Why are SCJ Interpretations so Different?

Dear reader, 

If you are a Christian and have conversed with end-time groups, you may have asked yourself, ¨How in the world did they get that interpretation from this verse or that word?¨ It seems spiritually bizarre and puzzling.

Some people feel conversations with end-time groups are pointless because Christians show them one set of verses while members of these groups retaliate with other verses (or even use the same ones with different interpretations).  For example, Shincheonji interprets those ¨in the light¨ in I Thess. 5:1-8 to refer to SCJ members with the revealed word, whereas Christians view this as all believers in Christ Jesus.

The reality is that Christians and followers of end-time movements use different ¨glasses¨ (or approaches) to explain meanings in the Bible.  This leads to some important questions about biblical interpretation.

What method should Christians use to interpret the Scriptures?  What approach do final prophets or end-time groups use?  Why are interpretations so different?

There are two methods that have been historically unsafe and dangerous. Even though these approaches claim to possess divine help and guidance, they are based more on human authority.  Below is a brief description and analysis of them.

1. Group-Guided Approach.

This method is based on the notion that God guides a specific group of leaders to explain meanings and concepts of the Christian faith.  The Watchtower Society or the Catholic Magisterium are primary examples.  Leaders of these groups emphasize that God´s Spirit gives them interpretative authority, which is why Christians need them.

One result of this approach is that it forces Christians to depend more on human leaders as opposed to seeking God and relying on his help. In addition, leaders end up developing spiritual traditions, teachings, or rules that go beyond what is written.  Many of these traditions become the central focus of the group and are even elevated above the simple message of Christ.

Lastly, because these leaders consider themselves interpreters by divine appointment, they become the real authority above the Bible.  Moreover, they do not humbly receive correction from the Bible by devoted Christians outside their group.

2.  Prophet-Revealer Approach.

This method is based on the belief that God appoints a prophet to be Jesus´ final spokesperson on earth in the end.  Through visions, dreams, and revelations, this prophet brings new knowledge regarding Jesus´ second coming and salvation. They believe they are filled with God´s power and Spirit, much like the prophets in the Old Testament.

Members in end-time groups are taught to put aside previous concepts about God and the Bible as they learn new information from the prophet.  Their leader offers interpretations that ¨makes sense¨ of mysterious or unfulfilled prophecies.  The prophet´s authority is also magnified because they insist all other Christians are spiritually blind and in darkness.
 
What serious problems emerge with this method?

First, Jesus Christ cautions all Christians to stay away from final prophets who take his place and assume his authority in the end (Mt. 24:4,5, Lk. 21:8).  This is a common sign of error in all end-time groups.

Even so, prophets in end-time groups assert God has sent them as a final prophet. They point to ¨revealed¨ prophecies in the Bible foretelling their coming and authority.  One example in SCJ is the idea that the Bible has promises of a final pastor in the end. Yet, it is suspicious when only the prophet sees certain texts as prophecies and the language (and context) from the Scriptures communicates something else.

Unbeknownst to them, members subtly believe a prophecy based more on human authority than the Bible.

This leads to a second problem - too much interpretative authority in the hands of one person.  Interestingly enough, a prophet offers new light about Bible verses, words, Scripture connections, figurative meanings, prophecies, etc., almost entirely based on an, ¨I say so authority.¨  For instance, Manhee Lee says that the interpretation of ¨east¨ in Rev. 7 refers to Korea because he ¨knows where the east is¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, p. 194), but not based on the Scriptures.

As members become more and more involved in their organization, the danger is that the prophet´s interpretations are viewed as more inspired than the Bible itself.  Thus, any Bible verse or explanation which contradicts their prophet must be in error, especially from Christians outside their group.

Lastly, something is spiritually amiss when a final prophet is said to be filled with God´s Spirit, yet modifies Jesus´ identity and the clear message of salvation through Christ.  They make ¨prophetic knowledge¨ about the Bible a requirement for eternal life instead of being united to Christ Jesus.
  
3. The Christian Model: Holy Spirit and Bible-Method.

This is the safest and most efficient way to interpret the Scriptures.  As Peter said, ¨His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him¨ (2 Pet. 1:3).

As we give our lives to Jesus Christ, believers can rely on God's presence to help them understand the important truths from God (i.e. everything we need for life and godly living).  Regardless of one´s church or denomination, the important truths can be known and experienced by all believers.  The Scriptures preserve and communicate God´s redemptive message in Christ (2 Tim. 3:16) to all those who sincerely seek him.

Thus, the biggest and most important spiritual truths can be understood without an authoritative leader or group (1 Jn. 2:27, Ps. 119:97-104).  In Christian thinking, the clear language in the Bible is superior to a final prophet´s explanations, not the other way around.

In closing, understanding that Shincheonji uses a prophet-interpretation method explains why their interpretations are so innovative and puzzling.  This is why Christians and SCJ members can have Bible discussions and be talking past each other.  They are using two different methods to interpret the Bible.

Is Genesis 1-3 a Concealed Prophecy for a Pastor?

Dear reader,

Many end-time leaders teach they are the final interpreters or prophets of the Christian faith due to a revelation given to them by heavenly creatures or Jesus Christ himself.  It is an extremely powerful spiritual assertion.  At the same time, Christ and the apostles give many warnings of deception from final leaders (Lk. 21:8, I John 4:1, Mt. 24:24, I Tim. 4:1).   
  

In Shincheonji, Manhee Lee claims to have received a revelation or revealed word from divine beings about the meaning and physical fulfillment of the Bible´s last prophecies.  

Manhee Lee holds that he is the final pastor in a long line of chosen pastors.  

To support this teaching, he uses Adam as the first chosen pastor.  Thus, Genesis 1-3 becomes a figurative account of how God chooses his first pastor.  ¨Thus, understanding Genesis 1 literally and thinking that it records the creation of the natural world raises many contradictions.  The order of creation is recorded figuratively to hide the secret of the creation of God's world from the evil one¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, p. 33).

The following description is a condensed version of Manhee Lee's explanation of a pastor in the beginning (Creation of Heaven and Earth, pp. 33-51).  Notice the figurative meanings.

1^st Day – God is looking for a light, which represents a pastor.  Jesus, a chosen pastor, also claimed to be a light (Jn. 12:46, Jn. 8:12).

2^nd Day – God creates the expanse/sky, which represents the tabernacle/heaven of the chosen people.  The sun, moon, and stars are part of the expanse/sky, which refer to Jacob and the chosen people in the Bible (Gen. 37:9,10).  Water represents the ¨revealed word¨ from the pastor (Dt. 32:1,2, Am. 8:11).  The water above is the revealed word and the water below is lies. 

3^rd Day – The land that appears refers figuratively to the chosen people and their tabernacle.  Both the tabernacle/sky and the land refer to the chosen people.  ¨The dry land that appears on the third day and the heaven created on the second day both refer to God´s tabernacle¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, p. 39).  The vegetation, plants, and trees refer to believers (Is. 40:6-8, Dt. 32:2). 

4^th Day – The great light of this day is the chosen pastor.  The moon represents evangelists in the position of a mother.  The many stars are believers in the position of children, but they have different levels of glory (I Cor. 15:41).  They are given authority to rule over the world.

5^th Day – The water represents God´s word (Am. 8:11), the fish represent believers (Hb 1:14, Mt. 4:18-22; Mt. 13:47-50), and the birds represent the spirits that belong to God.  On the fifth day the holy spirit comes as a bird to carry out its work.  Filling the earth means that people are evangelized. 

6^th Day – The cattle, creeping things, and wild animals represent the four beasts in Rev. 4:6,7.  The four living creatures of the spiritual world are heaven´s army.  On this day an organization, like the four living creatures in the spiritual world, is created on earth.  This is what Moses did when he built the tabernacle on earth (Ex. 25:8,9). 

On page 47 of his book, he concludes, ¨Once again, the creation account of Gn. 1 is a spiritual re-creation, stated in the terms of a physical creation.  This creation is not limited to a specific generation.  It is repeated over and over until all of Revelation is fulfilled.  This process of creating heaven and earth takes six thousand years, which is likened unto six days.  The re-creation of heaven and earth in Gn 1 is completed six thousand years later in Rv 21 (Rv. 21:6).¨       

Is this revelation the true explanation of Genesis chapters 1-3?  Why doubt it?

First, although many Christian thinkers have used figurative meanings for Genesis in the past, this explanation seems far-fetched and beyond the simple meanings given.     

The verses used in support of his figurative meanings are disconnected and forced.  For example, Jesus said his disciples would be fishers of men, but this does not mean that ¨fish¨ refer figuratively to men in Genesis.  In context, Jesus used this analogy for fishermen to help them understand deeper spiritual truths, as with other parables (Mt. 13:47-50).  Another misapplication is connecting the metaphor of beasts (those who lack knowledge in Prov. 30:2,3) to beasts and animals in Genesis. 

These examples bring to light a central problem.  (See the article on SCJ Interpretations.)  The authority for making these connections is subtly based on ¨I say so¨ or ¨My revelation makes it so¨ authority (followed by Scripture connections or spiritual reasoning), but not based on the Scriptures themselves.  When a final prophet is the one who makes these interpretations, it is subjective revelation, not proof-supported or objective.    

Another problem is that Manhee Lee´s figurative explanations and arguments against a literal interpretation (i.e. millions of years of life on earth, the appearance of Cain´s wife, Cain´s fear of being killed by other people, and the appearance of light on the fourth day) end up creading more spiritual problems than answers.

For example, he claims that Adam was not the first real physical man.  Adam was only the first man to receive God´s word (i.e. the first chosen pastor).  Mr. Lee states that other beasts (men without God´s word) existed before Adam.  Adam even had parents.

¨Second, the Bible implies that Adam had parents.  God told Adam to leave his parents and unite with his wife (Gen. 2:24).  If Adam really was the first human God created, how could he have had parents? Clearly, Adam was not the first human.  Although there were people living before Adam, because God gave Adam the breath of life that makes him a living being, God decided that Adam was the first ¨man.¨  Anyone with a physical body that lacks God´s breath of life is a mere lump of earth…The fact that no man had yet been created in this passage means God had not yet chosen a pastor…There were many people before Adam, but because they did not know God and they did not have God´s word, they were considered beasts.¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, pp. 58, 59, 61).

This means God created people at the beginning of time, before Adam appeared, who did not have his words.  This creates spiritual problems.  Why would the first humans not have God´s words?  How long did these humans exist without God´s Word?  These and more questions complicate things with his figurative explanation (1).  

Using figurative language to make Genesis 1-3 about a chosen pastor is a way to validate Mr. Lee´s claim about himself - the need for a final chosen pastor in Revelation.  This is not new. Many apocalyptic leaders interpret symbols or words to self-validate their group or authority. (Joseph Smith said that the ¨stick¨ in Ez. 37:15-17 was a figurative symbol for the Mormon revelation.)  But, this is circular since the ¨revealer-prophet¨ is the one who reveals these meanings instead of the written word.   

Another problem with this figurative explanation is that Manhee Lee makes Gen. 1-3 a spiritual parable about the creation of a pastor instead of a real account of God's glory and power in creating a physical world from nothing.  Shincheonji changes the story and focus.

The message God reveals is that the human race needs a savior to restore a broken creation and bring humans back into a perfect and beautiful relationship with God.  It is a promise and blessing repeated in Gen. 12 that finds its answers in the Messiah, not a final pastor who is not the Messiah.  Even early Jewish sources recognized the importance of the Messianic promise after the creation account (2).

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(1) An unbiased reading of the Scriptures state that Adam was the first man to be alive, not receive God´s words.  ¨Thus, it is written, ´The first man, Adam, became a living being´¨ (I Cor. 15:45).  Before Adam, there were no other men.  This is why he is called the first. 

(2) ¨The Palestinian Targum testifies that in Gen. iii.15 there is promised a healing of the bite in the heel from the serpent, which is to take place "at the end of the days, in the days of the King Messiah." In the Palestinian Midrash to Genesis (Bereshith Rabba xii) we read: "The things which God created perfect since man sinned have become corrupt and do not return to their proper condition until the son of Perez (i.e. according to Gen. xxxviii. 29, Ruth iv. 18 ff. the Messiah out of the tribe of Judah) comes."   http://hadavar.org/drupal/book/export/html/107, Accessed July, 2013.

Can Shincheonji be Corrected?

Dear reader,

What would you think of final prophets who would not let themselves be corrected by the Bible?  This would seem strange and spiritually haughty.  All Christians know that we must submit to God's Word and let the Scriptures correct us.  All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for correction (2 Tim. 3:16). In Christian thinking, the Scriptures contain spiritual truths from Christ for our lives.

In end-time groups, final prophets use a series of statements that make it nearly impossible for Christians to correct them with God's Word.  These spiritual points elevate the prophet's voice over God's voice in the written word.  Even though final prophets encourage Christians to test their revelation with the Bible, their claims simultaneously make it difficult to correct their revelation with the Bible.  This is why many end-time movements continue to exist today.

What are these points that make it difficult to correct revelations to final leaders/prophets?

1.   Final prophets have the power to remove what seems clear in Scripture.  

Since final prophets claim to receive information from angels, Jesus, or God, this allows them to give the real meaning to prophetic and non-prophetic parts of the Bible.  Even clear parts of the Bible can mean something different if the leader uses a different connection or a spiritual definition of a word. The true meaning of a verse in the written word does not depend on what the words communicate on their own. For instance, Ac. 1:9-11 does not mean what most Christians think it means.  The final prophet has the authority to define figurative/hidden language in reference to clouds and give the right meaning.

Since Jesus and God are seen to be working through the prophet, the leader becomes the ¨revealer¨. The prophet does not submit to the written word, but reveals it.  This gives unlimited interpretation power to the leader.  It also means he does not have to submit to the ideas that God was making clear in the written word.

When leaders have this special anointing, it disarms Christians from using comprehensible passages in the Bible (the written word) to correct a final leader.  When a group is challenged, the final leader and his group respond by saying that the true meaning of many verses is hidden.  In this way, the final leader does not have to submit to the meaning that Christians clearly see God's voice saying in Scripture.

Once I met up with a leader in a movement in Latin America.  When he pointed out that the Son of God did not exist before coming to earth, I told him that most Christians see the Scriptures saying the opposite (Jn. 1:1, Jn. 17:5, Mic. 5:2, Jn. 8:58, Phil. 2:6, etc.).  This pastor agreed with my comment and, paraphrasing him, said, ¨What you really need is revelation knowledge to see this.¨

Secondly, another consequence of this relates to members of these movements.  When final leaders introduce new definitions, connections, and explanations to the written word, followers accept the new interpretations thinking this is what the Bible is affirming all along.  They believe the Bible is saying new things even when Christians see the written word saying something else.  This makes it hard to use Scriptures to correct revelations when final prophets have given the same verses new meanings.

For example, Jesus refers to a visible coming in Mt. 24:27 when he uses lightning.  But, Christians cannot use this to correct Shinchonji's teaching of an invisible return because SCJ uses other verses (e.g. Lk. 10:18, Rev. 11:19) to show that lightning in Mt. 24:27 is not visible. This is why Christians and members of end-time groups can debate and get nowhere.  Both sides are using the written word in different ways.       

2.  A final leader claims that Jesus has opened up seals to them in the Bible. 

When a final prophet proclaims that Jesus or God has opened seals and mysteries to them in the Bible, it makes it difficult for outside Christians to refute what they reveal because the Christian world is said to only go by a closed book/sealed prophecies.  Manhee Lee makes this point when talking about the importance of a revealed word and the time of unsealed prophecies (Creation of Heaven and Earth, pp. 6-9).

In Christian thinking, a revelation to a leader must still submit to the clear ideas in the written word.  But, leaders with a revealed word argue that Christians are like the Pharisees in the first coming.  They cannot rightly interpret the written word when the prophecies are sealed.  When the Bible is made to be a completely sealed book, it implies that what most Christians see the Bible saying does not necessarily mean it is the right meaning.

One person wrote saying that one Shinchonji instructor told him and another person to completely put aside what they had thought the Bible was saying before.  For example, Shinchonji gives a revealed meaning to the events in Rev. 6, 8, & 9, referring to the church of the seven golden lampstands.  Most Christians, however, see the events referring to people in the whole world.  

When Christians try to use the voice in God's written word to correct Shinchonji, Manhee Lee's writings claim that Christians are using a closed book, which they cannot interpret or understand correctly.

3.  Final leaders claim that all Christians who do not believe in their revelation are deceived by Satan and follow traditions of men.

In end-time movements, the group's literature has many statements about Christians being in darkness and only using traditions of men.  In Christian thinking, ¨traditions of men¨ are ideas that are not clearly stated in God's written revelation.  It's extra information.  For example, the Pharisees held on to a Corban tradition that nullified God's command to honor one's parents (Mk. 7:9-13).

To final prophets' ¨traditions of men¨ are defined as Christian beliefs that the majority of Christian churches have about Christ Jesus and the written word.  In Manhee Lee's writings, he teaches that all ministers in Christianity are either going by the traditions of men or are unscriptural and blinded.

The problem is that this forces insiders to rely more fully on what the final leader reveals to be true than what the voice in the written word is saying.  This is why it is hard to correct members with the written word since they have been trained to think that the written word is only open to the final leader.  They believe outside Christians are deceived by Satan's kingdom.

4. Final leaders use circular reasoning/interpretation.  

When a final prophet employs circular reasoning/interpretation, it is nearly impossible for Christians to correct them with the written word.  For example, many leaders have revealed that they or their group is ¨the servant¨ in Mt. 24:45-47.  The servant is the final leader, which is revealed by the final leader.  But, the written word on its own does not speak of one final servant (but faithful servants in general).  The leader can give this circular interpretation even if Christians see the written word saying something different.

Taken together, these four statements make it hard for Christians to correct final leaders with God's Word.  In addition, leaders have much spiritual pride and confidence that no believer can answer their questions or give them better interpretations.  They are the teachers and everyone in Christianity must listen to them.

Since we are supposed to humbly put ourselves under/submit to the Lord's voice in Scripture, it is important to let God's voice in the written word correct the voice in a revealed word, not the other way around.  All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for correction (2 Tim. 3:16,17).  When end-time leaders use these points to support new interpretations, Christians should be cautious.

How the Bible is Quoted.

Dear reader,

If you were to meet up with two deceptive spirits that were going to interpret the Bible, how do you think they would do this?  This question is at the heart of end-time groups.

Here are some possibilities.  

1.  Contexts (verses before and after a verse) would be ignored.
2.  Clear verses would be ignored or de-emphasized in favor of new information.
3.  Connections between verses are made that no one else sees.
4.  New meanings are given to difficult verses.

These are just a few examples.

This question is important because end-time leaders teach that a spirit or spirits (Jesus, an angel, the Holy Spirit, etc) appeared to them in a vision and gave them important Bible explanations about the end of the world.  These leaders say they have a special anointing to explain the Bible.  In Shinchonji, Manhee Lee is reported to have received information from God, Jesus, and angels.

As Christians, we are told not to believe every spirit, but to test them (I John 4:1).  In Christian thinking, when spirits claiming to be angels or Jesus communicate messages that distort, twist, or misapply God's Word, something is amiss.  Below is an edited summary from a book on some of the most common techniques used by end-time teachers or preachers who do not rightly divide the Bible (1).


1. BIBLICAL HOOK: A text of Scripture is quoted as a way to make readers think the text is affirming what the author is saying.  However, when the text is consulted carefully, it speaks of something else.

Both Shinchonji and the Watchtower Society quote Mt. 24:45-47 to prove that God chooses a final servant (their leader/s) to guide the Christian world in the end.  However, when Christians read these verses carefully, they see Jesus referring to all faithful disciples in the end.  Another example is when Shinchonji uses 1 Thess. 5:1-11 to interpret those in the light as those with the revealed word, when God's voice in the written word refers to believers at large.
  
 2. IGNORING THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT: A text of Scripture is quoted but removed from the surrounding verses which form the immediate framework for its meaning.

When Jesus uses lightning in Mt. 24:27 for visibility, he is rebutting the idea of a secret or regional appearance/return to earth.  Shinchonji removes the meaning from its context, quoting other verses (Lk. 10:18, Rev. 11:19) to show that lightning in Mt. 24:27 should mean invisibility.  Another example is Jer. 31:27 where God is prophesying a restoration for Israel (in context), but Shinchonji links it to Jesus' parable of the two seeds in Mt. 13.

3. COLLAPSING CONTEXTS: Two or more verses which have little or nothing to do with each other are put together as if one were a commentary of the other(s).

In Manhee Lee's revelation, he teaches that Jesus (a pastor) is the light in Jn. 8:12 and makes this the commentary/link to the light (a pastor) being chosen on the first day of creation in Gen. 1.  Shinchonji makes the metaphor of a ¨beast¨ (one without God's knowledge/ungodly leaders) in Prov. 30:2,3 and Is. 56:9-11 a commentary for the ¨beast¨ in Rev. 13 (a false pastor without God's revealed word).  

4. OVERSPECIFICATION: A more detailed or specific conclusion than is legitimate is drawn from a biblical text.

Manhee Lee quotes Hos. 12:10, which speaks of parables and visions in general, to support that the Apostle John figure in Revelation is a prophecy for a future leader (Mr. Lee).  However, Hos. 12:10 does not specify that this refers to the Apostle John.  Another example is taking the Counselor-promise in Jn. 14,16 to specifically include another flesh-human body (Mr. Lee).  

5. WORD PLAY: A word or phrase from a biblical translation is examined and interpreted in a different language as if the revelation had been given in that language.

This happens with the Korean language in Shinchonji.  When referring to the Counselor, Manhee Lee quotes the word, ¨Bohaesa,¨ (Korean-Chinese) to re-inforce the idea of a teacher with grace.  He also quotes a Korean word, ¨tongdal,¨ (mastery, thorough knowledge) for ¨search¨ in 1 Cor. 2:10 to show that the Apostle John has perfect mastery of the Bible.  The word in Greek for ¨search¨ or ¨examine¨ does not mean mastery.  See the article on the Counselor.

6. THE FIGURATIVE FALLACY: Either making literal language out of figurative language or mistaking figurative language for literal language.

In Manhee Lee's book, he argues that this is the problem with the Christian world: incorrectly making figurative language literal.  He fixes the problem.  In Christian thinking, the written word (when given) is the key.  For example, Jesus refers to the real temple in Jerusalem in Mt. 24:1,2, but Mr. Lee makes it figurative because the word ¨temple¨ can often be figurative.  He does not let the context determine the meaning.

7. SELECTIVE CITING: To substantiate a given argument, only a limited number of texts is quoted.  The total teaching of Scripture on that subject would lead to a conclusion different from that of the writer.

According to Shinchonji's revelation, the post-ascension Christ is a spirit who works through Manhee Lee's body/flesh.  One SCJ member cited different verses referring to the Spirit (of Jesus) in Revelation and Galations to prove this.  Yet, other verses reveal that Jesus is not only a spirit, but also a superhuman (the first glorified human).  Both are true because the Messiah has two natures.  Another point is pointing to some verses where God rejects Israel in the prophets, but not accepting the verses where God promises to fully restore Israel in the prophets.  See other articles on these points for additional information.
        
8. INADEQUATE EVIDENCE: A hasty generalization is drawn from too little evidence. It is based only on the authority of the leader or group´s interpretation.

In Manhee Lee's book, Creation of Heaven and Earth, the connections and explanations in Revelation are based on Mr. Lee's authority.  For example, he interprets the ¨east¨ in Rev. 7 as Korea.  But, it is based on Mr. Lee's authoritative explanation of ¨heaven¨ and his own authority/testimony of being the Apostle John figure who knows the physical fulfillment of the events.  See the article on the 144,000 in Rev. 7.

9. CONFUSED DEFINITION: A biblical or Christian term is misunderstood or misdefined in such a way as to be rejected.

Shinchoji misdefines the Christian definition of the Trinity.  Christians familiar with this topic know that this happens in other spirit-revelations to final prophets.  In Christian teaching, there is a careful distinction between one God being and three God persons.  However, Shinchonji argues that when Christians refer to the Trinity, they are referring to three beings and one being (instead of the real definition of one being and three persons).  See the article on the Trinity for more information.

10. WORLD-VIEW CONFUSION: Scriptural concepts, ideas, or symbols which have a particular meaning within the cultural framework of the Bible are lifted out of that context, placed within the frame of reference of another system and given a meaning that differs from their intended meaning.

Shinchonji's revelation teaches that the spirits of the martyrs will come back to earth and unite with the flesh of those believers at the first resurrection in Rev. 20.  This is the meaning of the resurrection, which is more of a mixture of eastern ideas of reincarnation than a Christian one.  The biblical concept of the resurrection refers to a spirit being united to a person´s own flesh that God re-creates and glorifies, similar to what happened to the Lord Jesus, who is the firstfruits of future resurrections (I Cor. 15:20, Rom. 8:11, Phil. 3:21, Is. 26:19).  See other articles on this point.

11. VIRTUE BY ASSOCIATION: Either a leader associates his or her teachings with figures accepted as authoritative by traditional Christians, or a leader's situation is likened to people and events in the Bible.

Shinchonji considers their situation to be like Christ's in the first century.  All other Christian leaders are compared to the Pharisees who misinterpreted the Messianic prophecies and would not listen to Jesus.  In the same way, Christians today do not understand the end-time prophecies and do not listen to Manhee Lee.  Or, just like Paul had to leave his teachings and hear Jesus' voice, Christians must leave their pastors and follow Mr. Lee's voice.  Comparisons and associations like this are made in SCJ's literature.

12. ESOTERIC INTERPRETATION:  The assumption is that the Bible's prophecies contains hidden, esoteric meanings which are opened only to those who are initiated into its secrets.  The interpreter declares the significance of biblical passages without giving much, if any, explanation for his or her interpretation.

Manhee Lee and other apocalyptic movements in South Korea have taught that the parables are written in coded/secret information to keep God's plans hidden from Satan.  Also, when reading Mr. Lee's interpretations of Revelation, it seems that the revealed word ¨revealed¨ meanings, but did not submit to the clear ideas that come from the written word in Revelation.  See other articles on this point.  In the end, the revealed meanings and Bible connections in Shinchonji are based Manhee Lee's authority.

13. SUPPLEMENTING BIBLICAL AUTHORITY: New revelation from post biblical prophets either replaces or is added to the Bible as authority.

The real voice that the Christian world must listen to is the revealed word, which is the interpreter of the written word.  The revealed word is considered God's Word.  Even if the Bible affirms something different at face value, people are taught to listen to the revealed word.  The written word, especially in relation to prophecies about Jesus´ return, is said to be sealed from other Christians.  This makes the leader's voice the voice of understanding and authority (even above God´s voice in the Bible).

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(1) Taken and adapted from this webpage on James Sire's book, ¨Scripture Twisting¨.  http://www.apologeticsindex.org/b03.html

Does Rev. 8,9 Refer to a Church in South Korea?

Dear reader,

Shinchonji teaches that an angel and a spirit-Jesus appeared to Manhee Lee on a mountain in South Korea. Also, SCJ believes that the Counselor-Holy Spirit promises in Jn. 14,16 are fulfilled by the Spirit uniting to Mr. Lee's flesh in the end-times.  Thus, Mr. Lee is an important figure in the end.

In Shinchonji thinking, he is the Apostle John figure in Revelation through whom Jesus' spirit works in the last days. He is one of the two witnesses in Rev. 11, the main fulfillment of the one who overcomes in Rev. 2,3, and the white horse (flesh) that Jesus' spirit uses to return to earth in Rev. 19.  The appearance of an angel and a spirit-Jesus to Manhee Lee is believed to be the physical fulfillment of Rev. 1:1-3 and Rev. 10.

When a pastor in the Christian world makes these claims, we must be cautious as Christians and test the revelations with the Bible (I Jn. 4:1, I Tim. 4:1).  Many leaders have been deceived by voices from the spirit world.  Of course, testing is not unkindly attacking a leader or their followers, who are loved by God.  But, it is important to avoid deception.

One of the most effective tests is to see if a revealed voice (i.e. the leader's message) matches the voice in God's written word.  In Christian thinking, God's voice found in the written word is far superior to spirit-revelations to end-time leaders.  Let's look at an example in Revelation 8 and 9.

According to Manhee Lee's book, The Truth Regarding Revelation´s Fulfillment, Jesus chose a special church in South Korea (the Church of the Seven Lampstands).  However, this church betrayed Jesus' words and was invaded by a false pastor and his associates.  (The intruders are known as the ¨destroyers¨ or ¨Nicolaitans¨ and the church members who betrayed are the ¨betrayers¨.)  These are two of the important mysteries in Revelation.

Manhee Lee interprets Rev. 8 and 9 to refer to the betrayal and destruction of the Church of the Seven Lampstands.  Since these church members betrayed Jesus (and refused to repent after being warned about the destroyers/Nicolaitans), they are punished.  The plagues in Rev. 8 and 9 refer to the punishment of those in the Church of the Seven Lampstands who refused to repent.

¨This plague of the seven trumpets is a punishment for the church of the seven golden lampstands (Rv. 6:15,16).  They are punished because they entered the caves and rocks of the gentiles even after receiving Jesus' letter telling them to repent and overcome the Nicolaitans (Rev. 2,3).  The church of the seven golden lampstands was specially chosen by God, but they failed him.  If God's chosen church betrayed him, just imagine the condition of the rest of the world's churches¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, p. 198).

What follows is a condensed, figurative explanation of Rev. 8 and 9 from Manhee Lee's book, Creation of Heaven and Earth (pp. 197,198).  For a fuller description, please consult his book.

1.  In the first trumpet (Rev. 8:7), God's chosen people who betrayed represent the earth, trees and grass.

2.  In the second trumpet (Rev. 8:8,9), the creatures in the sea symbolize the chosen people who betrayed, and the ships are the churches of the chosen people.

3.  In the third trumpet (Rev. 8:10,11), the springs and rivers refer to pastors and evangelists from the chosen people.

4.  In the fourth trumpet (Rev. 8:12), the sun, moon, and stars represent the pastors, evangelists, and congregation members of the tabernacle of the chosen people (from the church of the seven lampstands). They are destroyed.

In Rev. 8:13, Manhee Lee teaches that when the eagle speaks of the people on earth and the next three trumpet sounds, it refers to the people of the tabernacle of the seven golden lampstands.  ¨An eagle flying in midair calls out three loud ´woes´ to those who live on the earth...The people of the earth are the people of the tabernacle of the seven golden lampstands¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, p. 198).

5.  In the fifth trumpet (Rev. 9:1-11), the locusts are interpreted as false pastors who torture the betrayers.  The abyss refers to the churches of the Nicolaitan destroyers (who invaded the Church of the Seven Golden Lampstands).

 6.  In the sixth trumpet (Rev. 6:13-21), the heads of the horses are interpreted as seven pastors and their tails are false prophets (i.e. pastors who betrayed) that belonged to the seven pastors.  The fire, smoke, and sulfur are the doctrines of the false pastors who kill people's spirits.

Manhee Lee summarizes chapter 9 in this way, ¨In this chapter, Jesus judges the chosen people from the church of the seven golden lampstands that betrayed (Rv. 6), and these betrayers enter a gentile church.  Even after seeing a third of their spirits killed there, they still refuse to repent¨ (Creation of Heaven and Earth, p. 201).

What problems do we discern with these interpretations from the spirit revelations Manhee Lee received?

First, Manhee Lee's perception of the Church of the Seven Lampstands is a problem since it was an apocalyptic movement in South Korea.  (See the article about the history of Mr. Lee before Shinchonji.)  Mr. Lee was involved in this movement and others before founding Shinchonji.

Second, when Christians read through Rev. 8 and 9, the voice in the Scriptures does not correspond to Manhee Lee's explanation in several points.  

For example, God's voice in the written word does not suggest the events are happening in a local area on earth (i.e. South Korea), but the earth at large (Rev. 8:7, 8:13, 9:18).  Manhee Lee interprets ¨earth¨ and ¨inhabitants of the earth¨ as symbols for the congregation members of the Church of the Seven Lampstands, but the meaning in the written word refers to all the people in the world.  In the Olivet discourse, Jesus also confirmed that a time of universal distress unparalleled in history would come in the end (Mk. 13:19,20).

The context of Rev. 8 and 9 is one of great distress on the whole earth where humans seek relief from their suffering.  After the fifth plague, people ¨seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will allude them¨ (Rev. 9:6).  Shinchonji's pastor interprets these deaths and suffering in spiritual terms, but who would seek spiritual deaths because of suffering?  Interpreting ¨deaths¨ as dying ¨spiritually¨ and ¨people on earth¨ to ¨people in the Church of the Seven Lampstands¨ is a voice that differs from the Bible's revelation.

This point leads to a conclusion that many Christian apologists notice in end-time groups.  The leader's interpretations of the Bible become the meaning of the text instead of the Bible's self-revelation.  Apocalyptic leaders claim that they have an anointing that gives them a hidden, deeper meaning that has been sealed in Revelation.  Thus, in their groups, their explanations are more inspired than the meanings from the text.

For instance, when Rev. 9:20,21 says that the inhabitants of the earth refused to repent, Manhee Lee teaches that it is because they betrayed Jesus.  However, there is no indication from the text that they were Christians (from a church congregation, like in Rev. 2 and 3).  The written word states that they did not repent of their great evils and sins - worshiping idols, committing murder, acts of sorcery, sexual behavior, and thefts (Rev. 9:20,21). The Bible does not reveal that they used to be a chosen people, but humankind at large.

¨The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.  And they did not repent of their murders or or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts¨ (Rev. 9:20,21, NRSV).

As mentioned above, end-time prophets with revelations from the spirit world (angels, Jesus, the Spirit of prophecy, or God) consider themselves ¨revealers¨ of the written word.  They reveal the real, hidden interpretations to prophecies and make new connections that no Christian sees.  Their voice is God's Word to their followers (even if the written word affirms something else).

In Christian thinking, this is a severe error.  The voice in the written word is more reliable than a new voice from final leaders, especially when voices from the spirit world inspired the leaders.  Jesus' first sign of the end is pastors or prophets who come in his name (i.e. as his spokesperson on earth) and demand all Christians to follow them (Mt. 24:4,5, Lk. 21:8).  One of the most important ways to discern spiritual error is when the voice in the Bible does not match what the leader is revealing.

A Clue: Which Jesus Returns in Acts 1:11?

Dear reader,

In the written word, the authority in Christian thought, we find a voice that communicates very powerfully that the Messiah will be seen by others when he returns to the planet in power and glory (Lk. 21:27, Mk. 13:26, Mt. 16:27, Mt. 24:27-30, Rev. 1:7, Ac. 1-9-11).

This is probably one of Jesus' promises that is most overlooked by the media at Christmas and Easter.  But, it is a statement the Messiah wants his followers to remember.  It is not a hidden promise.  Let's look again at one of the well-known texts for this in Acts 1:9-11.

¨When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?  This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven'¨ (Ac. 1-9-11, NRSV).

In the spirit world, heavenly entities (angels, Jesus, and God) have been giving secret revelations to final prophets in end-time groups to re-explain this text.  They teach a figurative meaning to ¨clouds¨ and use spiritual reasoning or hidden meanings in other verses to show that ¨clouds¨ hide things.  In these movements, Christians are taught that the clouds make it clear that Jesus' return will be hidden/invisible or as a spirit.

In Shiinchonji's article on Rev. 1:7, they write, ¨Clouds are capable of hiding things from view. The fact that Jesus returns with the clouds means that he is coming in spirit. In Acts 1:9-11, Jesus’ disciples were staring into the sky after Jesus’ ascension, and a cloud hid Jesus from their sight¨ (1).  

How can we know who has the right meaning?

The surest and most reliable method to test a spirit revelation to a final prophet is to let the voice in God's written word reveal the right idea.  The written word should correct a revelation, not the other way around.  In the written record, one phrase sheds light on this question.  God's voice makes it known that ¨this same Jesus¨ or ¨this Jesus¨ is the one who returns to earth.

¨This Jesus, who has been taken up from you in heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.¨ (NRSV).

¨Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner¨ (21st C. KJV).

According to the voice in the written word, the same Messiah/Jesus is coming back.  This means that, regardless of any secretive or figurative meaning to clouds, the same Jesus is returning, not a different Jesus.  This is an important voice in the written word because the Jesus who left was not a glorified spirit.

God raised Christ's humanity to a new glorified state, which is why the tomb was empty (Lk. 24:2-5).  Jesus is the firsfruits of a new race of humans (I Cor. 15:20, Col. 1:19).  The Messiah was not transfigured into a spirit (Lk. 24:39).  Rather, his body never saw decay (Ac. 2:29-31, Ac. 13:35-37).  Christ was the first human to be raised with a body prepared for glory.  The written word shows that he still has this body (Phil. 3:21).  See other articles on the resurrection for more information on this topic.
  

In summary, even though final leaders reveal figurative meanings to the clouds in Acts 1:11 - meanings that the written word does not teach independently - one phrase indicates that the same Jesus is coming back, not a spirit Jesus (Ac. 1:11).  This harmonizes with Jesus' statement that he would be seen (Mt. 24:30).

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(1) For Shinchonji's full explanation, see ¨What is the True Meaning of Rv. 1:7?,¨ Shinchonji Website Articles. http://correctunderstandingofshinchonji.wordpress.com/tag/what-is-it-mean-by-jesus-returns-with-the-clouds/.  Accessed January 11, 2014.