JP �@ A 001 2026(ver.9)　Basic teaching　A Group　Relationship with God　

01 Who God is

(HTLM) (WORD)

(A) God Who Created Humans and the World
In Japanese, the word “god” (神) can carry a variety of meanings. However, these are different from the one and only Creator spoken of in the Bible. In Japan, anything?water, mountains, trees?can be considered a god. Additionally, exceptional individuals are sometimes referred to as “gods” in a figurative sense.
Therefore, before we begin this study, it is necessary to understand what the Bible refers to as the “true God.”

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Many of the beings referred to as gods in Japan are defined or made by humans. In contrast, the true God is the one who made humanity. This means that there exists an absolute being beyond human understanding.

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Humans are born from their mothers. Mothers play a great role and are to be deeply respected. However, mothers do not design their children. Rather, they experience the supernatural program that God has embedded in human DNA being carried out within them.

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Therefore, there is another being who should be called the “source of life”?the Creator God.

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What’s even more amazing is that the entire complex blueprint of a human being is encoded within a cell only 0.02mm in size. This remarkable fact shows that life did not come about by mere chance.

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(B) Believing in God Is Not Religion
Many people equate “God” with “religion.” But that is not the case. If God is our source and the giver of life, then believing in God is as natural as believing in the existence of our parents.
In that sense, it is less about religion and more about simply accepting the truth.

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There are various definitions of “religion,” but one that we adhere to is this: “Religion is the act of approaching God through one’s own thoughts or efforts; believing in the true God is not religion.”

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Therefore, we can say that we are not practicing “religion,” but rather, we are in a “relationship” with the true God.

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Of course, sociologically speaking, our activities are categorized as one form of religion?Christianity. However, we claim that it is not religion because our focus is not on tradition or form, but on a relationship with the One who gives life.

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For example, from a religious perspective, Europe is often seen as having the highest number of Christians. Yet, in reality, only 2?3% of the population genuinely believe and have a relationship with God.

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Of course, many people in Europe engage in religious practices. They may have Christian-style weddings and funerals, or attend church on Christmas or other occasions. However, that does not mean they truly believe or have a personal relationship with God.

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On the other hand, in North Korea?where belief in Christ could lead to being sent to a concentration camp?there are 400,000 Christians, making up 1.5% of the population, which is more than in Japan. This is not captured in statistics but is a good example of how religious statistics differ from actual faith.

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◆In some religions, it is not possible to have a personal relationship with a deity.
What Japanese people generally refer to as "god" is often an image made of wood or metal?it is not the true God. Therefore, no matter how much one tries to speak to it, one cannot have a relationship with such a "god."

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When giving a present to someone, how can we make them happy? The best way is to ask what they like.
Assuming what someone wants and continually giving them something they never asked for is not only ineffective?it might even be annoying. This is the mistake many so-called religions make.
Practices like ascetic training, rituals, or offering sacrifices are not necessarily what God truly desires.

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◆Religion is “a way of justifying oneself by one's own method.”
One of the mistakes that occurs when there is no relationship with God is the belief that engaging in religious activity can cover up inner problems, such as internal conflict or uncontrolled anger.

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(C) True faith means having an intimate relationship with God.
The concept of "god" in Japan usually refers to a being that does not respond personally. But the true God is not someone we simply believe in from afar?He desires to build a close relationship with us.

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(John 17:3) "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

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The greatest benefit of knowing God is the salvation of the soul?eternal salvation?represented by "eternal life."
Therefore, knowing God is not merely a matter of head knowledge; it is about experiencing God personally.

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(D) Why can't people know God?
Human beings were created by God to know Him and have a close relationship with Him.
However, due to various reasons, it has become difficult for people to know God. In this series of studies, we will examine those reasons. In this session, we will look at one such reason: “a distorted image” of God.

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A distorted image of God is not formed in a single day. The following list represents some typical misconceptions.

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(E) Misconceptions people have about God
(1) God does not exist: This idea is common in Japan due to the spread of false teachings such as evolutionism.
(2) God is full of love and would never punish anyone.
(3) God is a distant being?so busy that He pays no attention to people.
(4) God is like a strict police officer or judge?He places heavy demands on people and harshly punishes those who make mistakes.

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These ideas do not arise naturally. While there are many causes, one major reason is the presence of overly strict, indifferent, or too-busy parents during a person's upbringing.
Since parents are the first authority figures in life, a child’s image of their parents tends to influence their image of God.

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Therefore, many people who struggle to believe in God's existence may carry emotional wounds.
Believing in God involves healing those wounds, and in turn, healing emotional wounds creates fertile ground for believing in God.

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(F) What is God like?
(1) God is love (1 John 4:7?8, 16 / Romans 8:32)
God is perfect love. He never rejects anyone who seeks refuge in Him. Through fellowship with Him, anyone can receive comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:4?5)

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(2) God is righteous: He always acts justly. Therefore, we can safely entrust ourselves to Him.
Jesus Christ is righteous and judges with perfect truth. (Acts 10:34 ? "God shows no partiality.")

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(3) God never changes: Even though times may change, God remains the same.
(Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

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(4) God is the perfect Father (John 10:25 / Matthew 6:9 / Romans 8:16)
Our earthly fathers are imperfect, but the perfect Father gives us protection, provides for our needs, and leads us.

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(5) God understands you completely.
God is not observing us from afar. Jesus lived as a human being and experienced suffering, sorrow, sickness, and abandonment.
Therefore, God understands our weaknesses.