The World Mission Society Church of God

1. What is the World Mission Society Church of God, and what do they believe?
The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) was founded by a man
named Ahn Sahng-Hong in South Korea in 1964. He was born in 1918 to Buddhist
parents and spent many years with the Seventh-day Adventists. He claimed to have
rebuilt the Church of God—the same Church that Jesus established and with the same
truths of the Early Church. Ahn Sahng-Hong died in 1985.

The WMSCOG believes in God the Father and God the Mother, who came to earth in
the flesh. Ahn Sahng-Hong’s spiritual wife, Zahng Gil-Jah, is known as “the
Heavenly Mother.” According the WMSCOG, “God the Mother is the core of our
faith and the figure that guides us. . . . God the Mother stands by and prays for us
whenever we face hardships.” The Bible does not teach the existence of a “heavenly
mother.” God is consistently referred to as our Father. Revelation 21:2 describes the
New Jerusalem as a beautifully adorned bride. But verses 9–10 show that the “wife of
the Lamb” and the “New Jerusalem” are synonymous terms. Obviously, the New
Jerusalem is a city, not a person. In this case, the city is the church, the redeemed of
the Lord living in God’s heavenly city. The Lamb’s “wife,” then, is figurative, not
literal.

Another false teaching of the WMSCOG is that God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit are not different Persons but simply different manifestations of
one God. This teaching is a heresy called modalism. The Bible presents God as one
God, but then speaks of three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The World Mission Society Church of God believes that Jehovah is the Father, Jesus
is the Son, and Ahn Sahng-Hong is the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that the Holy
Spirit is a divine Person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will. The fact that the
Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3–4. For any
man to declare he is the Holy Spirit is blasphemy.

The WMSCOG teaches that salvation is in the names of Jehovah, Jesus,

and Ahn Sahng-Hong, and that baptism is required for salvation. The Bible declares
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that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12;John 14:6). Salvation is in the
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name of Jesus Christ. To claim salvation in the name of Ahn Sahng-Hong is

blasphemy. Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a
works-based salvation. To add anything to the gospel is to say that Jesus’ death on the
cross was insufficient to purchase our salvation. The Bible says that Jesus’ death
alone paid for our sins (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ righteousness is
appropriated to our account by faith alone (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Therefore, baptism cannot be a requirement for salvation.

The WMSCOG claims that “Christ Ahn Sahng-Hong” came as the Savior in the age
of the Holy Spirit and was truly the Second Coming of Christ. This teaching
conflict with what the Bible says about the second coming in Revelation 19:11–16:
“He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a
robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.” To claim to be the very
Word of God is blasphemy.

Ahn Sahng-Hong was a false prophet. He predicted Christ would return in 1967, then
changed the date to 1988. The WMSCOG believed the world would end in 1967, then
1988, and then at the end of 2012. History has proved Ahn Sahng-Hong wrong. It is
noteworthy that one of the signs of the end times is the increase in false prophets and
false messiahs. Ahn Sahng-Hong clearly falls into the category of false prophet and
false messiah.

The beliefs of the World Mission Society Church of God are not compatible with
Christianity.

2. Is there a heavenly mother?

The Bible does not teach the existence of a “heavenly mother.” God is the “heavenly
Father” (Luke 11:2). The church is pictured as a bride, loved by Christ (Ephesians
5:25-33).

The concept of a “heavenly mother” who is the “true” bride of Christ is taught by
the World Mission Society Church of God  (WMSCOG or WMSCG), a Korean cult
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founded by Ahn Sahng-Hong in 1964. The WMSCOG believes that Ahn Sahng-Hong

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was the second coming of Christ. When he died in 1985, his “spiritual
wife,” Zahng Gil-Jah, took over, calling herself the “heavenly mother” and citing
verses such as Revelation 21:9-10; 22:17; and Galatians 4:26.

Revelation 21:2 describes the New Jerusalem as a beautifully adorned bride. Verses

9-10 show that the “wife of the Lamb” and the New Jerusalem are synonymous terms.
Obviously, the New Jerusalem is a city, not a person. A city is a group of people, not
an individual; in this case, the city is the church, the redeemed of the Lord living in
God’s heavenly city. The Lamb’s “wife,” then, is figurative, not literal.

Galatians 4:26 says, “The Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.”
Taken by itself, this is indeed a perplexing verse. However, the context makes the
meaning plain. Paul is contrasting the Old and New Covenants. As an illustration, he
contrasts Hagar (Abraham’s slave) with Sarah (Abraham’s wife). Hagar represents the
bondage to the law, and her son, Ishmael, was a son of law and of bondage. Sarah
represents freedom, and her son, Isaac, was a son of promise and of freedom. Paul’s
point is that those “born” of Sinai (under the Old Covenant of law) are in bondage,
whereas those “born” of the heavenly Jerusalem (under the New Covenant of grace)
are free. To paraphrase verse 26, “We, like Isaac, are children of promise; we are not
under the law; we are freeborn citizens of the heavenly city of Christ.”

So, the “mother” in Galatians 4:26 is not a literal female personage. Rather, it is a
symbolic representation of the kingdom of Christ. Another passage that pictures the
city of God and its inhabitants as a mother and children is Isaiah 49:17-21. Anyone
who proclaims herself the “heavenly mother” or who claims to be the literal “bride of
Christ” is practicing deceit.

The World Mission Society Church of God is absolutely a cult. Its “heavenly mother”
heresy is just one of its many false teachings.

3. What does it mean that the church is the bride of Christ?

The imagery and symbolism of marriage is applied to Christ and the body of believers
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known as the church. These are those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their
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personal saviour and have received eternal life. In the New Testament, Christ, the
Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen the church to be His bride
(Ephesians 5:25-27). Just as there was a betrothal period in biblical times during
which the bride and groom were separated until the wedding, so is the bride of Christ
separate from her Bridegroom during the church age. Her responsibility during the
betrothal period is to be faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24). At the
Second Coming of Christ, the church will be united with the Bridegroom, the official
"wedding ceremony" will take place and, with it, the eternal union of Christ and His
bride will be actualized (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2).

At that time, all believers will inhabit the heavenly city known as New Jerusalem, also
called “the holy city” in Revelation 11:2 and 10. The New Jerusalem is not the
church, but it takes on the church’s characteristics. In his vision of the end of the age,
the Apostle John sees the city coming down from heaven adorned “as a bride,”
meaning that the inhabitants of the city, the redeemed of the Lord, will be holy and
pure, wearing white garments of holiness and righteousness. Some have
misinterpreted verse 9 to mean the holy city is the bride of Christ, but that cannot be
because Christ died for His people, not for a city. The city is called the bride because
it encompasses all who are the bride, just as all the students of a school are sometimes
called “the school.”

As believers in Jesus Christ, we who are the bride of Christ wait with great
anticipation for the day when we will be united with our Bridegroom. Until then, we
remain faithful to Him and say with all the redeemed of the Lord, “Come, Lord
Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

4. Summary and Other Information:

a. Alternate name (s): The Church of God, WMSCOG, COGWMS, The Church
of Ahn Sahng Hong, Elohists.
b. Leader (s): Zang Gil-Jah aka "the Heavenly Mother," or "Mother Jerusalem" and
Rev. Kim Joo-Cheol, "Chief Pastor"
c. Founder (s): Ahn Sahng Hong aka"our heavenly Father Christ Ahn Sahng Hong"
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(1918 -1985)
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d. Established: 1964, Korea.
e. Related Organizations: Church of God History Museum, Messiah Orchestra.
f. Membership: The World Mission Society of God is present in many countries.
One official site states that "the Church of God has grown into a world-class
church just within half a century with 400 and 120 churches in Korea and abroad
respectively and more than 820,000 followers worldwide."

5. BIBLICAL ANALYSIS: 
a. JESUS:
What WMSCOG teaches about Jesus: The Church claims a man
called Ahn Sahng Hong is the Second Coming of Christ. According to this
church, Ahn Sahng Hong is Jesus.

What Bible teaches about Jesus: The Bible teaches clearly that Jesus Christ will
return as a Jew visibly, not in a secret coming.  "For false Christ's and false
prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if
possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance.  So if they say to you,
'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner
rooms,' do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and
flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be (Mt. 24:23-27).

Ahn Sahng Hong made false prophecies by predicting the end of the world in

1967 and 1988. This is a sin. Since Jesus never sinned or ever make a mistake, He
and Ahn Sahng Hong are not the same person.

b. END OF THE WORLD  
What WMSCOG teaches about the END OF THE WORLD: Expected the world
to end at the end of 2012, before which they hoped to recruit 144,000 members.

What Bible teaches about the END OF THE WORLD: The Bible nowhere teaches
that the world would end in 2012. Jesus stated that no one knows the day nor the
hour of his return.  The 144,000 individuals in the book of Revelation literally
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refer to Jewish males from each tribe of Israel. It is not referring to a select
number of Christians who are Asian or of any other ethnic background.

c. THE NEW JERUSALEM:

What WMSCOG teaches about the NEW JERUSALEM: Considers Korea to be
Zion (the new spiritual Jerusalem).

What Bible teaches about the NEW JERUSALEM: The Old Testament clearly
teaches that Zion is in Israel, not anywhere else.  For example: "The Lord doth
build up Jerusalem: he gathered together the outcast of Israel. Praise the Lord, O
Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion." (Psalms 147:2, 12 KJV). "But ye are come
unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and
to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the
firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the
spirits of just men made perfect,"  (Hebrews 12:22-23).  The disciples clearly
understood Jesus teaching to refer to the restoration of the nation of Israel in Acts
1:6-7, “So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is
it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not
for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own
authority.”

D. INCARNATION:
What WMSCOG teaches about INCARNATION: Believe Mother Jerusalem to be
the female incarnation of God.

What Bible teaches about INCARNATION:  This is definitely unbiblical since the

Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the unique incarnation of God as the one and
only begotten Son of God who is God and man. Since Jesus is the unique
incarnation of God, there are not other incarnations of God who are female.  

- Jesus is God: John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All
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things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into
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being that has come into being….  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt
among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the
Father, full of grace and truth.”  Jesus also created all things (Col. 1:16-17), is
called God (Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:8), and is worshipped (Mt. 2:2; 14:33), and
prayed to (1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 7:55-60).

- Jesus is Man: Jesus rose from the dead as a physical man (Lk. 24:39; Jn.
20:19-20),  ascended into heaven as that same man (Acts 1:11) and is still a
man right now since He is our Mediator as man (1 Tim. 2:5) and eternal High
Priest as a man after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 6:20; 7:25). Scripture
also speaks of Him presently dwelling in bodily form (Col. 2:9).

- There is only one God: There is only one God in all existence (Is.
43:10; 44:6, 8). Therefore, there are not other gods who incarnate. Jesus is the
only one.  

E. PROPHECY : 
What WMSCOG teaches about PROPHECY: Ahn Sahng Hong predicted
Christ would return in 1967 and 1988. It is also documented by the Court that the
WMSCOG preached that the world would end in 1988, 1999 and 2012.

What Bible teaches about PROPHECY: The Bible is clear that prophets who
make false prophecies are not of God.  Deut. 18:22: "When a prophet speaks in
the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the
thing which the LORD has not spoken The prophet has spoken it presumptuously;
you shall not be afraid of him. 

f. TRINITY: 
What WMSCOG teaches about TRINITY: The concept of "Trinity" means that
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are not different entities,
but are one God. The Trinity-God the Father [Jehovah], God the Son [Jesus], and
God the Holy Spirit [Ahn Sahng Hong]-are one. So, Ahn Sahng Hong is the Holy
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Spirit!
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What Bible teaches about TRINITY:  In one God, eternal, existing, and
manifested in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

g. SALVATION: 
What WMSCOG teaches about SALVATION: Only God the Father,
Christ, Ahn Sahng Hong and God the Mother (Heavenly Mother) can give people
salvation. For six thousand years God has carried out His salvation work in the
names of Jehovah, Jesus, & Ahn Sahng Hong, each according to its age.

What Bible teaches about SALVATION: Salvation is by grace only, through

faith in Jesus Christ, apart from human merit, works, or Ceremonies.

h. DEITY OF CHRIST: 
What WMSCOG teaches about DEITY OF CHRIST: One blogger states,
“Through the prophecy of the Bible, let’s confirm that Christ Ahn Sahng Hong,
who came as the Saviour in the age of the Holy Spirit, is truly the Second Coming
Christ. Jesus is in His very nature God (Phil. 2:5), the very God Jehovah who
granted salvation during the age of the Father. Since Jesus is, in fact, Jehovah,
there is no contradiction between "There is no saviour apart from Jehovah," and,
"There is no other name given to men by whom we must be saved (apart from the
name of Jesus.)"

What Bible teaches about DEITY OF CHRIST: This is definitely unbiblical since
the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the unique incarnation of God as the one and
only begotten Son of God who is God and man. Since Jesus is the unique
incarnation of God, there are not other incarnations of God who are female.  

- Jesus is God: John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All
things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into
being that has come into being….  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt
among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the
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Father, full of grace and truth.”  Jesus also created all things (Col. 1:16-17), is
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called God (Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:8), and is worshipped (Mt. 2:2; 14:33), and
prayed to (1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 7:55-60).

- Jesus is Man: Jesus rose from the dead as a physical man (Lk. 24:39; Jn.
20:19-20),  ascended into heaven as that same man (Acts 1:11) and is still a
man right now since He is our Mediator as man (1 Tim. 2:5) and eternal High
Priest as a man after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 6:20; 7:25). Scripture
also speaks of Him presently dwelling in bodily form (Col. 2:9).

- There is only one God: There is only one God in all existence (Is.
43:10; 44:6, 8). Therefore, there are not other gods who incarnate. Jesus is the
only one. 

6. DISTINCTIVE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES:  AS one of the group’s sites states, "The

World Mission Society Church of God is a religion spread to the West from Korea." 
Elsewhere it explains that "God the Mother is the core of our faith and the figure that
guides us. A human, by nature, is susceptible to committing a sin. God the Mother,
who understands human vulnerability, steers us in the right direction just as our
mother takes care of children. God the Mother stands by and prays for us whenever
we face hardships." 

It also notes that "The overseas members are continually visiting the New Jerusalem
Temple (in Bundanggu, Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province)....It’s because the
members of the Church of God all around the world believe that Korea is the blessed
country at the ends of the earth according to the prophecy of the Bible, that is, the last
holy land of the gospel."
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