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

Analysis of SCJ Bible Study Lesson 6: “Those Who Belong to God and Those Who Belong to Satan”

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Introduction: The Spiritual Metal Detector

Imagine you’re at an airport security checkpoint. A security officer approaches with a metal detector wand. “This device can identify threats,” he explains confidently. “It detects dangerous materials that ordinary people can’t see. You need this kind of discernment to stay safe.”

He demonstrates how the detector works, waving it over various objects. It beeps at some items and stays silent at others. “See?” he says. “This phone is safe. But this water bottle? Dangerous. You can’t trust your own judgment—you need the detector.”

You’re impressed by his expertise. He seems knowledgeable, uses technical language, and demonstrates the device with authority. So when he offers to teach you how to use the detector yourself, you eagerly accept.

Over several sessions, he trains you. You learn to interpret the beeps, to trust the device over your own perception, to see threats where you previously saw none. The detector becomes your primary tool for discernment. You start categorizing everything around you: safe or dangerous, trustworthy or suspicious, friend or threat.

But then something unsettling happens. The detector starts beeping at things you know are safe—your family members, your pastor, your church. “That’s normal,” the officer reassures you. “The detector is revealing hidden threats you couldn’t see before. Your discomfort means it’s working. Trust the detector, not your feelings.”

Months later, you discover the truth: the “detector” was rigged. It wasn’t identifying real threats—it was programmed to beep at whatever the officer wanted you to fear. The device didn’t give you discernment; it replaced your discernment with his agenda. And now you’ve categorized your entire world according to his programming, seeing enemies where there are none and trusting strangers while suspecting loved ones.

This is what happens in SCJ Lesson 6.

The lesson appears to be a biblical teaching about spiritual discernment—how to distinguish between those who belong to God and those who belong to Satan. Instructor Nate walks students through Scripture passages about testing spirits, explains God’s characteristics versus Satan’s characteristics, and encourages students to develop discernment. Everything seems biblically grounded, spiritually mature, and necessary for Christian growth.

But beneath the surface, something else is happening. The lesson is installing a “spiritual detector” that’s been programmed with SCJ’s agenda. By the time students realize what’s happening, they’ve already accepted the framework: that discernment means identifying who has “correct testimony” (preparing for Lee Man-hee’s claims), that persecution proves you’re right (inoculating against family/church concerns), that understanding parables is essential for salvation (preparing for SCJ’s interpretive system), and that most Christians belong to Satan because they can’t “testify to fulfillment” (preparing to leave Christianity for SCJ).

Lesson 6 is particularly strategic because it sits at a pivotal point in the Introductory Level. Students have completed five lessons on parables, symbols, and biblical interpretation. Now they’re receiving what appears to be crucial teaching about spiritual discernment—how to identify true believers from false ones. They don’t yet know they’re in Shincheonji. They don’t yet know that this “discernment framework” will be used to convince them that their pastors belong to Satan, that their churches are false, that their families are persecuting them for righteousness’ sake, and that only SCJ has people who truly “belong to God.” They’re learning to use a spiritual detector, unaware that it’s been rigged to lead them away from truth.

Let’s examine how this lesson operates on multiple levels simultaneously, using the analytical tools from “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story.”

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Part 1: What’s Biblical vs. What’s SCJ—Distinguishing the Layers

The Surface Layer: Legitimate Biblical Teaching

At first glance, Lesson 6 contains solid biblical content:

1. We Should Test Spirits

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

This is biblical. We are commanded to test spirits and teachings.

2. We Should Examine Scripture

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

This is biblical. The Bereans are praised for testing even apostolic teaching against Scripture.

3. God Speaks Truth; Satan Lies

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19)

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

This is biblical. God is truth; Satan is the father of lies.

4. God’s People Face Persecution

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)

This is biblical. Jesus did teach that His followers would face persecution.

5. God Fulfills His Promises The lesson correctly teaches that God makes promises and fulfills them, citing passages like Deuteronomy 18:18-22.

This is why the lesson is effective. As Chapter 2 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains, Shincheonji operates by presenting “Two Realities, Same Story.” The biblical content is real and accurate, but it’s being used to construct a “discernment framework” that will later be weaponized to support heretical teachings.

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The Hidden Layer: SCJ’s Interpretive Framework

Beneath the biblical teaching, the lesson is building several theological and psychological frameworks that are uniquely SCJ:

1. The “Testimony of Fulfillment” Framework

The lesson establishes that the primary way to identify God’s people is by their ability to “testify to fulfillment”:

“In order for us to know what God has promised, it first needs to be fulfilled and happen. And when it happens, God’s people should be able to testify to what has been fulfilled. God’s people should be able to say – this is what God did according to this Scripture, this is what God did according to that Scripture.”

“Someone considered God’s person today should also be able to testify to what God is doing now, just as Paul was able to 2,000 years ago. This is a very important ability of God’s people.”

“God’s people are supposed to be able to testify to what God has done because the prophecies have been fulfilled. They can now explain the parables that God had originally spoken in intentionally vague language.”

What’s Biblical: God does fulfill His promises (Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 55:11). The apostles did testify to what they witnessed (Acts 1:8, 1 John 1:1-3).

What’s SCJ: The lesson is creating a framework where the primary identifier of “God’s people” is the ability to “testify to fulfillment” of specific prophecies. This will later be used to claim that:

• Lee Man-hee is “God’s person” because he can “testify to fulfillment”
• Pastors and Christians who can’t provide SCJ’s specific “testimony” don’t belong to God
• Understanding and accepting SCJ’s interpretation of Revelation’s fulfillment is necessary to be “God’s person”

Biblical Response:

While the apostles did testify to what they witnessed, the New Testament does not establish “ability to testify to prophetic fulfillment” as the primary identifier of God’s people. Instead, it identifies God’s people by:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ:

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

2. The indwelling Holy Spirit:

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

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

3. Love for God and others:

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” (1 John 3:14)

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)

4. Obedience to God’s commands:

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.” (1 John 2:3)

“This is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)

5. Confession of Jesus as Lord:

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” (1 John 4:2-3)

The apostolic testimony was unique:

The apostles’ role as eyewitnesses was unique and unrepeatable:

“Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21-22)

The apostles were chosen specifically because they were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. This was a unique, foundational role that cannot be replicated.

The foundation is complete:

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:19-20)

The foundation has been laid. We don’t need new apostolic testimony to new fulfillments. We build on the foundation already established.

The Manipulation:

By establishing “testimony to fulfillment” as the primary identifier of God’s people, the lesson prepares students to:

• Accept Lee Man-hee’s claims because he provides “testimony to fulfillment”
• Reject pastors and Christians who can’t provide SCJ’s specific testimony
• Believe that understanding SCJ’s interpretation is necessary to be “God’s person”
• Feel that they’ve discovered something most Christians have missed

This is a subtle but profound shift from biblical Christianity, which identifies God’s people by faith in Christ, not by ability to provide specific prophetic testimony.

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2. The “Persecution Proves You’re Right” Framework

The lesson establishes that persecution is not just expected, but is actually evidence that you’re on the right path:

“Because God is at war. God’s people will also be at war.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Throughout history, righteous people have faced persecution. From Abel to the present day, God’s true followers have endured hardship for living out their faith.”

“Importantly, Jesus doesn’t call us to run from persecution but to expect it. ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted,’ he says.”

What’s Biblical: Jesus did teach that His followers would face persecution (Matthew 5:10-12, John 15:18-20). The apostles and early Christians did face persecution for their faith.

What’s SCJ: The lesson is creating a framework where persecution becomes proof that you’re right, rather than something to be examined. This will later be used to reinterpret opposition from family, pastors, and churches as evidence that SCJ is God’s true work.

Biblical Response:

While Jesus did teach that His followers would face persecution, He never taught that all opposition equals persecution for righteousness, or that persecution itself proves you’re right:

1. Not all opposition is persecution for righteousness:

Jesus distinguished between different types of opposition:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” (Matthew 5:11)

The key phrase is “because of me”—persecution for following Jesus, not for following any teaching that claims to be from Jesus.

“If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, praise God that you bear that name.” (1 Peter 4:14-16)

Peter distinguishes between suffering “as a Christian” and suffering for doing wrong. Not all opposition is righteous persecution.

2. We must examine why we face opposition:

“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” (1 Peter 2:19-20)

We must discern whether we’re suffering for doing good or for doing wrong.

3. False teachers also face opposition:

The fact that someone faces opposition doesn’t prove they’re right. False teachers throughout history have also faced opposition:

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3)

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” (2 Peter 2:1-2)

False teachers face opposition too—sometimes from true believers trying to protect the flock.

4. We should examine the source and nature of opposition:

When facing opposition, we should ask:

• Is this opposition because I’m following Jesus, or because I’m following a specific organization’s teaching?
• Is this opposition from unbelievers, or from mature Christians who love me?
• Is this opposition based on biblical concerns, or on personal animosity?
• Am I being persecuted for righteousness, or am I facing consequences for unwise choices?

The Manipulation:

By teaching that persecution proves you’re right, the lesson inoculates students against legitimate concerns:

When family members express concern → “They’re persecuting me for righteousness” When pastors warn about SCJ → “They’re opposing God’s work” When friends question the teaching → “They belong to Satan” When Christians provide biblical correction → “They can’t testify to fulfillment, so they’re attacking those who can”

This framework prevents students from examining whether the opposition might be legitimate, loving intervention from people who care about them.

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3. The “Parables Are Intentionally Obscure” Framework

The lesson establishes that God intentionally makes His Word obscure to protect His plans from Satan:

“God intentionally speaks his prophecies in a specific language or code that is not clear or straightforward. The ambiguous nature of these prophecies seems intentional on God’s part.”

“God speaks in vision and parables… They do not speak in plain language intentionally. The reason why God does it this way is because He is at war… He speaks in parables about His prophecies intentionally. The language is opaque intentionally.”

“This is so that Satan cannot stop God’s plan before it is able to take place.”

“God’s people should be able to understand and explain the parables when the time comes. Understanding the parables is very important because it shows that one has correctly understood how the prophecies have been fulfilled.”

What’s Biblical: Jesus did speak in parables (Matthew 13). Some prophecies were not fully understood until their fulfillment (1 Peter 1:10-12). God’s wisdom is sometimes hidden from the “wise” and revealed to the humble (Matthew 11:25).

What’s SCJ: The lesson is teaching that:

• The Bible is intentionally obscure to hide God’s plans from Satan
• Understanding parables is essential to prove you belong to God
• Only those who can “explain the parables” when prophecies are fulfilled truly belong to God

This sets up the later teaching that Lee Man-hee is the only one who can correctly explain the parables of Revelation, and that accepting his interpretation is necessary to belong to God.

Biblical Response:

This teaching fundamentally misunderstands both God’s sovereignty and the purpose of parables:

1. God doesn’t need to hide His plans from Satan to protect them:

God’s sovereignty means His plans cannot be thwarted, whether Satan knows them or not:

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'” (Isaiah 46:10)

“The LORD Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.'” (Isaiah 14:24)

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

In fact, God openly declared His plan of redemption (Genesis 3:15), and Satan’s attempts to stop it (by killing Jesus) actually fulfilled it. God doesn’t need to hide His plans to protect them—His sovereignty ensures their fulfillment.

2. Jesus explained why He spoke 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.'” (Matthew 13:11-13)

Jesus spoke in parables not primarily to hide truth from Satan, but to:

• Reveal truth to those with receptive hearts (the disciples)
• Conceal truth from those who had hardened their hearts (those who rejected Him)
• Fulfill prophecy (Matthew 13:14-15, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10)

3. Jesus explained His parables:

Jesus didn’t leave His parables as permanent mysteries. He explained them to His disciples:

• The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:18-23)
• The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:36-43)
• Many other parables throughout the Gospels

And the New Testament interprets many Old Testament symbols and types for us, showing us how to understand them.

4. The mystery has been revealed:

The New Testament repeatedly states that the mystery has been revealed, not that it remains sealed:

“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.” (Ephesians 3:2-5)

Notice: Paul says by reading his letter, people “will be able to understand” the mystery. He doesn’t say it remains sealed awaiting future special revelation.

“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.” (Colossians 1:25-26)

The mystery has been disclosed, not kept sealed for 2,000 more years.

5. Scripture is meant to be understood:

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Scripture makes us “thoroughly equipped”—not partially equipped awaiting special interpretation.

The Manipulation:

By teaching that parables are intentionally obscure and that understanding them proves you belong to God, the lesson prepares students to:

• Believe that the Bible has been incomprehensible for 2,000 years
• Accept that only those with special revelation can understand it
• Think that accepting SCJ’s interpretation is necessary to belong to God
• Feel superior to Christians who don’t have SCJ’s “understanding”

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4. The “Creating According to Pattern” Framework

The lesson teaches that God’s people create according to God’s pattern:

“God is the Creator. God has the ability to put situations and circumstances in place for His words to be fulfilled.”

“Someone who belongs to God should also have creative abilities, but these should align with God’s word and instructions, not merely their own ideas. Their creativity is expressed through accurately replicating what God has shown them according to scripture, not according to their own interpretations or specifications.”

“The key point is that for someone belonging to God, everything they do should align with God’s word. Their creative output should follow the divine pattern God establishes, ensuring it ultimately reflects God’s creation through them, not merely their own.”

What’s Biblical: God did give Moses specific instructions for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8-9, 40). God’s people should align their lives with His Word.

What’s SCJ: The lesson is establishing that God’s people “create according to pattern”—they replicate what God has shown them. This will later be used to claim that:

• The “pattern” in Revelation must be replicated physically
• SCJ’s organization structure replicates the “pattern” of Revelation
• Lee Man-hee is creating according to the “pattern” God showed him
• Joining SCJ means participating in God’s “creation according to pattern”

Biblical Response:

While God did give specific instructions for the tabernacle, the New Testament teaches that the Old Testament tabernacle was a shadow pointing to Christ, not a pattern to be physically replicated:

1. The tabernacle was a shadow of Christ:

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.” (Hebrews 10:1)

“They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.'” (Hebrews 8:5)

The tabernacle was a “copy and shadow” of heavenly realities, fulfilled in Christ.

2. Christ is the fulfillment:

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17)

The Old Testament patterns pointed to Christ. He is the reality; they were the shadow.

3. We are God’s temple now:

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Under the New Covenant, believers are God’s temple. We don’t need to physically replicate the tabernacle pattern.

4. We are being built into a spiritual house:

“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4-5)

God is building a spiritual house, not a physical replication of Old Testament patterns.

The Manipulation:

By teaching that God’s people “create according to pattern,” the lesson prepares students to accept that:

• SCJ’s organization structure is the fulfillment of Revelation’s “pattern”
• Physical replication of biblical symbols is necessary
• Lee Man-hee is “creating according to pattern” like Moses did
• Joining SCJ means participating in God’s creative work

This misunderstands the relationship between Old Testament shadows and New Testament fulfillment in Christ.

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Part 2: The Psychological Mechanisms at Work

How the Lesson Functions as Indoctrination

As Chapter 5 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explores, we can examine this lesson through two lenses: “Investigating Shincheonji’s Divine Blueprint vs. The Cult Playbook.” Let’s look at how Lesson 6 employs sophisticated psychological techniques:

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1. Creating Binary Categories

The Technique:

The lesson creates a stark binary: people either belong to God or belong to Satan, with no middle ground:

“In Scripture, there are always two forces: that which is of God and that which is of Satan.”

“There are two kinds of spirits, so we must discern between them.”

“We’ll talk about Satan’s characteristics and how they apply to his people in the same way.”

The Psychological Function:

This binary thinking creates a worldview where everyone must be categorized as either “God’s people” or “Satan’s people.” This is a classic cult tactic known as “black and white thinking” or “splitting.”

The Problem:

This binary framework will later be used to categorize:

• SCJ members = God’s people
• Everyone else (including Christians) = Satan’s people

Biblical Response:

While the Bible does distinguish between believers and unbelievers, it doesn’t present the simplistic binary that SCJ creates:

1. There are believers at different stages of maturity:

“Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2)

Paul addresses the Corinthians as believers (“brothers and sisters,” “in Christ”), but recognizes they’re immature. They’re not “Satan’s people”—they’re immature believers who need to grow.

2. Believers can be deceived or in error without belonging to Satan:

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)

Paul instructs believers to restore those caught in sin gently, not to categorize them as “Satan’s people.”

3. We should be careful about judging others:

“You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” (Romans 14:10)

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

The Manipulation:

By creating a binary framework, the lesson prepares students to:

• Categorize everyone as either “God’s people” or “Satan’s people”
• Place SCJ members in the “God’s people” category
• Place everyone else (including pastors, family, Christian friends) in the “Satan’s people” category
• Feel justified in rejecting input from anyone not in SCJ

This is dangerous because it prevents nuanced thinking and creates an us-vs-them mentality.

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2. Installing a Rigged Detector

The Technique:

The lesson provides specific criteria for identifying “God’s people” vs. “Satan’s people”:

God’s People:

• Can testify to fulfillment
• Understand parables
• Create according to pattern
• Face persecution

Satan’s People:

• Pretend/lie
• Cannot testify
• Twist and destroy
• Persecute and kill

The Psychological Function:

These criteria function like a “spiritual detector” that students will use to categorize everyone they encounter. But the detector is rigged—it’s programmed to identify SCJ members as “God’s people” and everyone else as “Satan’s people.”

The Problem:

The criteria are designed to:

• Identify Lee Man-hee as “God’s person” (he “testifies to fulfillment”)
• Identify SCJ members as “God’s people” (they “understand parables,” “create according to pattern”)
• Identify pastors/Christians as “Satan’s people” (they “cannot testify,” “twist truth,” “persecute”)

Biblical Response:

The biblical criteria for identifying God’s people are different:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ:

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

2. The fruit of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

3. Love for others:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

4. Confession of Jesus as Lord:

“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” (1 John 4:2-3)

Notice: The biblical criteria focus on faith in Christ, fruit of the Spirit, and love, not on ability to “testify to fulfillment” or “understand parables.”

The Manipulation:

By installing this rigged detector, the lesson ensures that students will:

• Identify SCJ as God’s work
• Identify opposition as Satan’s work
• Feel confident in their categorizations
• Reject input from those they’ve categorized as “Satan’s people”

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3. Inoculation Against Correction

The Technique:

The lesson pre-emptively frames opposition as persecution, which proves you’re right:

“Because God is at war. God’s people will also be at war.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Throughout history, righteous people have faced persecution.”

The Psychological Function:

This inoculates students against correction by reframing all opposition as persecution. When family, pastors, or friends express concerns, students will interpret it as:

• Evidence they’re on the right path
• Persecution for righteousness
• Confirmation that SCJ is God’s work

The Problem:

This prevents students from examining whether the opposition might be legitimate, loving intervention.

Biblical Response:

The Bible teaches us to receive correction:

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.” (Proverbs 12:1)

“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” (Proverbs 19:20)

“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” (Proverbs 27:6)

True wisdom receives correction, even when it’s uncomfortable.

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4. Creating Spiritual Elitism

The Technique:

The lesson creates a sense of spiritual superiority by teaching that God’s people have special abilities that others lack:

“God’s people should be able to testify to what God has done because the prophecies have been fulfilled. They can now explain the parables.”

“Someone who belongs to God should also have creative abilities, but these should align with God’s word and instructions.”

“Understanding the parables is very important because it shows that one has correctly understood how the prophecies have been fulfilled.”

The Psychological Function:

This creates a sense of being part of an elite group that has special knowledge and abilities that ordinary Christians lack.

The Problem:

This fosters spiritual pride and creates a hierarchy where SCJ members see themselves as superior to other Christians.

Biblical Response:

The Bible warns against spiritual elitism:

“Knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.” (1 Corinthians 8:1-2)

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 12:3)

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

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Part 3: The Specific Theological Distortions

Where This Lesson Departs from Biblical Christianity

Let’s examine specific teachings in this lesson that depart from orthodox Christian theology, particularly regarding SCJ’s views on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity:

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1. The Nature of “Spirits” and the Holy Spirit

What SCJ Teaches:

While Lesson 6 doesn’t explicitly state SCJ’s full theology on this topic, it lays groundwork by:

• Emphasizing “two kinds of spirits” (good and evil)
• Teaching that “spirits work through words” (John 6:63)
• Focusing on discerning between spirits

SCJ’s Full Teaching (revealed in later lessons):

SCJ teaches that:

• The “Holy Spirit” is not the third person of the Trinity (they reject the Trinity)
• “Holy Spirit” refers to good spirits or God’s spirit/power working through people
• There are many “holy spirits” (good spirits), not one Holy Spirit
• Jesus is not God but a created being who received God’s spirit
• The Trinity is a false doctrine

The Problem:

This fundamentally denies the biblical doctrine of the Trinity and the personhood of the Holy Spirit.

What the Bible Actually Teaches:

1. The Holy Spirit is a person, not just a force:

The Holy Spirit:

• Speaks: “The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it'” (Acts 8:29)
• Teaches: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things” (John 14:26)
• Testifies: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me” (John 15:26)
• Intercedes: “The Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26)
• Can be grieved: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30)
• Can be lied to: “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?” (Acts 5:3)

These are personal attributes, not attributes of an impersonal force.

2. The Trinity is biblical:

While the word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in Scripture, the concept is clearly taught:

The Father is God:

“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8:6)

The Son is God:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1, 14)

“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!'” (John 20:28)

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9)

The Holy Spirit is God:

“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.'” (Acts 5:3-4)

Peter equates lying to the Holy Spirit with lying to God.

The three are distinct yet one:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)

Notice: “in the name” (singular) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit—three persons, one name.

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

3. The use of “Elohim” (plural) in Genesis:

SCJ might use the plural form “Elohim” in Genesis to argue against the Trinity or to support their view of multiple spirits. However:

Elohim is a plural of majesty:

In Hebrew, “Elohim” is grammatically plural but takes singular verbs when referring to the one true God:

“In the beginning God [Elohim] created [singular verb] the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)

If “Elohim” referred to multiple gods, it would take a plural verb. The singular verb indicates one God.

The plural of majesty is used for emphasis:

This is similar to the “royal we” in English. It emphasizes God’s majesty and fullness, not multiple gods.

The Trinity is hinted at in the Old Testament:

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness'” (Genesis 1:26)

“And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me, endowed with his Spirit” (Isaiah 48:16) – Father, Messiah, and Spirit

“Come near me and listen to this: From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there. And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me, endowed with his Spirit” (Isaiah 48:16)

4. Jesus is fully God:

SCJ teaches that Jesus is a created being. The Bible teaches otherwise:

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9)

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

“Firstborn” here means preeminence, not created first. Jesus is the Creator, not a created being.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1-3)

Jesus is the eternal Word who was God and through whom all things were made.

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2. The Criteria for Identifying God’s People

What SCJ Teaches (Lesson 6):

The primary identifier of God’s people is ability to “testify to fulfillment”:

“Someone considered God’s person today should also be able to testify to what God is doing now, just as Paul was able to 2,000 years ago.”

The Problem:

This makes “testimony to fulfillment” the primary identifier, rather than faith in Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

What the Bible Actually Teaches:

As discussed earlier, the biblical identifiers of God’s people are:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9)
2. The indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9, 16; Ephesians 1:13-14)
3. Love for God and others (1 John 3:14, 4:7)
4. Obedience to God’s commands (1 John 2:3, 5:3)
5. Confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9, 1 John 4:2-3)

“Testimony to fulfillment” is not listed as a primary identifier.

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3. The Purpose of Parables

What SCJ Teaches (Lesson 6):

“God intentionally speaks his prophecies in a specific language or code that is not clear or straightforward… This is so that Satan cannot stop God’s plan before it is able to take place.”

The Problem:

This misunderstands both God’s sovereignty and the purpose of parables, as discussed earlier.

What the Bible Actually Teaches:

As explained in Part 1, God doesn’t need to hide His plans from Satan to protect them. His sovereignty ensures their fulfillment. Jesus spoke in parables to reveal truth to receptive hearts and conceal it from hardened hearts, not primarily to hide truth from Satan.

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Part 4: The Progression of Indoctrination

Where Lesson 6 Fits in the Recruitment Process

Understanding where this lesson appears in SCJ’s curriculum helps us see its strategic function:

Introductory Level (Parables) – Lesson 6:

• Students have completed 5 lessons on parables and symbols
• They’re now receiving “discernment training”
• They’re investing significant time (2-4 classes per week)
• They still don’t know they’re in Shincheonji
• They haven’t yet been taught SCJ’s core doctrines explicitly

The Strategic Function of Lesson 6:

This lesson serves as a discernment framework that will be used to categorize everyone students encounter:

What students learn at Lesson 6:

1. People either belong to God or Satan (binary thinking)
2. God’s people can “testify to fulfillment”
3. God’s people understand parables
4. God’s people face persecution
5. Persecution proves you’re right

How this prepares for later teaching:

By Intermediate Level (Lesson 65+), students will learn:

• Lee Man-hee is “God’s person” because he “testifies to fulfillment”
• SCJ members are “God’s people” because they “understand parables”
• Pastors and Christians are “Satan’s people” because they “cannot testify”
• Opposition from family/church is persecution that proves SCJ is right

By Advanced Level (Lesson 98+), students will learn:

• All churches except SCJ are “Babylon”
• All Christians except SCJ members belong to Satan
• Leaving family/church to join SCJ is leaving “Satan’s people” for “God’s people”
• Accepting Lee Man-hee’s testimony is necessary to belong to God

The framework from Lesson 6 makes these later teachings seem like the logical conclusion rather than the radical departure from Christianity they actually are.

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Part 5: Red Flags in This Lesson

Warning Signs That Should Prompt Investigation

Even without knowing this is Shincheonji, several elements of this lesson should raise concerns:

1. Binary Categorization

“In Scripture, there are always two forces: that which is of God and that which is of Satan.”

Red Flag: Why is this Bible study creating a stark binary where everyone must be categorized as either “God’s people” or “Satan’s people”?

Healthy Christian Teaching:

• Recognizes believers at different stages of maturity
• Distinguishes between unbelievers and immature believers
• Doesn’t create simplistic us-vs-them categories
• Focuses on personal growth rather than categorizing others

2. “Testimony to Fulfillment” as Primary Identifier

“Someone considered God’s person today should also be able to testify to what God is doing now, just as Paul was able to 2,000 years ago.”

Red Flag: Why is this Bible study making “testimony to fulfillment” the primary way to identify God’s people?

Healthy Christian Teaching:

• Identifies God’s people by faith in Christ
• Emphasizes the indwelling Holy Spirit
• Values love, obedience, and fruit of the Spirit
• Doesn’t make special knowledge the primary identifier

3. Persecution as Proof

“Because God is at war. God’s people will also be at war.”

Red Flag: Why is this Bible study teaching that persecution proves you’re right?

Healthy Christian Teaching:

• Acknowledges that believers may face persecution
• Teaches discernment about the source and nature of opposition
• Doesn’t use persecution as proof of correctness
• Encourages examination of why opposition is occurring

4. Intentionally Obscure Scripture

“God intentionally speaks his prophecies in a specific language or code that is not clear or straightforward.”

Red Flag: Why is this Bible study teaching that God intentionally makes Scripture obscure?

Healthy Christian Teaching:

• Affirms that Scripture is clear on essential matters
• Teaches that the Holy Spirit illuminates all believers
• Doesn’t claim Scripture has been incomprehensible for 2,000 years
• Values the church’s historical understanding

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Part 6: For Students Currently in This Study

Questions to Ask Yourself

If you’re currently taking this Bible study, here are some questions to consider:

About the Framework:

1. Am I being taught to categorize everyone as either “God’s people” or “Satan’s people”?
   • Is this binary thinking biblical?
   • Or does the Bible recognize believers at different stages of maturity?
2. What are the criteria I’m being taught for identifying “God’s people”?
   • Are these the biblical criteria (faith in Christ, Holy Spirit, love)?
   • Or are they focused on special knowledge and abilities?
3. Am I being taught that persecution proves I’m right?
   • Is all opposition persecution for righteousness?
   • Or should I examine the source and nature of opposition?

About My Relationships:

4. Am I starting to categorize my family, pastor, and Christian friends as “Satan’s people”?
   • What would cause me to categorize people who love me as belonging to Satan?
   • Is this categorization based on biblical criteria or on this organization’s teaching?
5. Am I interpreting concerns from loved ones as persecution?
   • Could their concerns be legitimate, loving intervention?
   • Or am I dismissing all concerns as opposition from “Satan’s people”?
6. Am I becoming isolated from people who care about me?
   • Am I pulling away from family, friends, and church?
   • Is this organization encouraging isolation?

About the Teaching:

7. What is this “discernment framework” preparing me to accept?
   • If “God’s people” are those who “testify to fulfillment,” who will I be told has this testimony?
   • If persecution proves you’re right, how will I interpret opposition to this organization?
8. Is this teaching about the Holy Spirit biblical?
   • Does the Bible teach that the Holy Spirit is a person or just a force?
   • Does the Bible teach the Trinity or reject it?
9. Am I experiencing spiritual pride?
   • Do I feel superior to other Christians?
   • Am I thinking I have special knowledge they lack?

About Investigation:

10. Am I free to investigate concerns?
    • Can I research this organization online?
    • Can I discuss what I’m learning with my pastor or Christian family?
    • Or do I feel I shouldn’t question because that would mean I belong to Satan?

Biblical Principle:

“Test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

If this teaching is true, testing it will confirm that truth. If it’s false, testing it will set you free.

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Part 7: For Family and Friends of Students

How to Help Someone in This Study

If someone you love is taking this Bible study, here’s how to help:

1. Understand What’s Happening

Your loved one is being taught a “discernment framework” that:

• Creates binary categories (God’s people vs. Satan’s people)
• Makes “testimony to fulfillment” the primary identifier
• Interprets all opposition as persecution
• Prepares them to categorize you as “Satan’s people” if you oppose this teaching

2. Ask Strategic Questions

Rather than attacking the teaching, ask questions that promote critical thinking:

About categorization:

• “How do you identify who belongs to God?”
• “What does the Bible say are the marks of God’s people?”
• “Does the Bible teach that everyone is either God’s people or Satan’s people, or are there other categories?”

About persecution:

• “How do you distinguish between persecution for righteousness and legitimate concerns from people who love you?”
• “Could opposition ever be loving intervention rather than persecution?”
• “What if the opposition is coming from mature Christians who care about you?”

About the Holy Spirit:

• “What does the Bible teach about the Holy Spirit?”
• “Is the Holy Spirit a person or just a force?”
• “What does the Bible say about the Trinity?”

3. Provide Resources Gently

Share resources without pressure:

• “I found this article about how to test teaching. Would you be willing to read it?”
• “There’s a website (closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination) that examines these teachings. Can we look at it together?”
• “I’d love to hear what your pastor thinks about this teaching.”

4. Maintain Relationship

The most important thing is staying connected. SCJ wants to isolate your loved one by teaching them to categorize you as “Satan’s people.” By maintaining relationship, you provide a lifeline when they’re ready to leave.

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Part 8: The Real Biblical Discernment

What the Bible Actually Teaches About Discernment

The lesson presents a “discernment framework” that’s been rigged to identify SCJ as God’s work. Let’s look at what the Bible actually teaches:

How to Identify God’s People

1. Faith in Jesus Christ:

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

2. The indwelling Holy Spirit:

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

3. Love for God and others:

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other.” (1 John 3:14)

4. Obedience to God’s commands:

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.” (1 John 2:3)

5. Confession of Jesus as Lord:

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

6. The fruit of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

How to Test Teaching

1. Does it align with Scripture?

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

2. Does it confess Jesus Christ?

“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” (1 John 4:2-3)

3. Does it produce good fruit?

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-16)

4. Does it lead to godliness?

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing.” (1 Timothy 6:3-4)

5. Does it build up the church?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

How to Respond to Opposition

1. Examine the source:

• Is it from unbelievers or from mature Christians who love you?
• Is it based on biblical concerns or personal animosity?

2. Examine the content:

• Are they raising legitimate biblical concerns?
• Are they providing Scripture to support their concerns?

3. Examine your response:

• Am I defensive and dismissive?
• Or am I willing to examine their concerns?

4. Seek wise counsel:

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)

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Conclusion: The Rigged Detector

Lesson 6 appears to be teaching biblical discernment—how to identify God’s people versus Satan’s people. But upon examination, it’s actually installing a “spiritual detector” that’s been rigged to identify SCJ as God’s work and everyone else as Satan’s work.

SCJ’s Detector:

• God’s people can “testify to fulfillment” (Lee Man-hee)
• God’s people understand parables (SCJ members)
• God’s people face persecution (opposition proves SCJ is right)
• Everyone else belongs to Satan

Biblical Discernment:

• God’s people have faith in Christ
• God’s people have the indwelling Holy Spirit
• God’s people show love, obedience, and fruit of the Spirit
• We test all teaching against Scripture
• We receive correction from mature believers

The Question:

Will you use SCJ’s rigged detector, or will you use biblical discernment?

The Choice:

You can continue using the detector this organization has given you, categorizing everyone according to their criteria.

Or you can return to biblical discernment: testing all teaching against Scripture, identifying God’s people by biblical criteria, and remaining open to correction from mature believers.

The Real Discernment:

Real discernment doesn’t come from a rigged detector. It comes from:

• Knowing Scripture
• Walking with the Holy Spirit
• Seeking wise counsel
• Testing all teaching
• Remaining humble and teachable

Truth welcomes examination. Deception fears it.

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Resources for Further Investigation

For detailed examination of Shincheonji’s teachings:

• Visit https://closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination

For understanding discernment and testing teaching:

• Review Chapters 10, 12, and 13 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

For biblical teaching on the Trinity and Holy Spirit:

• Review Chapters 14 and 15 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

For help leaving or supporting someone who’s leaving:

• See Chapter 28: “Hope and Help—Guidance for Members, Families, Christians, and Seekers”

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Remember: Biblical discernment comes from knowing Scripture and walking with the Holy Spirit, not from using a rigged detector that categorizes everyone according to one organization’s agenda.

“Test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)