Why do some people call Shincheonji a cult?

As one who is a part of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, it is shocking and saddening to read what is said about my church through influential platforms such as newspapers and social media. Without the true perspective, lies and misunderstandings are what is told to the public, and in turn, this is what they sadly come to believe.

 

I’m sure you know the feeling of being misrepresented or misunderstood….it’s not nice.
Unfortunately, a lot of the information online about Shincheonji are accusations that are one-sided, bias towards misinterpretation and politically driven mainstream opinion.

 

So before I go any further, I wanted to thank you for reading this post where I have an opportunity to share some truth with you. Please do read it with an open mind to hear the other side of the story, and also please reference my other posts for more truthful and biblical understanding about Shincheonji too.

Oxford Dictionary definition of a cult:

A small group of people who have extreme religious beliefs and who are not part of any established religion

Let's discuss how Shincheonji weighs up against this definition.....

🔹 1. Shincheonji is a large International church:

Shincheonji has a membership of ~300,000+, so it is not a small group. In fact, a mega church is defined as a church with 2,000+ members, so Shincheonji is in fact a mega church!

 

🔹 2. Shincheonji has grounded and biblical religious beliefs:

The teachings of Shincheonji are different to the mainstream churches in the way that they are more deeply focused on the complete understanding of the Holy Bible. Through understanding the Bible in the context of the New and Old Testament Covenants (Ex 19:5-6, Luke 22:14-20), Shincheonji understands the prophecies in the bible are God’s promise to the believers that He wants us to know about and keep. As we are living in the time of the New Testament, members of Shincheonji strive to know well, and keep, the New Testament Covenant. The New Testament Covenant is what Jesus shed his blood for, and what He also desires for the believers to know and keep (Luke 18:8). It is one who is able to know and believe in what was prophesied that will be able to believe in how God and Jesus’ fulfils their prophecies on the earth (Is 14:24).

The mainstream churches have their focus on the events of God and Jesus’ history in the Bible, and the moral teachings about faith that go alongside that. Shincheonji believes in those things as well and certainly tries to be the light in the world through living morally good lives too. However, as this knowledge alone is not what will allow one to keep the Covenant or know about the fulfilment of God and Jesus’ prophecies, the teachings from Shincheonji are more focused on prophecy and fulfilment in which the mainstream churches are not as familiar with, and therefore are uncertain about also.

Having faith in the New Covenant that Jesus shed his blood for, and promises to fulfil, is not an extreme religious belief, but rather a doctrine based on Jesus' sound teaching. Jesus even told us to know what he prophesied so we can be prepared to believe when they fulfill (John 14:29). If one was to learn with an open mind from the Zion Christion Mission Centre, they would be able to learn and accept this sound teaching too!

🔹 3. Shincheonji is a religious organisation established with Jesus' words:

The name “Shincheonji Church of Jesus” shows that the church itself belongs to Jesus - who established the Christian religion. Shincheonji has not branched away from Jesus teachings, rather, it has established itself within Jesus teachings even more closely than the mainstream churches.

Although other theology institutes and churches have their leaders make a living from attendees fees/tithes, the ZCMC of Shincheonji does not charge for attendees to learn, all their work is done volunteer in order to fulfil Jesus’ prophecy in Rev 21:6 "To the thirsty I will give the water without cost from the spring of the water of life."

 

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In every era, the pastor and believers who kept the Covenant of God were persecuted, shunned as outcasts or slandered with lies like saying they were a cult. However, it was those that kept God’s Covenant that were righteous in God's eyes, and those who persecuted that were the liars in God's eyes.

 

Therefore what is the standard to check and confirm if Shincheonji is a cult or not? The standard of judgment should always be God’s Word, which is the truth (John 17:17). If a group is judged by other groups as a cult, it does not automatically mean it is true. If a group stands firm on the standard of God’s Word, they cannot be accused as a cult. Its not through what we just see on the internet or what other denominations say, but through God’s Word that decides.

Amongst persecution, false rumours and lies, Shincheonji stands strong and confident to testify the truth to the world....there must be something valid that we believe in then! There must be something worth listening to and discerning for others too!

 

I hope that if you are a believer who really seeks after the truth, that you will hear and perceive for yourself the teachings from Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and realise the righteous way.

 

One should not become a part of a religious organization that is ignorant 

of God's word and ignore the word of promise and its fulfilled realities, 

but must come out of there and go inside of the word to be able to live.

-Chairman Man Hee Lee

- Christine xx

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