언젠가부터 이단적 발언을 서슴지 않는 선동가 전광훈을 이 시대의 선지자인양 추켜 세우는 사람들이 많아졌다. 그 중에는 내가 존경하는 분들도 상당수 있다. 전광훈은 태극기를 앞세워 애국을 외치며, 자신을 반대하는 사람들은 모조리 공산주의자, 좌파세력, 빨갱이로 매도하며, 심지어는 하나님마저도 “까불면 죽는다”고 호기롭게 외친다. 애국과 신앙을 교묘하게 혼합시켜, 자신의 길이 애국의 길이며, 신앙의 길이라고 선동하지만, 그 이면에는 대물주의, 교권주의, 배금주의, 분리주의, 영웅주의가 교묘하게 숨어있다. 전광훈의 길은 세를 과시하며, 권력과 돈을 탐하며, 자신을 반대하는 사람들을 악마화시킨다. 하나님을 높이고 예배하는 데에는 관심이 없고, 하나님을 도구화시켜, 자신을 드높인다.
예수님이 걸어가셨던 길은 전광훈이 갔던 길과는 정반대의 길이었다. 자신을 왕으로 삼으려는 사람들을 오히려 피하셨고, 오로지 하나님의 뜻을 행하고, 하나님을 높이는 삶을 사셨다. 그의 눈은 항상 낮은 데로 임하여, 병자들과 가난한 자들과, 소외된 자들, 지극히 작은 자들에게로 향하셨다. 길 가운데 서서, 드러내어 기도하지 말라고 하셨고, 오히려 골방가운데서 은밀한 가운데 아버지께 기도하라고 말씀하셨다. 평화의 왕으로 오신 그 분께서는, 서로 사랑함으로 우리가 당신의 제자인 것을 알게 하라고 하셨고, 원수까지도 사랑하라고 명하셨다. 그리고 한 알의 밀알이 되어 십자가에서 우리를 위해 죽으셨다.
10월 27일 주일 광화문에서 2백만이 모여서 함께 기도하자는 제안에, 교회와 주님을 사랑하는 마음으로 협력하고자 하는 분들이 많음을 안다. 그러나, 이 제안이 진행되는 방식을 보면 예수님의 길보다는 전광훈의 길을 닮아 있는 것 같아 마음이 아프다. 그리스도의 십자가는 잘 보이지 않고, 몇몇 대형교회들의 이름과 전광훈의 길을 따르는 듯한 몇몇 목사들의 모습만 보인다. 이들이 과연 제 2의 종교개혁을 운운하는, 개혁의 주체가 될 수 있을까? 오히려 이들이야말로, 한국교회가 다시 예수님의 길과 십자가의 길로 돌이키기 위한 개혁의 대상이 되어야 하는 것은 아닐까?
순수한 신앙을 가진 선량한 성도들이, 이들의 편가르기와 선동에 동원되는 것 같아 심히 안타깝다. 동성 성관계는 죄라고 성경에 명백히 명시되어 있다. 그러나 빙산의 일각에 불과한 그 죄의 뒤에 숨는다고 해서, 한국교회의 다른 수많은 죄악의 목록이 결코 가려지지는 않는다. 하나님은 성령과 진리로 예배하는 참된 예배자들을 지금도 찾고 계신다. 영이신 하나님은 눈에 보이는 거대한 숫자보다는, 두세 사람이 예수님의 이름으로 모인 그 곳에 지금도 함께 하신다. <이번 칼럼은 우리 교회 담임 목사님이신 김형태 님의 “전광훈의 길과 예수님의 길”이란 페북 글을 허락을 받아 그대로 옮깁니다>.
For some time now, an increasing number of people have been exalting the demagogue Kwang-hoon Jeon—who does not hesitate to make heretical remarks—as if he were a prophet of our times. Among them are many individuals whom I deeply respect. Waving the national flag and shouting slogans of patriotism, Kwang-hoon Jeon denounces all who oppose him as communists, left-wing radicals, and 'reds,' audaciously daring to boast even toward God that 'If You mess with me, You die.' By subtly blending patriotism and faith, he agitates crowds into believing his path is one of genuine patriotism and devotion. Yet behind that facade lie hidden materialism, ecclesiastical authoritarianism, the worship of mammon, sectarianism, and self-glorifying heroism. Kwang-hoon Jeon's path flaunts political muscle, craves power and money, and demonizes any who stand against him. Far from exalting and worshiping God, he turns God into a tool merely to elevate himself.
The path Jesus walked was the exact opposite of the path trodden by Kwang-hoon Jeon. Jesus withdrew from those who attempted to make Him king by force, devoting His life solely to fulfilling the Father's will and glorifying God. His eyes were ever turned toward the humble and lowly—the sick, the poor, the marginalized, and the least among us. He warned against standing openly in public squares to make a show of prayer, urging us instead to go into our inner rooms and pray to our Father in secret. Coming as the Prince of Peace, He taught that the world would recognize us as His disciples by our love for one another, commanding us to love even our enemies. And ultimately, like a single grain of wheat that falls to the earth, He died on the cross for our sake.
I understand that many believers, driven by pure love for the church and the Lord, wish to cooperate with the call for two million people to gather in prayer at Gwanghwamun on Sunday, October 27. Yet seeing the manner in which this gathering is being organized, my heart aches; it appears to resemble Kwang-hoon Jeon's path far more than the way of Jesus. The cross of Christ is hardly visible; instead, only the prominent names of megachurches and certain pastors following in Jeon's footsteps take center stage. Can these figures truly spearhead a renewal worthy of being called a 'Second Reformation'? Rather, could it be that they themselves ought to be the very subjects of reform, so that the Korean Church might return to the way of Jesus and the path of the cross?
It is deeply sorrowful to see sincere, pure-hearted believers mobilized for political polarization and demagoguery. The Scriptures clearly state that same-sex sexual relations are sin. However, hiding behind that single sin—which is merely the tip of the iceberg—can never conceal the multitude of other sins plaguing the Korean Church. Even now, God seeks true worshipers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. God, who is Spirit, is present not in overwhelming numbers, but wherever two or three are gathered together in Jesus' name. <With permission, this column shares a Facebook post titled “The Way of Kwang-hoon Jeon and the Way of Jesus” by Pastor Hyeong-Tae Kim, the senior pastor of our church>.
Al geruime tyd prys al hoe meer mense die demagoog Kwang-hoon Jeon—wat nie huiwer om ketterse uitsprake te maak nie—aan asof hy 'n profeet vir ons tyd is. Onder hulle tel heelparty mense wat ek opreg respekteer. Gewapen met die nasionale vlag roep hy patriotisme uit, terwyl hy almal wat hom teenstaan afmaak as kommuniste, linkse elemente en 'rooies', en selfs vermetel teenoor God roep dat 'As U met my sukkel, is U dood.' Deur patriotisme en geloof fyn te vermeng, hits hy mense op om te glo dat sy pad die pad van ware vaderlandsliefde en geloof is. Agter die skerms skuil daar egter materialisme, kerklike magsbeheptheid, mammonaanbidding, skeuring en heldeverering. Kwang-hoon Jeon se pad berus op magsvertoon, hebsug na mag en geld, en die demonisering van enigiemand wat teen hom gekant is. Sonder enige belangstelling om God te eer en aanbid, maak hy God tot 'n instrument om homself te verhef.
Die pad wat Jesus geloop het, was die volkome teenoorgestelde van Kwang-hoon Jeon se pad. Jesus het diegene ontwyk wat Hom met geweld koning wou maak, en het uitsluitlik geleef om die wil van die Vader te doen en God te verheerlik. Sy oë was altyd gerig op die nederiges—die siekes, die armes, die randfigure en die geringstes. Hy het ons vermaan om nie in die strate te staan en demonstratief te bid nie, maar om in die binnekamer te gaan en in die geheim tot die Vader te bid. As die Vredevors het Hy ons beveel om mekaar lief te hê sodat almal kan weet dat ons sy dissipels is, en Hy het ons selfs beveel om ons vyande lief te hê. Soos 'n koringkorrel wat in die grond val, het Hy vir ons aan die kruis gesterf.
Ek verstaan dat daar baie gelowiges is wat uit 'n opregte liefde vir die kerk en die Here wil saamwerk aan die oproep om op Sondag 27 Oktober twee miljoen mense by Gwanghwamun vir gebed byeen te bring. Maar as 'n mens kyk na die wyse waarop hierdie inisiatief ontvou, breek my hart; dit lyk baie meer na die pad van Kwang-hoon Jeon as na die weg van Jesus. Die kruis van Christus is skaars sigbaar; slegs die name van enkele megakerke en 'n paar leraars wat in sy voetspore blyk te volg, tree op die voorgrond. Kan sulke mense werklik die draers wees van wat hulle 'n 'Tweede Hervorming' noem? Behoort hulle nie eerder self die voorwerp van hervorming te wees, sodat die Koreaanse kerk na die weg van Jesus en die pad van die kruis kan terugkeer nie?
Dit bedroef my innig om te sien hoe opregte en vrome gelowiges vir sulke partyskappe en demagogie gemobiliseer word. Die Skrif verklaar duidelik dat homoseksuele dade sonde is. Om egter agter daardie sonde—wat slegs die punt van die ysberg is—weg te kruip, kan nooit die talle ander sondes van die Koreaanse kerk verskoon of toemaak nie. God soek vandag nog na ware aanbidders wat Hom in gees en in waarheid aanbid. God, wat Gees is, is nie teenwoordig in uiterlike getalle nie, maar dáár waar twee of drie in die Naam van Jesus vergader. <Hierdie rubriek is met vriendelike toestemming oorgeneem uit 'n Facebook-plasing getiteld “Die Pad van Kwang-hoon Jeon en die Pad van Jesus” deur ds. Hyeong-Tae Kim, ons gemeente se senior leraar>.