Shincheonji interprets olive oil in the parable of the Foolish and Wise Virgins as the word of testimony, and that in order to be saved, one must have enough olive oil in your jar in order to be prepared for Christ’s completion of the wedding banquet and the lamb.
The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation, pages 235 – 236 –
Applying this understanding of the word to the parable of the ten virgins, the lamp is the Bible that shines its light into our darkened hearts to enlighten our spirits. The olive oil that lights the lamp is the word of testimony from the two witnesses. Those who sell the olive oil are those who have the olive oil, the two witnesses. The wise virgins, who have the lamp and enough oil, are the believers who have received the testimony of the events of Revelation from the two witnesses and have held onto their words. The foolish virgins, who have the lamp but no oil, are those who have the Bible, but have not received the testimony regarding the fulfillment of a Revelation from the two witnesses.
Shincheonji makes a heavy emphasis on the testimony of the two witnesses of the fulfillment of Revelation, as their witness is essential for a person’s salvation.
When reviewing the parable through the lens of SCJ, many contradictions begin to arise.
Contradiction 1: Both the foolish and wise virgins were asleep
Shincheonji (SCJ) emphasizes the need to remain spiritually awake to prepare for the wedding banquet of the Lamb. However, the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) presents a doctrinal inconsistency with this teaching, as both the wise and foolish virgins are described as falling asleep while waiting for the bridegroom. This undermines SCJ’s interpretation of sleep as either spiritual ignorance or death, as both groups—wise and foolish—experience sleep without distinction in its nature.
SCJ’s Definition of Sleep
The figurative meaning of sleep is the state of spiritual ignorance or death, specifically a lack of understanding of God’s word. This can be broken down into the following categories:
- Misunderstanding of God’s word leads to idleness and ultimately spiritual sleep.
- Those who do not have God’s word are asleep.
- God’s word is light. People who receive God’s word are awake and have become the light.
- The prophets and seers were in a deep sleep because God shut their eyes and covered their heads. This means they could not see or understand God’s word.
- The vision was sealed to them like words in a sealed scroll.
Creation of Heaven and Earth, page 133 –
Today, most Christians think that by simply believing in Jesus, they have been saved and have already received the holy spirit. This misunderstanding leads to idleness, which causes them to stray from the word and ultimately leads them to a deep spiritual sleep…Destruction will come on them suddenly (1 Thes 5:1-3). If we want to accept Jesus when he returns, we must be spiritually awake. We must prepare our lamp and our oil and we must be fully clothed (Mt 25:1-13, 24:42-44; 1 Thes 5:4-8). Before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no way for the first heaven (i.e., the Christian church) to be saved if it is not awake in relation to the promises of Jesus.
The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation, page 392 –
Since God’s word is light (Jn 1:1-5), a person who receives the word of God becomes the light and the day (Jn 8:12, Jn 9:4-5, Jn 12:46). This is a person who is awake (1 Thes 5:1-8). On the other hand, those who do not have God’s word are asleep and can be called night and darkness.
The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation, page 71 –
A dead person claiming to be alive Jesus says to the messenger of the church in Sardis, “I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead.
Both the Foolish and Wise Virgins fell asleep
The parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins directly challenges Shincheonji’s (SCJ) interpretation of sleep. It explicitly states that both the wise and foolish virgins became drowsy and fell asleep (Matthew 25:5). The text makes no distinction between the nature of their sleep, presenting it as a shared experience among both groups. This is in stark contrast to SCJ’s rigid interpretation, which equates sleep with spiritual ignorance or death. If sleep truly symbolized spiritual failure or separation from God, it would be problematic to apply this interpretation equally to the wise virgins, who were ultimately commended for their readiness.
Preparation, Not Wakefulness, Is Key
The key element in the parable is not wakefulness but preparation. The wise virgins had stored extra oil before falling asleep, symbolizing their readiness through prior faith and actions. This preparation ensured they were ready to meet the bridegroom, regardless of the delay. Their readiness underscores the sufficiency of their earlier faith and actions, contrasting sharply with SCJ’s emphasis on ongoing vigilance, accumulating knowledge, or seeking “new understanding” as necessary for salvation.
No Additional Work After Waking
Furthermore, upon waking, the wise virgins did not perform any additional actions to secure their readiness. They did not need to scramble for oil or make last-minute preparations; their work was already complete. This highlights the sufficiency of their saving faith and prior preparation. Their readiness was not dependent on wakefulness during the bridegroom’s delay, which undermines SCJ’s insistence on continual works or spiritual awareness as prerequisites for salvation.
The Foolish Virgins’ Failure
The failure of the foolish virgins, on the other hand, was not attributed to their sleep but to their lack of preparation before the bridegroom’s arrival. Their inability to meet the bridegroom stemmed from their failure to plan and secure the necessary oil in advance. This emphasizes that salvation is rooted in prior faith and readiness rather than in actions performed after waking. By focusing on preparation as the decisive factor, the parable stands in direct opposition to SCJ’s interpretation that prioritizes wakefulness and ongoing efforts.
Potential Shincheonji Counter: Sleep can also mean physical death.
Isn’t the whole point of SCJ is to have eternal life in flesh, so that they can reign with Christ for the rest of the 1000 years?
While we can acknowledge that, this counter brings up more issues than solutions. For those who die while maintaining a life of faith in SCJ, how are they going to partake in the first resurrection? Are they now considered a martyr, and will also become a spirit that co-hosts with a physical SCJ member?
What also happens if Lee Manhee were to die, is he going to be physically resurrected? An SCJ member may point to how Christ was physically resurrected, and point to the faith of Abraham and how he reasoned that God can resurrect his son Isaac. However, this leads to more questions and issues.
If we were to take the model of Jesus Christ and his resurrection according to SCJ, Jesus roamed the earth with a physical body for 40 days, then returned to the Father and became a spirit body again.
If we were to take Abraham’s reasoning with Isaac, then apply that line of reasoning with the death of Lee Manhee, why is God being inconsistent with Lee Manhee’s resurrection, and then have a different resurrection with everybody else? This solution would only cause more problems than solutions.
Yet, at the start of the parable of the foolish and wise virgins, both were asleep. And yet, the wise virgins were the ones who were prepared. This shows an inconsistency in their interpretation. SCJ may claim not to focus on the details, but instead, focus on the outcomes, yet through that mindset, isn’t that just adding and subtracting to God’s word? Rev 22:18-19?
Conclusion
The parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins directly contradicts Shincheonji’s (SCJ) interpretation of sleep as spiritual ignorance or death. Both the wise and foolish virgins fell asleep, yet the wise virgins were commended and entered the wedding banquet. This demonstrates that their preparedness, represented by the stored oil, was the decisive factor, not their wakefulness or vigilance during the delay. SCJ’s emphasis on continual works and spiritual awareness as prerequisites for salvation is inconsistent with the parable’s message, which highlights the sufficiency of prior faith and readiness.
Furthermore, attempts to reinterpret “sleep” as physical death create more theological issues than they resolve, particularly when considering SCJ’s teaching on eternal life in the flesh and their doctrine surrounding resurrection. Questions about how SCJ reconciles the potential death of Lee Man-hee with their theology expose further inconsistencies, undermining their framework entirely.
The parable underscores individual accountability and the importance of personal preparation for the Bridegroom’s arrival, rejecting reliance on external intermediaries or additional efforts after the fact. SCJ’s approach to reinterpret or dismiss these details risks adding to or subtracting from God’s word, which is warned against in Revelation 22:18-19. The parable ultimately affirms the sufficiency of faith in Christ and readiness through His grace, leaving no room for SCJ’s flawed doctrinal interpretations.