REVEREND SUN MYUNG MOON --Part II
Text: "And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words." – (Colossians 2:4)
SALVATION: Dr. Kim maintains the position of the Unification Principles is that "The Kingdom of Jesus’ original proclamation was not to come after death or within an individual’s mind alone. The Kingdom of Heaven of John the Baptist and Jesus is God’s reign on this earth, the establishment of goodness and love here and now, not only inwardly, but in life itself, a physical kingdom and a temporal dispensation to be realized in history." (p. 1)
The Cross: a Tragedy
"From beginning to end, Jesus’ sole concern was the Kingdom.... He wanted at any cost to Himself, to live and see the Kingdom realized. (p. 2)
"Then came the devastating tragedy of the cross.... The crucifixion ran counter to the whole thrust of Jesus’ teaching.
Jesus’ grief, pain, despair and shamed sense of failure was overwhelming." (Ibid.)
Jesus a Failure
On page 11, Dr. Kim states, "Not only Schweitzer and Kung, but many others (like Wrede, Bornkamm, Perrin, Enslin, Guignbert, Schillebeeck, Bultmann and the Jewish scholar Klausner) all have recognized that the mission of Jesus miscarried." Certainly they do: they do not believe the Biblical record.
The reason why Unificationists disregard what Scripture says is because they believe. "Other Biblical scholars and theologians in order to retain a concept of success for Jesus’ mission reinterpreted the meaning of the Kingdom of God. They transformed Jesus’ proclamation of an earthly reign of God into the inner reign of God in the believer’s heart and communion with Him because they couldn’t see the tangible Kingdom realized anywhere." (Ibid.)
Reverend McDevitt declares "God diverted His original plan because of the Fall." (Tape One) It must have taken Him by surprise!
This is the main premise of the Unification Church: Jesus was a failure, God’s plan ran amuck leaving Him to raise up another man and divinely-appointed him to continue the earthly mission which Jesus foiled. Reverend Moon is the "new leader," the divinely-appointed liberator." (Dr. Kim on page 12)
"But what saith the Scripture? .... Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’, but for this cause came I unto this hour." Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost." (John 12:27; Luke 19:10)
Dr. Kim declares it is the teaching of the Unification Church that "It was Paul who transformed his master’s shameful death into a glorious one and his failed mission into a victory." (p.3) This constitutes a repudiation of what the Bible teaches, in the words of Martin Luther, "Whom God intends to destroy, He gives leave to play with Scripture;" and from the inspired text Peter still teaches, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (II Peter 1:20,21)
SALVATION
"According to some Christian teaching to save the world God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and had Him killed on the cross. Jesus thus atoned for the sins of mankind through His suffering and blood.... But Reverend Moon would say that salvation through Christ means He was to realize during His lifetime the establishment of the earthly Kingdom of God. Hence Jesus’ saving work is unfinished. That work will be completed at the Second Advent. The cross is, therefore, the symbol not of man’s salvation and victory but of his unbelief and failure." (p. 12)
Salvation Unfinished
"But what saith the Scripture?" "It is finished." "Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by His own blood He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin." (John 19:30; Hebrews 9:12; 10:26)
The Unification Church teaches a Pelagian concept of salvation declaring, as Reverend McDevitt affirms, man is in partnership with God. It is a joint responsibility. "The accomplishment of God’s will depends upon men fulfilling their responsibility." (Tape One) That sounds like the same doctrine preached in many Baptist churches!
Reverend McDevitt asserts God uses the Spirit-world –Christianity in this country, and the broader religions around the world. This means that it is not only Christians who go to Heaven. (Tape Two) Christ does not come only for Christians: "All religions of goodness have been founded by God’s grace."
On Tape Three, Reverend McDevitt declares that all religions will someday be bound together, and that we must be open-minded. "Times have changed. God is working in a new way. Eventually a new society will emerge." He is right, you know. One day in the not-to-distant future, all religions will be bound together and a new society will emerge but it will be the harlot church and the Kingdom of Anti-Christ.
ESCHATOLOGY
The Unification Church intends at "unifying" every religion and building "one world under God." But again we ask, "Under whose God?"
One World
"Reverend Moon sees clearly, it is God’s intention that all denominations and all religious bodies...be united to work for the ultimate purpose of God’s providence.... And seriously consider God’s long-cherished desire for building one world." (Dr. Kim on page 15)
How can they believe this in light of God’s Word? – Because as Dr. Kim declares, they believe "Bhakti yoga in Hinduism, Sufi Islam, Tantric Buddhism, Hassic Judaism, Catholic Franciscans and mystical people whatever their religion, pursue and cherish the devotional love of God. Why? Because through that love they were brought near to Him." (p. 8)
The Resurrection of the Body
On page 18, Dr. Kim declares the doctrine of the physical resurrection of the dead is probably taken from Zoroastrian beliefs the Jews brought back from Babylon.
Regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Reverend McDevitt only affirms he "disappeared." By denying a bodily resurrection we should expect him also to maintain the Second Coming would also be invisible;" and so he affirms on Tape Three.
Hell and Heaven
The Unification Church maintains the typical oriental concept of Hell. " ...Those who lived selfishly, immorally, greedily, arrogantly --especially those who denied God or obstructed God’s special providence of building the Kingdom --they appear as deformed, dirty, smelly, and repulsive monsters. Wicked people gravitate to the same level. That is Hell." (Pp. 14,15)
"Naturally the Spirit people of the Old Testament Age are residing on one level and the spirits of the New Testament Age inhabit another level. (Reverend McDevitt, Tape Three)
SCRIPTURE
God warns us through the Apostle Peter of people who wrest Scripture to their own destruction. " ...And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." (II Peter 5:15-17)
New Revelation
On page 13, Dr. Kim declares "His (Reverend Moon’s) theology is based on the Christian Bible but goes far beyond the Bible. His religion is deeply rooted in Christianity, but goes far beyond Judeo-Christian tradition. So narrow-minded Christian leaders may call him a heretic."
Reverend Tom McDevitt says Reverend Moon met Jesus in spirit while he was in prayer. (Tape One) And, on page 17, Dr. Kim admits that Unification Church teaches new revelation, but attacks the veracity of Scripture. "Don’t you see now that we need a new revelation from God? Unification Church has been announcing and sharing a new revelation which Reverend Moon received from God."
Reader! Remember well the words of the Apostle Paul: "This I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words."(Colossians 2:4)
Scriptures Not Literal
In order that you may he able to see the juggling of Scripture done by Unificationists, consider their theology regarding the Second Coming of Christ. According to the teaching of Reverend Moon "The Second Advent will be realized through another person incarnating Divine Truth, as Jesus did.... The Apocalyptic prophecies of Matthew 24 are finding a new, non-literal interpretation, and, if we have eyes to see, their fulfillment." (p. 17)
Dr. Kim further explains, "You may wonder by what right I completely dismiss the literal interpretation of Matthew 24. Who more than Jesus understood His own mission? Certainly He well knew that He was the Messiah come to establish the Kingdom of God. As such he would never have imagined or preached a second coming. What then can we say of Matthew 24, Mark 18, and Luke 21? They are parts of the post-Resurrection story, added by early Christians. They are not the authentic teaching of Jesus." (p. 17) "Accordingly, the editors of the Synoptic Gospels included this popular view of the Second Advent." (p. 18)
Beware dear Reader, because the Apostle Paul declared, "But though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him he accursed."
(Gk. "damned", Galatians 1:8) And again, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this Book." (Revelation 22:18,19)
Dr. Kim concludes his speech with a quote: "No racial discriminations are possible when man is truly spiritual; no social discriminations either." (p. 28) We heartily concur.
He then includes a lengthy excerpt from Pope John XXIII, reportedly received by a medium in New Zealand two weeks after his death on June 3, 1963. The former Pope is made to say, "Today there are millions who sleep unaware of the divinity which is theirs by right." (p. 24) While we in America recognize that the Mormon Church also teaches righteous men become divine, nevertheless, this doctrine is Buddhist in nature.
Members of the Unification Church ate "brethren after the flesh," but they are not Christians, nor do they serve our Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly they ought to be received with common decency and with a heart full of compassion, but they should not be recognized as an acceptable, alternate religion. Unless God gives to them the gift of repentance and faith, they will be tormented forever in the presence of God and of the holy angels.
Second, don’t purchase their-flowers or bid them "God speed: for he that biddeth him ‘God speed’ is partaker of (their) evil deeds." (II John 11)
Third, the Unification Church offers ministers a trip to Korea to view the various shrines of false religions, as well as to visit the birthplace of the founder of the Unification Church --the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Perhaps one reason for there being so little outcry against the errors of Unification is because of the difficulty in exposing those from whom we have received benevolence.
"The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God: and I would not that ye should fellowship with devils." (I Corinthians 10:20)
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
A STUDY IN CHRONOLOGY
Is it possible by using the Bible to fix a date to the great flood? Do the Scriptures reveal the year of creation?
Write this month and ask for "A Study in Chronology."
THE MARRIAGE RING
"It is an unquestionable truth that if a man be not happy at home, he cannot be happy anywhere; and he who is happy there need be miserable nowhere."
Send for The Marriage Ring by John Angell James. $3.00 pp.
A must for the conscientious counselor.
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"If God could create man out of dust, can He not resurrect man from the dust?"
"If God could give His Word by inspiration, can He not keep it by preservation?"
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." Why, then, do so many Christian parents send their children to public schools where they will imbibe the counsel of the ungodly?"
"Why do Christians profess to believe in the sovereignty of God, and think that unless they take matters into their own hands, they might have more children than God wants them to have?"
_____________________________"A ROMAN MIRACLE"____________________________
A pretty maid, a Protestant, was to a Catholic wed; To love all Bible truths and tales, quite early she’d been bred. It sorely grieved her husband’s heart that she would not comply, And join the Nether Church of Rome and heretics deny. So day by day he flattered her, but still she saw no go Would ever come from bowing down to idols made of wood. The Mass, the host, the miracles, were made but to deceive: And transubstantiation, too, she’d never dare believe.
He went to see his clergyman and told him his sad tale. "My wife is an unbeliever, sir; you can perhaps prevail; For all your Romish miracles my wife has strong aversion, To really work a miracle may lead to her conversion." The priest went with the gentleman --he thought to gain a prize. He said, "I will convert her, sir, and open both her eyes." So when they came into the house, the husband loudly cried, "The priest has come to dine with us!" He’s welcome," she replied.
And when, at last, the meal was o’er, the priest at once began, To teach his hostess all about the sinful state of man; The greatness of our Saviour’s love, which Christians can’t deny, To give Himself a sacrifice and for our sins to die. "I will return tomorrow, lass, prepare some bread and wine; The sacramental miracle will stop your soul’s decline." "I’ll bake the bread," the lady said, "You may," he did reply, "And when you’ve seen this miracle, convinced you’ll be, say I."
The priest did come accordingly, the bread and wine did bless. The lady asked, "Sir, is it changed?" The priest answered, "Yes, It’s changed from common bread and wine to truly flesh and blood; Begorra, lass, this power of mine has changed it into God!" So having blessed the bread and wine, to eat they did prepare. The lady said unto the priest, "I warn you to fake care, For half an ounce of arsenic was mixed right in the batter, But since you have its nature changed, it cannot really matter."
The priest was struck real dumb --he looked as pale as death. The bread and wine fell from his hands and he did gasp for breath. "Bring me my horse!" the priest cried, "This is a cursed home!" The lady replied, "Begone; its you who shares the curse of Rome." The husband, too, he sat surprised, and not a word did say. At length he spoke, "My dear," said he, "the priest has run away; To gulp such mummery and tripe, I’m not for sure, quite able; I’ll go with you and we’ll renounce this Roman Catholic fable."
-Author Unknown
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KNOW SOMEONE HURTING? Send for Comfort in Sickness and Death
by Robert Murray M’Cheyne.
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