Every eye will see him (Rev 1:7) SCJ teaches that this verse needs to be read spiritually not literally. In their perspective, they believe that the promised pastor (Lee) will be known/recognized by everyone around the world eventually. That way it is for all eyes to see him as the promised pastor, whom Jesus is working with, instead of seeing Jesus in a physical form. Shincheonji, therefore, does not believe in the second coming of Jesus in flesh but in spirit. What does the Bible say? (Acts 1:9-11) After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Jesus was with people 2) taken up to the heaven, and 3) hid by a cloud
The say way coming back… wouldn't it mean that He would come in the opposite order?
Jesus being hid by the cloud 2) coming down from the heaven 3) being with his people
Jesus talks about how He will come in Matthew 24 as well. (Matthew 24:23-27) 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
--> He will come like lightening which is "visible" both in the east and in the west. Using this analogy, Jesus is saying that His coming will be shown to all in various places. We don't have to have someone else telling us where He is because we would see Him ourselves. This definitely does not seem to be talking about spiritual coming of Christ. (Matthew 24:30) “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory Another Biblical evidence: (1 Thess 4:16-17) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the 1) dead in Christ shall rise first: Then 2) we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. --> He HIMSELF will come down from heaven. Not someone else. Therefore two things that we are SURE about according to the Bible.
Everyone will see him
He HIMSELF will come
Where does it say in the Bible that He will use another body? And WHY does He need to do that? Shincheonji says so because in that way promised pastor becomes the focus of all rather than Christ. Shincheonji teachings all point to the promised pastor/ New John/ the one who overcomes at the end.
Old Testament was all about Jesus, pointing to the Messiah to come. New Testament doesn't say about another individual other than Messiah like Shincheonji says. Jesus said He will come back Himself, and the apostles' writings are still about Christ. The revealed truth, mystery as Christ (Col 1,2)
(Col 2:2-3) "My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Shincheonji talks about the Counselor/Advocate. It is true that Christ said He will send a counselor/ advocate in John14:26. - But this Counselor is the Holy Spirit. - - The Bible explicitly says so.
"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,…"
And the main characteristic of the Holy Spirit in this verse is the following: to " teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)
--> It is to remind us of what Jesus taught us not something totally different and new. "See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father" (1 John 2:24) So the questions to ask about Shincheonji's teachings.
1. Is Lee's teachings in accordance with Jesus' teachings?
His way of approaching people. Recruiting methods. All those strategic planning for one person.
2. Does he promise things and they come true each time?
"you may say to yourselves, how can we know when a message has not been spoken by the lord? If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." (Deut 18:21,22)
He cannot say one thing and change his words the next time.
Mystery of Christ is the focus of the gospel and the New Testament as well as the Old Testament.
Jesus is coming again not necessarily using someone else's body. He is coming again to finish His work on the earth.
