Shincheonji and What it means to Lie

While Shincheonji does acknowledge that lying for your own benefit goes against scripture, they also believe that lying to further God’s kingdom is justified, as long as a person does not add or subtract to God’s word (Revelation 22:18-19, Proverbs 30:5-6).

In a sense of irony, when Shincheonji redefines what a lie is, according to their own definition they are lying by taking away what it means to lie.

Even if we were to disregard how SCJ is lying by their own definition, we can also look at what God has to say about lying and bearing false witness to their neighbors.

Exodus 20:16 – “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

The term “false” comes from the Hebrew word “seqar”, which can also be translated to:

lie, deception, disappointment, and falsehood.

Psalm 63:11 – But the king will rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him will glory, For the mouths of those who speak lies (seqar) will be stopped.

Psalm 101:7 – One who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; One who speaks lies (seqar) shall not maintain his position before me.

Psalm 109:2 – For they have opened a wicked and deceitful mouth against me; They have spoken against me with a lying (seqar) tongue.

Psalm 119:29 – Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your Law.

Proverbs 14:5 – A trustworthy witness will not lie , But a false witness declares lies.

The Logical Inconsistencies of the “Wisdom of Hiding”

Shincheonji Response:

A Shincheonji member may respond with examples found throughout the Old and New Testament, pointing to characters like Rahab the Spy for example, who lied to protect the Israeli spies, or even Abraham in Genesis 22, who withheld information about sacrificing his son Isaac, and yet was blessed by God for carrying out God’s will.

Christian response

Let us go ahead and take a look at SCJ’s claim of how they justify the “ends justify the means” viewpoint of the Bible, looking at Rahab the Spy for the example:

1. Rahab took in the Israeli spies because she had faith in God (Joshua 2:3)
2. When confronted, Rahab lied to protect the spies from Jericho (Joshua 2:4)
3. Rahab was blessed because of her lie and having faith in the God of Israel.
4. Therefore, it is okay for us to use deception in order to further God’s kingdom.

Using this logic, let us go ahead and apply it to another person of the Bible who was blessed by God.

Jacob’s son Judah chooses Tamar to be the wife of his oldest son (Gen 38:6). In the course of time a couple of Judah’s sons die while married to Tamar. In fear, Judah sends Tamar to live with her father (Gen 38:11). Based upon the OT law, Judah is in the wrong. He should have provided for his younger sons for marriage. He certainly should have taken her into his house. The Hebrews hearing the story of their patriarch would have noticed this. Judah is presenting himself to be a poor redeemer. 

Tamar deceives Judah to sleep with her by posing as a prostitute. To do this, she takes off her widow robes (Gen 38:14) to sleep with the recently widowed Judah. Thinking ahead, she procures some of his belongings as a payment and token. Some time later, word spreads that Tamar is pregnant. It is clear to everyone it was done immorally. I mean she did just commit fornication. Judah even feigns religious righteousness (Gen 38:24). However, Tamar reveals herself and Judah’s tokens. The deception has proven its point. Judah discovers that he was the unrighteous one.

Through the use of deception and fornication, Tamar is blessed by God by also partaking in the lineage of the Messiah.

Let us use Shincheonji’s logic to justify that adultery is okay, as it further God’s kingdom:

1. Judah broke the Old Testament law with Tamar by sending her away to her father.
2. Tamir commits adultery with Judah.
3. Through the adultery, Judah realizes that he was in the wrong, and Tamir is blessed to be a part of the lineage of the Messiah.
4. Therefore, it is okay to use adultery as a way to build out the Kingdom of God.

We can even use a similar concept that Shincheonji uses to redefine what a lie is, and by using their definition of what “spiritual adultery” is.

Spiritual adultery, refers to the act of a pastor or believer, originally belonging to God, forging a relationship with Satan by accepting and spreading his false teaching.

A Christian would bulk at the idea of using adultery, or deception, to spread the word of God.

I hope that a Shincheonji person can see the flaw of the “wisdom of hiding”.