JP－①－A－003－1/3  2026(ver.9) Basic Teaching English　A group Relationship with God

03 the position of a child of God

2025/04/20

(HTLM) (WORD)

Key Learning Point: Remove the barriers that prevent us from knowing God. (Here, we especially focus on the relationship with one's parents.)

<02>

Those who believe in Jesus are made children of God and can claim the rich inheritance and spiritual blessings that belong to Him.
However, Satan is envious of people and uses all means to prevent them from believing in God.
First of all, many people are influenced by incorrect knowledge they acquired from culture, causing them not to believe in the spiritual and to think that God doesn’t exist. Such individuals are led to believe that humanism is the solution to society’s problems.

<03>

Those who do believe in the spiritual are led toward the occult or magic.
Those who believe in God’s existence are led to believe in various religions, such as polytheism.
Those who seek to know the one true God described in the Bible are given a distorted image of God, like the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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Even in orthodox Christian churches, one cannot always feel safe. Legalism—rules like “don’t do this” or “you must do that”—and total obedience to church organizations can harm our God-given identity and rob us of the joy of being children of God.

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So, is everything fine as long as we attend a healthy church? Not necessarily.
If an individual is influenced by materialism or the love of money, they may lose sight of the true solution and treasure.
The Bible says, “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

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If we do not have a correct image of God the Father, it becomes difficult to establish a relationship with Him.
A typical example is when a person has a poor relationship with their earthly parents, which causes them to have a distorted image of the Heavenly Father.

<07>

God, being all-powerful, could have used any method to multiply humanity, but He chose to bring children into the world through parents, to be raised and nurtured over nearly 20 years.
One reason for this is so that humans might come to know God through the image of parents.

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Therefore, if a person has a negative image of their parents or has been hurt by them in the process of growing up,
they may find it difficult to trust God or to have a correct image of Him.

<09>

The role of parents on earth includes:
1. Providing protection (not neglect),
2. Loving the family,
3. Providing for the family’s needs (through work),
4. Teaching (being a teacher and advisor),
Being a leader in the home (guiding children in obedience), and so on.

<10>

But what is the actual image of fathers today? “Busy, indifferent, emotionally distant, strict, performance-oriented, comparing siblings, over-controlling”—such negative impressions of earthly fathers are often directly reflected in the way people view the Heavenly Father.

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If the father does not fulfill his role correctly in the home, children growing up in that environment may not understand that God is “the one who protects,” “the one who loves,” “the one who provides,” or “the one who teaches and guides.”

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This is exactly what Satan desires.
To ruin society, he doesn’t need to deceive everyone. All he needs to do is create an oppressive environment through fathers in the home.
Even without resorting to violence or adultery, a father who is emotionally absent due to being busy with work can still cause pressure on the children growing up in that home.

<13>

We often hear about issues like compensated dating or teen prostitution today. In most cases, these are girls who have lacked the experience of being loved by their fathers.
Many boys who turn to homosexuality, delinquency, or violence often lacked the opportunity to have a healthy male role model in the form of a father.

<14>

A negative image of one's earthly father tends to be reflected in authority figures encountered later in life—such as teachers, bosses, or government officials.
This can result in rebellion against authority and an even greater inability to understand the Heavenly Father.
Therefore, false images of God caused by hurt from one’s earthly father must be broken.

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When the father is unreliable, the mother may become dominant—and that too can be problematic.

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When the relationship between the parents is strained, children often side with the mother, which can cause their negative image of the father to be exaggerated beyond the reality of what actually occurred.

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If the parents are in conflict, it can lead to fragmentation of the child's identity. A disrespected husband or an unloved wife may become a model for how the child sees their own identity.

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Even in a healthy family, it is not guaranteed that children won’t be hurt by their parents.
It is normal for parents to scold or correct children when they make mistakes or fail.
However, such moments are actually opportunities for the child to experience unconditional love—that “they are still loved” despite their failures.

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Nevertheless, when correctness is prioritized, the child may lose the chance to learn about unconditional love.
This isn’t a fatal mistake, but it can obscure the child’s understanding of God’s unconditional love.
This effect may be reinforced when parents fail to truly listen to the child's perspective.

<20>

In Christian homes, the image of God is more directly tied to parents than in non-Christian homes, so the emotional wounds can be deeper.
Teachings on Christian homes may help in understanding this issue better:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGgPIWf4yufqdLQn-Mc4H5w-KumTPLYF3

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The main point here is that no matter how righteous or loving the parents were, children can still be hurt.
Therefore, it is good for everyone to reflect on their relationship with their parents.

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How to remove false images of God:
(1) Healing the wounds caused by parents
The first step is to recognize what wounds you have.

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The second step is to open up about these things in a learning group or personally to someone you trust.
You do not need to have your thoughts organized beforehand. In fact, very few people do.
You may discover many things as you start talking.

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Those who are confided in should not judge the speaker but instead accept their feelings, love them, and receive them as they are. This is called “active listening.” As the phrase suggests, it means to listen attentively with your heart.

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The third step is to experience unconditional love. Fellowship within the church, which is God’s family, can be a great support.
Feelings of obligation—such as “I have to” or “I must”—can actually distance us from experiencing unconditional love. Of course, the church can be a great help, but if it becomes a burden and pulls you away from unconditional love, there is no need to force yourself to attend.

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(2) Letting the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, work in us
Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

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As these scriptures show, when we care for one another, we are embodying the culture of the Kingdom of God.
Through this, the Spirit of God moves, healing happens, and a true revelation of God is given.

<28>

1. In such an environment, it becomes easier to receive revelations from verses like “You are precious and honored in my sight” (Isaiah 43:4), and to experience the presence and love of God personally.