The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) teaches that their founder, Ahnsahnghong, was God incarnate, the second coming of Christ. There are, of course, numerous problems with this claim, not the least of which is the fact that Ahnsahnghong died in 1985. Biblically, however, Jesus died once for all and was raised to indestructible life. He can never die again. Thus, Ahnsahnghong’s death is concrete proof that he was not who his followers claim him to be.
What the WMSCOG Teach About Ahnsahnghong
About their founder, they claim unambiguously:
“Christ Ahnsahnghong began to preach the gospel of the New Covenant and restored the truth of the Passover. This means that Christ Ahnsahnghong is Second Coming Jesus who restored the truth that was lost.”1
They further elaborate that:
“Just as the disciples 2,000 years ago were able to recognize God in the flesh through the Bible, members of the World Mission Society Church of God recognize Christ Ahnsahnghong as God who came as a man a second time to bring us salvation”2
Thus, they are clearly claiming that Ahnsahnghong is the Christ, the “Second Coming Jesus,” and “God who came as man a second time.” They insist that Ahnsahnghong was the literal return of Jesus, just under a new name and with a new bodily form. This is a biblically untenable position.
The Immortal High Priest
Hebrews chapter 7 presents a thorough case that Jesus is a new and greater High Priest who not only fulfills but supersedes the priesthood of Aaron and the Levites. In the course of this argument, the author of Hebrews deals with the fact that Jesus (who was of the tribe of Judah, not of Levi) did not inherit His priesthood because of His bloodline or the fulfillment of the specific legal requirements revealed to Moses. Instead, he speaks of Christ:
“who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life,” (Hebrews 7:16).
The author likewise points out that Jesus received this priesthood through an unbreakable oath from God the Father, namely that:
“The Lord has sworn And will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever,’” (Hebrews 7:21, see Psalm 110:4).
Thus, Jesus is High Priest on the basis of an indestructible life and the oath from the Father that Christ will be “priest forever.” His priesthood will never end. The author then contrasts this with the priesthood under the law of Moses:
“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them,” (Hebrews 7:23-25).
Jesus holds His high priesthood permanently because the high priesthood ends only at death. Since Jesus will never again die, He will never cease to be High Priest! The entire point is that Jesus, who lives forever, having risen to indestructible life and received the oath of God, will be our High Priest forever because He will never again die. If Jesus came down and died again in 1985, His high priesthood would have ended then and He could no longer intercede for us before the Father as our perfect High Priest. The author of Hebrews is clear not only that Jesus will not die a second time, but He cannot die a second time. That is why we can trust in His atoning work!
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings,” (Hebrews 13:8-9a).
Thus, the death of Ahnsahnghong demonstrates that he was not the true Christ.
Never to Die Again
Even more clear is Paul’s testimony in his letter to the Romans:
“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God,” (Romans 6:8-10).
Paul plainly and unambiguously says that Christ has been raised from the dead “never to die again.” This is emphasized even further by stating that, when Jesus died, He died “once for all.” (Interestingly, this same “once for all” language is also used in Hebrews 7:27). There is simply no other reasonable way to read this passage. Jesus died and rose again and He will now live forever. He will never taste bodily death again! What’s more, Paul directly ties this to the permanence of the New Covenant. In the very next chapter, Paul explains:
“For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God,” (Romans 7:2-4).
In Jesus death on the cross 2,000 years ago, those who are in Christ were freed from the weight of the Old Covenant (under which all men are condemned in their sins). In Christ’s resurrection, we were united with Him in a New Covenant. Paul explains that such covenants are binding until death. The death of Christ got us out from under the Old Covenant and, since Christ now will never again die, the New Covenant can never be abolished. Just as in Hebrews, our assurance is in Jesus’ indestructible life. If Christ died again in 1985, as the WMSCOG teaches, then the New Covenant was abolished at His second death and all hope of the gospel is lost! Thanks be to God that their claim cannot be true, for as Paul so boldly proclaimed, Christ “is never to die again.” Thus, the late Ahnsahnghong, who died in 1985, is not the Christ whose return is promised in the New Testament.
What the Bible Does Say About Ahnsahnghong
It might surprise you to hear me say that Ahnsahnghong really is prophesied in the Bible. How so? Note what Jesus said to His disciples:
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs 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,” (Matthew 24:23-25).
Ahnsahnghong is just one of many false Christs who have arisen just as Jesus warned they would. Jesus told us in advance that this would happen and it has, again and again. Ahnsahnghong is just one of the latest examples. Paul shared our Lord’s concern, saying:
“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully,” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
Paul further elaborates on these preachers of “another Jesus” later in the same chapter:
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds,” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
So be on guard! Heed the warnings of our Lord and do not be ensnared with the counterfeit gospel of a false Christ (like Ahnsahnghong). Preach the freedom of the true salvation found in the living Christ, our great and indestructible High priest who died once for all and can never die again!
