describe where the kingdom of heaven is.”
Required Answer: “Lk 17:21, Rv 3:12, Rv 21:1-3”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish that:

1. The Kingdom Is Where the Overcomer Is: Since Shincheonji identifies Lee Man-hee as “the one who overcomes,” the kingdom of heaven is where Lee Man-hee is—i.e., Shincheonji.

2. Biblical Support: The verses cited are used to support this claim.

What the Biblical Passages Actually Say:

Luke 17:20-21:

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.'”

Translation Note: The Greek phrase entos hymōn can be translated:

• “Within you” (internal, spiritual)
• “In your midst” (among you, present in Jesus)
• “Within your reach” (available to you)

What Jesus Meant:

Jesus was teaching that the kingdom of God:

• Is not primarily external/political (not something you can observe with physical eyes)
• Is present in Him (the King is here, so the kingdom is here)
• Is spiritual (not limited to physical location)

He was not saying “the kingdom is wherever the overcomer is” (meaning Lee Man-hee).

Revelation 3:12:

“The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”

This is Jesus’ promise to the church in Philadelphia. Those who overcome will:

• Be pillars in God’s temple (permanent belonging)
• Have God’s name written on them (ownership, identity)
• Be part of the new Jerusalem (the redeemed community)

This is about all believers who overcome—not about one individual or organization.

Revelation 21:1-3:

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.'”

This describes the new creation—the final state when God makes all things new. The kingdom of heaven (new Jerusalem) comes down from heaven, and God dwells with His people.

This is future eschatological reality—not present organizational location.

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Localizes What Is Universal:

By teaching that “the kingdom of heaven is where the one who overcomes is,” Shincheonji:

• Localizes the kingdom to one person/organization
• Limits access to the kingdom to those who join Shincheonji
• Contradicts Jesus’ teaching that the kingdom is spiritual, not localized

Jesus explicitly said:

“The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is.'” (Luke 17:20-21)

But Shincheonji says, “Here it is—where Lee Man-hee is.”

2. It Makes the Kingdom Organizational:

The kingdom of God is God’s reign—His rule and authority. It’s:

• Spiritual (not primarily physical/organizational)
• Universal (wherever God reigns in people’s hearts)
• Future (will be fully realized when Christ returns)
• Present (already inaugurated in Christ)

Jesus taught:

“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

The kingdom is not of this world—it’s not an earthly organization.

3. It Contradicts the “Already/Not Yet” Nature of the Kingdom:

The New Testament teaches that the kingdom is:

Already:

• Inaugurated in Christ’s first coming
• Present wherever God reigns
• Experienced by believers through the Holy Spirit

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

Not Yet:

• Awaiting full consummation at Christ’s return
• Future complete realization
• Coming in its fullness

“Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” (1 Corinthians 15:24)

Shincheonji collapses this tension by claiming the kingdom is fully present now in their organization.

4. It Creates Dependency:

If the kingdom is “where the one who overcomes is,” and Lee Man-hee is the overcomer, then:

• You must be near Lee Man-hee to be in the kingdom
• You must join Shincheonji to access the kingdom
• You’re dependent on a human leader for access to God’s kingdom

This contradicts the gospel:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

We access the kingdom through Christ alone—not through a human mediator.

What the Kingdom of Heaven Actually Is:

1. God’s Reign:

“The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!'” (Mark 1:15)

The kingdom is God’s reign—His rule and authority.

2. Present in Christ:

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28)

The kingdom came in Christ’s first coming.

3. Entered by Faith:

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3)

You enter the kingdom by being born again (spiritual rebirth through faith in Christ).

4. Future Consummation:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'” (Matthew 25:34)

The kingdom will be fully realized when Christ returns.

---

Part 24: Questions 24.1-24.4 — Who Begins Fulfillment

What the Test Asks:

Question 24.1: “Who begins the work of fulfillment of Revelation?”
Required Answer: “Jesus”

Question 24.2: “Who is the one who fulfills Revelation?”
Required Answer: “The promised pastor”

Question 24.3: “Who is the one who testifies to the fulfillment?”
Required Answer: “The promised pastor”

Question 24.4: “Who are those who believe and keep the testimony?”
Required Answer: “The congregation members of the 12 tribes”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These questions establish a division of roles:

1. Jesus Begins: Jesus “begins” the work of fulfillment (by opening the seals).

2. The Promised Pastor Fulfills: Lee Man-hee (“the promised pastor”) is the one who “fulfills” Revelation—meaning he’s the central figure in the fulfillment.

3. The Promised Pastor Testifies: Lee Man-hee testifies to what he’s seen and experienced.

4. Shincheonji Members Believe: Only “congregation members of the 12 tribes” (Shincheonji members) believe and keep the testimony.

The Problem with This Framework:

1. It Divides What Scripture Unites:

Scripture teaches that Christ is the fulfillment of all prophecy:

“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)

“He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'” (Luke 24:44-47)

Christ fulfills all Scripture—not Lee Man-hee.

2. It Makes Lee Man-hee Central:

By making Lee Man-hee:

• The one who fulfills Revelation
• The one who testifies to fulfillment
• The necessary mediator for understanding

Shincheonji makes Lee Man-hee more central than Christ in their system.

3. It Creates Exclusive Access:

By teaching that only “congregation members of the 12 tribes” believe and keep the testimony, Shincheonji:

• Excludes all other Christians
• Creates an insider/outsider dynamic
• Contradicts the universal nature of the gospel

But the gospel is for all people:

“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.” (John 3:16)

4. It Confuses Fulfillment with Interpretation:

There’s a difference between:

• Fulfillment (the events actually happening)
• Interpretation (understanding what the events mean)

Shincheonji conflates these:

• They claim Lee Man-hee “fulfills” Revelation (he’s the central figure in the events)
• They claim he “testifies” to fulfillment (he interprets the events)

But even if we granted that certain events fulfill Revelation (which is highly questionable), that doesn’t make Lee Man-hee the fulfiller—it makes him an interpreter (and a questionable one at that).

What Scripture Actually Teaches:

1. Christ Fulfills All Prophecy:

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

All of God’s promises find their yes in Christ.

2. The Holy Spirit Testifies:

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.” (John 15:26)

The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ—not a human leader testifying to organizational fulfillment.

3. All Believers Are Witnesses:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

All believers are called to be witnesses—not just one “promised pastor.”

4. Faith Is Open to All:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Salvation is available to everyone who calls on Christ—not just Shincheonji members.

---

Part 25: Questions 25.1-25.3 — Those Freed by Jesus’ Blood

What the Test Asks:

Question 25.1: “Who are those who have been freed by Jesus’ blood?”
Required Answer: “Those who have been harvested and sealed”

Question 25.2: “What have they become?”
Required Answer: “A kingdom and priests”

Question 25.3: “Write 3 chapters that describe what they will do.”
Required Answer: “Rv 5:10, Rv 20:6, Rv 22:5”

What This Reveals About Shincheonji’s Doctrine:

These final questions establish who benefits from Christ’s work:

1. Only the Harvested and Sealed: Those freed by Jesus’ blood are “those who have been harvested and sealed”—meaning only Shincheonji members.

2. Kingdom and Priests: They become “a kingdom and priests”—which Shincheonji interprets as their organizational structure.

3. They Will Reign: The verses cited describe reigning with Christ—which Shincheonji applies to their members.

What the Biblical Passages Actually Say:

Revelation 1:5-6:

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

Who Is Freed:

• “Us” = All believers
• “Freed from sins” = By Christ’s blood (His atoning sacrifice)
• “Made us a kingdom and priests” = Corporate identity of all believers

Revelation 5:9-10:

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'”

Who Is Purchased:

• “From every tribe and language and people and nation” = Universal (all peoples)
• “With your blood” = Christ’s sacrifice
• “A kingdom and priests” = All believers
• “Will reign on the earth” = Future promise to all believers

Revelation 20:6:

“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Who Shares in the First Resurrection:

• “Those who share” = All believers who participate in Christ’s resurrection life
• “Priests of God and of Christ” = All believers
• “Will reign with him” = All believers

Revelation 22:5:

“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

Who Will Reign:

• “They” = All of God’s people in the new creation
• “For ever and ever” = Eternal reign with Christ

The Problem with Shincheonji’s Interpretation:

1. It Limits Who Is Freed:

Shincheonji teaches that only “those who have been harvested and sealed” (Shincheonji members) are freed by Jesus’ blood.

But Scripture teaches that all who believe are freed:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

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

Christ’s blood is effective for all who believe—not just one organization.

2. It Makes “Kingdom and Priests” Organizational:

Shincheonji interprets “kingdom and priests” as their organizational structure. But Scripture teaches this is the corporate identity of all believers:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

All believers are:

• A chosen people
• A royal priesthood
• A holy nation
• God’s special possession

This isn’t about organizational structure—it’s about spiritual identity in Christ.

3. It Limits Who Will Reign:

Shincheonji teaches that only their members will reign with Christ. But Scripture promises this to all believers:

“If we endure, we will also reign with him.” (2 Timothy 2:12)

“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

All who overcome (all believers who remain faithful) will reign with Christ.

4. It Contradicts the Universal Scope:

Revelation 5:9 explicitly states that Christ purchased people “from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

This is universal—not limited to one Korean organization. Christ’s redemptive work encompasses:

• Every tribe (all ethnic groups)
• Every language (all linguistic groups)
• Every people (all cultural groups)
• Every nation (all political groups)

The gospel is for all humanity, not just Shincheonji members.

What Scripture Actually Teaches:

1. All Believers Are Freed:

“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.” (Galatians 5:1)

All who are in Christ are freed from:

• Sin (Romans 6:18)
• Death (Romans 8:2)
• The Law (Romans 7:6)
• Satan’s power (Colossians 1:13)

2. All Believers Are Priests:

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

Under the New Covenant, all believers are priests:

• We have direct access to God (Hebrews 10:19-22)
• We offer spiritual sacrifices (worship, service, lives lived for God)
• We don’t need human mediators (Christ is our High Priest)

3. All Believers Will Reign:

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6)

All believers are:

• Raised with Christ (spiritually)
• Seated with Him (positionally)
• Will reign with Him (future promise)

This is the inheritance of all who are in Christ—not just Shincheonji members.

---

COMPREHENSIVE CONCLUSION

What This Test Reveals:

After analyzing all 25 questions of Shincheonji’s Advanced Level Test 1 (Lesson 114), several patterns emerge that reveal the true nature of their teaching:

1. A Complete Reinterpretation of Scripture

Shincheonji doesn’t simply interpret the Bible differently—they systematically redefine biblical language:

• “New Covenant” = Revelation’s events (not Christ’s blood)
• “God’s seed” = Shincheonji’s teaching (not the gospel)
• “Sealing” = Organizational training (not the Holy Spirit)
• “The 12 tribes” = Shincheonji’s structure (not symbolic representation of God’s people)
• “Harvest” = Recruiting members (not eschatological judgment)
• “New heaven and earth” = Shincheonji’s formation (not cosmic renewal)
• “Babylon” = Other churches (not Rome/world system)
• “Coming out of Babylon” = Joining Shincheonji (not spiritual separation from worldliness)

This creates a parallel vocabulary where biblical words are used but given entirely different meanings.

2. Salvation Made Organizational

Throughout the test, salvation is tied to organizational participation:

• You must be “harvested” (recruited by Shincheonji)
• You must be “sealed” (complete their training and pass tests)
• You must join “the 12 tribes” (official membership)
• You must “keep the covenant” (remain loyal to the organization)
• Only then do you have access to eternal life

This is salvation by works (organizational participation) disguised as biblical teaching.

The biblical gospel is:

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

3. Lee Man-hee Made Central

While Shincheonji claims to honor Christ, the test reveals that Lee Man-hee is functionally more central than Jesus:

Lee Man-hee’s Roles According to the Test:

• The messenger to the churches (Rv 1, 2-3)
• The one who receives the opened scroll (Rv 10)
• The witness who is killed (Rv 11)
• The one who overcomes the beast (Rv 12)
• The one who judges (Rv 16)
• The bride preparing the wedding (Rv 19)
• The witness of all Revelation’s events (Rv 22)
• The promised pastor whom Jesus chose
• The one who fulfills Revelation
• The one who testifies to fulfillment
• The reader (only one who can understand Revelation)

This makes Lee Man-hee the functional savior in Shincheonji’s system—the necessary mediator between God and humanity.

But Scripture is clear:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

4. Unfalsifiable Historical Claims

The test requires students to accept specific historical claims:

• Revelation began fulfillment in 1966
• At the Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon
• The Tabernacle Temple was God’s chosen organization
• It experienced betrayal and destruction
• Lee Man-hee is the one who overcame
• Shincheonji is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy

These claims are unfalsifiable because:

• They can only be “seen” by those who already accept Shincheonji’s interpretation
• External evidence doesn’t confirm the cosmic significance claimed
• The “fulfillment” keeps changing as documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2”
• Any questioning is framed as spiritual blindness or satanic opposition

5. First-Century Context Removed

Throughout the test, Revelation is removed from its first-century context:

• The seven churches become the Tabernacle Temple (not actual churches in Asia Minor)
• Babylon becomes Korean Christianity (not Rome)
• The beast becomes CCK (not imperial Rome)
• The symbols lose their immediate relevance to first-century believers

This makes Revelation irrelevant to its original audience and turns it into a coded message that was sealed for 1,900 years.

But Revelation itself claims immediate relevance:

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud 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.” (Revelation 1:3)

6. The 90% Requirement

The test requires a 90% passing score. This isn’t arbitrary—it ensures that students have internalized the organizational narrative so thoroughly that they can reproduce it on demand.

Those who score below 90% haven’t sufficiently adopted Shincheonji’s worldview and aren’t ready to advance. Those who pass have demonstrated they’ve accepted:

• The organizational definitions of biblical terms
• The historical claims about 1966 and Gwacheon
• Lee Man-hee’s central role
• Shincheonji as the fulfillment of prophecy

This is indoctrination assessment—testing whether students have adopted the organizational belief system.

---

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

For Current Students:

If you’re currently taking this test or have recently taken it, consider:

1. What You’re Actually Being Asked to Accept:

This test isn’t asking if you understand the Bible—it’s asking if you accept Shincheonji’s interpretation as the only valid understanding. It’s asking you to:

• Redefine biblical terms in organizational ways
• Accept unfalsifiable historical claims
• Make Lee Man-hee central to your faith
• Believe salvation requires organizational membership

2. The Circular Reasoning:

Notice the circular logic:

• “How do you know Shincheonji is right?”
• “Because Revelation was fulfilled in 1966 at the Tabernacle Temple.”
• “How do you know that?”
• “Because Shincheonji teaches it.”

The “evidence” for Shincheonji’s claims is Shincheonji’s interpretation. There’s no independent verification.

3. What’s at Stake:

Shincheonji teaches that failing to accept their interpretation means:

• You can’t receive atonement for sins (Question 1.2)
• You won’t go to heaven (Question 3.2)
• You’re outside God’s kingdom

This creates enormous pressure to accept the teaching—but consider whether this pressure comes from God or from human manipulation.

4. Testing the Claims:

The Bible encourages testing:

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

Even the apostle Paul’s teaching was tested against Scripture. How much more should Shincheonji’s claims be tested?

Questions to Ask:

• Can these claims be verified independently?
• Do they align with how first-century Christians understood Revelation?
• Do they make Revelation irrelevant to its original audience?
• Do they add requirements to the gospel?
• Do they create dependency on human leaders?
• Do they elevate an organization or person above Christ?

For Family and Friends:

If someone you love is taking this test:

1. Understand the Pressure:

The 90% requirement creates intense pressure. Your loved one may:

• Study for hours every day
• Feel anxious about passing
• Fear the consequences of failing
• Be reluctant to question the teaching

2. Ask Gentle Questions:

Rather than attacking Shincheonji directly (which may trigger defensiveness), ask questions that encourage critical thinking:

• “What happens if you don’t pass the test?”
• “How do they know these events fulfilled Revelation?”
• “What would disprove their claims?”
• “How did first-century Christians understand these passages?”
• “Does this interpretation make the gospel more complex or simpler?”

3. Point to Christ:

Keep pointing back to the simplicity of the gospel:

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)

The gospel is simple: Christ died for our sins, rose from the dead, and offers salvation to all who believe. Anything that makes it more complex should be questioned.

4. Be Patient:

Leaving a high-control group is a process. Your loved one has invested significant time and emotional energy. They may:

• Initially defend the teaching
• Gradually have doubts
• Eventually recognize the problems
• Need support when they leave

Be patient, loving, and available.

For Pastors and Church Leaders:

1. Prevention:

• Teach biblical interpretation (hermeneutics) so members can recognize when Scripture is being misused
• Explain apocalyptic literature and how first-century believers understood it
• Emphasize the sufficiency of Christ and the simplicity of the gospel
• Warn about groups that add requirements to salvation

2. Intervention:

• Don’t dismiss family members’ concerns about loved ones in Shincheonji
• Provide resources like “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”
• Offer support for those questioning or leaving
• Be patient—recovery takes time

3. Restoration:

• Welcome back those who leave without judgment
• Provide counseling to process the experience
• Rebuild trust in Scripture and the church
• Help them rediscover the true gospel

---

RESOURCES

For Further Study:

Understanding Revelation:

• “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon”
• “The Revelation Project – Day 1-6” (Dr. Chip Bennett & Dr. Warren Gage)
• “John & Revelation Project – Part 1-8”

Understanding Shincheonji:

• “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (All 30 Chapters)
• “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2”
• “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale”
• “Why Fulfillment of Prophecy is Absolutely Critical for Shincheonji”

Responding to Shincheonji:

• “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation – A Christian Response”
• “Prophecy and Fulfillment”
• “Wedding Banquet of the Lamb and the First Resurrection”

Online Resources:

• closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination
• (Additional resources available through churches and counter-cult ministries)

Key Biblical Passages to Study:

The Gospel:

• Romans 3:21-26 (Justification by faith)
• Ephesians 2:1-10 (Salvation by grace through faith)

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (The gospel defined)
• John 3:16-21 (God’s love and belief in Christ)

Christ’s Sufficiency:

• Colossians 1:15-20 (Christ’s supremacy)
• Hebrews 1:1-4 (Christ as God’s final word)
• Hebrews 7:23-28 (Christ’s eternal priesthood)
• 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (Christ the only mediator)

The New Covenant:

• Jeremiah 31:31-34 (The promise)
• Luke 22:14-20 (Instituted by Christ)
• Hebrews 8:6-13 (Superior to the old covenant)
• Hebrews 9:11-15 (Mediated by Christ)

Understanding Revelation:

• Revelation 1:1-11 (Introduction and purpose)
• Revelation 2-3 (Letters to the seven churches)
• Revelation 19:11-16 (Christ’s return)
• Revelation 21:1-8 (New heaven and new earth)

Testing Teaching:

• Acts 17:10-12 (The Bereans testing Paul’s teaching)
• 1 John 4:1-6 (Testing the spirits)
• Galatians 1:6-9 (Warning against false gospels)
• 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (Scripture’s sufficiency)

---

FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT

If You’re Questioning Shincheonji:

1. Your Doubts Are Valid:

If something feels wrong about Shincheonji’s teaching, trust that instinct. The Holy Spirit often alerts us when something contradicts truth:

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

Your questions aren’t a sign of weak faith—they’re a sign of healthy discernment.

2. You’re Not Alone:

Many people have questioned, left, and found freedom from Shincheonji. You’re not the first to have doubts, and you won’t be the last. There are communities of former members who understand what you’re experiencing and can provide support.

3. The Gospel Is Simple:

After months of complex teaching about seals, trumpets, bowls, betrayers, destroyers, and organizational fulfillment, the simplicity of the gospel can feel almost too easy:

“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.” (John 3:16)

That’s it. Believe in Christ. Trust in His finished work on the cross. Receive His gift of salvation by faith.

No organizational membership required. No tests to pass. No nine-month training program. No 90% score needed.

Just faith in Christ alone.

4. Christ Is Sufficient:

Whatever Shincheonji has told you that you need (their teaching, their organization, their leader), Christ is sufficient:

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10)

You are complete in Christ. You don’t need:

• Lee Man-hee to mediate for you (Christ is your mediator)
• Shincheonji’s interpretation to understand Scripture (the Holy Spirit teaches you)
• Organizational membership to be saved (salvation is by faith in Christ alone)
• The 12 tribes to belong to God’s people (all believers are God’s people)

5. There Is Freedom:

Jesus said:

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

True freedom is found in Christ alone—not in an organization, not in a human leader, not in passing tests or proving loyalty.

Freedom means:

• You can question without fear
• You can study Scripture without organizational interpretation
• You can worship God without mediation
• You can belong to Christ without organizational membership
• You can rest in His finished work without striving to prove yourself

If You’ve Recently Left Shincheonji:

1. Give Yourself Time:

Leaving a high-control group is traumatic. You’ve invested time, energy, relationships, and hope. You may experience:

• Grief (for time lost, relationships broken, beliefs shattered)
• Anger (at the deception, manipulation, wasted time)
• Confusion (about what to believe now)
• Fear (about salvation, the future, judgment)
• Shame (about being deceived, about things you did while in the group)

All of these feelings are normal and valid. Give yourself time to process.

2. Rebuild Your Understanding:

You may need to relearn biblical concepts that were redefined:

• What the New Covenant actually is
• What the gospel actually teaches
• How to read Revelation in context
• What salvation by grace through faith means

This takes time. Be patient with yourself. Find a healthy church where you can learn sound biblical teaching.

3. Reconnect with Relationships:

If you damaged relationships while in Shincheonji:

• Apologize where appropriate
• Explain (without making excuses) what you were experiencing
• Rebuild trust slowly
• Accept that some relationships may take time to heal

4. Seek Support:

Consider:

• Counseling (especially from someone who understands spiritual abuse)
• Support groups (former members who understand your experience)
• Healthy church community (where you can rebuild trust in Christian fellowship)
• Trusted friends/family (who can provide stability and support)

5. Rediscover the Gospel:

After the complexity of Shincheonji’s teaching, you may need to rediscover the simplicity and beauty of the gospel:

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)

Return to sincere and pure devotion to Christ:

• Read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) to see Jesus clearly
• Study Paul’s letters to understand salvation by grace
• Meditate on God’s love and Christ’s sufficiency
• Rest in the finished work of the cross

If You’re Supporting Someone:

1. Be Patient:

Recovery from spiritual abuse takes time. Your loved one may:

• Defend Shincheonji initially
• Have doubts gradually
• Leave and return multiple times
• Need months or years to fully process

Don’t give up. Keep loving, keep praying, keep being available.

2. Listen More Than You Speak:

When your loved one is ready to talk:

• Listen without judgment
• Validate their experience
• Ask questions rather than lecturing
• Provide resources when they’re ready

3. Point to Christ:

Keep the focus on Christ and the gospel:

• His love for them
• His finished work on the cross
• His sufficiency for salvation
• The simplicity of faith

4. Celebrate Small Steps:

Recovery isn’t linear. Celebrate:

• Asking questions
• Expressing doubts
• Missing a class
• Reading Scripture independently
• Reconnecting with family
• Leaving the organization

Every step toward freedom is worth celebrating.

5. Provide Stability:

Your loved one’s world may feel like it’s collapsing. Provide:

• Unconditional love (not dependent on leaving Shincheonji)
• Stable presence (consistent availability)
• Safe space (where they can question without judgment)
• Practical help (housing, finances, etc. if needed)

---

A WORD TO SHINCHEONJI LEADERS AND TEACHERS:

If you’re a leader or teacher in Shincheonji reading this analysis, consider:

1. The Weight of Responsibility:

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1)

You are teaching people that:

• They cannot be saved without your organization
• They must pass tests to access eternal life
• Lee Man-hee is the necessary mediator
• All other Christians are in “Babylon”

What if you’re wrong?

What if these sincere people are being led away from the simplicity of the gospel into a system of organizational works-righteousness?

2. The Pattern of High-Control Groups:

The characteristics you see in Shincheonji—unfalsifiable claims, redefining biblical terms, creating dependency, isolating members, demonizing critics—are the same patterns seen in other groups recognized as cults.

This should give you pause.

3. The Changing Fulfillment Claims:

As documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2,” Shincheonji’s fulfillment claims have changed repeatedly. If these were truly fulfilled prophecies, why do they keep changing?

4. The Test Itself:

This test requires students to accept specific organizational claims as biblical truth. It’s not testing biblical knowledge—it’s testing organizational loyalty.

Is this how the gospel should be taught?

5. An Invitation:

Consider reading Scripture without Shincheonji’s interpretation:

• Read the Gospels and ask: Is this about Christ or about an organization?
• Read Paul’s letters and ask: Is salvation by grace through faith, or by organizational membership?
• Read Revelation in its first-century context and ask: Would the original audience have understood this as Shincheonji teaches?

If you discover problems with Shincheonji’s teaching, you have a choice:

• Continue teaching what you now doubt
• Or have the courage to question and seek truth

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

---

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

What This Test Really Measures:

Advanced Level Test 1 (Lesson 114) doesn’t measure biblical understanding—it measures acceptance of Shincheonji’s organizational narrative.

Students who score 90% or higher have demonstrated that they’ve:

• Adopted Shincheonji’s redefinitions of biblical terms
• Accepted unfalsifiable historical claims
• Made Lee Man-hee central to their faith
• Internalized the belief that salvation requires organizational membership

This is indoctrination, not education.

The Contrast with Biblical Christianity:

Shincheonji’s System:

• Complex (nine months of training, multiple tests, 90% requirement)
• Organizational (salvation through membership)
• Mediated (through Lee Man-hee)
• Exclusive (only Shincheonji members are saved)
• Changing (fulfillment claims keep being revised)
• Unfalsifiable (can’t be independently verified)

Biblical Christianity:

• Simple (believe in Christ)
• Personal (salvation through faith)
• Direct (Christ is the only mediator)
• Universal (for all who believe)
• Unchanging (Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever)
• Verifiable (historically grounded in Christ’s death and resurrection)

The Central Question:

After analyzing all 25 questions of this test, the central question remains:

Is salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, or does it require organizational membership, human mediators, and acceptance of specific interpretations?

The Bible’s answer is 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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Salvation is by grace, through faith, in Christ alone.

Not by organizational membership. Not by passing tests. Not by human mediators. Not by accepting specific interpretations.

By Christ alone.

An Invitation:

If you’re reading this and you’re involved with Shincheonji—whether as a student, member, or leader—consider this an invitation:

Come back to the simplicity of the gospel.

Come back to Christ—not an organization, not a human leader, not a complex system of interpretation, but Christ Himself.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Not nine months of training. Not 90% test scores. Not organizational loyalty. Not proving yourself worthy.

Just come to Him.

Believe in Him.

Rest in His finished work.

A Prayer:

“Lord Jesus, we thank You that salvation is by grace through faith in You alone. We thank You that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. We pray for all who are caught in systems that add requirements to the gospel—that they would discover the freedom that comes from knowing You. We pray for those taking this test, those teaching this test, and those who have left Shincheonji. Draw them all to Yourself. Open their eyes to see You clearly—not through organizational interpretation, but as You truly are: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We pray this in Your sufficient and glorious name. Amen.”

---

FINAL RESOURCES AND NEXT STEPS

If You Need Help:

Immediate Support:

• Family and friends who love you and want to help
• Local churches that can provide biblical teaching and community
• Counselors experienced in spiritual abuse and high-control groups

Online Resources:

• closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination – Analysis of Shincheonji’s teaching
• Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story – Comprehensive examination (all 30 chapters available)
• Former member testimonies – Stories of others who have left and found freedom

Books on Spiritual Abuse and Recovery:

• “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse” by David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen
• “Recovering from Churches That Abuse” by Ronald Enroth
• “Twisted Scriptures” by Mary Alice Chrnalogar

Understanding Revelation:

• “The Revelation Project” by Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage
• “Revelation: Four Views” (various authors) – Shows different legitimate interpretations
• Commentaries by respected scholars (G.K. Beale, Grant Osborne, Craig Keener)

Questions for Further Reflection:

About the Test:

1. Why is a 90% passing score required? What happens if you score 89%?
2. Can you question any of the answers, or must you accept them all?
3. Are you being tested on biblical knowledge or organizational loyalty?
4. What would happen if you gave biblically accurate answers that differed from Shincheonji’s teaching?

About the Teaching:

1. Can Shincheonji’s claims be verified independently, or only by accepting their interpretation?
2. If the fulfillment claims have changed (as documented), how can they be truly fulfilled prophecies?
3. Does this teaching make the gospel simpler or more complex?
4. Does it point primarily to Christ or to an organization?

About Salvation:

1. According to Shincheonji, what must you do to be saved?
2. According to the Bible (Romans 10:9, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16), what must you do to be saved?
3. Are these the same or different?
4. Which one brings peace and assurance?

About Your Experience:

1. Do you feel free to question, or do you fear the consequences?
2. Do you feel closer to Christ, or more dependent on an organization?
3. Has your understanding of the gospel become simpler or more complex?
4. Do you have peace and joy, or anxiety and pressure?

A Final Word:

This analysis has been long and detailed because the stakes are high. Shincheonji’s teaching affects how people understand:

• Who God is
• What Christ accomplished
• How salvation works
• What the gospel means
• Where to place their faith

Getting these things wrong has eternal consequences.

But the good news is that truth is knowable, Christ is sufficient, and the gospel is simple:

“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.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

That’s the gospel.

Not organizational membership. Not human mediators. Not complex interpretations. Not nine-month training programs. Not 90% test scores.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again.

Believe in Him, and you will be saved.

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18)

Whoever believes.

Not “whoever joins Shincheonji.” Not “whoever passes the tests.” Not “whoever is harvested and sealed.”

Whoever believes in Christ.

That includes you.

Right now.

Without organizational membership. Without human mediators. Without proving yourself.

Just believe.

And be saved.

---

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

---

APPENDIX: Summary of Key Problems with Each Question

For quick reference, here’s a summary of the main problem with each test question:

Q1.1-1.5: Redefines parables as coded messages requiring organizational interpretation; makes salvation dependent on knowing “actual entities”

Q2.1-2.3: Reframes legitimate concern as persecution; preemptively demonizes critics

Q3.1-3.4: Redefines the New Covenant as organizational events rather than Christ’s blood; makes salvation organizational

Q4.1-4.3: Requires accepting unfalsifiable historical claims about 1966 and Gwacheon

Q5: Creates a sequential organizational narrative that removes eschatological hope

Q6.1-6.5: Localizes heaven to Shincheonji; makes identity organizational

Q7.1-7.3: Identifies Korean organizations as fulfillment of Revelation; creates self-serving narrative

Q8.1-8.2: Makes Lee Man-hee central to Revelation; displaces Christ’s work

Q9.1-9.4: Literalizes symbolic women as specific organizations; forces dualistic framework

Q10: Forces connection between Passover and organizational membership

Q11.1-11.3: Makes personal identity organizational; elevates Lee Man-hee to seven roles

Q12.1-12.2: Creates succession of mediators (Moses→Jesus→Lee Man-hee); contradicts Christ’s finality

Q13.1-13.2: Oversimplifies Revelation to three groups; makes cosmic war organizational

Q14.1-14.2: Redefines biblical terms organizationally; creates works-based salvation

Q15.1-15.2: Claims new heaven/earth has begun; removes eschatological hope

Q16.1-16.5: Makes judgment about organizations; gives Lee Man-hee judgment authority

Q17.1-17.4: Limits access to life organizationally; displaces John with Lee Man-hee

Q18.1-18.3: Creates hierarchical mediation system; makes understanding dependent on one person

Q19.1-19.5: Displaces John with Lee Man-hee; claims ongoing revelation

Q20.1-20.3: Inserts unnecessary mediator; contradicts Scripture’s sufficiency

Q21.1-21.2: Forces three-entity pattern; removes historical context

Q22.1-22.7: Ignores Jesus’ own interpretation of symbols; elevates Tabernacle Temple

Q23.1-23.2: Localizes kingdom to Lee Man-hee’s location; creates dependency

Q24.1-24.4: Divides fulfillment from Christ; makes Lee Man-hee central

Q25.1-25.3: Limits who is freed by Christ’s blood; contradicts universal scope of gospel

Every question systematically moves students away from biblical Christianity toward organizational dependency.

---

This concludes the comprehensive analysis of Shincheonji’s Advanced Level Test 1 (Lesson 114).

May truth set you free.