Shincheonji lesson 6: who belongs to God and who belongs to Satan
Lesson 6 · Introductory
Main verses used
Links open the NET Bible.
What SCJ teaches
This section comes from class notes that an attendee wrote down during SCJ’s 9-month Bible study seminar, posted with the full Closer Look study. They are not SCJ’s printed curriculum, so the wording is the note-taker’s.
Testing what you hear
The lesson opens with a pattern: “What originates with God, Satan copies and corrupts.” From Job 34:3-4, discerning the words you hear is called the most important sense for a believer, because “Words are spirit, and spirits work through words (John 6:63).” Students are told to “monitor the words coming in,” and “If you identify harmful words, you should stop listening.” The analogy is poison: “Once you know it contains poison, avoid it.”
The stakes are put this way: “on the cosmic scale, God has already won. But for each individual, the battle still rages over who will win in you.” This is about “hearing the correct version of God’s word. Do you grasp the life and death importance of this?”
Four marks of God’s people
The method is to take God’s characteristics and apply them to his people.
- Promise and fulfillment. “God has the power to promise or prophesy, and the power to bring it to pass.” So “when it happens, God’s people should be able to testify to what has been fulfilled.” As Paul did in Acts 13, “someone considered God’s person today should also be able to testify to what God is doing now.”
- Visions and parables. From Hosea 12:10, God speaks in parables “intentionally” because “He is at war.” Prophecies stay unclear until fulfilled, “so that Satan cannot stop God’s plan before it is able to take place.” Therefore “God’s people should be able to understand and explain the parables when the time comes.”
- Creator. God’s people create only by following the pattern, as Moses built the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8-9): “for someone belonging to God, everything they do should align with God’s word.”
- At war. “Because God is at war. God’s people will also be at war.” Using Matthew 5:10-12, the notes say Jesus “doesn’t call us to run from persecution but to expect it.”
The section closes: “I hope we are already in a place like this. But if you are unsure, you need to start discerning.” Then: “we now have to start talking about discerning Satan’s people. Because this will be a surprise.”
Four marks of Satan’s people
- Pretending. Satan “especially tries to establish himself in churches – this is his main battleground,” and “Non-believers aren’t even part of this equation.” His followers pretend too. “Do they know that Satan is working through them? They do not know.”
- No testimony. “Satan cannot testify because he too doesn’t know.” From 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, “Satan does not understand the parables or prophecies.”
- Twisting. As in Jesus’ temptation, Satan “takes verses out of context.” People he uses have words that are “smoothly and effortlessly appealing to the ear,” and “often people don’t interrogate.”
- Persecuting. “Satan has always tried to kill God’s people.” And “Those who think they belong to God but carry out persecution are really showing who they actually belong to.”
The closing reminders say: “Let’s not be those that go with what feels good but what is actually good,” and “We need to question everything we hear.”
In SCJ’s own books
Each passage was checked against the scanned page image; page numbers are as printed.
The Creation of Heaven and Earth, Lee Man-hee (Shincheonji Press), page 286:
“If the secrets of God are made known to people that belong to Satan, Satan will use that information to hinder God’s work. Since Jesus knew this, he spoke figuratively to hide the secrets of heaven from Satan’s group.”
The same book, page 411:
“According to Jn 6:63, the word is spirit. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish which type of spirit is working through a person by listening to the words that person speaks. Anyone who speaks the words of God must belong to God”
The same page also says “anyone who leaves us and creates a sect is an antichrist (1 Jn 2:18-19, 22; Jude 1:17-19).”
The same book, page 465:
“During the 6,000 years of biblical history, those who persecute have belonged to the devil, and those who are persecuted have belonged to God.”
How the lesson notes compare with the books
- Parables as code. Same teaching. The notes say parables keep Satan from stopping God’s plan; the book says Jesus spoke figuratively “to hide the secrets of heaven from Satan’s group” (p. 286).
- Discerning by words. Same teaching, with the same verse (John 6:63) (p. 411).
- Persecution as the test. Same teaching. The notes and the book both say persecutors belong to Satan (p. 465).
- Who Satan’s people are. Difference. The notes leave this general: people who cannot testify and “do not know.” The book also names “anyone who leaves us and creates a sect” (p. 411).
Closer Look response: Spiritual warfare: the battle for truth in an age of deception
What the Bible says
- The memory verse invites listeners to weigh words together and decide what is right. For the ear assesses words as the mouth tastes food. Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good. (Job 34:3-4, NET)
- Mark gives the hearers’ capacity as the measure for the parables, and Jesus explained everything to his disciples. So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples. (Mark 4:33-34, NET)
- Paul says the hidden wisdom has already been revealed to believers by the Spirit. Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.” God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:7-10, NET)
- John’s test for children of God is righteousness and love for fellow Christians. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God. (1 John 3:10, NET)
- Jesus names love as the mark by which everyone will know his disciples. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, NET)
- Jesus does warn that his followers will be persecuted. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. (Matthew 5:11-12, NET)
- Jesus tells his followers to love and pray for those who persecute them. But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:44-45, NET)
Where SCJ’s reading conflicts with the Bible
This lesson builds two lists: four marks of God’s people and four marks of Satan’s people. The marks are chosen so that only a group claiming “testimony of fulfillment” can pass the first list, and anyone who questions or opposes that group lands on the second. The Bible does say how to recognize God’s people, and it gives different marks, mainly love, righteousness and confessing Jesus. Measured by those, the lesson’s tests fall apart.
1. Job 34:3-4: Weigh words, don’t refuse to hear them
The memory verse says the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food, and “let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good” (Job 34:3-4).
- The verse invites people to weigh words together and reach a judgment. It is not an instruction to stop listening.
- The lesson’s poison analogy says once something is judged harmful, don’t try it again. But you can’t weigh what you refuse to hear. Proverbs says the first to state his case seems right until his opponent begins to cross-examine him (Proverbs 18:17).
- Paul’s instruction is “examine all things; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). That means hearing both sides, including critics of the course.
2. John 6:63: “Words are spirit” is about Jesus’ words
The lesson says “words are spirit, and spirits work through words,” and SCJ’s The Creation of Heaven and Earth (p. 411) says you can tell which spirit is in a person by their words, and anyone who speaks God’s words must belong to God.
- In John 6:63, Jesus says “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” He is talking about his own words, not giving a general rule for judging people.
- The lesson’s own example disproves the book’s rule. In Matthew 4:5-7, Satan quoted Scripture (Psalm 91) to Jesus. Speaking God’s words does not prove someone belongs to God.
- What matters is whether the words are used rightly. Jesus answered Satan with “Once again it is written” (4:7), using Scripture in its plain sense and context, not with a hidden code.
3. God has this, so his people have this: Not a biblical method
The lesson derives the marks of God’s people by taking God’s traits (he prophesies, speaks in parables, creates, is at war) and applying them to his people.
- The Bible never uses that method. God is also eternal, all-knowing and the Creator, and his people are none of those.
- Scripture gives its own marks of God’s people:
- Love: “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
- Righteousness and love together: “Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God” (1 John 3:10).
- Obedience: we know we have come to know him if we keep his commandments (1 John 2:3-5).
- Confessing Jesus: every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ come in the flesh is from God (1 John 4:2).
- Fruit: you will recognize them by their fruit (Matthew 7:16-20; Galatians 5:22-23).
- None of these marks is about explaining parables or testifying to modern fulfillment of prophecy.
4. Testimony: Paul testified about Jesus
The lesson says God’s people today should testify to “what God is doing now,” as Paul did in Acts 13.
- Look at what Paul actually testified in Acts 13: God fulfilled his promise by raising Jesus (13:32-33), and through Jesus forgiveness of sins is proclaimed (13:38-39).
- Jesus defined the task: “you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). The witness is to him.
- Using Acts 13 to require testimony about events happening in our own time changes the content of the testimony from Jesus to a new fulfillment.
5. Hosea 12:10 and 1 Corinthians 2: Parables are not a war code against Satan
The lesson says God speaks in parables because “He is at war,” to keep Satan from stopping his plan. SCJ’s Creation (p. 286) says Jesus spoke figuratively “to hide the secrets of heaven from Satan’s group.”
- Hosea 12:10 says God spoke to the prophets, revealed many visions and spoke in parables through the prophets. In context, it describes how God warned Israel and called them back (12:6, 9). It says nothing about war or hiding plans from Satan.
- 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 says the rulers of this age didn’t understand God’s wisdom, or they would not have crucified Jesus. But keep reading: “God has revealed these to us by the Spirit” (2:10). The hidden wisdom was already revealed to believers, and its content is Christ crucified (2:2).
- Mark says Jesus spoke in parables “as they were able to hear,” and explained everything privately to his disciples (Mark 4:33-34).
- SCJ’s book makes everyone who doesn’t understand its interpretation part of “Satan’s group.” That is how the code idea is used.
6. “At war”: Not against people
The lesson says God’s people will be at war and should expect persecution.
- Paul says what the war is: “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness” (Ephesians 6:12).
- The weapons are truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word and prayer (6:14-18).
- A war framed as God’s people against churches, pastors and family members turns people into the enemy, which is exactly what Paul says the struggle is not.
7. Satan’s people “do not know”: A test no one can pass
The lesson says Satan’s people don’t know Satan is working through them, and that they can’t testify.
- This makes the label impossible to disprove. If someone says they aren’t deceived, that proves nothing, since Satan’s people “do not know.” Anyone without SCJ’s testimony can be placed in that group.
- The lesson also says unbelievers “aren’t even part of this equation.” Scripture says “the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).
- The “surprise” the lesson promises is that Satan’s people are mostly in churches. That sets students up to see their own pastors and fellow Christians this way.
8. Twisting Scripture: Apply the test to the course
The lesson rightly says Satan takes verses out of context, as in Matthew 4. Apply that standard to what the course has done so far:
- Lesson 1: Jesus says the field is the world (Matthew 13:38). SCJ says it is the church.
- Lesson 1: Jesus says the reapers are angels (13:39). SCJ’s book adds human evangelists.
- Lesson 2: Jesus says the Father’s will is to believe in the Son (John 6:40). SCJ says the will is found in prophecy.
- Lesson 4: “one of us” in Genesis 3:22 is God speaking. SCJ makes it Satan.
- Lesson 5: 2 Thessalonians 2:4 describes one man of lawlessness. SCJ applies it to churches in general.
By the lesson’s own test, taking verses out of context is a warning sign. The pattern is in the course.
9. Persecution: Being opposed doesn’t make you right
SCJ’s Creation (p. 465) says throughout history the persecutors belonged to the devil and the persecuted belonged to God. The lesson says those who persecute show who they belong to.
- Jesus’ blessing has conditions: when people say evil things about you “falsely on account of me” (Matthew 5:11). The criticism has to be false, and it has to be because of Jesus.
- Peter makes the distinction: don’t suffer as a murderer, thief, criminal or troublemaker, but if you suffer as a Christian, don’t be ashamed (1 Peter 4:15-16). True criticism of wrongdoing, such as deceptive recruiting, is not persecution.
- Every group that is criticized can claim persecution, including groups that contradict each other. So the test can’t identify the true one.
- Paul was once a persecutor (1 Timothy 1:13) and became an apostle. Persecuting does not mark someone as permanently belonging to Satan.
- Jesus’ instruction for responding to persecution is to love enemies and pray for them (Matthew 5:44). Labeling critics as Satan’s people is not that.
10. Leaving is not what makes an antichrist
The same page of Creation (p. 411) says anyone who leaves “us” and creates a sect is an antichrist, citing 1 John 2:18-19.
- In 1 John 2:19, “us” is the apostolic church, and the people who went out are defined three verses later: the antichrist is the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ and denies the Father and the Son (2:22).
- The test is denying Jesus, not leaving an organization.
- Lee Man-hee left earlier groups, including Park Tae-seon’s Olive Tree movement and the Tabernacle Temple, before starting SCJ. The book’s own rule would apply to him.
What the lesson is really for
This lesson finishes sorting the world into two camps:
- God’s people are those who can testify to fulfillment and explain the parables, which only SCJ will claim.
- Satan’s people are mainly in churches, don’t know they are deceived and can’t testify.
- Anyone who criticizes the group is a persecutor and therefore belongs to Satan.
- Once a source is judged “poison,” students shouldn’t go back to check it.
The biblical answer: God’s people are known by love, righteousness, obedience and confessing Jesus (John 13:35; 1 John 2:3-5; 3:10; 4:2), the wisdom of God has already been revealed to believers in Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2, 10), the war is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) and the right response to opponents is love and prayer (Matthew 5:44).
What’s happening behind the lesson
These notes are our reading of the lesson text, using Steven Hassan’s BITE model (behavior, information, thought and emotional control). They describe what the text does, not the teacher’s intent. Hassan notes that not every group uses every item. Source: Steven Hassan, BITE Model, Freedom of Mind.
- Information: can discourage re-checking a source once it is judged harmful (our reading). The poison analogy tells students not to “try the poisonous one again to make sure,” and ties the question to “hearing the correct version of God’s word” with “life and death importance.” In our reading, this can steer students away from rechecking sources they have been told are harmful.
- Thought: can set a test the other side cannot pass. God’s people are defined as those who “testify to what God is doing today.” Satan’s people “do not know” Satan works through them and “cannot” testify. Anyone outside the testimony can be placed in the second group, and their own sense that they are not deceived may count for little.
- Emotional: can read opposition as confirmation. “God’s people will also be at war” and should “expect” persecution, while persecutors show “who they actually belong to.” Criticism of the group can then be read as proof that the group is right. The warning “Because this will be a surprise” can prepare students for where Satan’s people will be found.
The reminder to “question everything we hear” and the Berean example are not control techniques in themselves.