Jesus died for all

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=south%20korean%20cult&jbv=81493078

I made a Facebook page post where I dissected my experience with the last South-Korean ministry featured in this documentary. In my case, it was Holy Spirit who stood behind the translation offer from their Christian publishing ministry which happened years ago, on the Good Friday of 2010. Their offer came in before I went to church. I replied. And when I came back from church, their confirming reply in my e-mail inbox started a seven-year long collaboration.

The founder of Destiny Image publishing house, the late Don Nori Sr., had published a few of their books. Their first book translation was hundred per cent evangelical, and together in every way. I translated this, and it became the first book of at least a couple of dozen books to follow. Most of these books dissected the Books of the Bible, verse by verse, and I could see that a lot of effort, and meditation over the written Word of God, had been put into it. They were revelatory, and went quite deep. There was nothing to be faulted about these books. https://www.amazon.co.uk/UNDERSTANDING-MESSAGE-CROSS-LEE-JAEROCK/dp/8889127651/ref=sr_1_10?crid=13IV55KJ79MDA&keywords=jaerock+lee+destiny+image&qid=1680529480&sprefix=jaerock+lee+destiny+image%2Caps%2C868&sr=8-10

I also translated their newsletter, and one of the last things I helped them with was a DVD translation, which was again, biblical, and doctrinally together. I did get glimpses of legalistic attitude, though. It was enough for me to tell myself that if I had a choice (and I had - no matter what, in a free world we all do), I would not be a part of a legalistic ministry. I had my fair share of past experience with such, and I enjoyed my understanding of the grace of God which came with greater freedom in Christ. But the Facebook post came with its limitations. So, this is its expanded version which tells you more. A documentary which has been presented via the understanding and lenses of no doubt, unbelieving people, can convey a different image (although I would not doubt in the decision of a court which would not hand out such sentence to an innocent person, a court reckons with the evidence, and this is not a fabricated case - it would not simply go through in a court of the world).

I had only external contact, which let me know my specific field of work for them. I translated their books and newsletters, plus one Christian DVD into my mother tongue, and it was clear from the above mentioned, that in my case it was something initiated by the Holy Spirit. A supernatural affair, which let me dwell in the books of the Bible for seven years. Until it ended in the autumn of 2017. And since the ending came rather abruptly, without any warning from their side, it made me wonder. But I had to move on and find a different stream of income to support myself and the work of ministry I had been doing at the time. It ushered in a "transition time" what we can see from the case of prophet Elijah. A stream which God had supernaturally provided and kept going for him at the time of drought for the rest of the world around him, dried up one day. Prophet Elijah could no longer function and go on the way he had been going. Something had changed. And the change was drastic enough to propel him into movement. He needed water. So, he had to seek the opinion and advice of God who told him that this season in his life was over, and showed him the way to his next assignment, and source of provision. It was something that God had prepared for His minister. Prophet Elijah had to accept the fact that whatever had been working for him in this past season, had come to an end, seek God, get His advice and road directions, and then stand up and go on, to the next place where God wanted to see him.

Now, in my case, everything came to an abrupt end. There was no warning when I submitted their latest newsletter in September 2017, with their last book translation. As usual, I cleared my schedule for their next newsletter, which never came in. I waited until the end of November, and received then the answer to my enquiry. The reply stated that they had decided to cut back their publishing activity, and focus only on the mainstream languages. It gave me an impression that it had to do with financial concerns, and although I would have very much appreciated an earlier notice or a warning, I conceded and told myself that this was it and it was time for a new thing in my life.

About a year ago I happened to spot a fleeting headline regarding an outbreak of COVID in a location which sounded familiar. It was a location where God opened a Muan sweet water reservoir in a supernatural way, and ever since many people had been healed there. The church had prayed with its head pastor, and God had answered their prayer in a most miraculous and remarkable way. Even a minister from a Bible School where I was asked to fill in the position of a Dean when the original Dean left, and who went and set up her own church, had visited this South Korean chuch, and this specific location. She had only good to say about this ministry when I had my last communication with her before her death. She had stronger ties to them, compared to me, for she had a first-hand experience.

Most of the publishing ministry leaders and other leaders who reached out to me and asked for help with their evangelistic crusade, which was again a hundred per cent about the Gospel, and salvation through Jesus, came across as good and kind-hearted people. Later on there was a temporary placeholder who caused a few questions which might be explained away today with their in-house legalistic practices which were harsh and not necessarily aligned with the heart of God. But then again, there may always be a few such people who have not yet come to an understanding of Grace, so it was not such red flag. And, I knew without a shadow of doubt, that in my case it had been Holy Spirit who arranged this work for me, personally. It was first time I had done something spiritual for the church, and ministry, where I had been actually paid for my time and efforts. And as I understood from the feedback of the abovementioned lady minister Esther, my translations had been a blessing to her and several others.

Back to the mentioned Netflix documentary. The first or penultimate episode of the series talks mainly how the church felt that their reputation had suffered from damage, and their reaction. As to the fear what ther praying in the lobby of the TV station caused to the TV person, this is subjective. But when the TV person and his father were attacked, and his father suffered from actual physical harm, this crossed the line, bigtime, and cannot be explained away or justified by any means.

This ministry laid a particular emphasis on holiness. And while its ordinary members strived to be as holy as they could, in flesh, or in a legalistic sense, this was still a worthwhile effort, as opposed to the other extreme which is lawlessness. Their leader emphasised the holiness and took it to such extreme where he felt it was justified to cut of the genitalia of a male sex pest who struggled with his sexual desires. He was a Christian and a believer, and had done something which the world might not necessarily see as an offence, the documentary does not really clarify the nature of his sexual deeds, maybe he lived with someone and had sexual relations with them or similar. In any way, he had been brainwashed to a degree with guilt and legalistic approach, based on certain bible verses, that it was better to cut off the offending member of his body, than go to hell with all his body members intact. He had succumbed to guilt and external disciplinary measures, and had consented to the procedure which made him lose his male reproductive organ, to help him not commit any sin with it. Now, this is an example of legalism, taken to the extreme. While the underlying thought may be noble, and the struggling person wanted to go to Heaven, such acts do not take us to Heaven or decide our salvation. Our salvation has to do with Jesus, and Him alone.

And yes, it is good to display a godly and pure conduct, but no, we do not have to cut out our eye when it offends us, or our arm when we use it for ungodly purposes. I do hope that you would not succumb to any thoughts which the enemy might use to propel you to stand on such bible verses and take them literally. Matthew 5:29 ► New International Version If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:30 ► New International Version And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

And yet, as the documentary shows us, there was darkness behind the veil of the visible happenings. The leader of the ministry allowed himself the freedoms which enslaved his purest female followers. This was why he was taken to court, and judged. And the sentence was increased after an appeal, and revisiting his case.

A male church member who comes across as pure and godly, confesses in the documentary that his faith took a hit when he heard about the events which had been taking place behind the stage, in the hidden. There was also financial manipulation, with dubious practices built upon the second book which I translated. Somehow, the things seen in visions and revelations had been turned around to coerce the church members into extreme forms of giving, they could hardly afford their rent in the capital of South Korea, but they took second jobs to give more.

Their giving, even if it happened via wrong and ungodly coercive practices, was still made as if unto God. I pointed it out in my Facebook post how this was something which was practiced worldwide, in different churches and ministries, which took the subject of giving to the extreme.

I read only recently a post about a certain North London church which had pushed the subject of giving to the extreme, causing the young girl who had grown up in care, and joined the church, volunteering there, and working as their administrator, to give them most of her income support money, paid to her as someone who had left the care, and leaving her without as a result, not knowing what to eat or how to pay her bills... she ended up being disillusioned. While she could have been disillusioned with the church which adopted such unbiblical practices coupled with force and subtle (or not so subtle) manipulation, God has told us different. And by the end of the day, even if we have done things due to wrong reasons, because of force and wrong spiritual practices, forced upon us (and as new believers, we do not know any different), God has still seen our giving and our heart behind this, and no, it has not been a wasted effort therefore, even if the leaders have mishandled our finances.

But it is better to read the Bible and see what God tells in it about things, the way the Bereans studied the Bible to see whether it was the way Paul told them. Acts 17:11 ► New International Version Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

By the end of the day, this particular church which is featured last in the documentary, had some redeeming qualities, although there were clearly some wrong practices. As to their leader, he deserved his court conviction. Does it mean that everything he did and taught was ungodly, polluted, and wrong?

Roberts Liardon received from God a commission to study the generals or leaders of faith. It was a task given to him when he was a young boy, when he was taken to Heaven where he saw Jesus face to face. Later, he had his oops, which is why some church circles in some countries hold him still responsible. Does a three-week stumble mean that we are disqualified for the rest of our lives? Especially if it has to do with a simple weakness of our flesh, and is of no criminal nature. Does God hold anything that once happened, but is no more, against us? - No. He doesn't. Only some in His church who think of themselves more, do that. This said, his work in the field of church history has been invaluable. He has researched many generals (or faith leaders), and they have ended up being deluded, and thinking too much of themselves, dying because of alcoholism and other destructive habits. Yet, they were used greatly by God during their lifetime. Does it mean that the healings and miracles which happened via them were not of God, or their work of ministry was to be discarded in the archives of history, as non-impactful and insignicicant.

No, they were still the servants of God, and while some of them like John Alexander Dowie succumbed to a delusive idea as if he were prophet Elijah, the work of ministry done at his lifetime and the changed lives were still something done with God and remained standing. William Branham succumbed to similar thinking, yet he was used by God powerfully, and his work of ministry will definitely remain standing, as he went and worked with God.

We, humans, and especially Christian churches, are a little too quick to dismiss the work, done with God, if a minister stumbles. While some things may be discarded, the rest which is clearly biblical and godly, and done at the leading of God, will still remain standing after the test of fire. We tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater, just for the bathwater is dirty. Now, we have a choice whom to follow, and from whom to learn. Todd Bentley had his oops. But that does not change the fact that the revival where God used him, was real. The people were blessed, and healed, and revived. All things that happened in private, might have not merited a hundred per cent of approval by God. But they were dealt with and we have all moved on from there. Now, that does not mean as if we should stick to ungodly practice of victim-blaming, and sweeping the unjust steps under the carpet. Not at all.

But by the end of the day, when people emerge from these situations where mistakes were made, Bible tells us to welcome them back into our circle and treat them as if nothing had happened. And yes, when there are victims, then according to Jewish tradition which many take as the basis of Bible, there is repentance which, if any harm has been inflicted, should be accompanied by restitution. Paying the damages, making sure that every harm has been compensated for. The Jewish people who may not know Jesus and the salvation God made via Him, they take it seriously. They fast and meditate before and especially on Kol Nidre, the Eve of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement, and if they find any unjust and unrighteous way in their conduct, they take steps, to be right before God, and we should do it too. Even if we know that Christ is our righteousness today. We have been called to live a righteous life, and be a right witness to God, as Ambassadors of Christ.

God's aim is restoration. He takes care of both, the victim and the perpetrator. He has no problem of bringing the hidden ills to the light. But His ultimate best is always the restoration. We can see from the Revelation how He pointed out what was wrong in the churches. But He did not do it to bash these churches or shut them down. Shutting down was His last resort while He was always out to just remove what was not of Him, and lift these churches on a higher ground where they could see better, and hence, do better. His dealings with the individuals, especially the ones who serve Him and who are in the limelight, are similar. He is all about restoring the one who has done wrong, and who has caused harm, to a point where such person understands what they have been doing wrong, and changes, for the better, so that their future steps will be better.

And, He is always, at all times, out to take care of anyone who has suffered from any injustice, ill or wrongs. He is the Redeemer. He helps us recover, and restores our lost hopes. Whatever has gone wrong, for whatever reasons, He is always there, always out to help us recover, and have a better life and future. This is His heart which is always for us, never against. Whenever we have been weak, or made any mistakes, He does not hold any of them against us. But, if these wrong understandings and steps have made us cause harm to our neighbour, He is all about helping and restoring our neighbour, and that applies to a harm done against anyone, unbeliever and believer, alike. And no, it is not right to behave in ungodly ways against our neighbour. It is not right to give a wrong witness of His heart and His kind and good nature by brandishing our swords against the ones around us with labels and harming their reputation, for the biblical New Testament way means that our words can become our swords to kill and harm our neighbours. If we find justifications to continue doing so for our political preferences and similar, then yes, God has no problem with correcting our ways, in hopes of helping bring us to a higher ground where we can see and understand, and consequently do better to our neighbours, or everyone around us. For Jesus died for all.