In the South Korean church (in South Korea's Christian churches), whether or not you are a true Christian is defined by what you DO - if you do not miss church services, you are a true Christian. (BUT if you come to church and you DO NOT serve at church, you are not a true Christian - you are a hypocrite who is PRETENDING TO BELIEVE)
If you serve at church and if you do church work, you are a true Christian.
If you obey the pastor, you are a true Christian.
If you listen to the pastor when he is preaching sermons and when he is giving advice, you are a true Christian. If you listen to everything the pastor says and believe his words to be the Word of God (if you believe that the pastor's interpretation of the Bible equals the Word of God), you are a true Christian).
If you disagree with the pastor (if you disagree with the pastor's preaching or if you think the pastor's advice is wrong), you are disobedient and rebellious.
If you disagree with the pastor, you are disobeying God and you will be punished by God.
If you disagree with the pastor, you are NOT a true Christian.
Theology in some conservative South Korean churches can be summarized as follows:
As long as you do not miss any church services, as long as you serve faithfully at church and do church work, as long as you obey the pastor and submit to him...judging, shunning and condemning "disobedient" church members is acceptable - judging, shunning and condemning "disobedient" church members is even encouraged in some South Korean churches.
As long as you do not miss any church services, as long as you serve faithfully at church and do church work, as long as you obey the pastor and submit to him...a self-righteous, judgmental attitude, an attitude of spiritual pride is acceptable - sometimes there is subtle encouragement of such attitudes.
If you serve at church and if you do church work, you are a true Christian.
If you obey the pastor, you are a true Christian.
If you listen to the pastor when he is preaching sermons and when he is giving advice, you are a true Christian. If you listen to everything the pastor says and believe his words to be the Word of God (if you believe that the pastor's interpretation of the Bible equals the Word of God), you are a true Christian).
If you disagree with the pastor (if you disagree with the pastor's preaching or if you think the pastor's advice is wrong), you are disobedient and rebellious.
If you disagree with the pastor, you are disobeying God and you will be punished by God.
If you disagree with the pastor, you are NOT a true Christian.
Theology in some conservative South Korean churches can be summarized as follows:
As long as you do not miss any church services, as long as you serve faithfully at church and do church work, as long as you obey the pastor and submit to him...judging, shunning and condemning "disobedient" church members is acceptable - judging, shunning and condemning "disobedient" church members is even encouraged in some South Korean churches.
As long as you do not miss any church services, as long as you serve faithfully at church and do church work, as long as you obey the pastor and submit to him...a self-righteous, judgmental attitude, an attitude of spiritual pride is acceptable - sometimes there is subtle encouragement of such attitudes.
|