On 12th May 2021, Cheonji Ilbo (Cheonji Daily) published an article, in Korean, entitled, “What is the True Meaning of the 'Advocate' Recorded in John 14?" This is a translation of that report.
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📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.
"The Advocate is both a pastor and the Spirit of Truth. The flesh of the advocate through which this spirit works is the Advocate"
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony
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The Advocate is mentioned in John chapters 14, 15 and 16. If you look at the meaning of its Chinese characters, Advocate means 'a teacher who protects with grace'. In the original Greek, it is 'Paracletos', and in English, 'Counsellor'. It can be understood as 'advocate', 'comforter', 'helper' or 'counsellor'.
Jesus, who came according to the promise of the Old Testament, was the Advocate at the first coming. In 1 John 2:1, Jesus was called the Advocate.
At the first coming, Jesus, who had the Holy Spirit of God, came to the law-abiding Jewish world, and taught them that the Old Testament was fulfilled. This was Jesus' duty at the first coming as the Advocate who protects with grace. At that time, the disciples called Jesus 'teacher' as one who taught and protected with grace and truth. This was made possible because God's Spirit had come upon Jesus like a dove. Jesus said in John 12:49 that God commanded him what to say and do.
Before Jesus, who was the Advocate, left, he promised to send another Advocate. This Advocate, he said, would be the Spirit of truth who, upon his coming, would teach and guide us into all truth through the Word of God. The duty of this Advocate is to clearly testify to the fulfilment of the New Testament Revelation.
How can we find this 'Spirit of truth'? Jesus said in John 14:17 that the Spirit of the Advocate, which is the Spirit of truth, would 'be in you'. How is it that the Spirit of truth can deliver 'truth' through a person?
Just as God dwelled in Jesus and delivered His word through the lips of Jesus as God's true pastor, the Spirit of truth comes to deliver the word of Jesus through the lips of one person and pastor as the trumpet of Jesus. In the same way that a bottle containing water becomes a water bottle or a bottle containing alcohol becomes a wine bottle, the shepherd (pastor) possessing the Holy Spirit of the Advocate becomes the Advocate. However, this does not mean that this person and pastor is the Spirit of truth itself.
In Revelation 1:1, the Spirit of the Advocate, which is the holy Spirit of truth, appears. In this verse, the process of the conveyance of revelation is explained. God gave Jesus a sealed book for the purpose of showing His servants what would soon come. Jesus opened this sealed book, gave it to an angel, and this angel then gave it to John. This angel is the spirit who proclaims the testimony (words) of Jesus through a messenger that Jesus sent to the churches to testify the fulfilled realities of the wars in Revelation. John, who received the revelation of Jesus Christ from this angel, testified the word of God and the testimony of Jesus - that is, everything he saw. This angel is the Spirit of the Advocate and John is the flesh of the Advocate.
Since the book of Revelation is a book of prophecy that records the promises that will be fulfilled by God at the appointed time, the person through whom the holy Spirit of the Advocate works is Apostle John in prophecy, who, in fulfilment or reality, becomes new John - a shepherd who comes in the position of Apostle John. This same principle can be understood as the coming of the spirit of Elijah which worked through John the Baptist. Therefore, the shepherd who works together with the Spirit of the Advocate, which is the Spirit of truth, is also an Advocate. Shincheonji's promised pastor (shepherd) is not himself the Spirit of the Advocate, but becomes an instrument through whom the Spirit of the Advocate can work in order to carry out the same role of the Advocate here on earth.
The Holy Spirit that came to Mark's upper room on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 was not the Spirit of the Advocate. That Holy Spirit was what God had promised to send through the Old Testament prophet Joel.
When Peter, who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, preached, he quoted the words of the prophet Joel and said that that prophecy was being fulfilled (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21).
Moreover, the Spirit of the Advocate comes as another Advocate in the name of Jesus in order to proclaim the Word of Jesus. Jesus, who was the Advocate, said that he would ask God the Father to send another Advocate. This Advocate is neither God nor Jesus, but a third entity.
Since there is a promised shepherd who is with the holy Spirit of truth, which is the Advocate promised in John 14, 15 and 16, the evidence is clear. Just as the word of Jesus 2000 years ago was the word of God as God was inside him (John 14:24), the word of testimony from the promised shepherd of Shincheonji today has the words of God and Jesus within him. Therefore, if you meet the shepherd of Shincheonji and are born again with the seed of God's truth, you will become a child of God who will receive the blessings of heaven and eternal life.
"The Advocate and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was God Himself"
Korean Church
Pastor A of the Korean Presbyterian Church
"Regarding the day of Pentecost, the promise of the Advocate was fulfilled."
Pastor B of the Korean Full Gospel Church
"After Jesus left, another Advocate, which was the Holy Spirit, came down on the day of Pentecost."
Pastor C of the Korean Methodist Church
"Angels at the time of the Old Testament was the Holy Spirit and the Comforter according to what Jesus said."
Pastor D of the Korean Methodist Church
"Summer Bible School, summer retreat, and rural missions are the works of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. In addition, the evangelism movement we carry out requires the strong presence and work of the Comforter and the Holy Spirit."
E Doctor of Theology
"The term Comforter is especially used to refer to the Holy Spirit who is God. It is God who is 'another Comforter' who guides us into His truth."
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We should think who has the role of advocate asa paraclete.
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