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Discussion Forum : News and Current Events : Pastor Cho Yong-gi of One of the World's Largest Churches Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

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tbsounde2
Member



Joined: 2009/2/11
Posts: 179
Los Angeles, CA

 Re:

Hi yuehan,

Although I agree with your sentiment that circumstances, good or bad, reveal the man and that it is all about trusting and abiding in Christ no matter where we are, I think there is a strong biblical precedence for the notion that having more worldly prosperity and comfort presents additional challenges to the believer. Here are some verses to back up my point:

14 Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock,
with fat of lambs,
rams of Bashan and goats,
with the very finest of the wheat—
and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of the grape.
15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked;
you grew fat, stout, and sleek;
then he forsook God who made him
and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods;
with abominations they provoked him to anger.
Deuteronomy 32:14-16

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 19:23-24

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 6:24

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
1 Timothy 6:9-10

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
James 2:5

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
James 5:1-6

9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:9

8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Revelation 3:8

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Revelation 3:15-18

This is obviously not an exhaustive list, but the bible is quite clear that having more in this life presents certain difficulties to the believer. This isn't to minimize the hardship and struggle faced by those who are persecuted for their faith and endure through poverty, but that they in a sense have a clearer path laid before them in their walk with the Lord (less distractions to say the least). It is usually those who are in a more humble (poor, difficult, etc) condition that realize and feel a greater need for God.


_________________
Will

 2014/2/26 15:46Profile
tbsounde2
Member



Joined: 2009/2/11
Posts: 179
Los Angeles, CA

 Re:

Hi brother Greg,

Thank you for the post. I just read the article and I still am not convinced, especially because the one who wrote the article on Charisma news (which I feel is many times not a very reliable source) already has a bias toward Cho as he happens to be a close family friend of theirs and the idea that he had absolutely no idea is a bit hard for me to swallow. But regardless of his true involvement in the whole money and legal issue, I think if one were to take a close look at what Cho's teachings consisted of, it would be quite evident that he is not accurately representing what it is taught in the scriptures and is rather teaching that which is in accordance to the word faith and prosperity movement which has done a great deal of damage to the Korean church, both in Korea and throughout the world, especially in America. I have heard that he is a very humble man, but that doesn't mean that he is a godly man in the sense of "rightly dividing the word of God." I've met super loving and humble people who are followers of buddha and krishna, even more than many Christians might I add, but that is the very thing, it isn't only by one's outward character a man of God is defined, but the manner of their teaching as well, if it is in accordance with the truth (a concept which I am certain you are fully aware of). Cho is guilty of far more than embezzlement, but of leading many Koreans astray by giving them what their itching ears want to hear, and this under the pretense of preaching the Word of God, I have seen and experienced these things first hand.


_________________
Will

 2014/2/26 16:04Profile





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