Analysis of SCJ Lesson 16: “Secrets of Heaven – Figurative Seed and Field Part Two: Four Fields”

A Refutation Using “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

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Introduction: The Soil Test You Didn’t Know You Were Taking

Imagine you’re at a gardening workshop, excited to learn how to grow a beautiful garden. The instructor begins by showing you different types of soil—hard-packed path, rocky ground, thorny patches, and rich, fertile earth. He explains that seeds planted in each soil type produce different results. This all makes perfect sense. You’re nodding along, taking notes, eager to apply these principles to your garden.

But then the instructor does something unexpected. He looks directly at you and says, “Now, which type of soil are you?” You’re confused—you thought you were learning about gardening, not being evaluated. He continues: “Most people are bad soil without knowing it. In fact, statistically, you have only a 25% chance of being good soil. The odds are against you.”

Suddenly, you’re anxious. Am I bad soil? How do I know? The instructor senses your concern and offers reassurance: “Don’t worry—I can teach you how to become good soil. But you need to be honest with yourself. You need self-reflection. Most people think they’re good soil when they’re actually path, rocky, or thorny. They’re deceived about their own spiritual state.”

Over the following weeks, you become increasingly focused on analyzing your “soil type.” Every doubt becomes evidence that you might be “rocky soil.” Every worry becomes proof you might be “thorny soil.” Every moment of confusion suggests you’re “path soil” where the word can’t penetrate. The instructor regularly reminds you: “Only 25% make it. Are you sure you’re in that 25%?”

The anxiety becomes overwhelming. But there’s hope—the instructor promises that by staying in this workshop, following his teaching, and working hard to “cultivate your soil,” you can become part of the 25%. You just need to keep coming, keep studying, keep trying harder.

This is what happens in SCJ Lesson 16.

The lesson appears to be a straightforward Bible study about the Parable of the Sower—one of Jesus’ most well-known parables found in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8. The instructor, Nate, walks students through the four types of soil (path, rocky, thorny, good), explains what each represents, and encourages students to “be the good soil.” Everything sounds biblical, practical, and spiritually challenging.

But beneath the surface, something else is happening. The lesson uses legitimate biblical teaching to create profound spiritual anxiety, position SCJ as the solution to that anxiety, and establish a framework where students constantly question their spiritual state. By teaching that “only 25% make it” and that most people are deceived about being “bad soil,” the lesson creates fear that keeps students dependent on SCJ’s teaching and prevents them from trusting their own spiritual discernment.

This lesson sits at position 16 in the Introductory (Parables) Level—strategically placed after students have learned about “sealed” Scripture and the symbolic meanings of seeds and fields. Now they’re learning about the four soil types, but the criteria for being “good soil” are being subtly redefined to serve SCJ’s agenda. By the time students realize where this teaching leads, they’ve already accepted the framework: that they’re probably “bad soil” without knowing it, that they need SCJ’s teaching to become “good soil,” that leaving the study means spiritual failure, and that only through persevering in SCJ’s program can they be part of the 25% who “make it.”

As we explored in Chapter 1 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story,” we can examine teachings through two lenses: the organizational lens (how the teaching serves the group’s agenda) and the spiritual lens (what Scripture actually teaches in context). Both lenses reveal the manipulation at work in this lesson, which uses biblical truth as a foundation for spiritual anxiety and organizational control.

Let’s examine how this lesson uses legitimate biblical teaching about spiritual receptivity to create an illegitimate system of fear-based compliance and dependency, and how the principles in “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” expose the manipulation.

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Part 1: What SCJ Teaches in This Lesson

The Surface Teaching (What Students Hear)

The lesson presents what appears to be straightforward biblical teaching about the Parable of the Sower:

Opening Words of Encouragement:

The instructor begins with a call for self-reflection:

“Let us reflect deeply on the word today. We will focus on the heart, and how we can prepare it to receive the seed of God’s word at any time. As we go through this lesson, let us keep this in mind: we need self-reflection to grow and change. Often as Christians, we see faults in others yet do not recognize those same faults in ourselves. We tend to think ‘I’m doing everything right, I’m good.’ But this mindset prevents us from receiving anything from God.”

“Instead of labeling others as ‘weeds,’ let’s first ponder if that description fits us as well. None of us fully understood the meaning of wheat and weeds before this lesson. Without that foundation, how can we definitively discern if we are one or the other? Humility is key. Let us approach this lesson with humility.”

The Lesson’s Hope Statement:

“Our Hope: To be the reality of the good soil Jesus spoke about in Matthew 13, Mark 4 and Luke 8”

Review of Previous Concepts:

• Seed = The Word of God (Luke 8:11)
• Field = A person’s heart (on a small scale) or the church/Jesus’s world (on a larger scale)
• The seed is foundational—Mark 4:13-14 says if you don’t understand this parable, you won’t understand any parable

The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-8):

The lesson reviews Jesus’ parable about a farmer sowing seed on four types of ground:

1. Path: Seed falls on hard ground; birds eat it before it can grow
2. Rocky: Seed sprouts quickly but withers because it has no root
3. Thorny: Seed grows but is choked by thorns and weeds
4. Good Soil: Seed grows and produces a crop—30, 60, or 100 times what was sown

Jesus’ Explanation (Matthew 13:18-23):

The lesson then examines Jesus’ own interpretation:

1. The Path (Matthew 13:19):

“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.”

SCJ’s Teaching:

• The path represents someone who hears the word but doesn’t understand it
• Because they don’t understand, the word can’t penetrate their heart—it just sits on top
• Evil spirits (birds) come and snatch the word away
• The path does not mature or grow

2. The Rocky Ground (Matthew 13:20-21):

“The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.”

SCJ’s Teaching:

• Rocky soil initially receives the word with joy
• But when trials, tribulations, and persecution come, they cannot withstand
• Their faith is shallow—they haven’t developed deep roots
• They wither and do not mature

3. The Thorny Ground (Matthew 13:22):

“The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

SCJ’s Teaching:

• Thorny soil hears the word and begins to grow
• But worries of life, deceitfulness of wealth, and pleasures of the world choke the word
• These thorns prevent spiritual maturity
• The person does not mature

4. The Good Soil (Matthew 13:23, Luke 8:15):

“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

SCJ’s Teaching:

• Good soil hears the word, understands it, retains it, and perseveres
• This person overcomes trials, persecution, worries, and distractions
• They mature and produce a crop—30, 60, or 100 times what was sown
• To retain means to memorize and apply God’s word

The Statistical Reality:

The lesson emphasizes:

“Now, out of the four scenarios presented, which one should we strive to be like? Undoubtedly, the fourth field is the ideal state we should aspire towards. But the question remains, how do we cultivate ourselves to become this fruitful field?”

“What percentage or likelihood is there of actually being the good soil? 25 percent. There are four fields, with only one being fertile and good. This means there is a 25 percent chance that I end up in good soil. While those odds seem unfavorable, I believe God called me here to cultivate good soil.”

How to Overcome Each Field:

The lesson provides practical steps:

1. Overcoming the Path (Not Understanding):

• Ask questions (Matthew 7:7, Matthew 13:10-11)
• Follow the disciples’ example of asking Jesus for clarification

2. Overcoming Rocky Ground (Persecution/Trials):

• Prepare and pray (Matthew 5:43-44, Matthew 5:10-12)
• Pray for those who persecute you
• Rejoice when persecuted for righteousness’ sake
• Don’t retaliate; overcome evil with good

3. Overcoming Thorny Ground (Worries/Wealth):

• Trust God’s promises (Matthew 6:31-33)
• Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness
• Don’t let worldly concerns interfere with time in God’s Word
• Believe God will provide for your needs

4. How to Be Sure You’re Good Soil:

• Hear the word every day
• Focus, listen, and take notes during study
• Be alert (1 Peter 5:8—the devil prowls around)
• Be humble (James 1:21—humbly accept the word planted in you)
• Pray daily (1 Thessalonians 5:17—pray continually)

The Timing Element:

The lesson includes a crucial statement about when this parable becomes relevant:

“This prophecy of the four types of soil has not always been relevant. It comes into existence when it is fulfilled. And when is this fulfillment? It is now. As we receive the explanation of heaven’s secrets, the four fields become relevant to us.”

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The Subtext (What’s Really Being Established)

Beneath this seemingly biblical teaching, several problematic foundations are being laid:

1. Creating Spiritual Anxiety:

The lesson creates profound anxiety about spiritual state:

• “Only 25% make it” (statistical pressure)
• “Most people think they’re good soil when they’re actually bad soil” (self-doubt)
• “You could embody the reality of the path/rocky/thorny without knowing it” (uncertainty)
• “We must actively strive to be good soil every single day” (performance pressure)

This anxiety serves SCJ’s agenda by making students feel they need constant guidance and evaluation to ensure they’re “good soil.”

2. Positioning SCJ as the Solution:

The lesson subtly positions SCJ as the answer to the anxiety it creates:

• “I believe God called me here to cultivate good soil” (SCJ is where you become good soil)
• “As we receive the explanation of heaven’s secrets, the four fields become relevant” (SCJ’s teaching makes this parable applicable)
• The practical steps all involve staying engaged with the study: asking questions, taking notes, hearing the word daily, etc.

3. Redefining “Understanding” as Accepting SCJ’s Interpretation:

The lesson teaches that “the path” represents those who “hear but don’t understand.” But what does “understanding” mean?

In SCJ’s framework:

• Understanding = accepting SCJ’s symbolic interpretations
• Not understanding = questioning or rejecting SCJ’s teaching
• Evil spirits snatch away the word from those who “don’t understand”

This creates fear: If I question this teaching, maybe I’m “path soil” and evil spirits are snatching the word from me.

4. Creating Fear of Persecution:

The lesson warns that “rocky soil” cannot withstand persecution. But what is this “persecution”?

The instructor gives an example: “For example, someone may enthusiastically declare ‘I’m studying the Bible three times a week and learning the parables!’ But when questioned – ‘Why do you need to study the parables so much? Can you explain them to me? I’m not sure where it says that in the Bible. What verses are you referring to?’ – if their biblical knowledge is shallow, they may think ‘Oh, maybe the Bible isn’t as important as I thought…’ And their zeal fades or gets discouraged.”

This reframes normal questioning as “persecution” and positions doubt as spiritual failure. Students learn:

• Questions from family/friends = persecution
• Doubt about SCJ’s teaching = being “rocky soil”
• Leaving the study = withering and failing to mature

5. Establishing Performance-Based Spirituality:

The lesson creates a checklist mentality:

• Hear the word daily
• Take notes
• Ask questions
• Memorize Scripture
• Pray continually
• Be alert
• Be humble
• Persevere through trials

While these are good spiritual practices, the lesson uses them to create anxiety: Am I doing enough? Am I really good soil, or am I deceiving myself?

6. Preparing for Isolation:

By teaching that “worries of life” and “pleasures of the world” choke the word, the lesson prepares students to prioritize the study above all else:

• Family concerns = thorns
• Work obligations = thorns
• Financial worries = thorns
• Other activities = thorns

The message: Don’t let anything interfere with your time in God’s Word (i.e., SCJ’s study).

7. The “Fulfillment Now” Framework:

The lesson’s most dangerous claim is subtle but significant:

“This prophecy of the four types of soil has not always been relevant. It comes into existence when it is fulfilled. And when is this fulfillment? It is now.”

This establishes that:

• The parable wasn’t fully relevant before
• It’s being fulfilled “now” (during SCJ’s teaching)
• Students are living in the time of fulfillment
• How they respond to SCJ’s teaching determines their “soil type”

This prepares students to see SCJ’s teaching as uniquely significant—not just Bible study, but the fulfillment of prophecy.

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Part 2: Analysis Through “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

Chapter 1-2: Two Lenses, Two Realities

Chapter 1 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” introduces the framework of examining teachings through two lenses: the organizational lens and the spiritual lens. Let’s apply both to this lesson.

Through the Organizational Lens:

This lesson serves multiple strategic purposes for SCJ:

1. Creating Dependency Through Anxiety:

By teaching that “only 25% make it” and that most people are deceived about their spiritual state, the lesson creates anxiety that makes students dependent on SCJ for evaluation and guidance. Students think: I need SCJ to help me become good soil. I can’t trust my own spiritual discernment.

2. Preventing Departure:

The lesson creates multiple psychological barriers to leaving:

• Leaving = being “rocky soil” who couldn’t withstand persecution
• Leaving = being “thorny soil” choked by worldly concerns
• Leaving = proving you were never “good soil” to begin with

3. Reframing Doubt as Spiritual Failure:

By positioning “understanding” as accepting SCJ’s teaching and “not understanding” as spiritual blindness, the lesson prevents critical thinking. Students learn: If I have doubts, it’s because I’m “path soil” and evil spirits are attacking me.

4. Justifying Isolation:

The “thorny soil” teaching justifies prioritizing the study above family, work, and other responsibilities. Students think: If I let anything interfere with this study, I’m letting “thorns” choke the word.

5. Establishing Performance Metrics:

The checklist of how to be “good soil” creates measurable performance standards:

• Are you taking notes?
• Are you asking questions?
• Are you memorizing Scripture?
• Are you praying daily?

This allows SCJ to evaluate students’ commitment and identify those who are “good soil” (compliant, engaged) versus “bad soil” (questioning, less engaged).

6. Preparing for Future Claims:

The “fulfillment now” framework prepares students to accept that they’re living in a special time when prophecy is being fulfilled. This sets the stage for later claims that SCJ is the fulfillment of Revelation’s prophecies.

Through the Spiritual Lens:

When we examine this lesson through the spiritual lens—asking what Scripture actually teaches in context—we discover significant problems.

What’s Biblical:

• Jesus did teach the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8)
• The parable does describe four types of soil representing different responses to God’s Word
• Spiritual receptivity is important
• We should examine our hearts
• Perseverance in faith is necessary
• Trials and persecution are real
• Worldly concerns can distract from spiritual growth

What’s Uniquely SCJ:

• The emphasis on “only 25% make it” (creating statistical anxiety)
• The claim that this parable “wasn’t relevant before” but is being “fulfilled now”
• The redefinition of “understanding” as accepting SCJ’s symbolic interpretations
• The positioning of normal questioning as “persecution” that proves you’re “rocky soil”
• The use of the parable to create constant self-doubt and performance anxiety
• The implication that staying in SCJ’s study is how you become/remain “good soil”
• The framework that leaving the study = spiritual failure

The Blurred Lines:

The genius of this lesson is how it blurs biblical truth with SCJ’s framework:

Example 1: Understanding the Word

• Biblical truth: We should seek to understand God’s Word
• Biblical context: Understanding comes through the Holy Spirit, study, and community
• SCJ addition: Understanding = accepting SCJ’s symbolic interpretations; not understanding = spiritual blindness
• Result: Students fear that questioning SCJ’s teaching means they’re “path soil” being attacked by evil spirits

Example 2: Persecution

• Biblical truth: Christians will face persecution for their faith
• Biblical context: Persecution means suffering for following Christ (Acts 5:41, 2 Timothy 3:12)
• SCJ addition: Questions from family/friends about the study = persecution; doubt about SCJ’s teaching = being “rocky soil”
• Result: Students see normal, loving concern as spiritual attack and interpret their own doubts as spiritual failure

Example 3: Worldly Concerns

• Biblical truth: We shouldn’t let worldly concerns distract us from God
• Biblical context: This means not being consumed by materialism, anxiety, or sin (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:6-7)
• SCJ addition: Any concern that might interfere with the study (family, work, health) = “thorns” choking the word
• Result: Students neglect legitimate responsibilities to prioritize the study, believing this is spiritual maturity

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Chapter 3-4: The Sacred Lens and Interpretive Frameworks

Chapter 3 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” examines how SCJ uses the “sacred lens” of parabolic interpretation to build their framework. This lesson demonstrates a crucial step in that process.

The Framework Being Built:

By Lesson 16, students have been systematically taught:

Lessons 1-10: The Bible was “sealed” and requires special interpretation
Lessons 11-15: Seeds and fields have symbolic meanings
Lesson 16: Your heart is a “field,” and you’re probably “bad soil” without knowing it

Each lesson adds another layer to the interpretive framework while simultaneously creating anxiety and dependency.

The Interpretive Method:

Notice the pattern in how SCJ teaches this parable:

1. Start with biblical teaching: Jesus’ Parable of the Sower
2. Add statistical anxiety: “Only 25% make it”
3. Create self-doubt: “Most people think they’re good soil when they’re actually bad soil”
4. Redefine key terms: Understanding = accepting SCJ’s teaching; persecution = questions from loved ones
5. Position SCJ as the solution: Stay in the study to become good soil
6. Make it unfalsifiable: If you leave, you prove you were bad soil; if you stay, you might become good soil

Chapter 4’s Warning:

Chapter 4 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” discusses “The Impact of Interpretive Frameworks”—how the lens through which we read Scripture shapes what we see. This lesson demonstrates how SCJ’s interpretive framework fundamentally distorts biblical teaching:

SCJ’s Framework:

• Only 25% of people are “good soil”
• Most people are deceived about their spiritual state
• Understanding = accepting SCJ’s interpretations
• Persecution = questions about the study
• Worldly concerns = anything that might interfere with the study
• Staying in SCJ = becoming good soil

Biblical Framework:

• God’s Word is powerful and effective (Isaiah 55:10-11)
• The Holy Spirit helps believers understand Scripture (John 14:26, 1 John 2:27)
• Persecution means suffering for Christ (not questions from family)
• We should fulfill our responsibilities while prioritizing God (Colossians 3:23-24)
• Spiritual growth happens through faith in Christ, not organizational membership

The framework determines the interpretation, and SCJ’s framework serves organizational control rather than spiritual truth.

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Biblical Response: What Does Scripture Actually Teach?

Let’s examine what the Bible actually teaches about the Parable of the Sower and spiritual receptivity.

1. The Parable of the Sower: What Did Jesus Actually Mean?

The Context:

The Parable of the Sower appears in three Gospels: Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. Let’s examine the context:

Matthew 13:1-3: “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables…”

Jesus is teaching large crowds about the kingdom of heaven. He uses parables—earthly stories with spiritual meanings—to reveal truth to those with receptive hearts while concealing it from those who are hard-hearted.

Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?

Matthew 13:10-17: “The disciples came to him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’ He replied, ‘Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'”

Jesus taught in parables because:

• To reveal truth to receptive hearts: Those who genuinely sought God would understand
• To conceal truth from hard hearts: Those who rejected Him wouldn’t comprehend
• To fulfill prophecy: Isaiah 6:9-10 prophesied that Israel would hear but not understand

The Key Point:

Jesus wasn’t creating an interpretive puzzle that only one organization could solve 2,000 years later. He was revealing the kingdom of heaven to those with receptive hearts while judging those who had already rejected Him.

Jesus’ Own Interpretation:

Let’s look at what Jesus Himself said the parable means:

Matthew 13:18-23 (Jesus’ Explanation):

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

What Jesus Was Teaching:

1. The Seed is the Word/Message About the Kingdom:

The seed represents God’s Word—specifically, the message about the kingdom of heaven that Jesus was proclaiming. This is the gospel message: Jesus is the Messiah, the kingdom of God has come, repent and believe.

Luke 8:11: “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.”

Mark 4:14: “The farmer sows the word.”

2. The Soil Represents Different Responses to the Gospel:

The four soil types represent different ways people respond when they hear the gospel:

Path (Hard Heart): Hears but doesn’t understand; the word never penetrates; Satan snatches it away

Rocky (Shallow Heart): Receives with joy but has no root; falls away when persecution comes

Thorny (Divided Heart): Hears the word but worldly concerns choke it; becomes unfruitful

Good Soil (Receptive Heart): Hears, understands, and bears fruit

3. The Point is About Initial Response to the Gospel:

This parable is primarily about how people initially respond to the gospel message. It’s not about creating constant anxiety about whether you’re “good soil” or “bad soil” after you’ve already believed.

Evidence:

• The path never lets the seed in—this is someone who hears but immediately rejects
• The rocky ground receives with joy but has no root—this is someone who makes a shallow commitment but falls away when it costs something
• The thorny ground hears but is choked by worldly concerns—this is someone who tries to serve both God and the world
• The good soil hears, understands, and bears fruit—this is genuine conversion and discipleship

The parable describes the evangelistic process, not a system for constantly evaluating your spiritual state.

2. The “Only 25% Make It” Problem

The lesson emphasizes that “only 25% make it” because only one of four soil types is good. But is this what Jesus meant?

The Problem with This Interpretation:

1. Jesus Wasn’t Teaching Statistics:

Jesus wasn’t saying “25% of people who hear the gospel will be saved.” He was describing different responses to the gospel using a farming metaphor that His audience would understand.

In ancient agriculture, farmers would broadcast seed widely, knowing that some would fall on paths, rocky ground, and thorny patches. But the goal was to get seed into good soil where it would produce a crop. The parable describes the reality of gospel ministry—not everyone who hears will respond with faith.

2. The Parable Describes Initial Response, Not Final Destiny:

The parable is about how people initially respond to the gospel. It’s not saying that only 25% of Christians will persevere or that you have a 25% chance of being truly saved.

Biblical Teaching on Assurance:

The Bible teaches that genuine believers can have assurance of salvation:

1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”

Yes, we should examine ourselves. But this examination is about whether we have genuine faith in Christ, not about whether we’re meeting performance standards set by an organization.

3. The Parable Encourages Evangelism, Not Anxiety:

The parable’s purpose is to:

• Encourage gospel proclamation: Sow the seed widely, even though not all will respond
• Explain varied responses: Don’t be discouraged when some reject the gospel
• Call for receptive hearts: Be good soil—hear, understand, and bear fruit

The parable is NOT meant to:

• Create constant anxiety about your spiritual state
• Make you doubt your salvation
• Position an organization as the arbiter of whether you’re “good soil”

3. What Does “Understanding” Mean?

The lesson teaches that “the path” represents those who “hear but don’t understand,” and that evil spirits snatch the word from them. But what does “understanding” mean biblically?

Biblical Understanding:

1. Understanding Comes Through the Holy Spirit:

John 14:26: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

1 Corinthians 2:12-14: “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned spiritually.”

Understanding spiritual truth comes through the Holy Spirit, not through one organization’s interpretive system.

2. Understanding Means Grasping the Gospel:

In the context of the Parable of the Sower, “understanding” means grasping the message about the kingdom—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The path doesn’t understand because they reject the message entirely. The word never penetrates their heart.

The good soil understands because they receive the gospel with faith, allowing it to take root and transform their lives.

3. Understanding Doesn’t Mean Accepting Every Interpretation:

Understanding the gospel doesn’t mean you must accept every symbolic interpretation an organization teaches. It means you grasp the core message: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who died for our sins and rose again, and we are saved by grace through faith in Him.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

This is the gospel. Understanding it means believing it and staking your life on it.

SCJ’s Redefinition:

SCJ redefines “understanding” to mean:

• Accepting their symbolic interpretations
• Not questioning their teaching
• Seeing their organization as the fulfillment of prophecy

This is a dangerous redefinition that makes understanding dependent on organizational allegiance rather than faith in Christ.

4. What is Real Persecution?

The lesson teaches that “rocky soil” cannot withstand “persecution,” and gives an example of someone being questioned about their Bible study as “persecution.” But what is biblical persecution?

Biblical Persecution:

Matthew 5:10-12: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Persecution means:

• Suffering for following Christ: Being insulted, opposed, or harmed because you follow Jesus
• Facing real consequences: Loss of job, relationships, freedom, or even life because of your faith
• Standing firm in the face of opposition: Maintaining your faith despite threats or harm

Examples of Biblical Persecution:

Acts 5:40-41: “They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

2 Timothy 3:12: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Hebrews 11:35-38: “Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.”

What Persecution is NOT:

• Loving questions from family: “Why are you studying the Bible so much? Can you explain what you’re learning?”
• Healthy concern: “I’m worried about how much time you’re spending in this study.”
• Doctrinal disagreement: “I don’t think that interpretation is correct.”

SCJ’s Redefinition:

SCJ redefines “persecution” to include:

• Normal questions from loved ones
• Healthy concern about time commitment
• Disagreement with their interpretations

This redefinition serves SCJ’s agenda by:

• Making students see loving concern as spiritual attack
• Positioning doubt as persecution (from within or without)
• Creating an “us vs. them” mentality
• Preventing students from listening to legitimate concerns

The Danger:

When students are taught that questions = persecution, they:

• Stop listening to family and friends
• See doubt as spiritual failure
• Interpret leaving the study as “falling away under persecution”
• Miss the fact that real persecution means suffering for Christ, not for an organization

5. What Are the “Thorns”?

The lesson teaches that “thorns” represent worries of life, deceitfulness of wealth, and pleasures of the world. This is biblically accurate. But how does SCJ apply this?

Jesus’ Teaching:

Matthew 13:22: “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

Mark 4:19: “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

Luke 8:14: “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”

What Are the Thorns?

1. Worries of Life:

Anxiety about daily needs, health, relationships, future—concerns that consume our thoughts and prevent us from trusting God.

Matthew 6:25-34: Jesus teaches not to worry about food, clothing, or tomorrow, but to trust that God will provide.

Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

2. Deceitfulness of Wealth:

The false promise that money and possessions will bring security, happiness, and fulfillment.

1 Timothy 6:9-10: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'”

3. Pleasures of the World:

Pursuing temporary, worldly pleasures instead of eternal, spiritual realities.

1 John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

The Biblical Point:

The thorns represent things that compete with God for our hearts’ affection and attention. They’re not inherently evil—we need food, clothing, work, relationships. But when these things become our primary focus, they choke out spiritual life.

The Balance:

The Bible teaches that we should:

• Fulfill our responsibilities: Work diligently (Colossians 3:23), provide for family (1 Timothy 5:8), care for our health
• But prioritize God: Seek first His kingdom (Matthew 6:33), store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21)

Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

We can fulfill earthly responsibilities while serving God—they’re not mutually exclusive.

SCJ’s Application:

SCJ applies the “thorns” teaching to justify:

• Prioritizing the study above family time
• Neglecting work responsibilities to attend classes
• Ignoring health concerns to stay committed
• Seeing any concern that might interfere with the study as a “thorn”

The lesson states: “We must not let anything interfere with our time with God and study of His Word, showing Him that we have faith that He will meet our needs.”

This sounds spiritual, but it’s actually manipulative. It positions:

• SCJ’s study = time with God
• Anything that might reduce study time = a thorn choking the word
• Prioritizing family/work/health = being “thorny soil”

The Danger:

Students begin to:

• Neglect legitimate responsibilities
• See family concerns as “thorns”
• Feel guilty about work obligations
• Sacrifice health and relationships for the study

This isn’t biblical prioritization—it’s organizational control disguised as spiritual devotion.

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Chapter 11-13: Information Control and the Verification Problem

Chapter 11 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” examines isolation strategies disguised as protection. This lesson demonstrates a sophisticated form of information control by teaching students to see questions and concerns as “persecution” or “thorns.”

The Information Control in This Lesson:

The lesson teaches:

“For example, someone may enthusiastically declare ‘I’m studying the Bible three times a week and learning the parables!’ But when questioned – ‘Why do you need to study the parables so much? Can you explain them to me? I’m not sure where it says that in the Bible. What verses are you referring to?’ – if their biblical knowledge is shallow, they may think ‘Oh, maybe the Bible isn’t as important as I thought…’ And their zeal fades or gets discouraged. This happens because the person was not yet grounded in God’s word, and so could not stand firm against trials and persecution.”

This reframes:

• Legitimate questions = persecution
• Healthy concern = trials
• Doubt = being “rocky soil”

The Verification Problem:

Chapter 13 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” addresses how to evaluate spiritual claims that cannot be independently verified. This lesson creates a verification problem:

How can students objectively determine if they’re “good soil”?

The lesson provides criteria:

• Hear the word daily
• Take notes
• Ask questions (but only within the study)
• Memorize Scripture
• Pray continually
• Be alert
• Be humble
• Persevere

But these are all performance-based metrics that:

• Create anxiety (Am I doing enough?)
• Prevent independent verification (SCJ evaluates whether you’re “good soil”)
• Make spirituality about checklist completion rather than faith in Christ

The Circular Reasoning:

1. You’re probably “bad soil” without knowing it (creates doubt)
2. Stay in the study to become “good soil” (positions SCJ as solution)
3. If you leave, you prove you were “rocky soil” (prevents departure)
4. If you stay, you might become “good soil” (creates ongoing anxiety)

This circular reasoning prevents independent verification. Students can’t objectively test whether they’re “good soil” because SCJ controls the criteria.

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Chapter 18-20: Testing Authority and Creative Fulfillment

Chapter 18 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” examines how to test claims of spiritual authority. This lesson makes implicit authority claims by positioning SCJ as the place where the parable is being “fulfilled.”

The Authority Problem:

The lesson teaches:

“This prophecy of the four types of soil has not always been relevant. It comes into existence when it is fulfilled. And when is this fulfillment? It is now. As we receive the explanation of heaven’s secrets, the four fields become relevant to us.”

This claims that:

• The parable wasn’t fully relevant before
• It’s being fulfilled “now” through SCJ’s teaching
• Students are living in the time of fulfillment
• How they respond to SCJ determines their “soil type”

But how can students verify this claim?

The lesson provides no methodology—only the assertion that “it’s now.” Students are expected to accept that:

• SCJ’s teaching = the fulfillment of the parable
• Responding well to SCJ = being “good soil”
• Leaving SCJ = proving you were “bad soil”

Chapter 19-20’s Response:

Chapter 19 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” discusses unfalsifiable claims. The lesson’s framework creates an unfalsifiable system:

• If you accept SCJ’s teaching → You’re “good soil”
• If you question SCJ’s teaching → You’re “path soil” (don’t understand)
• If you leave due to concerns → You’re “rocky soil” (couldn’t withstand persecution)
• If you prioritize other responsibilities → You’re “thorny soil” (choked by worldly concerns)

Chapter 20 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” warns about “creative fulfillment”—adding interpretive layers to Scripture that support predetermined conclusions. This lesson demonstrates that technique:

Creative Fulfillment in This Lesson:

1. Start with biblical teaching: The Parable of the Sower
2. Add timing claim: This parable is being “fulfilled now”
3. Redefine key terms: Understanding = accepting SCJ; persecution = questions; thorns = anything interfering with study
4. Create anxiety: “Only 25% make it”; you’re probably bad soil
5. Position SCJ as solution: Stay in the study to become good soil
6. Make it unfalsifiable: Any response that doesn’t support SCJ proves you’re bad soil

This is creative fulfillment—using Scripture to support organizational claims that Scripture doesn’t actually make.

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Chapter 21-23: God’s Character and Sovereignty

Chapter 21 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” is titled “The Heart of God: When Love Refuses to Let Go.” This chapter examines whether God’s character is primarily about conditional acceptance (based on performance) or unconditional love (based on His grace).

The Character Problem in This Lesson:

The lesson presents God’s work in a way that creates anxiety rather than confidence:

“What percentage or likelihood is there of actually being the good soil? 25 percent. There are four fields, with only one being fertile and good. This means there is a 25 percent chance that I end up in good soil. While those odds seem unfavorable, I believe God called me here to cultivate good soil.”

This creates profound anxiety:

• Only 25% make it (statistical pressure)
• You probably think you’re good soil when you’re actually bad soil (self-doubt)
• You need to work hard to “cultivate good soil” (performance pressure)

Chapter 21’s Biblical Response:

The chapter explains that God’s character is primarily defined by love and grace, not by performance-based acceptance.

1. God’s Word is Powerful and Effective:

Isaiah 55:10-11: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

God’s Word is inherently powerful. It accomplishes God’s purposes. The emphasis isn’t on our performance but on God’s power.

2. Salvation is by Grace Through Faith:

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

We’re not saved by being “good soil” through our own efforts. We’re saved by grace through faith in Christ.

3. God Gives Assurance, Not Anxiety:

1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

God wants believers to have assurance, not constant anxiety about whether they’re “good soil.”

4. God is the One Who Makes Us Fruitful:

John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Philippians 1:6: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God is the one who makes us fruitful. Yes, we cooperate with Him, but the emphasis is on His work in us, not our performance.

The Contrast:

SCJ’s Message:

• Only 25% make it
• You’re probably bad soil without knowing it
• You need to work hard to become good soil
• Your spiritual state depends on your performance
• Leaving the study proves you were bad soil

The Gospel’s Message:

• God’s Word is powerful and effective
• Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works
• Believers can have assurance of salvation
• God is the one who makes us fruitful
• Our spiritual state depends on Christ’s finished work, not our performance

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Chapter 24-26: The Unified Biblical Narrative

Chapter 24-25 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (“The Scarlet Thread”) examines the Bible’s unified narrative centered on Christ’s redemptive work. This lesson demonstrates fragmentation by using the Parable of the Sower to create anxiety rather than showing how it points to the gospel.

The Fragmentation Problem:

The lesson uses the parable to:

• Create statistical anxiety (“only 25% make it”)
• Establish performance metrics (checklist for being good soil)
• Position SCJ as the solution
• Claim the parable is being “fulfilled now”

But it never shows how the parable fits into the Bible’s overarching story of redemption through Christ.

The Unified Biblical Narrative:

When we read the Bible as a unified story, the Parable of the Sower has a clear place:

1. Old Testament: Israel’s Hard Heart

Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly sent prophets to Israel, but the people often had hard hearts:

Isaiah 6:9-10: “He said, ‘Go and tell this people: “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.” Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.'”

Jeremiah 5:21: “Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.”

2. Jesus’ Ministry: Varied Responses to the Gospel

When Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom of heaven, people responded in different ways:

• Religious leaders (path): Heard but rejected; their hearts were hard
• Crowds (rocky): Followed with enthusiasm but fell away when it cost something
• Rich young ruler (thorny): Heard but was choked by love of wealth (Matthew 19:16-22)
• Disciples (good soil): Heard, believed, and bore fruit

The Parable of the Sower explained these varied responses.

3. The Church Age: Gospel Proclamation

After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles proclaimed the gospel, and people responded in different ways:

Acts 17:32-34: “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, ‘We want to hear you again on this subject.’ At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”

Some sneered (path), some delayed (rocky/thorny), some believed (good soil).

4. The Point: The Gospel is Powerful

The parable’s message throughout biblical history is:

• God’s Word is powerful: It accomplishes His purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11)
• Responses vary: Some receive with faith, others reject
• The gospel goes forth: We sow the seed widely, trusting God for the harvest
• God gives the growth: We plant and water, but God makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

The Unified Message:

The Parable of the Sower is about:

• God’s powerful Word going forth
• Varied human responses to the gospel
• The call to receptive hearts: Be good soil—hear, believe, and bear fruit
• Encouragement for gospel ministry: Keep sowing; God will bring the harvest

It’s NOT about:

• Creating anxiety (“only 25% make it”)
• Establishing performance metrics
• Positioning one organization as the fulfillment
• Constant self-evaluation of your “soil type”

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Part 3: The Psychological Progression

The Indoctrination Process at Lesson 16

By Lesson 16, students have been in the Parables course for approximately 4 weeks. Let’s examine what’s happened psychologically:

1. Accumulated Framework:

Students have been taught:

• The Bible was “sealed” and requires special interpretation (Lessons 1-10)
• Seeds and fields have symbolic meanings (Lessons 11-15)
• Now: Your heart is a “field,” and you’re probably “bad soil” (Lesson 16)

Each lesson adds another layer while creating increasing anxiety and dependency.

2. Statistical Anxiety:

The “only 25% make it” teaching creates profound anxiety:

• What if I’m not in the 25%?
• How do I know if I’m good soil?
• Most people think they’re good soil when they’re actually bad soil—am I deceived?

This anxiety makes students dependent on SCJ for evaluation and guidance.

3. Performance Pressure:

The checklist for being “good soil” creates performance pressure:

• Hear the word daily
• Take notes
• Ask questions
• Memorize Scripture
• Pray continually
• Be alert
• Be humble
• Persevere

Students constantly evaluate: Am I doing enough? Am I really good soil?

4. Fear of Departure:

The lesson creates multiple psychological barriers to leaving:

• Leaving = being “rocky soil” who couldn’t withstand persecution
• Leaving = being “thorny soil” choked by worldly concerns
• Leaving = proving you were never “good soil”

5. Reframing Relationships:

The lesson teaches students to see:

• Questions from family = persecution
• Concerns from friends = trials
• Time with loved ones = potential “thorns”

This begins the process of isolation.

6. Identity Formation:

Students begin to see themselves as:

• Part of the 25% (hopefully)
• Living in the time when the parable is being “fulfilled”
• Privileged to receive “the explanation of heaven’s secrets”
• Different from those who don’t “understand” (i.e., those not in SCJ)

7. Preparation for Future Claims:

The “fulfillment now” framework prepares students to accept:

• They’re living in a special time
• Prophecy is being fulfilled through SCJ
• How they respond to SCJ determines their eternal destiny

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The Strategic Positioning of Lesson 16

Chapter 7 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains SCJ’s gradual disclosure strategy. Lesson 16 is strategically positioned:

Before Lesson 16:

• Students learned symbolic interpretation
• Students accepted SCJ’s framework
• Foundation was laid

Lesson 16:

• Creates profound spiritual anxiety
• Positions SCJ as the solution
• Establishes performance metrics
• Prepares for “fulfillment now” claims

After Lesson 16:

• Students will learn more symbolic interpretations
• Anxiety and dependency will increase
• Students will be told about SCJ’s organizational structure
• Students will learn about Lee Man-hee as “promised pastor”

Lesson 16 is a critical setup that creates the anxiety and dependency that make later claims seem necessary and urgent.

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The Testimony Pattern

Chapter 14 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” shares testimonies from former members. A common theme regarding the “four fields” teaching:

“The ‘four fields’ lesson created so much anxiety for me. I was constantly evaluating: Am I good soil? Am I doing enough? The instructor kept saying ‘only 25% make it’ and ‘most people think they’re good soil when they’re actually bad soil.’ I became terrified that I was deceiving myself. Every doubt made me think I was ‘rocky soil.’ Every concern about time commitment made me think I was ‘thorny soil.’ I felt like I had to prove I was ‘good soil’ by never missing a class, always taking notes, always asking questions, always memorizing Scripture. It was exhausting. And when family members expressed concern about how much time I was spending in the study, I saw it as ‘persecution’ that I needed to overcome to prove I was good soil. The teaching made me see loving concern as spiritual attack. It took me months after leaving to realize that the anxiety itself was the problem—the Bible doesn’t teach that only 25% of Christians make it or that we should constantly doubt our salvation. The gospel gives assurance, not anxiety.”

This lesson creates that anxiety and dependency.

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Part 4: Distinguishing Biblical Truth from SCJ Framework

What’s Biblical in This Lesson?

It’s important to acknowledge what’s actually true and biblical:

1. Jesus taught the Parable of the Sower:

Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-15. This is biblical and important.

2. Spiritual receptivity matters:

How we respond to God’s Word is important. We should have receptive hearts.

3. There are obstacles to spiritual growth:

• Hard hearts that don’t understand
• Shallow faith that falls away under pressure
• Divided hearts choked by worldly concerns

These are real spiritual dangers.

4. We should examine our hearts:

2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”

Self-examination is biblical and healthy.

5. Perseverance is necessary:

Hebrews 3:14: “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”

Genuine faith perseveres.

6. We should prioritize God:

Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

God should be our first priority.

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What’s Uniquely SCJ?

The problematic elements are subtle but significant:

1. The “only 25% make it” emphasis:

• Biblical: The parable describes varied responses to the gospel
• SCJ: Creates statistical anxiety to make students doubt their salvation

2. The “fulfillment now” claim:

• Biblical: The parable was relevant when Jesus taught it and remains relevant today
• SCJ: Claims the parable is being uniquely “fulfilled now” through SCJ’s teaching

3. The redefinition of “understanding”:

• Biblical: Understanding means grasping the gospel through the Holy Spirit
• SCJ: Understanding = accepting SCJ’s symbolic interpretations

4. The redefinition of “persecution”:

• Biblical: Persecution means suffering for following Christ
• SCJ: Persecution = questions from family about the study

5. The redefinition of “thorns”:

• Biblical: Thorns = worldly concerns that compete with God for our hearts’ affection
• SCJ: Thorns = anything that might interfere with the study (including legitimate responsibilities)

6. The performance-based framework:

• Biblical: God makes us fruitful as we abide in Christ by faith
• SCJ: You must work hard to “become good soil” through checklist completion

7. The use of anxiety as a control mechanism:

• Biblical: God gives assurance to believers
• SCJ: Creates constant doubt about your spiritual state to maintain dependency

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The Blurred Lines

The genius of this lesson is how it blurs biblical truth with SCJ’s framework:

Example 1: Spiritual Receptivity

• Biblical truth: We should have receptive hearts toward God’s Word
• Biblical context: This is about faith response to the gospel
• SCJ addition: You’re probably “bad soil” without knowing it; only 25% make it; stay in SCJ to become good soil
• Result: Students accept anxiety and dependency while thinking they’re pursuing spiritual receptivity

Example 2: Persecution

• Biblical truth: Christians will face persecution for their faith
• Biblical context: Persecution means suffering for following Christ
• SCJ addition: Questions from family = persecution; doubt = being “rocky soil”
• Result: Students see loving concern as spiritual attack and interpret their own doubts as spiritual failure

Example 3: Priorities

• Biblical truth: We should prioritize God above worldly concerns
• Biblical context: This means seeking first His kingdom while fulfilling our responsibilities
• SCJ addition: Anything that might interfere with the study = “thorns”; prioritizing family/work/health = being “thorny soil”
• Result: Students neglect legitimate responsibilities while thinking they’re prioritizing God

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Part 5: The Larger Pattern

How This Lesson Fits SCJ’s Overall Strategy

This lesson is part of a carefully designed progression:

Lessons 1-10: Foundation

• Bible is “sealed” and requires special interpretation
• Most Christians don’t understand Scripture correctly
• Students need SCJ’s teaching to understand God’s Word

Lessons 11-16: Building Anxiety and Dependency

• Lesson 11-15: Seeds and fields have symbolic meanings
• Lesson 16: Your heart is a “field”; you’re probably “bad soil”; only 25% make it
• Each lesson creates increasing anxiety and dependency

Lessons 17-25: Deepening the Framework

• Further symbolic interpretation
• More organizational metaphors
• Increasing isolation from other sources

Intermediate Level: Identity Revelation

• Christianity has been “destroyed”
• SCJ is the restoration
• Lee Man-hee is the “promised pastor”

Advanced Level: Full Indoctrination

• Detailed study of Revelation through SCJ’s lens
• SCJ is the 144,000
• Students must join SCJ to be “sealed”

Lesson 16’s Specific Role:

This lesson creates the anxiety and dependency that make later claims seem necessary:

• “Only 25% make it” (urgency)
• “You’re probably bad soil without knowing it” (self-doubt)
• “Stay in the study to become good soil” (dependency)
• “Leaving proves you were bad soil” (prevents departure)

The anxiety becomes a psychological trap that keeps students in SCJ and makes them vulnerable to future claims.

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Conclusion: The Path Forward

For Those Currently in SCJ’s Course

If you’re reading this while taking SCJ’s Bible study, you’re at a critical juncture. The “four fields” teaching has likely created anxiety: Am I good soil? Am I in the 25%? What if I’m deceiving myself?

But consider this: The gospel gives assurance, not anxiety.

1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

If you have faith in Jesus Christ, you can have assurance of salvation. You don’t need to constantly doubt whether you’re “good soil.”

Chapter 27 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (“Your Investigation Begins”) provides practical steps:

1. Examine the Parable in Context:

Read Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8 in full. Is Jesus creating anxiety about “only 25% making it,” or is He explaining varied responses to the gospel?

2. Test the “Fulfillment Now” Claim:

Does the Bible say this parable wasn’t relevant before but is being “fulfilled now”? Or has it been relevant throughout church history as the gospel has been proclaimed?

3. Evaluate the Redefinitions:

• Does “understanding” mean accepting SCJ’s interpretations, or does it mean grasping the gospel?
• Does “persecution” mean questions from family, or does it mean suffering for Christ?
• Do “thorns” mean any concern that might interfere with the study, or do they mean worldly concerns that compete with God?

4. Consider the Fruit:

Is this teaching producing:

• Anxiety or assurance?
• Dependency or freedom?
• Isolation or community?
• Performance pressure or rest in Christ?

5. Visit the Shincheonji Examination:

For comprehensive resources and detailed biblical refutation of SCJ’s claims, visit: https://closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination

This resource provides:

• Detailed analysis of SCJ’s “four fields” teaching and anxiety-creation tactics
• Biblical examination of the Parable of the Sower in proper context
• Refutation of the “only 25% make it” framework
• Testimonies from former members about the anxiety created by this teaching
• Guidance for families and counselors
• Resources for finding assurance in Christ

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For Those Who Have Left

Chapter 28 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (“Hope and Help”) offers guidance for former members. Key points regarding the “four fields” teaching:

1. You weren’t “bad soil”:

The anxiety you felt was created by SCJ’s teaching, not by your actual spiritual state. If you have faith in Christ, you’re connected to Him, and He will make you fruitful.

2. The “only 25% make it” teaching was manipulation:

Jesus wasn’t teaching statistics. He was describing varied responses to the gospel. This isn’t about your chances of “making it”—it’s about the power of God’s Word and the call to receptive hearts.

3. Leaving wasn’t “falling away under persecution”:

Leaving an organization that was creating anxiety and isolation isn’t spiritual failure. It’s wisdom. Real persecution means suffering for Christ, not leaving a Bible study.

4. You can have assurance:

Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

If you have faith in Christ, you can have assurance of salvation. You don’t need to constantly doubt your spiritual state.

5. God makes you fruitful:

John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Fruitfulness comes from abiding in Christ by faith, not from completing a checklist or staying in an organization.

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For the Christian Community

The existence of teachings like SCJ’s “four fields” doctrine should motivate us to:

1. Teach assurance, not anxiety:

Help believers understand that salvation is by grace through faith, and that genuine believers can have assurance.

2. Emphasize God’s power, not our performance:

God’s Word is powerful and effective. He makes us fruitful as we abide in Christ.

3. Provide healthy self-examination:

Teach believers to examine whether they have genuine faith in Christ, not whether they’re meeting performance standards.

4. Clarify biblical terms:

Help people understand what “persecution,” “understanding,” and “thorns” actually mean biblically.

5. Respond with compassion:

Those caught in or leaving SCJ need grace, not condemnation. They were seeking spiritual growth and trying to be “good soil”; they were simply misled about what that means.

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Final Thoughts

This lesson—Lesson 16 on the four fields—appears to be encouraging biblical teaching about spiritual receptivity and perseverance. But beneath the surface, it’s constructing an anxiety-based control system that positions SCJ as the solution to the fear it creates.

The principles in “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” help us see through the deception:

• Chapter 1-2: Recognize how organizational agenda shapes interpretation
• Chapter 3-4: Understand how interpretive frameworks distort biblical teaching
• Chapter 11-13: Identify isolation tactics and demand verifiable criteria
• Chapter 18-20: Test authority claims and watch for creative fulfillment
• Chapter 21-23: Remember God’s character is grace and assurance, not anxiety and performance
• Chapter 24-26: Keep the Bible’s unified message centered on Christ and the gospel
• Chapter 27-28: Know that investigation is possible and healing is available

The true gospel is better than SCJ’s counterfeit:

• Assurance, not anxiety: We can know we have eternal life (1 John 5:13)
• Grace, not performance: Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• God’s power, not our efforts: He makes us fruitful (John 15:5, Philippians 1:6)
• Freedom, not control: Christ sets us free (Galatians 5:1)
• Rest, not exhaustion: Jesus gives rest to the weary (Matthew 11:28-30)

May those reading this find freedom in Christ, who said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30)—not through performance-based spirituality, but through faith in Him.

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Additional Resources

For more detailed refutation of Shincheonji’s specific doctrines and claims, visit:

https://closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination

This comprehensive resource provides:

• Detailed analysis of SCJ’s “four fields” teaching and anxiety-creation tactics
• Biblical examination of the Parable of the Sower in proper context
• Refutation of the “only 25% make it” framework
• Testimonies from former members about the anxiety and performance pressure created by this teaching
• Theological analysis of SCJ’s redefinitions of “understanding,” “persecution,” and “thorns”
• Guidance for families and counselors dealing with SCJ involvement
• Resources for finding assurance in Christ and healthy spiritual growth
• Comparison charts showing biblical teaching vs. SCJ’s distortions

The examination is thorough, biblically grounded, and presented with grace—exactly what’s needed to counter SCJ’s sophisticated but deceptive system.

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Appendix: Key Scripture Passages in Context

For those wanting to study the biblical passages used in this lesson more deeply, here are the key texts with their proper context:

Matthew 13:1-23 (The Parable of the Sower)

Context: Jesus is teaching large crowds about the kingdom of heaven using parables. The religious leaders have rejected Him, but He continues to proclaim the gospel.

Main Point: The parable explains why people respond differently to the gospel message. Some reject it immediately (path), some make shallow commitments (rocky), some try to serve both God and the world (thorny), and some genuinely believe and bear fruit (good soil).

Key Verses:

Matthew 13:18-19: “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.”

Matthew 13:23: “But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Application: The parable is about initial response to the gospel. It’s not meant to create constant anxiety about whether you’re “good soil” after you’ve already believed. If you have genuine faith in Christ, you’re connected to Him, and He will make you fruitful.

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Mark 4:13-20 (Jesus Explains the Parable)

Context: Same parable, but Mark emphasizes that understanding this parable is foundational to understanding other parables.

Main Point: The seed is the Word. Understanding how people respond to God’s Word helps us understand other spiritual truths.

Key Verses:

Mark 4:13-14: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word.'”

Mark 4:20: “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Application: Yes, this parable is foundational. But it’s foundational because it teaches about the power of God’s Word and varied human responses, not because it creates a system for constantly evaluating your spiritual state.

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Luke 8:4-15 (The Parable with Additional Details)

Context: Luke’s account adds the detail that good soil represents those with “a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Main Point: Good soil is characterized by hearing, retaining, and persevering—not by anxious self-evaluation.

Key Verses:

Luke 8:11: “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.”

Luke 8:15: “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Application: A “noble and good heart” is one that receives God’s Word with faith and holds onto it through trials. This is about genuine faith, not performance metrics.

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Isaiah 55:10-11 (God’s Word is Effective)

Context: Isaiah is prophesying about God’s faithful promises and the power of His Word.

Main Point: God’s Word always accomplishes His purposes. It’s inherently powerful and effective.

Key Verses:

Isaiah 55:10-11: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Application: The emphasis is on God’s power, not our performance. God’s Word is effective. When we proclaim the gospel, God will bring the harvest. We don’t need to create anxiety about “only 25% making it”—we trust God’s Word to accomplish His purposes.

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1 John 5:13 (Assurance of Salvation)

Context: John is writing to believers to give them assurance of eternal life.

Main Point: Genuine believers can know they have eternal life. We don’t need to constantly doubt our salvation.

Key Verses:

1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Application: If you believe in Jesus Christ, you can know you have eternal life. You don’t need to constantly evaluate whether you’re “good soil” or worry about being in the “25%.” The gospel gives assurance, not anxiety.

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Romans 8:16 (The Spirit’s Testimony)

Context: Paul is teaching about life in the Spirit and the assurance believers have as God’s children.

Main Point: The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. We have internal confirmation of our relationship with God.

Key Verses:

Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Application: Believers have the Holy Spirit’s testimony that they belong to God. This is assurance, not anxiety. We don’t need an organization to tell us whether we’re “good soil”—the Spirit confirms our relationship with God.

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Ephesians 2:8-9 (Salvation by Grace)

Context: Paul is explaining the gospel—how we’re saved by grace through faith, not by works.

Main Point: Salvation is God’s gift, received by faith. It’s not based on our performance or efforts.

Key Verses:

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Application: We’re not saved by being “good soil” through our own efforts. We’re saved by grace through faith in Christ. Yes, genuine faith produces fruit, but the emphasis is on God’s grace, not our performance.

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John 15:5 (Abiding in Christ)

Context: Jesus’ final discourse with His disciples. He’s teaching about remaining in Him for spiritual fruitfulness.

Main Point: Jesus is the source of spiritual life and fruitfulness. Apart from Him, we can do nothing.

Key Verses:

John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Application: Fruitfulness comes from abiding in Christ by faith, not from completing a checklist or staying in an organization. The emphasis is on our relationship with Christ, not our performance.

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Philippians 1:6 (God Completes His Work)

Context: Paul is expressing confidence that God will complete the work He began in believers.

Main Point: God is the one who begins and completes the work of salvation in us. We can trust Him to finish what He started.

Key Verses:

Philippians 1:6: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Application: If God has begun a work in you (genuine faith in Christ), He will complete it. You don’t need to anxiously wonder if you’re “good soil”—God is faithful to complete His work in you.

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Matthew 11:28-30 (Jesus Gives Rest)

Context: Jesus is inviting people to come to Him for rest from the burdens of legalistic religion.

Main Point: Jesus gives rest, not anxiety. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Key Verses:

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Application: If a teaching is creating exhaustion, anxiety, and heavy burdens, it’s not from Jesus. He gives rest. Performance-based spirituality creates weariness; the gospel gives rest.

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Appendix: Comparison Chart

To help clarify the differences between biblical teaching and SCJ’s framework, here’s a side-by-side comparison:

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Appendix: Questions for Reflection

If you’re currently taking SCJ’s Bible study, consider these questions:

About the “Only 25% Make It” Teaching:

1. Does Jesus say “only 25% of people will be saved”? Or is He describing varied responses to the gospel?
2. Does the Bible teach that we should constantly doubt our salvation? Or does it give assurance to genuine believers?
3. Is the “only 25% make it” teaching producing confidence in Christ or anxiety about your spiritual state?
4. Who benefits from creating anxiety about “only 25% making it”? Does this serve God’s purposes or SCJ’s organizational goals?

About “Understanding”:

1. What does “understanding” mean in the parable? Does it mean accepting SCJ’s symbolic interpretations, or does it mean grasping the gospel message?
2. Does the Bible teach that understanding comes through one organization’s teaching, or through the Holy Spirit’s illumination?
3. If you have questions or doubts about SCJ’s teaching, does that mean you’re “path soil” being attacked by evil spirits? Or could it mean you’re exercising healthy discernment?

About “Persecution”:

1. What is biblical persecution? Is it suffering for following Christ, or is it questions from family about a Bible study?
2. When family members express concern about how much time you’re spending in the study, is that persecution? Or is that love?
3. Does reframing loving concern as “persecution” serve your spiritual growth or SCJ’s organizational control?

About “Thorns”:

1. What are the biblical “thorns”? Are they worldly concerns that compete with God, or are they any concern that might interfere with the study?
2. Are family responsibilities, work obligations, and health concerns “thorns” that choke the word? Or are they legitimate responsibilities that God calls us to fulfill?
3. Does the Bible teach that we should neglect our responsibilities to prioritize a Bible study? Or does it teach that we should fulfill our responsibilities while serving God?

About Performance and Assurance:

1. Is spiritual fruitfulness about completing a checklist (hear daily, take notes, ask questions, memorize, pray, be alert, be humble, persevere)? Or is it about abiding in Christ by faith?
2. Does the Bible teach that we should constantly evaluate whether we’re “good soil”? Or does it teach that genuine believers can have assurance of salvation?
3. Is this teaching producing rest in Christ or exhaustion from performance pressure?

About Authority and Verification:

1. How can you independently verify SCJ’s claim that this parable is being “fulfilled now”?
2. Who defines the criteria for what makes someone “good soil”? (Hint: SCJ does)
3. Is there circular reasoning in the claim that “SCJ teaches you to be good soil, and staying in SCJ proves you’re good soil”?
4. What would happen if you consulted other Christian sources to verify SCJ’s interpretation of this parable?

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Appendix: Biblical Assurance

If you’re struggling with anxiety after this lesson—anxiety about whether you’re “good soil,” whether you’re in the “25%,” whether you’re deceiving yourself—here are biblical truths to hold onto:

1. God’s Word is powerful and effective:

Isaiah 55:10-11: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

2. Salvation is by grace through faith:

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

3. Believers can have assurance:

1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

4. The Holy Spirit testifies that we are God’s children:

Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

5. God completes the work He begins:

Philippians 1:6: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

6. Jesus gives rest, not anxiety:

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

7. Nothing can separate us from God’s love:

Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

8. God is faithful:

1 Thessalonians 5:24: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

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A Prayer for Those Struggling

If you’re feeling anxious, exhausted, or trapped after this lesson, here’s a prayer you can pray:

“Lord Jesus, I’m struggling with anxiety. I’ve been taught that only 25% make it, that I’m probably bad soil without knowing it, that I need to work hard to become good soil. I’m exhausted from trying to meet all the performance standards. I’m afraid I’m deceiving myself. I’m afraid I’m not doing enough.

But Your Word says that You give rest to the weary and burdened. Your Word says that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Your Word says that I can know I have eternal life if I believe in You.

Please help me to rest in Your grace. Help me to trust that salvation is Your gift, not my achievement. Help me to believe that You are the one who makes me fruitful as I abide in You by faith.

I don’t want to be controlled by anxiety. I don’t want to constantly doubt my salvation. I want to rest in Your finished work on the cross.

Thank You that You are faithful to complete the work You began in me. Thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love. Thank You that I can have assurance because of Your promises, not because of my performance.

Help me to discern truth from deception. If what I’m learning is creating anxiety rather than assurance, exhaustion rather than rest, isolation rather than community, please show me. Give me wisdom and courage to seek truth.

In Your name I pray, Amen.”

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Closing Thoughts: The Simple Truth

After all the anxiety about soil types, the statistics about “only 25% making it,” the performance checklists, and the fear of deception, the gospel remains beautifully simple:

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 6:37: “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

John 10:27-29: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

Romans 8:1: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

You don’t need to figure out if you’re “good soil” through anxious self-evaluation. You need to trust in Jesus.

You don’t need to meet performance standards to prove you’re in the “25%.” You need to rest in God’s grace.

You don’t need to work hard to “become good soil.” You need to abide in Christ by faith, and He will make you fruitful.

You don’t need constant anxiety about your spiritual state. You can have assurance because of Christ’s finished work.

The true gospel gives rest, not anxiety. Assurance, not doubt. Freedom, not control.

And if you have Jesus through faith, you have everything you need.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” — 1 John 5:13

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:38-39

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For comprehensive resources, biblical analysis, and support, visit:

https://closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination

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This analysis is part of the series “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story.” May God grant you wisdom, discernment, and the peace that comes from resting in Christ alone.