Analysis of SCJ Lesson 15: “Secrets of Heaven – Figurative Seed and Field Part One”

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

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Introduction: The Garden Where Weeds Look Like Wheat

Imagine you’re learning to farm from someone who claims to be an expert agriculturalist. He shows you a field and says, “See those plants? Some are wheat, some are weeds. But here’s the problem—they look identical right now. You can’t tell them apart. In fact, most farmers can’t tell the difference. They think they’re growing wheat when they’re actually cultivating weeds.”

You look at the field, confused. The plants do look similar, but surely there are ways to distinguish them? The expert shakes his head. “Not yet. You see, wheat and weeds are indistinguishable until harvest time. That’s why you need me—I can teach you how to recognize the difference when the time comes. And that time is soon.”

Over the following weeks, he teaches you his system: “Wheat grows from good seed. Weeds grow from bad seed. The good seed is the truth. The bad seed is lies. Most churches are planting bad seed without knowing it. They think they’re growing wheat, but they’re actually growing weeds. Only those who understand the true meaning of the seed—the explanation I’m giving you—can grow real wheat.”

You become increasingly anxious. Am I wheat or a weed? Is my church planting good seed or bad seed? How can I know? The expert reassures you: “Stay with me. Keep learning. By the time of the harvest, you’ll understand. But if you leave now, you might discover you were a weed all along.”

Months pass. You’ve distanced yourself from your home church because you’re not sure if they’re planting “good seed.” You’ve embraced the expert’s teaching as the only reliable source of truth. You’ve started seeing other Christians as potential “weeds” who don’t understand the “secrets of the kingdom.”

Then one day, you step back and realize: The expert has been the one planting weeds all along. His teaching has produced division, elitism, isolation, and dependence on his authority—not the fruit of the Spirit. The “good seed” he claimed to plant was actually a distorted gospel that replaced Christ’s sufficiency with organizational allegiance.

This is what happens in SCJ Lesson 15.

The lesson appears to be a straightforward Bible study about the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds—one of Jesus’ agricultural parables found in Matthew 13. The instructor, Nate, walks students through Scripture passages about seeds and fields, explains their symbolic meanings, and encourages students to be “born of God’s seed.” Everything sounds biblical, agricultural, and spiritually challenging.

But beneath the surface, something else is being planted. The lesson uses legitimate biblical teaching to construct a framework that will eventually position SCJ as the exclusive source of “good seed” while labeling all other churches as sources of “bad seed” (weeds). By teaching that wheat and weeds are “indistinguishable until harvest,” that “the field is the church where sons of God and sons of the devil coexist,” and that “only those with the Word can distinguish between them,” the lesson creates a system where students learn to see other Christians as potential “weeds” while viewing SCJ as the exclusive community of “wheat.”

This lesson sits at position 15 in the Introductory (Parables) Level—strategically placed as the first detailed parable study after students have learned that the Bible was “sealed” and requires special interpretation. Now they’re learning about seeds and fields, but the criteria for distinguishing “good seed” from “bad seed” 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 most churches are planting “bad seed,” that they need SCJ’s teaching to distinguish wheat from weeds, that leaving SCJ means risking being identified as a “weed,” and that only through SCJ can they be “born of God’s seed.”

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 organizational exclusivism and spiritual elitism.

Let’s examine how this lesson uses legitimate biblical teaching about spiritual birth and growth to create an illegitimate system of “us versus them” thinking, and how the principles in “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” expose the deception.

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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 seeds and fields:

Opening Words of Encouragement:

The instructor begins with an exhortation about effort and receptivity:

“Understanding God’s word should be our ultimate goal, not allowing ourselves to be distracted by worldly things. Our aim should be to comprehend scripture in order to receive the forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life it promises. That is why we must make every effort to diligently study the Bible. Just as we exert great effort to achieve worldly goals like becoming a doctor, accountant, or nurse – studying long hours and sacrificing sleep – we need to put forth equal or greater effort for our spiritual development.”

Review Questions:

The lesson reviews previous concepts:

1. Why did Jesus speak in parables?
   • To fulfill Old Testament prophecies (Psalm 78:1-2)
   • Because of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven; the enemy would hinder God’s work if they knew (Matthew 13:10-11)
2. When can we know the true meaning of parables?
   • When the prophecies are fulfilled and the realities have appeared (when the sealed word is opened) (Daniel 12:8-10)
3. Why is it important to know the parables?
   • Those who understand receive forgiveness of sins and salvation
   • There is a “them” group who will not receive atonement of sins
   • The “you” group has been given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom

The Lesson’s Hope Statement:

“Our Hope: To be those born of God’s seed and be harvested at the second coming!”

Main Teaching on Seed and Field:

The lesson establishes this symbolic framework:

SEED = THE WORD OF GOD

Physical Characteristics of Seed:

1. Grows: Small, contains nutrients
2. Origin (source) of life: Every living thing starts as a seed
3. Reap what you sow: Seeds produce after their own kind (genetic inheritance)

Spiritual Meaning of Seed:

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.'”

The lesson emphasizes:

• The seed parable is foundational—if you don’t understand it, you can’t understand any parable
• Sowing seed = preaching
• There are two types of spiritual seed:

1. God’s Seed = Truth (John 17:17) 2. Satan’s Seed = Lies (John 8:44)

The Importance of the Seed:

John 1:1-4: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

• God’s seed gives life
• Satan’s seed brings death

1 Peter 1:23: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

The lesson teaches:

• We must be born again of imperishable seed (God’s Word)
• By default, we all start perishable, born of Satan’s seed
• Everyone must transition to being reborn of God’s seed
• One can go to God and then revert back to Satan

1 John 3:9-10: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

The lesson emphasizes:

• If we are born of God, we should not continue to sin
• We must let the Word take deeper root in us daily
• When the Word is firmly planted within us, we become less prone to sin

FIELD = A PERSON’S HEART (small scale) / THE WORLD (large scale)

Physical Characteristics of Field:

1. Where seed is sown
2. Where seed grows and produces fruit
3. Must be cultivated: A field must be prepared to receive seed

Spiritual Meaning of Field:

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.”

• Good soil = Noble and good heart
• There are four types of fields (soil)
• Only one field type (25%) is prepared to grow seed successfully

1 Corinthians 3:9: “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

• You are God’s field where seed is to be sown
• When people come together, they become part of something greater
• The field represents the world—specifically, Jesus’ world (the church)

The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30):

The lesson examines this parable in detail:

“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared… Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'”

Key Elements:

• Farmer = Son of Man (Jesus)
• Enemy = Devil
• Good Seed = Sons of God (wheat)
• Bad Seed = Sons of the devil (weeds)
• Field = Jesus’ field (the church)
• Harvest = End of the age
• Harvesters = Angels

The Lesson’s Interpretation:

Matthew 13:37-39: “He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.'”

The lesson emphasizes:

1. The enemy (devil) works through people—at Jesus’ first coming, these were the Pharisees and Sadducees, but also many others who spread false teachings
2. The field is Jesus’ field (the church)—where sons of God (wheat) and sons of the devil (weeds) grow together
3. Wheat and weeds are indistinguishable until harvest—Jesus said to let them grow together because if you try to uproot weeds now, you may also uproot wheat
4. Physical characteristics matter:
   • Wheat: Grows humbly, with heavy seed heads that cause stalks to bend
   • Weeds: Have deep horizontal roots that trap other plants; when uprooted, they uproot wheat too
5. The church contains both sons of God and sons of the devil—without discernment, they may appear alike
6. To distinguish between them, we need the Word of God within us—those who lack the Word are at risk of becoming sons of the devil
7. Weeds (lies) spread more quickly than truth, taking over the field

The Seed and Harvest Connection:

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.”

The lesson teaches:

• The seed represents the explanation—the secrets—of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus speaks about in parables
• When one hears the explanation regarding the kingdom of heaven, the four soils represent how people respond

Jeremiah 31:27 (Old Testament Prophecy):

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals.'”

The lesson teaches:

• This prophecy speaks of sowing two kinds of offspring (seed)
• Jesus fulfilled this Old Testament prophecy at His first coming
• Two seeds were sown in the same field (Matthew 13:24-30)

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The Subtext (What’s Really Being Established)

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

1. Creating “Us vs. Them” Mentality:

The lesson creates a binary framework:

• Sons of God (wheat) vs. Sons of the devil (weeds)
• Good seed (truth) vs. Bad seed (lies)
• Those who understand vs. “them” who don’t receive atonement

This binary thinking prepares students to see themselves as the privileged “you” group who have been given understanding, while others (including their home churches) are the “them” group who lack understanding.

2. Positioning SCJ as the Source of “Good Seed”:

By teaching that:

• The seed is “the explanation of the secrets of the kingdom”
• Only those who understand the parables receive forgiveness
• SCJ is providing this explanation

The lesson subtly positions SCJ as the exclusive source of “good seed” (truth) while implying that other churches are planting “bad seed” (lies).

3. Creating Fear of Being a “Weed”:

The lesson creates anxiety:

• “By default, we all start perishable, born of Satan’s seed”
• “One can go to God and then revert back to Satan”
• “The church contains both sons of God and sons of the devil”
• “Without discernment, they may appear alike”

This fear makes students dependent on SCJ to ensure they’re “wheat” and not “weeds.”

4. Establishing Performance-Based Spirituality:

The lesson teaches:

• “If we are born of God, why do we continue to sin? This is an issue we must grapple with”
• “We must let the Word take deeper root in us daily”
• “We cannot become complacent or comfortable”
• “We must diligently strengthen our spiritual lives”

This creates a works-based mentality where students constantly evaluate whether they’re doing enough to remain “born of God’s seed.”

5. Preparing for Isolation:

By teaching that:

• The field (church) contains both wheat and weeds
• Weeds spread more quickly than truth
• You need special discernment to distinguish them

The lesson prepares students to view their home churches with suspicion: Are the people there wheat or weeds? Is the teaching good seed or bad seed?

6. The “Indistinguishable Until Harvest” Framework:

This is particularly strategic. By teaching that wheat and weeds are indistinguishable until harvest, the lesson:

• Creates uncertainty: Am I wheat or a weed? Are other Christians wheat or weeds?
• Positions SCJ as having special insight: We can teach you to discern
• Prepares for future claims: The harvest is happening now; SCJ is gathering the wheat

7. Redefining “Born Again”:

The lesson connects being “born again” with:

• Being born of God’s seed (the Word)
• Understanding the parables
• Receiving SCJ’s teaching

This subtly redefines “born again” from faith in Christ to accepting SCJ’s interpretive system.

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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. Establishing Exclusivism:

By teaching that there are two types of seed (God’s and Satan’s) and that the church contains both wheat and weeds, the lesson prepares students to see SCJ as the exclusive source of “good seed” while viewing other churches as potentially planting “bad seed.”

2. Creating Dependency:

The framework that “wheat and weeds are indistinguishable until harvest” creates dependency on SCJ for discernment. Students think: I need SCJ to help me distinguish truth from lies, wheat from weeds.

3. Justifying Separation:

By teaching that the church contains “sons of the devil” who spread lies, the lesson justifies eventual separation from home churches. Students begin to think: My church might be full of weeds. I need to be careful.

4. Establishing Authority:

By positioning the seed as “the explanation of the secrets of the kingdom” and claiming that only those who understand receive forgiveness, the lesson establishes SCJ’s teaching as essential for salvation.

5. Preventing Critical Evaluation:

The “indistinguishable until harvest” framework prevents students from critically evaluating SCJ’s teaching. If they have doubts, they might think: Maybe I’m a weed and that’s why I’m struggling with this teaching.

6. Preparing for Future Claims:

The lesson prepares students to accept that:

• The harvest is happening “now” (at the Second Coming)
• SCJ will reveal itself as the community gathering the wheat
• Other churches are fields full of weeds

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 Wheat and Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
• The seed represents God’s Word (Luke 8:11)
• The field represents the world/hearts
• There are true and false teachings
• We should be born again through God’s Word (1 Peter 1:23)
• Spiritual discernment is important

What’s Uniquely SCJ:

• The emphasis on “two types of seed” as a rigid binary system
• The claim that “by default, we all start born of Satan’s seed”
• The teaching that “one can go to God and then revert back to Satan”
• The positioning of “the seed” as “the explanation of the secrets of the kingdom” (SCJ’s teaching)
• The application of “wheat and weeds” to create suspicion within churches
• The implication that SCJ is the exclusive source of “good seed”
• The use of the parable to create “us vs. them” mentality

The Blurred Lines:

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

Example 1: Being Born Again

• Biblical truth: We must be born again through faith in Christ
• Biblical context: John 3:3-8 teaches that being born again means being born of the Spirit through faith
• SCJ addition: Being born again = being born of God’s seed (the Word) = understanding SCJ’s explanation of parables
• Result: Students accept that salvation depends on understanding SCJ’s teaching while thinking they’re pursuing biblical rebirth

Example 2: Wheat and Weeds

• Biblical truth: Jesus taught that wheat and weeds grow together until the final judgment
• Biblical context: The parable warns against premature judgment and assures that God will sort things out at the end
• SCJ addition: The church is full of wheat and weeds; you need special discernment (SCJ’s teaching) to distinguish them; the harvest is happening now
• Result: Students see other Christians as potential “weeds” and view SCJ as having special insight to distinguish them

Example 3: Two Seeds

• Biblical truth: There are true and false teachings
• Biblical context: We should test all teaching against Scripture (1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11)
• SCJ addition: There are only two types of seed (God’s and Satan’s); most churches plant bad seed; SCJ plants good seed
• Result: Students see their home churches as sources of “bad seed” while viewing SCJ as the exclusive source of “good seed”

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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 15, students have been systematically taught:

Lessons 1-10: The Bible was “sealed” and requires special interpretation
Lessons 11-14: Review and preparation for detailed parable study
Lesson 15: The foundational parable—seed and field—establishes the interpretive system

This lesson is pivotal because it’s the first detailed parable study. Everything students learn from here forward will build on this foundation.

The Interpretive Method:

Notice the pattern in how SCJ teaches this parable:

1. Start with biblical teaching: Jesus’ Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
2. Establish physical characteristics: Seeds grow, produce after their kind, etc.
3. Assign spiritual meanings: Seed = Word; Field = Heart/Church
4. Create binary categories: God’s seed vs. Satan’s seed; Wheat vs. Weeds
5. Apply to current situation: The church contains both; you need discernment
6. Position SCJ as the solution: We provide the “explanation of the secrets”

The Problem:

This interpretive method:

• Fragments the Bible’s unified message about Christ
• Creates dependency on SCJ’s interpretation system
• Establishes exclusivism (SCJ has the “good seed”)
• Prevents students from reading Scripture naturally
• Builds a framework that will support SCJ’s organizational claims

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:

• Seed = The explanation of the secrets (SCJ’s teaching)
• Field = The church (containing wheat and weeds)
• Wheat = Those who understand (accept SCJ’s teaching)
• Weeds = Those who don’t understand (reject SCJ’s teaching)
• Harvest = Happening now (SCJ is gathering the wheat)

Biblical Framework:

• Seed = God’s Word (the gospel)
• Field = The world/human hearts
• Wheat = Genuine believers in Christ
• Weeds = False believers/teachers
• Harvest = Final judgment at Christ’s return

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

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Biblical Response: What Does Scripture Actually Teach?

Let’s examine what the Bible actually teaches about seeds, fields, wheat, and weeds.

1. The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds: What Did Jesus Actually Mean?

The Context:

The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds appears in Matthew 13:24-30, with Jesus’ explanation in Matthew 13:36-43. Let’s examine the full context:

Matthew 13:24-30 (The Parable):

“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this,” he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”‘”

Matthew 13:36-43 (Jesus’ Explanation):

“Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.’ He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.'”

What Jesus Was Teaching:

1. The Kingdom Contains Both Genuine and False Believers:

Jesus was teaching that in this present age, the kingdom of heaven (the sphere where God’s rule is acknowledged) contains both genuine believers (wheat) and false believers/teachers (weeds).

The key point: This is the current reality until Christ returns. We shouldn’t be surprised that the visible church contains both true and false believers.

2. We Should Not Try to “Purge” the Church:

The servants wanted to pull up the weeds immediately, but the master said no—because in trying to remove weeds, they might uproot wheat too.

The key point: Jesus warns against premature judgment and attempts to create a “pure” church through human effort. We can’t always accurately distinguish true from false believers, and aggressive attempts to purge the church can harm genuine believers.

3. God Will Sort Things Out at the Final Judgment:

The harvest represents the end of the age when Christ returns. At that time, angels will separate wheat from weeds—the righteous from the wicked.

The key point: Final judgment belongs to God, not to us. We should focus on proclaiming the gospel and living faithfully, trusting that God will sort things out when Christ returns.

4. The Field is the World, Not Just the Church:

Jesus explicitly says “the field is the world” (Matthew 13:38). While the parable has implications for the church, the primary meaning is broader—the world contains both those who belong to God’s kingdom and those who belong to the evil one.

SCJ’s Misapplication:

The lesson applies this parable to create suspicion within churches:

• “The field is Jesus’ field (the church) where sons of God and sons of the devil grow together”
• “Without discernment, they may appear alike”
• “To distinguish between them, we need the Word of God within us”

The Problem:

1. Jesus said the field is the world, not just the church. While the church exists in the world and contains both true and false believers, the primary application is broader.
2. The parable warns against premature judgment, not encourages it. Jesus said to let both grow together until the harvest. SCJ uses the parable to encourage students to judge who is wheat and who are weeds—the opposite of Jesus’ point.
3. The harvest is the final judgment, not a current event. Jesus said “the harvest is the end of the age” and “the Son of Man will send out his angels” to do the separating. SCJ will later claim the harvest is happening “now” and that they are gathering the wheat—usurping Christ’s role.

2. What Does “Born Again” Mean?

The lesson connects being “born again” with being “born of God’s seed (the Word).” Let’s examine what Scripture actually teaches.

John 3:3-8 (Jesus Teaches Nicodemus):

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ ‘How can someone be born when they are old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.'”

What Does “Born Again” Mean?

1. Being Born of the Spirit:

Jesus explicitly says that being born again means being “born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-6, 8). This is a spiritual rebirth accomplished by the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5: “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

2. Through Faith in Christ:

Being born again happens when we place our faith in Jesus Christ.

John 1:12-13: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

1 Peter 1:23: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Yes, 1 Peter 1:23 mentions being born again through “the living and enduring word of God.” But what is this “word”?

1 Peter 1:24-25: “For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you.”

The “word” is the gospel message that was preached—the good news about Jesus Christ. Being born again through the Word means responding in faith to the gospel.

3. The Result: New Life in Christ:

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Ephesians 2:4-5: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

SCJ’s Redefinition:

The lesson subtly redefines “born again” to mean:

• Being born of God’s seed (the Word)
• Understanding the parables
• Receiving SCJ’s “explanation of the secrets”

This shifts the focus from faith in Christ to accepting SCJ’s interpretive system.

The Danger:

Students begin to think:

• Being born again = understanding SCJ’s teaching
• If I don’t understand, maybe I’m not born again
• I need SCJ’s teaching to be truly born again

This is a false gospel that replaces faith in Christ with acceptance of an organization’s teaching.

3. Are We “Born of Satan’s Seed by Default”?

The lesson teaches: “By default, we all start perishable, born of Satan’s seed. Everyone must transition to being reborn of God’s seed.”

Is this biblical?

What the Bible Teaches:

1. We Are Born in Sin:

Psalm 51:5: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”

Ephesians 2:1-3: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”

Yes, we are born with a sinful nature. We are spiritually dead and separated from God.

2. But We Are Not “Born of Satan’s Seed”:

The Bible never says we are “born of Satan’s seed.” Rather:

We are created in God’s image:

Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

We are fallen image-bearers:

Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

We need redemption:

Romans 3:23-24: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

3. Jesus’ Use of “Children of the Devil”:

In John 8:44, Jesus calls the Pharisees “children of the devil.” But this is not about biological or default spiritual birth—it’s about their current spiritual state and allegiance.

John 8:42-44: “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.'”

Jesus is saying that their actions and rejection of Him demonstrate that they are following the devil’s desires, not God’s. This is about current spiritual allegiance, not default birth status.

1 John 3:10: “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”

Again, this is about current spiritual state and behavior, not about being “born of Satan’s seed by default.”

The Biblical Reality:

• We are born in sin (fallen nature)
• We are spiritually dead apart from Christ
• We need to be born again through faith in Christ
• When we trust Christ, we become children of God
• Before salvation, we followed the ways of the world and the devil
• But we were never “born of Satan’s seed”—we are fallen image-bearers who need redemption

SCJ’s Teaching Creates Fear:

By teaching that “by default, we all start born of Satan’s seed,” SCJ creates fear and uncertainty:

• Am I really born of God’s seed now?
• What if I revert back to Satan’s seed?
• How do I know I’m wheat and not a weed?

This fear makes students dependent on SCJ for assurance.

4. Can We “Revert Back to Satan”?

The lesson teaches: “One can go to God and then revert back to Satan and dust.”

Is this biblical?

What the Bible Teaches:

The Perseverance of the Saints:

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 8:38-39: “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.”

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.”

1 Peter 1:3-5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

The Biblical Teaching:

Genuine believers are kept secure by God’s power. Those who truly belong to Christ will persevere in faith because God preserves them.

But What About Falling Away?

Hebrews 6:4-6: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.”

This passage has been debated, but most evangelical scholars understand it in one of two ways:

1. Hypothetical warning: The passage warns against falling away, but genuine believers won’t ultimately fall away because God preserves them.
2. False professors: Those who “fall away” were never genuinely saved—they had external experiences but never truly trusted Christ.

The Key Point:

The Bible teaches that genuine believers are secure in Christ. God preserves those who truly belong to Him. Yes, there are warnings against falling away, but these warnings function to keep believers persevering in faith.

SCJ’s Teaching Creates Insecurity:

By teaching that “one can go to God and then revert back to Satan,” SCJ creates profound insecurity:

• Am I still born of God’s seed?
• What if I’ve reverted back without knowing it?
• How do I maintain my status?

This insecurity makes students dependent on SCJ’s teaching and creates a works-based mentality.

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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 other churches as potentially full of “weeds.”

The Information Control in This Lesson:

The lesson teaches:

“The field is Jesus’ field (the church) where sons of God and sons of the devil grow together. Without discernment, they may appear alike. To distinguish between them, we need the Word of God within us. Those who lack the Word are at risk of becoming sons of the devil.”

This creates:

• Suspicion of other churches: Are they wheat or weeds?
• Dependency on SCJ: We provide the discernment you need
• Fear of contamination: Weeds spread quickly; be careful

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 who is wheat and who are weeds?

The lesson provides no clear criteria—only:

• You need “the Word of God within you”
• You need “discernment”
• Wheat and weeds are “indistinguishable until harvest”

But who defines what “the Word” means? Who determines what “discernment” looks like? SCJ does.

The Circular Reasoning:

1. The church contains wheat and weeds
2. You need discernment to distinguish them
3. SCJ teaches you to discern
4. SCJ’s teaching identifies SCJ as wheat and others as potential weeds
5. Therefore, SCJ is wheat

This circular reasoning prevents independent verification. Students can’t objectively test the claim 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 source of “good seed.”

The Authority Problem:

The lesson teaches:

“The seed represents the explanation—the secrets—of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus speaks about in parables. When one hears the explanation regarding the kingdom of heaven, the four soils represent how people respond.”

This claims that:

• The seed is “the explanation of the secrets”
• SCJ is providing this explanation
• How you respond to SCJ’s teaching determines your “soil type”

But how can students verify this claim?

The lesson provides no methodology—only the assertion that SCJ is providing “the explanation.” Students are expected to accept that:

• SCJ’s teaching = the seed (good seed)
• Other teaching = potentially bad seed
• Accepting SCJ = being wheat
• Rejecting SCJ = being a weed

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 wheat (good seed)
• If you question SCJ’s teaching → You might be a weed (bad seed)
• If you consult other sources → You’re at risk of receiving bad seed

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 Wheat and Weeds
2. Add interpretive layer: The seed is “the explanation of the secrets”
3. Create binary categories: God’s seed vs. Satan’s seed; Wheat vs. Weeds
4. Apply to current situation: The church contains both; you need discernment
5. Position SCJ as the solution: We provide the good seed and teach discernment
6. Make it unfalsifiable: Questioning proves you might be a weed

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 understanding/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 fear rather than confidence:

“By default, we all start perishable, born of Satan’s seed. Everyone must transition to being reborn of God’s seed. One can go to God and then revert back to Satan and dust.”

“If we are born of God, why do we continue to sin? This is an issue we must grapple with.”

This creates profound anxiety:

• I started as Satan’s seed
• I might revert back
• If I sin, maybe I’m not really born of God
• I need to work hard to maintain my status

Chapter 21’s Biblical Response:

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

1. God’s Love is the Foundation:

1 John 4:9-10: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

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 “born of good seed” through our own efforts. We’re saved by grace through faith in Christ.

3. God Preserves His Children:

John 10:28-29: “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.”

Jude 24-25: “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

4. Yes, We Should Pursue Holiness, But…

1 John 3:9: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

Yes, genuine believers should not continue in unrepentant sin. But this is about:

• Direction, not perfection: Believers are moving toward holiness, not living in habitual sin
• God’s work in us: He is the one who makes us holy (sanctification)
• Assurance, not anxiety: This verse gives assurance that God’s work in us is real

The Contrast:

SCJ’s Message:

• You start as Satan’s seed by default
• You can revert back to Satan
• If you sin, maybe you’re not born of God
• You must work hard to maintain your status
• You need SCJ’s teaching to stay on track

The Gospel’s Message:

• You are a fallen image-bearer who needs redemption
• God saves you by grace through faith in Christ
• God preserves those who truly belong to Him
• Yes, pursue holiness, but your security is in Christ, not your performance
• The Holy Spirit produces fruit in your life as you abide in Christ

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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 seed/field imagery to create organizational exclusivism rather than showing how it points to the gospel.

The Fragmentation Problem:

The lesson uses seed/field imagery to:

• Create binary categories (God’s seed vs. Satan’s seed)
• Establish organizational exclusivism (SCJ has good seed)
• Generate fear (you might be a weed)
• Position SCJ as essential (we provide the explanation)

But it never shows how the seed/field imagery 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 seed/field imagery has a clear place:

1. Creation: God’s Good Seed

Genesis 1:11-12: “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”

God created a world where seeds produce after their kind—a picture of spiritual reproduction.

2. The Fall: The Seed Promise

Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The first gospel promise: the woman’s “seed” (offspring) will crush the serpent’s head. This points to Christ.

3. Old Testament: The Seed of Abraham

Genesis 22:17-18: “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

God promised that through Abraham’s “seed” (offspring), all nations would be blessed.

Galatians 3:16: “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.”

The ultimate “seed” is Christ.

4. Jesus: The Seed That Dies and Bears Much Fruit

John 12:23-24: “Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.'”

Jesus is the seed that died and rose again, producing a harvest of believers.

5. The Gospel: The Seed of God’s Word

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

1 Peter 1:23: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

The gospel message is the seed that brings new life when received in faith.

6. Believers: Seeds That Bear Fruit

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.”

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

Believers, connected to Christ, bear spiritual fruit.

7. The Harvest: Final Judgment

Matthew 13:39-43: “The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

At Christ’s return, there will be a final separation of the righteous and the wicked.

The Unified Message:

The seed/field imagery throughout Scripture points to one central truth: Jesus Christ is the ultimate Seed who died and rose again to produce a harvest of believers. The gospel is the seed that brings new life. Believers bear fruit as they abide in Christ. And at the final harvest, Christ will separate the righteous from the wicked.

This is the Bible’s unified message. The lesson isn’t wrong that seeds and fields are important biblical imagery, but it fragments these passages to build an organizational exclusivism rather than showing how they all point to Christ and the gospel.

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Part 3: The Psychological Progression

The Indoctrination Process at Lesson 15

By Lesson 15, students have been in the Parables course for approximately 3-4 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)
• Review and preparation (Lessons 11-14)
• Now: The foundational parable—seed and field (Lesson 15)

This lesson is pivotal because it establishes the interpretive system that all future lessons will build on.

2. Binary Thinking:

The lesson reinforces black-and-white categories:

• God’s seed vs. Satan’s seed
• Wheat vs. Weeds
• Sons of God vs. Sons of the devil
• Those who understand vs. “them” who don’t

This binary thinking makes it psychologically difficult to recognize that most Christian teaching is faithful proclamation of the gospel that may differ on secondary issues.

3. Fear of Being a “Weed”:

The lesson creates profound anxiety:

• “By default, we all start born of Satan’s seed”
• “One can go to God and then revert back to Satan”
• “The church contains both wheat and weeds”
• “Without discernment, they may appear alike”

This fear makes students dependent on SCJ for assurance and discernment.

4. Performance Pressure:

The lesson creates pressure to prove you’re “wheat”:

• “If we are born of God, why do we continue to sin?”
• “We must let the Word take deeper root in us daily”
• “We cannot become complacent or comfortable”

Students constantly evaluate: Am I doing enough? Am I really wheat?

5. Suspicion of Other Churches:

By teaching that the field (church) contains both wheat and weeds, the lesson creates suspicion:

• Is my church full of weeds?
• Are the people there sons of God or sons of the devil?
• Is the teaching good seed or bad seed?

6. Identity Formation:

Students begin to see themselves as:

• Part of the privileged “you” group who have understanding
• Different from “them” who don’t receive atonement
• Wheat among weeds
• Recipients of “good seed” (SCJ’s teaching)

7. Preparation for Exclusivism:

The lesson prepares students to accept that:

• SCJ is the source of “good seed”
• Other churches plant “bad seed”
• The harvest is happening “now”
• SCJ is gathering the wheat

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The Strategic Positioning of Lesson 15

Chapter 7 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains SCJ’s gradual disclosure strategy. Lesson 15 is strategically positioned:

Before Lesson 15:

• Students learned the Bible was “sealed”
• Students accepted SCJ’s framework
• Foundation was laid

Lesson 15:

• Establishes the foundational parable (seed and field)
• Creates binary categories (wheat vs. weeds)
• Positions SCJ as source of “good seed”
• Generates fear and dependency

After Lesson 15:

• All future parables will build on this foundation
• Students will learn more about wheat/weeds, harvest, etc.
• The “us vs. them” mentality will deepen
• Students will be told about SCJ’s organizational structure

Lesson 15 is a critical setup that establishes the interpretive system and creates the fear/dependency that make later claims seem necessary.

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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 “wheat and weeds” teaching:

“The ‘wheat and weeds’ lesson made me see other Christians as potential enemies. I started evaluating everyone: Are they wheat or weeds? Is their teaching good seed or bad seed? I became suspicious of my home church, wondering if they were planting ‘bad seed’ without knowing it. The teaching created an ‘us vs. them’ mentality where SCJ was the wheat and everyone else was potentially weeds. It took me months after leaving to realize that my home church had been faithfully proclaiming the gospel all along—they were wheat, not weeds. SCJ had used the parable to create division and exclusivism, the opposite of Jesus’ point about not trying to purge the church prematurely.”

This lesson creates that suspicion and division.

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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 Wheat and Weeds:

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. This is biblical and important.

2. The seed represents God’s Word:

Luke 8:11. This is biblical.

3. We must be born again:

John 3:3-8, 1 Peter 1:23. This is essential Christian teaching.

4. There are true and false teachings:

The Bible warns about false teachers and false gospels. Discernment is important.

5. The kingdom contains both genuine and false believers:

Jesus’ parable acknowledges this reality.

6. Final judgment is coming:

Christ will return and separate the righteous from the wicked.

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What’s Uniquely SCJ?

The problematic elements are subtle but significant:

1. The rigid binary system (God’s seed vs. Satan’s seed):

• Biblical: There are true and false teachings; we should discern carefully
• SCJ: Creates a rigid binary where everything is either God’s seed or Satan’s seed, with no middle ground

2. The claim that “by default, we all start born of Satan’s seed”:

• Biblical: We are born in sin and need redemption
• SCJ: We are “born of Satan’s seed by default”—a fear-inducing distortion

3. The teaching that “one can revert back to Satan”:

• Biblical: Genuine believers are preserved by God’s power
• SCJ: You can lose your status and revert back—creating insecurity

4. The positioning of “the seed” as “the explanation of the secrets”:

• Biblical: The seed is God’s Word (the gospel)
• SCJ: The seed is “the explanation of the secrets” (SCJ’s teaching)

5. The application of “wheat and weeds” to create church suspicion:

• Biblical: The parable warns against premature judgment
• SCJ: Uses the parable to create suspicion within churches

6. The implication that SCJ is the exclusive source of “good seed”:

• Biblical: The gospel is proclaimed by many faithful churches
• SCJ: SCJ has the “good seed”; others plant “bad seed”

7. The “indistinguishable until harvest” framework used for control:

• Biblical: We can’t always distinguish true from false believers
• SCJ: Uses this to create dependency (you need our discernment) and prevent departure (leaving might prove you’re a weed)

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The Blurred Lines

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

Example 1: Being Born Again

• Biblical truth: We must be born again through faith in Christ
• Biblical context: John 3 teaches that being born again means being born of the Spirit through faith
• SCJ addition: Being born again = being born of God’s seed (the Word) = understanding SCJ’s explanation of parables
• Result: Students accept that salvation depends on understanding SCJ’s teaching while thinking they’re pursuing biblical rebirth

Example 2: Wheat and Weeds

• Biblical truth: Jesus taught that wheat and weeds grow together until the final judgment
• Biblical context: The parable warns against premature judgment and assures that God will sort things out
• SCJ addition: The church is full of wheat and weeds; you need special discernment (SCJ’s teaching); the harvest is happening now
• Result: Students see other Christians as potential weeds and view SCJ as having special insight

Example 3: Two Seeds

• Biblical truth: There are true and false teachings
• Biblical context: We should test all teaching against Scripture
• SCJ addition: There are only two types of seed (God’s and Satan’s); most churches plant bad seed; SCJ plants good seed
• Result: Students see their home churches as sources of “bad seed” while viewing SCJ as the exclusive source of “good seed”

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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 11-15: Building the Interpretive System

• Review and preparation (Lessons 11-14)
• The foundational parable—seed and field (Lesson 15)
• Establishes the interpretive framework for all future lessons

Lessons 16-25: Deepening the Framework

• Four fields (soil types)
• Trees and birds
• Further symbolic interpretation
• Increasing exclusivism and isolation

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 15’s Specific Role:

This lesson establishes the foundational interpretive system:

• Seed = The explanation of the secrets (SCJ’s teaching)
• Field = The church (containing wheat and weeds)
• Wheat = Those who understand (accept SCJ)
• Weeds = Those who don’t understand (reject SCJ)

Everything that follows builds on this foundation. The fear, suspicion, and dependency created in this lesson make later claims seem logical and necessary.

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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 “seed and field” teaching has likely created anxiety: Am I wheat or a weed? Is my church planting good seed or bad seed? Do I need SCJ’s teaching to be truly born again?

But consider this: The gospel is about Christ, not about an organization’s interpretive system.

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.”

Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not through understanding one organization’s explanation of parables.

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 13:24-43 in full. Is Jesus creating suspicion within churches, or is He warning against premature judgment and assuring that God will sort things out at the final judgment?

2. Test the “Two Seeds” Framework:

Does the Bible really teach that we’re “born of Satan’s seed by default”? Or does it teach that we’re fallen image-bearers who need redemption through Christ?

3. Evaluate the “Revert Back” Claim:

Does the Bible teach that genuine believers can “revert back to Satan”? Or does it teach that God preserves those who truly belong to Him?

4. Consider the Fruit:

Is this teaching producing:

• Love and unity or suspicion and division?
• Assurance in Christ or fear and insecurity?
• Humility or spiritual elitism?
• Freedom or dependency on an organization?

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 “seed and field” teaching and exclusivism tactics
• Biblical examination of the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds in proper context
• Refutation of the “two seeds” binary framework
• Testimonies from former members about the suspicion and division created by this teaching
• Guidance for families and counselors
• Resources for finding assurance in Christ and healthy Christian community

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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 “seed and field” teaching:

1. You weren’t “born of Satan’s seed by default”:

You are a fallen image-bearer who needed redemption, which you have in Christ. SCJ’s teaching created unnecessary fear.

2. You won’t “revert back to Satan”:

If you have genuine faith in Christ, God preserves you. You’re secure in Him.

3. Your home church wasn’t planting “bad seed”:

Most likely, your church was faithfully proclaiming the gospel. SCJ taught you to see faithful teaching as “bad seed” to create dependency on their organization.

4. You’re not a “weed”:

If you trust in Christ, you’re wheat—a genuine believer. Leaving SCJ doesn’t make you a weed; it means you recognized the deception.

5. The gospel is simple:

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—the “good seed.” It’s not complicated. It’s not hidden in one organization’s interpretive system. It’s the good news about Jesus.

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For the Christian Community

The existence of teachings like SCJ’s “seed and field” doctrine should motivate us to:

1. Proclaim the simple gospel:

Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again. Salvation is by grace through faith in Him.

2. Teach biblical assurance:

Genuine believers are secure in Christ. God preserves those who belong to Him.

3. Avoid creating unnecessary fear:

We should call people to repentance and faith, not create fear about being “born of Satan’s seed by default.”

4. Promote unity, not division:

The church is Christ’s body. While we should exercise discernment, we shouldn’t create “us vs. them” mentalities that divide believers.

5. Respond with compassion:

Those caught in or leaving SCJ need grace, not condemnation. They were seeking truth; they were simply misled about where to find it.

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Final Thoughts

This lesson—Lesson 15 on figurative seed and field—appears to be encouraging biblical teaching about spiritual birth and growth. But beneath the surface, it’s constructing an exclusivist system that positions SCJ as the sole source of “good seed” while creating suspicion toward all other Christian teaching.

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 security, not fear and insecurity
• 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:

• Christ, not an organization: Jesus is the ultimate Seed who brings life
• Security, not insecurity: God preserves those who belong to Him
• Unity, not division: The church is Christ’s body, not wheat vs. weeds
• Grace, not performance: Salvation is by faith, not by understanding parables
• Assurance, not anxiety: We can know we have eternal life through Christ

May those reading this find freedom in Christ, who said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24)—not through one organization’s interpretive system, 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 “seed and field” teaching and exclusivism tactics
• Biblical examination of the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds in proper context
• Refutation of the “two seeds” binary framework and “born of Satan’s seed” teaching
• Testimonies from former members about the suspicion and division created by this teaching
• Theological analysis of SCJ’s redefinitions of “born again,” “seed,” and “field”
• Guidance for families and counselors dealing with SCJ involvement
• Resources for finding assurance in Christ and healthy Christian community
• 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 13:24-30, 36-43 (The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds)

Context: Jesus is teaching about the kingdom of heaven through parables. He has just taught the Parable of the Sower. Now He teaches about wheat and weeds growing together.

Main Point: In this present age, the kingdom of heaven contains both genuine believers (wheat) and false believers/teachers (weeds). We should not try to “purge” the church prematurely. God will sort things out at the final judgment when Christ returns.

Key Verses:

Matthew 13:29-30: “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'”

Matthew 13:38-40: “The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.”

Application: This parable warns against premature judgment and attempts to create a “pure” church through human effort. We should focus on proclaiming the gospel and living faithfully, trusting that God will separate wheat from weeds at the final judgment. The parable is NOT meant to create suspicion within churches or position one organization as having special discernment.

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Luke 8:11 (The Seed is the Word of God)

Context: Jesus is explaining the Parable of the Sower to His disciples.

Main Point: The seed represents God’s Word—the gospel message about the kingdom.

Key Verse:

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

Application: The seed is God’s Word—specifically, the gospel message. It’s not “the explanation of the secrets” provided by one organization. The gospel is the good news about Jesus Christ, and it’s been faithfully proclaimed by the church for 2,000 years.

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John 3:3-8 (Being Born Again)

Context: Jesus is teaching Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, about entering the kingdom of God.

Main Point: To enter the kingdom of God, one must be born again—born of the Spirit through faith in Christ.

Key Verses:

John 3:3: “Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'”

John 3:5-6: “Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.'”

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.”

Application: Being born again means being born of the Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not about understanding one organization’s interpretation of parables. It’s about trusting Christ for salvation.

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1 Peter 1:23-25 (Born Again Through the Word)

Context: Peter is writing to believers scattered throughout Asia Minor, encouraging them in their faith and suffering.

Main Point: Believers have been born again through the living and enduring word of God—the gospel message that was preached to them.

Key Verses:

1 Peter 1:23: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

1 Peter 1:24-25: “For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you.”

Application: The “word” that brings new birth is the gospel message—the good news about Jesus Christ. Being born again through the Word means responding in faith to the gospel, not accepting one organization’s interpretive system.

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1 John 3:9-10 (God’s Seed Remains)

Context: John is writing to believers about assurance of salvation and the marks of genuine faith.

Main Point: Those who are genuinely born of God do not continue in habitual, unrepentant sin. God’s seed (His nature, His life) remains in them.

Key Verses:

1 John 3:9: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

1 John 3:10: “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”

Application: This passage is about assurance and the marks of genuine faith. Genuine believers are characterized by righteousness and love, not by habitual sin. But this is about direction, not perfection. It’s not meant to create anxiety (“If I sin, maybe I’m not born of God”) but assurance (“God’s work in me is real—I’m moving toward holiness”). And it’s certainly not about organizational allegiance.

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John 10:27-29 (Security in Christ)

Context: Jesus is teaching about His relationship with His sheep (believers).

Main Point: Jesus’ sheep (genuine believers) are secure in His hand. No one can snatch them away.

Key Verses:

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.”

Application: Genuine believers are secure in Christ. God preserves those who truly belong to Him. You don’t need to fear “reverting back to Satan.” If you have genuine faith in Christ, you’re held secure by God’s power.

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Romans 8:38-39 (Nothing Can Separate Us)

Context: Paul is teaching about the security and assurance believers have in Christ.

Main Point: Nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate genuine believers from God’s love in Christ Jesus.

Key Verses:

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.”

Application: If you are in Christ through faith, nothing can separate you from His love. Not sin, not doubt, not leaving an organization. You’re secure in Christ, not in organizational membership.

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Ephesians 2:1-10 (Saved by Grace)

Context: Paul is explaining the gospel—how we were dead in sin but made alive in Christ by grace.

Main Point: Salvation is entirely by God’s grace, received through faith. It’s not based on our works or understanding.

Key Verses:

Ephesians 2:1-3: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”

Ephesians 2:4-5: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

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: Yes, we were spiritually dead before salvation. But we weren’t “born of Satan’s seed”—we were fallen image-bearers who needed redemption. And salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, not by understanding one organization’s interpretation of parables.

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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 Being “Born Again”:

1. Does the Bible teach that being born again means understanding one organization’s interpretation of parables? Or does it mean being born of the Spirit through faith in Christ?
2. Does John 3 emphasize understanding symbolic meanings, or does it emphasize faith in Jesus?
3. Can someone be born again without understanding SCJ’s explanation of the seed and field?

About “Satan’s Seed”:

1. Does the Bible teach that we’re “born of Satan’s seed by default”? Or does it teach that we’re fallen image-bearers who need redemption?
2. Does Genesis 1:27 say we’re created in Satan’s image or God’s image?
3. Is the language “born of Satan’s seed” designed to create fear and dependency?

About Security in Christ:

1. Does the Bible teach that genuine believers can “revert back to Satan”? Or does it teach that God preserves those who belong to Him?
2. What does John 10:28-29 say about the security of Jesus’ sheep?
3. Is the teaching “you can revert back” creating anxiety that makes you dependent on SCJ?

About Wheat and Weeds:

1. What was Jesus’ point in the parable? Was He encouraging us to judge who is wheat and who are weeds? Or was He warning against premature judgment?
2. Does the parable say “let both grow together until the harvest” or “try to distinguish and separate them now”?
3. Is SCJ using this parable to create suspicion within churches, the opposite of Jesus’ point?

About the Field:

1. What does Jesus explicitly say the field represents? (Hint: Matthew 13:38 says “the field is the world”)
2. Is SCJ redefining “the field” as “the church” to create “us vs. them” thinking?
3. Does viewing the church as full of wheat and weeds create unity or division?

About Authority and Verification:

1. How can you independently verify SCJ’s claim to be the exclusive source of “good seed”?
2. Who defines what “good seed” and “bad seed” are? (Hint: SCJ does)
3. Is there circular reasoning in the claim that “SCJ plants good seed, and accepting SCJ proves you’re wheat”?
4. What would happen if you consulted other Christian sources to verify SCJ’s interpretation?

About Fruit:

1. Is this teaching producing love, joy, peace, and unity? Or suspicion, fear, division, and elitism?
2. Does this teaching draw you closer to Christ? Or closer to an organization?
3. Does this teaching give you assurance in Christ? Or anxiety about your spiritual state?

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Appendix: Biblical Assurance

If you’re struggling with fear after this lesson—fear that you’re “born of Satan’s seed,” that you might “revert back,” that you’re a “weed” instead of “wheat”—here are biblical truths to hold onto:

1. You are created in God’s image:

Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

2. You are a fallen image-bearer who needs redemption:

Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

3. God loved you while you were still a sinner:

Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

4. 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.”

5. Genuine believers are secure in Christ:

John 10:28-29: “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.”

6. Nothing can separate you 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.”

7. God will complete His work in you:

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.”

8. You 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.”

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A Prayer for Those Struggling

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

“Lord Jesus, I’m struggling with fear. I’ve been taught that I was born of Satan’s seed by default, that I might revert back to Satan, that I might be a weed instead of wheat. I’m anxious about my spiritual state and confused about what’s true.

But Your Word says that I am created in Your image, that You loved me while I was still a sinner, that You died for me, and that nothing can separate me from Your love.

Please help me to rest in Your grace. Help me to trust that salvation is Your gift, received through faith in You—not through understanding one organization’s interpretation of parables.

I don’t want to be controlled by fear. I don’t want to see other Christians as potential weeds. I don’t want to depend on an organization for assurance.

Thank You that You are the Good Shepherd who holds Your sheep secure. Thank You that You will complete the work You began in me. Thank You that I can have assurance because of Your promises, not because of my performance or understanding.

Help me to discern truth from deception. If what I’m learning is creating fear rather than assurance, suspicion rather than love, division rather than unity, 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 complex symbolism about seeds and fields, the binary categories of wheat and weeds, the fear about being “born of Satan’s seed,” and the anxiety about “reverting back,” 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 5:24: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

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

Romans 10:9: “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.”

You don’t need to figure out if you’re wheat or a weed. You need to trust in Jesus.

You don’t need to understand one organization’s explanation of parables. You need to believe the gospel.

You don’t need to fear “reverting back to Satan.” You need to rest in God’s preserving power.

You don’t need to see other Christians as potential weeds. You need to love them as brothers and sisters in Christ.

The gospel is about Christ, not about seeds and fields and organizational allegiance.

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

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“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” — John 5:24

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” — John 10:28

“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.